Shindaiwa (now Echo) chainsaw, maybe fifteen years old.

Won't start. New plug, clean air filter, Gumout carb cleaner produces no ignition. Compression feels normal when starter is pulled. It last ran fine a month or more back, now nothing. Ignition coil bad I guess, no? I don't have any way to actually test the coil.

Not cheap and looks like a pain to get to but easy swap once there. This is a really sweet saw, I'd put it up against any others. I'm not going to pay today's labor costs so any other possible causes other than bad coil?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ripley,

check fuel filter and fuel lines, the ethanol eats them up.

Check the air filter and spark arrestor and make sure both of those are clean.

Next, Pull the sparkplug out, plug it back into the coil wire, pull the start cord and see if you have spark, easier to see in the dark. IF you don't have spark it could be the off button, a loose wire or the magneto/coil itself. It sounds like spark if it won't fire on carb cleaner.


If you have spark, then start looking at the fuel system, fuel lines, filter and primer bulb. If they're very old it wouldn't hurt to change them. Then fuel pump and carberator next. I'd think it would've kicked off on carb cleaner even if any or all of these are bad.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
check fuel filter and fuel lines, the ethanol eats them up.

Had this issue with my 18" Poulan a few years ago. Had to have all new fuel lines installed. Unfortuantely pieces got sucked unto the carb and gummed it up so bad it had to be replaced.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
check fuel filter and fuel lines, the ethanol eats them up.

Had this issue with my 18" Poulan a few years ago. Had to have all new fuel lines installed. Unfortuantely pieces got sucked unto the carb and gummed it up so bad it had to be replaced.

Pretty much my experience with my 1993 Poulan last year too. Local shop in Bluff Park, AL got me running for very reasonable cost.

My experience with carbs(diaphragms)/lines gone bad has been Gumout will produce short lived ignition. In this case, not a hint of that.

FWIW For years I've used an additive for ethanol that has seemed to be really helpful with my small engines. I say that with reservations. My good equipment has run trouble free, my cheap stuff has had a problem or two, owing as much to their cheapness as ethanol maybe.

Before you go into tearing it apart as others have suggested, are you getting any spark at the plug? You didn't mention that in your initial post.

check and clean spark arrestor as J123 mentioned.

Test the coil: Stick your wet finger in the spark plug cap & have someone pull. Or better yet, have someone else put their finger in and you pull.

Thankfully I'm getting a nice blue spark.

Could be in trouble with the spark arrestor, not going to come off easily. Two torx screws sitting a couple inches deep in holes. One comes out pretty easily, can't get the driver to seat in the other one. Whatever is clogging up the opening to the torx head isn't coming out. I can see down into it, not evident what's going on.

Would the fact that no ignition with Gumout be due to a bad arrestor? Shouldn't I get a short run even with carb/diaphragm problems or is it so gunked up with ethanol, that's the problem?

quote:

Originally posted by cne32507:
Test the coil: Stick your wet finger in the spark plug cap & have someone pull. Or better yet, have someone else put their finger in and you pull.

My Dad taught me this trick many years ago. Guess who's finger we used

quote:

Originally posted by cne32507:
Test the coil: Stick your wet finger in the spark plug cap & have someone pull. Or better yet, have someone else put their finger in and you pull.

^^^
This,had a coil go on a leaf blower last month,you guessed it , no longer made.
Off to depot for a new bigger faster heaver one.
I really like the old lighter one.
but hay this one comes with a shoulder strap

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:
Thankfully I'm getting a nice blue spark.

Could be in trouble with the spark arrestor, not going to come off easily. Two torx screws sitting a couple inches deep in holes. One comes out pretty easily, can't get the driver to seat in the other one. Whatever is clogging up the opening to the torx head isn't coming out. I can see down into it, not evident what's going on.

Would the fact that no ignition with Gumout be due to a bad arrestor? Shouldn't I get a short run even with carb/diaphragm problems or is it so gunked up with ethanol, that's the problem?

If you've never cleaned the arrestor, just clean it now and eliminate a potential problem. Or you could remove it all together as I did no my Stihl saw.

If the arrestor doesn't resolve the issue, buy a new carb for the saw. You could dabble for some time while buying diaphragms and gaskets, but a new carb should be cheap and will likely resolve your issue.

I will second the clear fuel lines. Tiny holes and cracks show up over time.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
If you've never cleaned the arrestor, just clean it now and eliminate a potential problem. Or you could remove it all together as I did no my Stihl saw.

If the arrestor doesn't resolve the issue, buy a new carb for the saw. You could dabble for some time while buying diaphragms and gaskets, but a new carb should be cheap and will likely resolve your issue.

I'm at a loss with the arrestor what with the torx head not allowing the driver in deep enough to remove it. Any suggestions how to clean it still attached to the head?

Am I wrong in assuming there should be a short ignition using Gumout, no matter what shape the lines and carb are in?

There should be two screws on the side of the carburetor. One should be the idle jet screw. The other the main jet mixture screw. Screw them all the way in counting the exact number of turns and partial turns. Then take them all the way out. Then spray some carburetor cleaner in each hole. Take a nylon bristle from a broom and use as a cleaning rod in each hole. Spray carburetor cleaner again. If you have an air compressor or use caned air blow each hole out and let dry. Now reinstall the screws into the holes and bottom them out. Then back them out to where they were originally by counting the turns.

Most of the times in my experience one of these or both of these needle port holes get gummed up.

Good Luck

Take it to a small engine repair place.. there is a reason people have specialties and make a living off of it.

Now my guess is the gasket between the carburetor and head....

use a small phillips head screw driver to poke a hole in the arrestor, or wire brush it if you can.

LOL. WHY one buys a STIHL.