Stihl going nowhere

[still]

I am going to try a small shot of engine starting fluid in the intake right behind the spark on my ms170 but I doubt that will work. They want 55 bucks just to look at my saw and see what is wrong. It is a good saw still and it should be simple. I have spark. I have a good ethanol free premix in the saw from Murdochs. I wont choke it for the test. Normally I try with full choke and full throttle until I get a fire and then go to low choke and full throttle til it starts. Thanks for looking at my post. I am driven to solve this. I have not check gap but heard gap was already set on the spark plug. If I see a spark I figure I am good to go.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Starting fluid is not great for 2 strokes- its a dry fuel and a hot burn.
We have discussed this elsewhere, spark, timing of spark, correct air and fuel mix being supplied in correct quantities to the combustion chamber and compression is all you need for a 2 stroke to work.
Not having any of the measuring tools to check compression or case integrity does not help- but you can do all the visual checks of all the usual air leak suspects, you can check to see if the flywheel moves on the crank, you can pull the plug and drop a teaspoon full of straight oil on top of the piston- swill it around a bit and try to start the saw as per your usual cold start procedure.
Most of the inspecting of fuel lines, impulse lines, manifolds and the number one leak site on any clamshell- loose engine pan- involves tearing the saw near completely apart- which is not dead simple on an MS170, if you are not used to tearing saws down.

You could take it to a dealer, spend the $55 and they could still tell you it is worn/damaged beyond economic repair- so you are $55 and a saw in the hole- but if you have a trustworthy dealer and they have the tooling and knowledge to correctly diagnose which of the above is causing you grief- it can save you tearing out a lot of your hair in frustration if you are not sure what you are doing, or if you get things apart but cannot remember how they go back together.

 

[still]

Thanks again. Before you replied I took it down to Murdochs where I bought it and they can diagnosis is for a decent price, they are so fair with you when you bought it there. For $200 if it cost much I will dump it. I will get back and let you know what I find out. Best regard to the land down under.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Thanks again. Before you replied I took it down to Murdochs where I bought it and they can diagnosis is for a decent price, they are so fair with you when you bought it there. For $200 if it cost much I will dump it. I will get back and let you know what I find out. Best regard to the land down under.

See there is the thing, with the cost of trained time and genuine parts these days- it does not take much to turn a problematic low initial retail item into an uneconomic repair.
Thats pretty much how a lot of us get into tinkering with small equipment and learning how to diagnose and fix stuff- we get frustrated with paying others to do it.
If they tell you it is uneconomic repair- get them to tell you why and take the saw home, don't dump it as it can become a learning tool- something you can work on at your leisure and learn from- hopefully leading to full repair.
In the meanwhile it may need replaced with another saw, maybe a different model or make, if you need a usable saw to keep doing what you own one for- but it is entirely possible to buy cheap aftermarket complete not as well made (but viable) engines for the 170 that bolt straight in.
You can tear the saw down, bolt in a complete engine swap and put it all back together- it will never be as durable or as good a quality as the original- but it might run again.

 

[still]

Bob. It was flooded Murdoch said. I dont know how they would know it was flooded but that what they said. I was cranking it with full choke and full throttle hoping for a fire and then when it fired going to half choke and full throttle. Maybe that was wrong. I tried it at home and it started right up but I went with full choke no throttle then half choke no throttle. Not sure which is right but it is running. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Yep stay off the throttle when the choke is on for cold starts.
Starting procedures will be in the owners manual.

My guess is they asked you how you were trying to start it and then pulled the plug, turned the saw upside down- cycled the rope and a heap of gas came out the plug hole- this established flooding.

 

[Norm]

Starting fluid is not great for 2 strokes- its a dry fuel and a hot burn.
We have discussed this elsewhere, spark, timing of spark, correct air and fuel mix being supplied in correct quantities to the combustion chamber and compression is all you need for a 2 stroke to work.
Not having any of the measuring tools to check compression or case integrity does not help- but you can do all the visual checks of all the usual air leak suspects, you can check to see if the flywheel moves on the crank, you can pull the plug and drop a teaspoon full of straight oil on top of the piston- swill it around a bit and try to start the saw as per your usual cold start procedure.
Most of the inspecting of fuel lines, impulse lines, manifolds and the number one leak site on any clamshell- loose engine pan- involves tearing the saw near completely apart- which is not dead simple on an MS170, if you are not used to tearing saws down.

You could take it to a dealer, spend the $55 and they could still tell you it is worn/damaged beyond economic repair- so you are $55 and a saw in the hole- but if you have a trustworthy dealer and they have the tooling and knowledge to correctly diagnose which of the above is causing you grief- it can save you tearing out a lot of your hair in frustration if you are not sure what you are doing, or if you get things apart but cannot remember how they go back together.

Great advise. Glad OP took it as well..and got his saw.going.

 

[AlSmith]

Hey guys, I joined this forum today and reason being chainsaw wouldn't start. I saw this thread and I just had to jump in. I went to a Stihl dealer in town and I wanted to buy the MS170 they told me they don't sell that saw any more. At least that particular dealer won't. I asked why and the guy behind the counter said "because when they crap out, there's nothing that can be done to fix it... mainly the carburetor" So I bought the MS171. So I hope Mr. Still that flooding was the only thing wrong.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Hey guys, I joined this forum today and reason being chainsaw wouldn't start. I saw this thread and I just had to jump in. I went to a Stihl dealer in town and I wanted to buy the MS170 they told me they don't sell that saw any more. At least that particular dealer won't. I asked why and the guy behind the counter said "because when they crap out, there's nothing that can be done to fix it... mainly the carburetor" So I bought the MS171. So I hope Mr. Still that flooding was the only thing wrong.

You want to find yourself a new dealer.

 

[AlSmith]

You want to find yourself a new dealer.

I'm returning the saw back today. Not what I was expecting. It has a freaking mini chain! I didn't remover the bar cover at the store, had I done that I wouldn't have bought it. Dang it.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I'm returning the saw back today. Not what I was expecting. It has a freaking mini chain! I didn't remover the bar cover at the store, had I done that I wouldn't have bought it. Dang it.

170- 171 are the bottom of the barrel in consumer Stihls- the 180-181 not a lot better, 021-210 marginally better.
To replace your 024 you are looking at 241 (which is like rocking horse poop to find) and so you have to step up to 261-262.

 

[MadKaw]

If the carb is the problem on a MS-170, it might not be economically feasible to have a mechanic fix it, but it's a 5 minute job to replace it.
A replacement carb (off brand) is less than $20.
I've been running one on my MS-250 for this entire year and IMO, it runs better than with the original.

 

[AlSmith]

The problem with mine was the carburetor and I did replaced it with an off brand. Took me less that half an hour and I had it running. Went out and used it without making any adjustments. Worked just fine. I did make some fine tuning adjustments after I got home. I'm a happy camper. Now I want to get carb kit so I can get my old carb back up and running.