Can't start Stihl Farm Boss chainsaw

aloysious · Sep 26, 2010

My Farm Boss is about a yr. old, not used much.
I followed the instructions in the user manual for when it doesn't start. Took out the spark plug, cleaned it, cranked it a few times without the spark plug to clear out the carburetor, replaced spark plug and tried cranking it, to no avail.
Any suggestions?

Bret4207 · Sep 26, 2010

If you have good spark and it were my saw, I'd give it a shot of starting fluid and see if it takes off. Sometimes the varnishes build up and the diaphragm dries out a bit. That can lead to the equivalent of a blocked fuel passage. Often a little starting fluid will get it going enough to free up and get the fuel flowing. Not a good idea to leave saws with fuel in them these days if you can help it. I forget and go through this a lot.

c.w n.y · Sep 26, 2010

the fuel line on my 2 year old stihl 290
rotted out causeing it not to start, I guess because of the ethanol in the gas. check it out.

c.w

Will Herring · Sep 26, 2010

The way I always start mine is:

Flip it to the lowest setting and pull the starter until it makes a "whir", then click it one setting up and pull until it starts.

I can't remember what the manual says, but that makes mine start every time.

snoop-nc · Sep 26, 2010

Aerosol "Sea Foam"...dose it directly into throat of carb.

hayray · Sep 26, 2010

On all of my Stihl equipment when that happens it is usually the diaphram in the carb that pumps the fuel, it gets hard from gas sitting in it, that is why it is best to never let gas sit in the carbs on those things. Get a carb rebuilding kit, it is real easy to do and solves alot of probs. Every couple of years it is a good idea to do.

Spook · Sep 26, 2010

I am on my 2nd Stihl saw. Currently a MS260. How I have had to start both: I take off the air filter cover, splash a very small amount of gas on the inside of the filter, put it back, put the cover back on. I usually wait about a minute, it usually starts on the 1st pull.

MN Scott · Sep 26, 2010

Use fresh premium non ethanol gas as specified by the owners manual. I know my Stihl equipment is very sensitive to fuel. If its sat for more that a month get fresh gas. If it has sat for awhile you may need to remove the air filter and squirt a little fuel directly into the cylinder. It should pop off then and run. If it doesn't I'd be looking at fuel lines and maybe a carb kit.

gordy from Iowa · Sep 26, 2010

All my saws are Stihl. Try to have fresh gas in them (not over 30 days old) and if they are going to sit longer than that, dump the gas out and run them untill they quit. Also keep Stabil in the gas.
Not that I haven't screwed up a time or two!!

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 26, 2010

I have had an MS 440 for almost 6 years and run E10 89 octane in it. It usually starts for me if I choke it, pull it till it pops, flip the lever to trigger lock and pull it 2-3 more times. Once the engine is warm it usually starts on the first pull. I have had 4-6 month old gas in it a few times with no problems, if I fill my gas can right near the end of spring firewood cutting and don't run the saw a lot over the summer.
Zach

Goose · Sep 26, 2010

If I try the routine in the owner's manual to start my Stihl MS250 it will flood to where you have to let it sit for a couple of hours. It says something like pull five times with the choke full on, then go to half choke to start.

I found from experience if I pull it through on full choke once, then go to choke all the way off it will usually start on the next pull.

JD Seller · Sep 26, 2010

Don"t start a two cycle motor with either. You can lock the crank bearing up in one start. If you need to fuel it this way use WD-40. It will start them and has enough lube to protect the bearings. It has to be WD-40, Rust buster, PB Blaster and CR 56 are different and will not work.

2x4 · Sep 26, 2010

This worked for my Stihl weedeater: it never was a fast starter but it kept getting harder & harder to start. Finally wouldn't start no matter how much you cranked it. 90% of all small engine problems are solved by a new sparkplug so put known working plug in. No start but noticed smoke coming from muffler, like it wanted to start but couldn't. Close look & saw green plug in muffler exhaust hole, which can be plugged completely by a no. 2 pencil. Some little bug had cut up leaves into pieces half the size of your little fingernail, dozens & dozens of'em & put'em in the muffler along with a bunch of its babies. Plugged it off completely! Spent half an hour with a wire with a small crook on the end of it, digging everything out. Started right up, runs fine now.

Tony S. · Sep 26, 2010

Had the same problem

Old Roy · Sep 26, 2010

Had another brand one time and a year old was using it for a company I worked for. Odd name Yatanka I believe . just wouldn't start and keep running.
Boss had me take it to dealer he bought it from . he removed the muffler and a screen between muffler and block , put the muffler back on and it ran fine . He said it was a built in safety feature so people would bring them back for service.??????

Anonymous-0 · Sep 27, 2010

Probably Tanaka. There stuff is usually pretty high quality. dave

Anonymous-0 · Sep 27, 2010

The pickup line in the tank on my stihl was cracked and the saw wouldn't run when turned on it's side. If it was cracked at the top, it prolly wouldn't have started either. It was only about a month old and used about 45 minutes at the time.

However, you prolly just have a piece of junk that would shame any trash can you put it in. Just box it up and send it to me :roll:

My stihl brushcutter did just as you are saying with the same use conditions. Took it to the shop and the guy didn't bat an eye. Dumped the fuel put in a new plug and pulled the rope. Started on the second pull. Talk about feeling like a dummy..........

Dave

El Toro · Sep 27, 2010

Give a little whiff of starting fluid and see it it fires. I had that problem with my Craftsman made by Poulan and it was the diaphram fuel pump
from using gas with ethenol. I was told to dump the fuel when the saw wasn't being used. That's what I do now since I don't use it much. Hal

kyplowboy · Sep 27, 2010

Just wander'n, how long has the gas been in it and did you use sta-bil? If I don't add sta-bil when I mix my gas jug it will go bad after 6 to 8 months.

Good luck.

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Sep 28, 2010

Dad bought an 029 Farm Boss about ten years ago. I'm the only one that has really used it since then. It used to start hard after being put away for the summer. To start it for the first time in a season I would give it a little shot of carb cleaner in the fuel tank. That always got it to pop off. I would not runn that mixture out but after it fired up I would dump out the mixture and put fresh gas/oil in. I found that to start a cold Stihl there is a step by step procedure: 1. Choke and pull cord three times
2. Push choke lever all the way down and pull cord until it fires.
3. Put choke lever back into choke position and pull cord until it runs (usually 1 or 2 pulls)
4. when running pull trigger and start cutting.

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