# Chainsaw starting rope is hard to pull



## Rdavis441

Starting rope is hard to pull unless I completely remove the spark plug. With the spark plug installed (even if it is not connected) the cord is hard to pull. You can not pull it more than a few inches-- it kind of steps around, not far enough to generate a spark. Any suggestions on what I should look for or try?
Ron


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## Basementgeek

Hi and welcome to TSF

With the plug removed it should extremely easy to pull, if it is not my first guess is the clylinder is scoured up and/or bad bearing(s)/bushing.

Pull the muffler, get the piston below the exhaust ports, shin a bright light into the port and look/see.

The bore should be nice and smooth. Is it?

What causes this?, lack of lubrication i.e. gas and oil mixed wrong most times.

Let us know.

BG


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## Rdavis441

Basement Geek,
Thank you very much for responding to my posting. 
I have checked the Piston and it looks good -- bright and shiny and no scour marks that I can see. My guess is that I would have to take the engine out to check the bearings -- is that correct?
Another question -- When I press the Primer Bulb I see feel moving thru the fuel line (from tank to Carb). Should I also see fuel moving thru the line when I pull the starting cord?
I look forward to hearing from you again.


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## Basementgeek

Can't really say on the primer, my saws don't have primers. I would say on a 
saw carb it may just supply air to the bottom of the diaphram thus push gas into the back end of the carb.

The piston has to below the exhaust port to check the cylinder! did you do that?

If the cylinder is clean, it has to be the bearings. That is assuming that the chain is not too tight. Better yet take the bar and chain off.

There should only be 3 bearings/bushings. Front, rear and crank/rod bearing.

BG


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## Rdavis441

Hi BG,
Thanks again for a speedy reply.

Before receiving this response, I had checked the wrong thing. When I said it was shiny and bright, I was looking at the Piston not the cylinder. But I just checked the cylinder above the Piston. It does not look like it is scoured. It looks like a white plastic lining but it LOOKS smooth with a small sploch of dried oil or something brown near the top on one side. At the bottom of both sides, (just above the to of the piston, it looks like small openings for the exhaust to exit maybe??????

I already have the bar and chain off of the saw.

I'm beginning to think it may just be the carburetor. One thing that I didn't mention is that the saw doesn't run even momentarily on starter fluid. I didn't mention it because ever since right after buying this saw I had this "pulling the starter cord" problem. Occassionly, if I pulled it for a long time, it would start. That is when I put this saw aside and bought another one. 

With the top cover off, I can see the fly wheel rotate (even with the spark plug installed and connected). It does go completely around. It doesn't pull as smoothly as I think it should -- but I may be wrong. 

Since the flywheel does go completely around, and since the coil does generate a spark, it seems like it should start or at least try to start if the carb was working correctly.

Any thoughts or suggestions on any of this?


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## Basementgeek

Never seen a plastic looking cylinder, which means nothing >)

The top opening should be exhausts ports, bottom ports are the intakes.

With the plug out spray something like WD40 in it. Does it pull easier now?

It should fire some with ether. Open choke, open throttle. Really short spray.
Close choke. Now pull.

Does it try to run now?

Have you tried a new plug yet? 

BG


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## Rdavis441

Thanks again for the response.
I will try all of your suggestions and get back to you tomorrow.
Ron


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## Rdavis441

Rdavis441 said:


> Thanks again for the response.
> I will try all of your suggestions and get back to you tomorrow.
> Ron


Hi BG, I am sorry I haven't gotten back to you before this. I have been really busy for the past few days and haven't had a chance to try the things you suggested. I am going out of town for 4 or 5 days and will not be able to work on the saw agin until Sunday or Monday.

I will update you as soon as I do your suggestions.

Ron


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## alpenadiver

Does the saw have a compression release button, My Husqvarna 455 has on located on top just under the handle.


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## Rdavis441

alpenadiver said:


> Does the saw have a compression release button, My Husqvarna 455 has on located on top just under the handle.


Thanks for your response.

No it does not have a compression release button.

I have a few items that have been suggested to me, but I have been out of town for a while and have not got to them. I will start on them today.

Here is a few findings that I hav uncovered that I have not yet passed on to my other support person.

1. It will not start with starting fluid sprayed into the throat.
2. When I push the primer bulb, I can see fuel flowing thru the fuel line from the tank to the carburetor.
3. It still won't start.
4. When I immediately remove and check the spark plug, it is dry. I have read that that means fuel is not getting thru the carburetor and that I need to clean or replace it.

After I do the other suggestions mentioned above. I will move on to removing and cleaning the carburetor.

I would welcome your opinion on the above.

Thank you again for proposing a possible fix to my problem.

Ron


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## alpenadiver

If the plug is check that the fuel filter isn't plugged ( it is found inside the gas tank, at the end of the fuel line) also make sure the fuel isn't pinched anywhere.


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## Rdavis441

alpenadiver said:


> If the plug is check that the fuel filter isn't plugged ( it is found inside the gas tank, at the end of the fuel line) also make sure the fuel isn't pinched anywhere.


I replaced the fuel lines and the in-tank filter.
With the chainsaw top cover removed and I press the primer bulb, I can see the fuel move thru the fuel lines.

Although, I think I connected the fuel lines correctly, I will recheck them. The primer bulb is clearly marked (Tank and Carb) I will still recheck them.

It would seem that even if they were install incorrectly, I think the saw should still start when I spray the starter fluid in the carb throat, but it doesn't.

I will again check for spark.

Ron


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## Rdavis441

Basementgeek said:


> Never seen a plastic looking cylinder, which means nothing >)
> 
> The top opening should be exhausts ports, bottom ports are the intakes.
> 
> With the plug out spray something like WD40 in it. Does it pull easier now?
> 
> It should fire some with ether. Open choke, open throttle. Really short spray.
> Close choke. Now pull.
> 
> Does it try to run now?
> 
> Have you tried a new plug yet?
> 
> BG


Hi BG,

I sprayed the WD 40 and there was no difference.

I sprayed the starting fluid and it still didn't start.

I have replaced spark and it had no affect on the problem.

I removed the carburetor and sprayed Carb cleaner all thru it. I am letting it dry over nite. I will put it back together tomorrow and see if it had any affect on the problem.

Ron


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## alpenadiver

Just a note, you shouldn't use starting fluid on a two stroke motor, you will seize the piston.

How far did you disassemble the carb, did you remove needle valve, and fuel pump diaphragm. also check the mixture (H and L screws) to what the manual states as the setting, you may need to tweak once you get the saw running.


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## Basementgeek

Cleaning the carb is _NOT_ going to solve your problem.

Contrary to what was said about ether, a tiny shot will not destroy your engine. Been using it 30+ years and I have yet to trash an engine. When I say tiny I mean like a ½ second shot.

An engine requires 3 things to run, compression, fuel and spark. Fuel you have taken care of with the ether and WD 40. If it has or appears to have
compression, back to spark. You could have a weak coil, assuming it does not have points. A weak coil can fire a plug out side the engine. Put a plug
in engine with compression, that same plug requires more juice to fire now.

I think the next step is to pull the flywheel. A bad keyway will cause the spark to fire at the wrong time and will not run.

Keep us posted.

BG


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## alpenadiver

Something we should of asked at the beginning, What is the make of the saw, and how old is it.

Most, if not all saws use a diaphragm fuel pump, and all it takes is a pinhole or a piece of crud to stop fuel from getting to the carb.


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## Rdavis441

alpenadiver said:


> Something we should of asked at the beginning, What is the make of the saw, and how old is it.
> 
> Most, if not all saws use a diaphragm fuel pump, and all it takes is a pinhole or a piece of crud to stop fuel from getting to the carb.


It is a Craftsman 42cc 18" Model 358350380

I don't know how old it is - probably 10 years old but never had much use. I have had problems with it almost since it was new. I would have to crank it 20 25 times before it would start. Based on every thing I'm hearing now, it was probably timing. Since I removed the fly wheel, checked the key and put the fly wheel back on, I don't get the kick back I had been getting.

I don't know anything about a diaphragm fuel pump or even where it is located. You are the first peron who has mentioned it.

The thing that bothers me the most is that it won't even start and run for a short time on starter fluid. My other saw does and so does my Troy built Shredder that hadn't been used for at least 8 - 10 years started and ran on starter fluid??????.

I have an in-line spark tester and I get a spark. Question -- Is the color of the spark of any significance? My spark is orange, and some where I THINK I read where someone was suggesting to someone else to check that they were getting a BLUE spark. I have been at his for so long that I am sure if I read that or not.

Although I haven't found the problem yet, I have really learned a lot about small engines by following suggestions provided to me. 

Thank you for your time and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

Ron


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## Basementgeek

In my book yellow/orange is a sign of a weak spark. It should be a blue/white spark.

As I said a good spark under a no pressure is not to hard to get. Put the plug under compression the fire will be different. If you could see an old spark plug tester, they always checked the spark under a fair amount of pressure.
The higher the pessure the less spark the plug would put out.

I am still leaning to a weak coil.

BG


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## Rdavis441

Basementgeek said:


> In my book yellow/orange is a sign of a weak spark. It should be a blue/white spark.
> 
> As I said a good spark under a no pressure is not to hard to get. Put the plug under compression the fire will be different. If you could see an old spark plug tester, they always checked the spark under a fair amount of pressure.
> The higher the pessure the less spark the plug would put out.
> 
> I am still leaning to a weak coil.
> 
> BG


 Thanks BG. I will order a new coil tonite. I wish I had read your message just 15 minutes earlier, I could have combined it with another order I had just placed.
Ron.


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## Basementgeek

Again, that is my best guess. I am assuming the compression is OK.

Keep us posted.

BG


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## Rdavis441

Basementgeek said:


> Again, that is my best guess. I am assuming the compression is OK.
> 
> Keep us posted.
> 
> BG


Your best guess is good for me. I was stymied, with no place else to go. The only thing I haven't tried and that is in reference to a diagragm fuel pump. I have no idea if my saw has one and if so, where is it.
I will keep you posted.
Ron


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## Basementgeek

The key right now is getting a good spark !

You saw may not have a fuel pump. The carb will have a diaphragm in it.

BG


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## Gingrichd

Did you ever get your saw running? I have tried to find anyone to fix my saw. The same thing happened to me. Everyone that had the same problem gets the same response , they don't listen to the problem . I hope you got it fixed . Let me know what was wrong with it. It happens more than what you think. There is a lot of post from other people that had the same problem.


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## vonoretn

Never mentioned was that there might be deposits on top the combustion chamber which you can't see from the spark plug hole, and would raise the compression enough to be hard to start with the plug in it, plus hard to run once started. Sounds like too much compression to me.


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