Stihl love/hate MS251C

[L10-11xx]

I have the ms251C Light 04 as you can see in the title it truly is a love-hate relationship I have with this chainsaw. If you can get it to start on the first few pulls it is a great saw if you can't it is the worst saw you can have. This saw is sold as an easy start and it is if you get it to fire in the first second or two if not put it away and get out the old saw. When I first got this saw I thought it was an operator error, but not anymore it is a case of crap or great. OK let's assume that it is me how do you get this thing to start without learning how to swear like a trooper? This saw must flood by just looking at it wrong, I really don't want to take off the cover each time I run into a starting problem to try and dry out the carb or throw Eather down the carb.

 

[Rivets]

Next time you try to start it try this.
1. Push primer bulb 5 times, make sure it fills full.
2. Set at full choke.
3. Throttle wide open.
4. Pull rope until you hear it pop.
5. Move choke to half position.
6. Pull start.
This is the procedure I instruct my customers to use on both Stihl and Echo equipment.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

If it has a constant speed gov. the throttle will be wide open at cranking speed .

 

[L10-11xx]

Next time you try to start it try this.
1. Push primer bulb 5 times, make sure it fills full.
2. Set at full choke.
3. Throttle wide open.
4. Pull rope until you hear it pop.
5. Move choke to half position.
6. Pull start.
This is the procedure I instruct my customers to use on both Stihl and Echo equipment.

I would like to say I have not tried this approach to starting this saw, but that is not the case. What do you tell your customers if this makes sense approach fails? You are right this should work and it has worked for me at times, but seven out of ten times I put the saw away and go and get my old Poulan chain saw because I am fed up with this easy start crap. This is a great saw when running, but to say that it has to be running and so far not so great.

 

[ILENGINE]

Two things about starting the MS251 is one pull the yo-yo starter slowly and let the spring tension crank the engine. And when cold starting crank in the choke position till the engine attempts to start but no more than 4 cranks before taking out of choke position . Most of the time the saw will let out a very soft poot and then if you turn the choke off it will start within a couple cranks. If you miss the poot and crank it again it will flood.

 

[L10-11xx]

OK let's say this is all about me and not having a clue. This great saw once again has flooded do I put it away until the next sunrise or how long do I wait to start over and try try again? Trust me I am not trying to be flippant, but this saw is a joke if you have to jump through hoops to hear a sound other than me causing this thing out. Stihl makes a great product but this is not one of them to prove me wrong.

 

[ILENGINE]

If this saw has been repeated flooded to the extent that you claim, it may be in need of a new spark plug due to conductive fuel soaking into the ceramic of the plug causing it to short out internally.

Just as a side note I own a MS251C that I took in on a trade a few years ago. And your starting issue is far from limited on several stihl model saws. And part of the issue has to due to the variable spark timing of the electronic ignition module. If you try to crank them too fast it throws the spark advance off causing hard starting and flooding.

The Makita 6400 saw has that issue to the point that if you try to drop start it, it will flood everytime to the point of gas running out of the muffler Let your 13 year old daughter crank it and it will start in 2 pulls or less everytime.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

The 251c has a different primer system than other saws. The bulb is not a purge bulb. It pushes fuel into the fuel inlet of the carb. If you pump it too much you can pop off the metering needle and flood the engine. Only pump the bulb a couple times and then only pull the rope twice with the choke on. After that take it off choke and see if it starts.

 

[L10-11xx]

I appreciate all the comments that you have given me, but one of the things I have noticed is that all as well as what Stihl said about starting this saw are a little different, and what that tells me is do what works for you and for me. I got the saw to fire up and run now will it run in the AM who knows I will try some if not all to see if I can get the magic to work in the morning. I will work it for a few days and see what works best and I will give you what works best for a saw from hell. Once again thanks.

 

[bertsmobile1]

The soft start saws are designed for whimps who can not overcome the engine compression
The secondary spring spins the engine at exactly the correct speed for starting .
Women or blokes with short ams who do not cause the engine to turn over on a single pull have no problems
Big boofy blokes who nearly rip the starting cord out of the engine every pull are the ones who have problems
Little pulls that may take 3 or 4 till it trips the secondary spring works best .
And as mentioned drop starting will not work.
I have a sneaky feeling that drop starting which is easy to mess up & cut yourself is probably the reason why it was designed
No saw company would make a design change that adds several extra parts unless they have been sued by a smart lawyer representing an idiot .