026 Stihl Issues

i've got issues with my saw, it starts up fine sometimes on the first pull then will run and gun fine until halfway through a log. Chain slows or stops in the wood and the motor sounds really low at that point. If I take the saw out of the wood it'll be low then climbs out of it then will sound like its running pretty close to top speed but I can notice a difference in its pitch a bit. It was doing really great on some black locust a bit more than a month ago. Let me know what you think.

 

Cracked/degraded fuel line between tank and carb?

 

Seems like its lacking power to cut through. I use good clean fuel in the can mixed for stihl specifically.

 

Problem with the oiler? If the chain isn't getting oil, the bar can heat up, expand and overtighten the chain.

 

I will second the fuel line.

 

Ok I'll take a look at it and see what I can find and get back to you. I think the oiler is doing ok, i see oil spurt from the nose of the saw.

 

I think this fixed it, my chain might have been a bit too tight, having the nuts make the tension permanent, it needed to be released. I also turned up the oil screw a bit so that helped. Put it through a log of oak and that improved quite a bit. Its still lagging on the trigger so it feels as if it could stall a bit. So might need some more tweaking.

 

Try setting the low speed mixture a bit richer.

 

looks like the vibration had given the screws a bit of turn in the process of sawing so I adjusted my H and L a bit and its running strong again.

 

Have a look at the spark arrestor screen. If that is starting to foul it can act like that.

 

Thats in the muffler right ? Im a tinkerer but as far as skilled goes it's limited. Ive only taken my stihl apart as far as some maintenance deep cleaning in the summer. No major overhauls.

 

It is a screen right near where the exhaust gets out of the muffler. The soot and carbonized oil can build up on it and partially block the gas path.

 

Ok i will take a look at it but my muffler just has a plate with holes but no mesh screen or the like. No mods to this myself just may want to replace the spark plug and air filter soon.

 

The 026 muffler has a sort of perforated heat shield across the front, but the actual exhaust outlet is hidden behind that and it does usually have a spark arrestor screeen -- it's just harder to see than on most saws.

 

Oh ok if i can just get that off pretty easily I'll try. This saw is good its not beat up like crazy but it is on the older side as it doesn't have the new gas and oil caps being white and black as far as I can tell for determining age. Not that it matters big time but its still a great Stihl. Im actually underestimating it a bit but for what its worth, I'll be able to use this for a few cords this summer before looking to giving it a doctors appt.

 

If the screen is dirty, you can clean it very easily with a propane torch. Hold it with pliers and heat it until it glows.

 

Try one run without an airfilter. The choke flap is in the airfilter and is notorius for pulling itself closed. I've even seen new oem filters do it.

Make sure your tank vent is Ok as well. After it does it's thing, crack the fuel cap open and see if you hear a vacuum pull in. You an also try a careful run with the tank vent off and a piece of cloth over the tank vent opening.

That's all I got.