I'm 'Bout Ready to Toss My 661 in the Trash!!!

With high expectations, I cranked up the 661CM today and attacked some 48" red oak and some 50" ash logs.

This is the first time I've started it since it was in the shop in late May.
It's just over 3 years old and hasn't had more than 5 or 6 tanks of fuel through it yet because it won't start when hot.

Long story short; after I cut 3 oak rounds I shut her down to move the rounds and that was it for the day, won't start!

$1200, give or take, mostly give, plus another $115 for repairs, fuel control solenoid, not to mention all the time and trouble taking it to the shop and going back to the house to get the 461.

I have to say, if you want a big, 90+ cc, pro saw, buy a Husqvarna, cause the Stihl 661 is undependable junk in my opinion.

And NO! I have no mechanical aptitude when it comes to fixing things. But I can make you a very nice Alvin Linden style stock for your rifle or shotgun.

 

Which is why I have some mixed feelings about putting too much computer controls on saws. Will start cold but won't start hot; as if something is failing after it is heated. The same holds true for the crank sensor in the 3800 engines. I had to replace it in the old 93 I had (and sister the same for the 98 she gave me). The car would start cold and run but after driving it x miles to do some shopping and stopping, returning later it won't start. Sounds strange because you would think that it would cutoff after it got hot even before stopping and turning the engine off.

 

I was looking at the 661CM and 880 Stihl''s today, sorry to hear about the 661 issues. This makes me leary of the M-Tronic.

 

Run the saw again until hot and then shut it off. If it doesn't start, take the plug out and check for sparkies. That will let you know if something is killing the spark or not after getting hot. I know it would seem strange that it doesn't just cut off but with electronics, things can get strange.

 

Ralphie Boy what I dont understand is why Stihl hasnt made it right? My dealer would have given me a new saw by now...I've had no issues with the M-tronic on my 261 FWIW-Hope someone can get you up and running-hot or cold

 

Enlighten me please. I know I'm not the only one having trouble with that saw.

 

The 661 I ran seemed to run rich, and have been told most of them do. Sometimes with new stuff we automatically assume that's the cause and skip the obvious.

Run the saw as before, check for spark, see if the plug is wet or dry, check the fuel lines, make sure this saw has the updated intake boot as that was a problem with early production saws. The saw has also set a lot so the carb diaphragms could very well be In need of replacement. In the end your dealer should have been on the ball and you shouldn't have to pay a fine to get a new saw running correctly. If the saw never ran correctly I'd want a new saw.

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk

 

Well that really sucks , I bet you had some choice words when it wouldn't start

 

Ralphie Boy sorry about your troubles, my stihl. mechanic is my niece now she sells bobcat and JD.. a diesel mechanic..

 

My dad had a similar problem with a Stihl he bought back in the early 70's. It was a good beer drinking saw. Cut wood like mad for 15 minutes, turn it off and never start again until it assumed ambient temp. Load the wood, drink a beer and head towards home. He took it back to the dealer many times. Still had problems. After he gave it to me, I took it to 2 different dealers. Problem not fixed. I finally took it to an independent repair shop. When I went back to pick it up, I noticed a log pile out back. Took the saw and work the crap out of it on the shop's log pile. Set the saw on a round and told the him to do the paper work. If saw was still running when we came back, turn it off and restart it it is fixed. Came back saw was not running and he couldn't start it. Not fixed. Next time I went to pick it up, he knew the routine. He worked the crap out of it and it would restart. The saw was not heavily used over the years, but went back to the same problem. I hadn't bought another Stihl products for years and bad mouthed them every chance I good.
Finally bought my MS250. I related the story to my dealer. He said "If I had that kind of problems they would get the factory tech. involved." Told him I would hold his feet to the fire. So far the MS250 has served me well over the last 1 1/2 years.

 

Ralphie , when it's warmed up , have you tried starting it in the run position as opposed to the start position ? Or, are you always going to the start position With the switch ?

 

I've tried it both ways and nothing. One day I'll cut a few rounds shut it off and try to start it in the start mode, which is the way the manual and dealer say to start it and nothing. So I finish the job with the 461. Next day same same routine except when I try to restart I leave it in the run mode, and nothing. I've also pulled the plug aftet both types of restarts and it's dry as a bone.

I have no clue.....

 

This is an early production 661, so I'll bring that up with the dealer. Thanks for the new idea!

 

IIRC, they stopped selling those saws in the US for a spell shortly after they first became available due to some problems that needed to be reengineered. Could be the stuff already mentioned. It was a while before they got 'em back on the shelves at the dealers.

 

The original boot has a grommet in it to keep it from collapsing.

There is a possibility fuel is puddling if it indeed has this boot. The early 661s had a 4700 coil which has a leaner fuel curve than the newer 4701 coils.

Ive built a few 661 and 261s. I have yet to see the issue you are describing. I was just out this evening with a new 261c I just finished. After the initial run and shutting the saw off to split what I had cut. I never once had to move the saw to the start position.

I probably shut down and started the saw 8 times with maybe 10-15 minutes between.

Have you tried leaving the saw in run and pinning the throttle while tugging?

 

Nope, I plan a couple of starting experiments tomortow I'll include that one.

 

Are you near the saw to take a pic of the boot?

 

Sometimes those grommets/rubber washers would even get twisted sideways in the boot, the saw would still run, but not all that well. If the boot has a hump/pleat in the middle it's an older boot with the rubber washers.

So far I have yet to encounter any issues with Stihl Mtronic saws in extreme heat, I even purposely tried vapor locking my 261 by running it hard and sitting in the sun, started right up. The Husqvarna AT saws are a different story, I've had to do a few things to keep the carb cooler.

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk