High Quality Chainsaw Bars Husqvarna Toys

MS201T C

Jimmy in NC

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
57
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
1,994
Reaction score
8,010
Location
North Carolina
Country flag
MS201TC showed up today. Tree service saw purchased March of 2017. He generally does not like the saw. Last few months and it has been to two or three other Stihl shops. Everytime it comes back worse than when dropped off.

Fast forward to today...saw is to a 'No Start' condition. Quick check I pull the plug and have zero spark. I spun the motor over at 1800 rpm and zero ignition. Obviously this is where the no start comes from as the plug is wet.

Further investigation and it's only showing 105 psi on my Echo gauge designed for small plug/small two strokes. I am at 300' above sea level.

I have to pull the muffler tomorrow but I doubt it is scored. I have been told these are not super high compression but 105 seems on the low side.

I have zero experience with a 201 and minimal M-Tronic experience. Is it possible to remove the M-Tronic from this saw and run it 'traditional'? I found an old thread talking of a kit that would get me a coil, flywheel, carb that is supposed to work together. Will this kit fit this saw? Anything else I need to purchase in addition? Linkage, kill switch wiring, etc?
 

Jimmy in NC

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
57
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
1,994
Reaction score
8,010
Location
North Carolina
Country flag
The 201TC is the best of those. Taking off the M-tronic system would be a mistake in my humble opinion.
Randy I've read a bit on multiple failed coils on these. Have you seen this? Owner has spent over $400 in repairs already. I do not have the software to scan it...and hate to guess by throwing parts at it.
 

Mastermind

Chief Cat Herder
Staff member
GoldMember
Local time
12:39 PM
User ID
4
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Messages
47,618
Reaction score
308,385
Location
Banner Springs Tennessee
Country flag
Randy I've read a bit on multiple failed coils on these. Have you seen this? Owner has spent over $400 in repairs already. I do not have the software to scan it...and hate to guess by throwing parts at it.

I've built dozens that are in service with tree companies all over the country. No problems.

I'm not sure what to tell you.
 

Jimmy in NC

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
57
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
1,994
Reaction score
8,010
Location
North Carolina
Country flag
I've built dozens that are in service with tree companies all over the country. No problems.

I'm not sure what to tell you.
Ok.. that's the info I am looking for. If 10,000 people on the internet say it is junk it probably isn't.

I need to dig in and make sure there are no glaring obvious to why there is no spark. Make sure there are no rubbed wires, etc.
 

Nutball

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
12:39 PM
User ID
7732
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
11,009
Location
Mt. Juliet, TN
Country flag
I've been told, but kinda doubt it based on what I've heard here, by someone that they put a 200t carb or at least a 201t needle carb on their 201tc with no other changes, and it worked well. I never saw the saw, but I did ask about a coil swap and such, he said no.

Anyway, it just sounds like bad luck or dealers who don't know enough about troubleshooting or something.
 

Nutball

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
12:39 PM
User ID
7732
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
11,009
Location
Mt. Juliet, TN
Country flag
New plug, check to see that the wire inside the spark plug boot still connects to the wire from the coil. I think they tend to be 2 pieces with the thick wire from the coil being one, and a wire with a coil that snaps on the plug is the other and just pokes into the insulation on the side of the black wire.
 

Jimmy in NC

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
57
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
1,994
Reaction score
8,010
Location
North Carolina
Country flag
New plug, check to see that the wire inside the spark plug boot still connects to the wire from the coil. I think they tend to be 2 pieces with the thick wire from the coil being one, and a wire with a coil that snaps on the plug is the other and just pokes into the insulation on the side of the black wire.
First thing I did.

The whole idea of converting to Non-Mtronic is then I would have something I KNOW would work.

Supposedly the coil was just replaced. To me it does not look like it, but he was billed for it and a new carburetor.
 

redlight066

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
5778
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,350
Reaction score
8,542
Location
Taylors SC
Country flag
https://www.lsengineers.co.uk/service-kit-genuine-stihl-oem-no-1145-007-1802.html
Here’s the upgrade kit for the first gen 201’s you were asking about. With it only blowing 105psi getting spark back is not going to be enough to get it running properly.
I have a 201TC parts saw that got crushed. You can have the piston and cylinder. I just check for spark it’s not there. something must’ve got damaged. I’ve got to head into work, feel free to call me today 864-991-1330
 

angelo c

Coal Member
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
362
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
2,919
Reaction score
11,552
Location
Peoples Republic of North Jersey
Jimmy. Start with the solenoid. It helps to have another of the same model to confirm "parts" working. If you get frustrated send it up here. Me or steve @Lone Wolf will get it sorted out. The first few you do are confusing...then they get easy. 105 sounds way low compression wise. Will it "pop" if you drop a few thimbles of mix down its throat ?
 

redlight066

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
5778
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,350
Reaction score
8,542
Location
Taylors SC
Country flag
I’m with Randy. The Mtronic saw is better. I’d try sending it back to the dealer that put the coil on there. They should be able to warrantee it
 

dmb2613

Super OPE Member
GoldMember
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
6142
Joined
May 13, 2018
Messages
325
Reaction score
655
Location
Randolph Virginia
Country flag
If it is not scored it may pick up compression after it is started
 

Mastermind

Chief Cat Herder
Staff member
GoldMember
Local time
12:39 PM
User ID
4
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Messages
47,618
Reaction score
308,385
Location
Banner Springs Tennessee
Country flag
People tend to blame the electronics first and neglect the common sense stuff we are used to having to fix on any other saw.

That said, I know Jimmy is a good hand on anything mechanical. I'm sure he's looking at this thing and thinking about what all there is that can't be fixed without the right tools.....but the fact of the matter is that these saws are dirt simple. Is it flooding? Bad solenoid. Replace and reset. Does it die for no good reason, then start right back? Replace the wiring harness. Aside from that, there's little that can go wrong with the mtronic system.
 

Chainsaw Addict

GO HOOSIERS
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
1074
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
519
Reaction score
1,414
Location
Indianapolis
Country flag
I'm lucky to have a good Stihl / JD dealer 10 minutes away.
I watched the service tech hook up 661 MTronic on his diag program. Full history and any problems. Very cool!
For parts, the guy I deal with had been a service tech so no dumb look looking up saw parts.
My salesman has helped me for over 25 years.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

Jimmy in NC

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
1:39 PM
User ID
57
Joined
Dec 23, 2015
Messages
1,994
Reaction score
8,010
Location
North Carolina
Country flag
People tend to blame the electronics first and neglect the common sense stuff we are used to having to fix on any other saw.

That said, I know Jimmy is a good hand on anything mechanical. I'm sure he's looking at this thing and thinking about what all there is that can't be fixed without the right tools.....but the fact of the matter is that these saws are dirt simple. Is it flooding? Bad solenoid. Replace and reset. Does it die for no good reason, then start right back? Replace the wiring harness. Aside from that, there's little that can go wrong with the mtronic system.
Thanks Randy you are right on all accounts. I am looking at a saw that multiple people have had their hands in with no luck. At this point it may not monetarily be worth pursuing for a production crew. A retrofit may not run as well but if it ran everyday, a crew could use it.

I need to pull the coil. I have seen lots of issues with many motors come back to ignition. Lots of valve jobs, presumed head gaskets, etc. I quickly pulled both spade connector wires from the coil last night and spun the motor over at 1,800 rpm with a new plug. Still no spark. I have been reading and it appears the coil, despite doing a few other things here, is still a straight magneto ignition. Removing everything except the high tension lead should make spark if grounded properly to the cylinder.

Also just for the record...I really like AutoTune for the average crew. We had a TS500i long before anyone else in town. That saw was amazing compared to a TS420. When it was worn out we rebuilt it all OEM. In the end something electrical went intermittent. Folded and let the only shop local that could scan it, scan it. They quoted $1,400 to replace all of the electrical system. It was a $1,000 saw new. I learned that day they did not know what was wrong either. That is a very expensive way to "mechanic."
 
Top