MS362 M-Tronic Choke Linkage Binding

[PogoInTheWoods]

Is it a common issue on the 362 M-trons? Have one here that puts up quite a fight getting it into the start/choke position. Would seem to be from wear at the control lever since everything else is free otherwise. And yes, it has the 1140-185-1902 choke rod. It works, but needs to be assisted by manipulating trigger pressure to get it into the full start position.

 

[Creaky limb tree care]

Hi, are you aware that there are two different choke rods for this model? sounds like you have the wrong one!

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

There are three. I have the correct one.

 

[Creaky limb tree care]

Sorry!

 

[Lightning Performance]

I have had problems with them and replacing the control lever did nothing. It was always that ss rod. Usually needs to be opened or closed just a bit, pia.
After you find the sweet spot they still can be tight and require a lot of down pressure on the Mtron lever. The adjustable carb works much smoother imo.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Thanks for the input. That helps. I didn't want to start tweaking the rod if replacing the control lever would do the trick. There seems to be entirely too much slop at the choke shaft end before it engages, and not at a very favorable angle for the efficiency of the mechanism when it finally does. First time I've run across it.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I noticed that play in the choke rod when I rebuilt a 362 M-Tronic two years ago with a whole new top end. I let it go, thinking that it was normal, but you are saying here that it appears to be a rather poor engineering design. I must agree.

I have experienced nothing like this with my MS 361. Inability to set the fast idle has been a Stihl problem on other earlier models.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

...poor engineering design

Or poor QC on the rod production. I intend to check a new one (MS362C-M) at my local dealer Monday for a comparison. I can't imagine a new one out of the box would have this problem. It would have been more widely known and corrected if that were the case early on. Could just be bad shelf stock left over from a problem batch. Either way, it's not acceptable without having to mess around with it to get it functioning halfway correctly.

 

[RI Chevy]

Damn Stihls. Lol

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

You're on a roll...LOL

 

[RI Chevy]

LOL. Yes. I don't want to descriminate. Lol

 

[Lightning Performance]

LOL. Yes. I don't want to descriminate. Lol

You should buy a yellow saw. Several brands are available ;-)

 

[RI Chevy]

I should but I'm just a forum guy. Hacka. Have more saws than I'll ever need.
Just not worthy.

 

[Larry B]

Had one in the shop 2 weeks ago with saw won't go to choke and guy forced it and popped the lo kage apart. Long story short choke lever on carb past center and linkage couldn't pull choke closed. The choke plate was bent letting choke close too far. Had to flatten out choke plate to get lever past center so it could work. Had to put a small zip tie on the choke rod where it hooks into the control lever to keep it from popping out. Dealer told cust all 362M saw are hard to move lever to choke.

 

[Cobby08]

Is it a common issue on the 362 M-trons? Have one here that puts up quite a fight getting it into the start/choke position. Would seem to be from wear at the control lever since everything else is free otherwise. And yes, it has the 1140-185-1902 choke rod. It works, but needs to be assisted by manipulating trigger pressure to get it into the full start position.

Bent choke butterfly, it lets the rod cam around too far. Try your best to flatten it.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

I checked. Butterfly was flat as a pancake. And it seems like the shaft is more prone to bending than the butterfly anyway. Checked that, too. Was fine.

Coincidentally, I just got home from my local Stihl shop after carefully examining a brand new 362 M-tronic. Very stiff linkage action putting it into the start position. Not as bad as the one I just worked on, but damned close. Gotta wonder why..., especially when the rest of the mechanism is really smooth otherwise. No sense to it and just puts unnecessary stress on the control lever, choke rod, and choke shaft.

 

[Creaky limb tree care]

I had the same problem with engaging choke, I believed I had the correct one for my saw as it was the one that came with it, I looked online and ordered the other one (two were listed with Stihl at the time ) this went on and worked fine!
Just to confuse things, there are also different choke levers too, mtronic and non mtronic versions.