Another Air Filter Testimony

[Wood Doctor]

A couple of days ago I decided to make sure that I had three easy-to-start saws in the field prior to the trip to the work site. I decided to start my 036 that I had run OK last fall several times. It refused to start and I figured I might have flooded it. So, I removed the shroud and pulled the plug only to discover that it was bone dry. So, I removed the air filter because lots of dust was everywhere.

Lo and behold, the air filter was packed tight with hardened sawdust, so tight that no air at all could possible be added to the fuel mixture. The carb was pumping no fuel at all, even in choke position. So, I removed the filter and cleaned both the outside and inside (it comes apart). I let it dry for awhile and then reinstalled it after blowing away all other residual dust around the carb area.

The engine fired and started on the second choke pull. It now runs perfectly, but that dirty air filter had apparently shut it down completely. Anybody else encountered this?

 

[drf256]

I haven’t.

The model can be a hard starter because of the choke linkage. Some carbs worse that the others.

I run the Tilly on mine and I need to pop the rear cover and manually make sure the choke is closed all the way to start mine, never had an issue with the Zama (which runs just fine on these-even ported).

I use the metal filter. It never gets that packed up because it just lets the fines go right through into the saw

On a serious note, try a Frogzskin on the rear cover Edwin. They filter, but more importantly, reroute airflow and keep the filter much cleaner.

 

[redline4]

Here's how I did mine.

 

[CR888]

A couple of days ago I decided to make sure that I had three easy-to-start saws in the field prior to the trip to the work site. I decided to start my 036 that I had run OK last fall several times. It refused to start and I figured I might have flooded it. So, I removed the shroud and pulled the plug only to discover that it was bone dry. So, I removed the air filter because lots of dust was everywhere.

Lo and behold, the air filter was packed tight with hardened sawdust, so tight that no air at all could possible be added to the fuel mixture. The carb was pumping no fuel at all, even in choke position. So, I removed the filter and cleaned both the outside and inside (it comes apart). I let it dry for awhile and then reinstalled it after blowing away all other residual dust around the carb area.

The engine fired and started on the second choke pull. It now runs perfectly, but that dirty air filter had apparently shut it down completely. Anybody else encountered this?

I think there were a few similar air filter issues in the 'Tales from the bench' thread...lol.

 

[Wood Doctor]

What got me was how packed the inside mesh of the filter became with sawdust that was literally glued together. It was hard to see it from the outside. The culprit that blocked the air entry was the inside layer of scum. That could have been building up for several years.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

I have a paint brush in my kit. I dust off the AF every tank. Swap out a clean mesh filter pretty often. As Doc says, fines are getting through. I don’t cut for hours and hours. Two tanks is a big day for me. I can’t port saws, so I PM the sh1t out of them!

 

[Basher]

Steel mesh filters for the win. I don`t give a crap about no fine dust.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I told my story to a logger friend using an MS 661 M-Tronic that he said he thought engine was in trouble. He went back to the shop that night and thoroughly cleaned the saw's air filter. Next day he said, "Edwin, that worked. The saw runs like the day I bought it. Holy Cow!"

I said "Cow" here, but I think you know what word he actually said.

 

[huskyboy]

Filter maintenance, tune and a sharp chain are the big 3 main things to keeping a saw lasting a long time.

 

[qurotro]

Filter maintenance, tune and a sharp chain are the big 3 main things to keeping a saw lasting a long time.

Oil thread alert!

 

[Finnrpm]

Those 661 m-tronics need max-flow to stay alive.......

RV

 

[cuinrearview]

I went through a 346 last summer that was carboned up horribly. Put it back together and it wouldn't start. Popped the air filter off and she fired right up.