General Product Question
Hi all. I'm going to add to the quite numerous posts...
General Product Question posted July 15, 2016 by Terry Wahlen
153 Views, 7 Comments
Question:
Hi all. I'm going to add to the quite numerous posts regarding starting a Husqvarna chainsaw.
I bought the 562XP Autotune brand new in July 2014. I've had problems when trying to start it in the past but have always managed to get it going the number of times that I've needed it. Recently however I'm finding it impossible to start when cold. Here's what's happening:
I exactly follow the cold start procedure in the manual without success. I never hear the "puff" sound they say will come after a few pulls of the starter cord with the choke on but I do smell fuel, so I know I've flooded it. I try to clear the flooding by holding the throttle open whilst pulling the starter cord but can't get it started. I remove the spark plug and dry it off, reinstall it but no joy. (I even went so far as to install a new plug after setting the gap as per the manual. Still no joy.)
I keep trying to clear the flooding by holding full throttle whilst pulling the starter cord but no joy.
I washed the air filter in soapy water, rinsed it and dried it out. I took the plug out and let the saw sit in the kitchen where it's warmer hoping to dry it all out and perhaps warm the saw up a little. Put it all back together but still no go.
I took the saw to my dealer and his workshop guys got it started by clearing the flooding. They said one guy held the throttle open and the other guy pulled the starter cord until it fired. I was told not to follow the manual's cold starting procedure but to instead depress the decomp button, prime the bulb, set the choke, two pulls with choke on then choke off and it should start.
I took the saw home and it was by now cold, so I tried the guy's recommended cold start procedure. Couldn't get it started. It smells like it's flooded again. At the moment it's in the house again with the plug removed. I'm going to reinstall the plug tomorrow and try a complete cold start again using the dealer's procedure.
I'm using 95 octane fuel and Husqvarna 2-stroke oil at 50:1 as per the manual. (I was also told by the guys at the dealership to run it at 25:1 as the 50:1 is for European temperatures).
If I can't get it started tomorrow I'm going to take it back to the dealer on Monday without doing anything else and get them to show me their technique. I must say I'm very frustrated by all this as I have a smaller McCulloch 2316AV saw that starts every time cold or hot.
I have read various forums which describe recalls, problems with the saw's ignition system, carby system, autotune system and other issues relating to the clutch and crankshaft.
I'm wondering whether I made a good decision to buy this saw in the first place.
Hoping someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong! Thanks in advance. Cheers.
I bought the 562XP Autotune brand new in July 2014. I've had problems when trying to start it in the past but have always managed to get it going the number of times that I've needed it. Recently however I'm finding it impossible to start when cold. Here's what's happening:
I exactly follow the cold start procedure in the manual without success. I never hear the "puff" sound they say will come after a few pulls of the starter cord with the choke on but I do smell fuel, so I know I've flooded it. I try to clear the flooding by holding the throttle open whilst pulling the starter cord but can't get it started. I remove the spark plug and dry it off, reinstall it but no joy. (I even went so far as to install a new plug after setting the gap as per the manual. Still no joy.)
I keep trying to clear the flooding by holding full throttle whilst pulling the starter cord but no joy.
I washed the air filter in soapy water, rinsed it and dried it out. I took the plug out and let the saw sit in the kitchen where it's warmer hoping to dry it all out and perhaps warm the saw up a little. Put it all back together but still no go.
I took the saw to my dealer and his workshop guys got it started by clearing the flooding. They said one guy held the throttle open and the other guy pulled the starter cord until it fired. I was told not to follow the manual's cold starting procedure but to instead depress the decomp button, prime the bulb, set the choke, two pulls with choke on then choke off and it should start.
I took the saw home and it was by now cold, so I tried the guy's recommended cold start procedure. Couldn't get it started. It smells like it's flooded again. At the moment it's in the house again with the plug removed. I'm going to reinstall the plug tomorrow and try a complete cold start again using the dealer's procedure.
I'm using 95 octane fuel and Husqvarna 2-stroke oil at 50:1 as per the manual. (I was also told by the guys at the dealership to run it at 25:1 as the 50:1 is for European temperatures).
If I can't get it started tomorrow I'm going to take it back to the dealer on Monday without doing anything else and get them to show me their technique. I must say I'm very frustrated by all this as I have a smaller McCulloch 2316AV saw that starts every time cold or hot.
I have read various forums which describe recalls, problems with the saw's ignition system, carby system, autotune system and other issues relating to the clutch and crankshaft.
I'm wondering whether I made a good decision to buy this saw in the first place.
Hoping someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong! Thanks in advance. Cheers.
Answer
[quote]I'm using 95 octane fuel and Husqvarna 2-stroke oil at 50:1 as per the manual. (I was also told by the guys at the dealership to run it at 25:1 as the 50:1 is for European temperatures).[\quote]
I haven't heard of this one. Sounds like someone not knowing much about chainsaws. Here in Tennessee, USA we use 50:1 in virtually of our equipment. Personally I use a good multi-mix oil that designed for equipment running fuel anywhere from 16:1 to 50:1. 3.2 US oz to 1 US gallon. Same ratios at UK measurements.
When though your saw is only about 2 years old the metering diagram may have stiffen causing the flooding plus if the metering lever is set incorrectly it can also cause flooding. Metering lever being set incorrectly is something I have even seen on brand new saws.
Personally if that saw came in my shop it would have looked more carefully than just simply clearing the flooded condition as I would look into what may have cause it to flood in the first place. I know I might be a small shop but even larger shop should take the time to do the same.
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Thanks for your answer Eugene. I live in Australia in the mountains where the temperature at this time of the year during the day peaks at about 15 degrees celsius (I think that's about 59 degrees F).
The shop guys were friendly and seemed to be knowledgeable, so I kinda trusted them.
If I can't start the thing in the morning I reckon I'll need to give it to them for a complete service, there may be something that needs adjusting after two years.
Cheers mate.
T
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I burned up a Husky saw using the right octane fuel, but little did I realize that Ethanol is a small engine killer. The dealer showed my, with the spark plug removed, how part of my piston had been burned. He said too many people do not know that Ethanol mixed into gasolinr makes the engine run super hot, and also causes a lot of gummed up works. He told me I should go to a small airport and buy either Av Gas or MO gas. which I have done for over a year now, and always run your equipment dry. (Run it till it is out of fuel).
I have Husky backpack leaf blower with about 200 hours on it, and a new Trimmer and all are on Mo Gas 100 octane or Av gas 95 octane and no problems.
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So... I tried to start the thing this morning using the Dealer's method - nope, won't start.
I'll take it back to the Dealer on Monday and get him to try and start it. I'm thinking it may need a service to clean things out and check the settings. Maybe two years of use, whilst not what I'd consider excessive, has made a service necessary. If anything, at least they'll be able to give the carby etc a good clean.
Thanks for your replies guys... I'll keep you updated.
Cheers
T
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OK, so I took it back to the dealer where he was able to start it. The air down there was dryer than where I live. I'm 550 feet above their location but I live in an enclosed valley, so the air just sits and hangs around unless it's windy. The air has been very damp all week with frequent drizzle. The paths and brick walls have green algae growing on them, so that gives you an idea of how damp it is up here. Even though he started it I requested and paid for a carby service to clean any gunk out of the machine.
A few days later (after the carby service) I got the machine home. Still couldn't start it.
I took it straight back and I showed the guy at the shop how I was trying to start the thing and he told me I was doing it correctly. I couldn't start it. He then tried and also couldn't start it. He then had the workshop guy try and he re-primed it, selected full choke! and it started after three pulls.
So even though the saw was flooded, using full choke got it started. I remarked that this was so unintuitive as to be ridiculous, and he agreed.
I spoke to the owner of the business and requested they check the saw out completely, using the laptop. I also offered to pay for a tech to bring the saw to my home and if we could start it there to check it with the laptop in situ. That way we could perhaps get the Autotune to retune it to my conditions and not those conditions 550 feet below where I live. They said they'd check it out and then come up to my place to repeat the checks. He said it wouldn't cost me anything.
I also suggested that if we can't get some sense out of why this saw won't run at my home I'd trade in the unit and buy a hopefully discounted replacement saw of the same model. (I'm happy with this model saw when it's running correctly!). The owner said he would work something out if it came to that extreme.
I'm waiting for a call this week from the tech who will be visiting my home.
Hopefully he'll be able to sort out the issues and I can get back to work...
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I'm wondering if you have a weak ignition module that can't fire under compression in that high humid air. Just thinking out loud.
I be following your updates as I am also interest as to what is wrong with the saw too.
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And the first prize goes to Eugene!
I visited the shop about two weeks ago to see how they were proceeding with the investigation and the tech advised me they found the ignition coil was intermittent. They couldn't explain why the saw would start at their shop but wouldn't start at my place but they did consider the altitude and humidity along with a weak spark may have had something to do with it.
They have replaced the coil under warranty and today I took the saw home.
It started and ran well. Whilst I had it going I performed the Autotune routine I was advised to do, so hopefully that's the end of the dramas.
Thank you all for your input. I appreciate your help.
Cheers from Downunder!
T
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