Chainsaw With Severe Kickback

mikefoxo

Hi, we have a Stihl 038 AV Super. Father's had it for over 20 years. Very good one but in the last year it's become very hard to start - anytime you pull the ripcord there is a very strong pull on it, so much so it nearly rips your arm off. Once it's been running though for a little bit it's easier to start.

Brought it to a Stihl guy, charged us 60 quid for a service. It was a little better but the problem soon returned:mad: Went to another distributor and he said it was a problem with the clutch, and that as it was a sealed unit there was basically nothing he could do!! Is there any remedy to this??

invicta

That's not kickback!
Kickback is when you cut
(1)with the nose of the bar causing the saw to 'kickback'at the operator-
or
2)cutting around loose logs and hitting one causing the same reaction.


What you seem to have is more than likely a clutch problem,and nothing to do with kickback

BreadnBuddha

mikefoxo wrote: »

Hi, we have a Stihl 038 AV Super. Father's had it for over 20 years. Very good one but in the last year it's become very hard to start - anytime you pull the ripcord there is a very strong pull on it, so much so it nearly rips your arm off. Once it's been running though for a little bit it's easier to start.

Brought it to a Stihl guy, charged us 60 quid for a service. It was a little better but the problem soon returned:mad: Went to another distributor and he said it was a problem with the clutch, and that as it was a sealed unit there was basically nothing he could do!! Is there any remedy to this??

It has nothing to do with the clutch IMHO. With the brake off and the chain tensioned, can you move the chain reasonably easily with a screwdriver behind a cutter/depth gauge? If so, it's not the clutch.

The thing I'd look at is the starter mechanism. Take the starter recoil off and make sure the recesses in the flywheel center are clean. Use an old toothbrush and some WD40 or fairy liquid and rinse it out carefully if it needs cleaned.

Turn your attention to the starter then. There's a single 'pawl', a plastic part that should rotate out when you spin the starter pulley by pulling on the starter handle. It's spring loaded and like any spring, it will lose tension over the years. It's only a bit of spring wire bent into a funny shape. The pawl and spring are probably past it and need replaced.

You can get a full kit for the 038 on ebay for tiny money. Here:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/New-STIHL-038-MS380-chainsaw-Starter-Spring-Pulley-Pawl-Handle-grip-Rope-Clip-/191496500580?hash=item2c9614b564:g:AycAAOSw8d9UyaJs

If you want to go have it out with your Stihl dealer, who sounds like a gombeen anyway, ask him for part number 1125 195 7200. That's a kit with the pawl, washer and spring.

Be careful when you take the washer and spring pin off because there's a long spiral spring behind the starter pulley and it's easier to leave it where it is than have to put it back. I suppose the starter handle returns quickly into the housing when you let it back in? Or is it slow to wind in? If it is, maybe change that recoil spring and rope while you're at it. The rope diameter believe it or not makes a difference. Thicker rope pulls faster, so make sure you get the right size and that the dealer didn't put thin rope on it already.

mikefoxo

Apologies for the poor terminology use.

I can move the chain with no problem.

The starter does wind back in quickly with no problems. To the best of my knowledge the rope is the original and has never been changed. Thanks for the advice, I'll pull it apart tomorrow

Edit: I was looking about the internet and I found someone with a similar problem. They said when they pulled out the spark plug and pulled it turned over perfectly. I tried the same and it also turns over perfect.

BreadnBuddha

mikefoxo wrote: »

Apologies for the poor terminology use.

I can move the chain with no problem.

The starter does wind back in quickly with no problems. To the best of my knowledge the rope is the original and has never been changed. Thanks for the advice, I'll pull it apart tomorrow

Edit: I was looking about the internet and I found someone with a similar problem. They said when they pulled out the spark plug and pulled it turned over perfectly. I tried the same and it also turns over perfect.

It should be a good bit easier to start when it's warm anyway. Could just have good compression. Is the problem that it's a pig to turn it over or that it's snatching the handle through your fingers when it fires up?

Nekarsulm

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/stihl-038-av-super-hard-to-pull.66196/

is this the thread you found?

mikefoxo

Yep that's the thread alright. When I go to start it I pull the cord up about 3-4 inches and then it just stops dead. I pull it up slowly, and every 3 inches it goes up it stops. I just keep doing this and eventually I can get it to go a bit faster and then start it