How to start a STIHL chain saw: starting procedure and overview
Chainsaws differ slightly from each other by design, but in most cases the assembly is based on two standard methods. Many machines have instructions that the emergency brake must be activated before starting the machine. You should first master the device of the plant and learn the basic ways to fix the breakdowns, then a person will be able to fully exploit the device. This article is about how to start your chain saw.
STIHL 180 ms chainsaw. a chain saw made in Germany. The tool runs on a two-stroke gasoline engine. Purpose of the STIHL 180 chain saw. domestic. The STIHL ms 180 is suitable for light-duty use, for example in building construction, for cutting logs. The STIHL ms 180 is suitable for cordless operation and can be operated for up to 2.5 hours without shutting down if it has a stable power source.
STIHL MS 180 light chain saw
The STIHL chainsaw is manufactured by STIHL (Germany). According to the chain saw reviews, STIHL chain saws made in Germany are original products and very rarely break down or need minor repair. Standard and extended warranties. Warranty service is available from your local STIHL Approved Service Center.
The base model 180 ms is also available as an enhanced version. the STIHL 180 ms c-be chainsaw. A saw with this marking has an easy start system. The MS C-be designation means that the saw is equipped with electronics for more efficient operation.
STIHL chainsaws 180 ms are used for such types of work:
- sawing firewood, construction of structures made of wood;
- preparing logs for sawing, stripping bark;
- furniture production;
- Trimming dry branches in the countryside, pruning bushes and dried out trees;
- working with chipboard, OSB, composite material
- The STIHL ms 180 is designed for wood and wood-based materials only.
Benzosila this brand is well received by owners, it is clear from the positive reviews and the mass of videos describing or using a chain saw STIHL 180 ms. Here’s a video about this model of chainsaw. It explains the technical advantages of the STIHL ms 180 chain saw:
The STIHL 180 ms chain saw
Germany. where all original STIHL mc 180 chain saws are made and built. Fakes are easy to spot when they are underpriced. Chinese or Polish copy of STIHL ms 180 will cost two or three times cheaper than the original, while the build quality of such saws, of course, differs from the German. There may also be a lighter, cheaper plastic.
Branded saw STIHL MS 180 at retail costs about 4.5-5 thousand hryvnia. Original product always comes with instruction manual. The serial number of the tool and the engine series are shown in the data sheet.
The STIHL mc 180 chain saw comes with
- Your chain saw is semi-assembled;
- fuel tank;
- Chain, sprocket, tire;
- a chain brake;
- handle;
- passport;
- instruction for use.
The manual also specifies the types of lubricant suitable for the STIHL ms 180 chainsaw. As additional accessories the manufacturer offers to purchase:
- oil filling system;
- fuel filling system, which makes filling the gasoline safe;
- Test templates, filing templates;
- A chain sharpening block with which the owner can sharpen the chain links with his own hands.
MS-180 chainsaw parts diagram
In the household a good helper.
Those who have a summer cottage know very well that a saw is indispensable for their household. To saw off old knots in the trees, to cut firewood, to fix the front porch. After I’ve exercised my muscles with a manual saw, I decided to mechanize the process after all. Remained to do.
I bought the Shtil MS 180 three years ago in 2012. I thought I’d use it for cutting firewood in the countryside. There are pros and cons. The saw is picky about the fuel, it works on bad gasoline, but it’s scary.
I’m almost satisfied
I received this STIHL MS 180 as a birthday present from my son. Was absolutely thrilled to realize that I can now cut my own firewood and actually made three cuts in.
Lightweight, low fuel consumption, convenient weight distribution, well-known brand, reliability, availability of consumables.
I was buying a chainsaw, and I paid attention to: its weight, easy handling, 40 cm guide bar, no problems with buying chains and guide bars as consumables. All STIHL chain saws have a cold start feature. To start the engine in a cold siphon, the engine should be at least 500 lb.
How to prepare fuel mixture for chain saw.
Most chain saws available for sale have two-stroke engines, which do not have a separate lubrication system, so it’s very important to make a proper fuel mixture during the running-in period. It is made of gasoline and two-stroke motor oil in a certain proportion, recommended by a chainsaw manufacturer.
What kind of gasoline should you use for the fuel mix??
Base on gasoline with at least 90 octane number. For Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries optimal fuel brand Ai-92. The engine should not use doubtful types of fuel as well as any additives increasing octane number. Over time, additives lose their properties, and gasoline becomes low-grade.
Using a low-octane fuel when running-in and operating a chainsaw will make the engine run unevenly and cause a knocking noise. Thus there is an increase in temperature of the engine and increase of loading of main bearings. False economy most often leads to failure of the cylinder-piston group, requiring considerable funds for its restoration.
It is not allowed to use gasoline that has been stored for more than 2 months during the running-in period. In case of long storage natural processes of polymerization and tarring occur in the fuel, which leads to formation of sludge in the combustion chamber.
Often new chain saw owners wonder what kind of gasoline to put in the tank: leaded or unleaded? leaded fuel is used for starting engines without a catalytic converter. If your saw has a catalytic converter (green fuel tank cap) use unleaded fuel.
What oil to use in the fuel mix and in what proportions?
A two-stroke engine oil is used for both running-in and continuous chain saw operation. If you do not want to take any chances and experiment, it is better to buy the grease that is recommended by the tool manufacturer. Generally, fuel and lubricants for these products are made to order by large companies. This allows the chain saw and other power tool manufacturer to guarantee proper startup and trouble-free operation of his products.
As brand-name oils for chain saws of Husqvarna, STIHL, Partner, Oregon, Jönsed are poured from one barrel, it is possible to run in the tool in any of the above mentioned amounts. It is very important to take into account the recommendations in the oil manufacturer’s instruction manual and the recommendations of the chain saw manufacturer. When mixing your power tool with brand-name fuels and lubricants, always follow the directions in the instruction manual for your power tool.
| Running-in chainsaw | Proportion | Gasoline (liters) | Oil (liters) |
| Husqvarna up to 1.5 kW | 1:40 | 1 | 0,025 |
| Husqvarna over 1,5 kW | 1:50 | 1 | 0,020 |
| STIHL up to 1.5 kW | 1:40 | 1 | 0,025 |
| STIHL over 1.5 kW | 1:50 | 1 | 0,020 |
| Partner | 1:40 | 1 | 0,025 |
| Partner | 1:33 | 1 | 0,030 |
If you do not have any brand-name oils, you can run in a new chain saw with third-party lubricants such as JASOFB or ISOEGB. According to the instructions, the ratio is 1:33. However, the tool manufacturer does not recommend the use of four-stroke and two-stroke motor oils for water-cooled boat engines labeled TCW.
For running-in of “Ural” and “Druzhba” chain saw the fuel mixture is prepared at the rate of 1:15. That is, for 1 liter of gasoline you need to add 66 ml of oil. After having lapped all the parts the oil ratio is adjusted to 50 ml per 1 liter of fuel.
Prepare fuel mixture for the running-in chainsaw should be in a clean container designed for storing fuel and lubricants.
- Pour half the required amount of gasoline into the container;
- Add the required amount of oil;
- Carefully mix the components;
- Pour in the remaining gasoline and mix.
Check for grease.
The next step before a chainsaw can be started successfully, not only during the running-in period, but also while the tool is in operation, is to check for grease. Where and what to check?
- Presence of oil in tank;
- Check saw blade lubrication channels;
- Check for grease on the drive sprocket needle bearing;
- Sprocket is lubricated.
If necessary, before running-in or before each start-up, clean bar passages and lubricate drive sprocket. If the sprocket is not lubricated, use grease or LITOL.
Tooth saw repair with your own hands
The lightweight and handy STIHL MC 180 chain saw replaces a two-handed saw, a bow saw or even a hacksaw in the home. Over time chains get blunt, chain sprockets get worn and the oil system gets damaged. Some problems can be repaired by yourself. As with all STIHL chain saws, here is a short video explaining the STIHL STIHL 180 chain saw. 1. Others require repairs in a specialized service center.
Check whether there is grease in the tank, and whether it comes to the chain, you can use a clean sheet of paper. Point the tire at the sheet of paper, it should leave a characteristic trace in the form of an oil strip.
READ How to adjust the carburetor on a Huter chain saw
If you have to do this yourself, you need to understand the components and the sequence of steps for removing and repairing or replacing them. STIHL 180 chain saw instruction manual is a reliable companion. This is where you can find installation techniques and a sequence of repair operations:
In addition, the home handyman can shorten the elongated chain and sharpen it.
If saw chain remains dry or oil leaks while cutting, STIHL 180 chain saw lubrication system troubleshooting and repair. At the same time inspect the oil pipes and tightness of connections with nipples. Make sure to clean the filter on the oil supply. If there is minor mechanical damage to the hoses, the tightness can be restored with sealant.
The carburetor makes itself known by the difficulty in starting the saw, the running tool does not pick up speed, throttles when throttling. The cause could be a worn collar on the piston, causing air to be sucked in during discharge. To repair the carburetor remove and get to the collar on the gas pedal, disassembling the unit in sequence:
- Remove the cover with the diaphragm by unscrewing the screw;
- remove the retaining ring;
- Open the choke shutter and remove the choke;
- Pull out the gas pedal with the spring;
- Replace the tiny piston and cuff and assemble the carburetor in the reverse order.
Malfunctions may be caused by the ignition system. After checking the performance of the spark plugs and cleaning the fouling, adjust the carburetor, feed system and clean the injectors. The carburetor is a complex unit and its adjustment affects the operation of the chassis. If you lack confidence and skill, it is better to use the services of a specialist. Working with unsuitable gasoline or unsuitable oil is often the root cause of all malfunctions.
To help the mechanic, the resources will tell you how to repair the STIHL 180 on your own, for example, a video will show you the disassembly sequence.
About diagnostics of lubrication system you can see here:
Features of saw chains
The chain is the saw’s inner workings. The manufacturing of saw chains is done by a special technology:
- The cutting attachment is made of high-carbon steel, and the chrome plating or carbide plating on the cutter is applied. The more complex the manufacturing procedure, the higher the price of the chain.
- Hinge pins are ground to reduce friction and extend chain life.
- Only hardened rivets are used, using special techniques.
- Marks are placed on the teeth to help identify wear and sharpen them evenly.
- After connecting the links into a chain, the product is stretched to ensure dimensional stability when working.
READ STIHL Electron Chainsaw Repair with Your Hands
Intelligent automatic chain lubrication system increases chain life. New chain saws should be tuned according to the specifications in the STIHL chain saw 180 Instruction Manual.
Please note that carbide-tipped chains are 3 to 5 times more expensive than conventional ones but are not possible to sharpen with your own hands when STIHL STIHL 180 chain saws are repaired. This tool is mainly used by employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
For a long maintenance-free period it is necessary to use the oil recommended by the manufacturer of the tool. A special mineral is used to prevent the chain from clogging. It is not permitted to use STIHL chain saw oil as an additive for gasoline.
The question is often asked if you can make longitudinal cuts with the STIHL 180. Watch this video to see what things go wrong with your chainsaw and what you can do about it. Find out why your chain saw won’t start. The saw has enough power to cut wood in transverse direction only.
Generally speaking, the reviews on STIHL pruning saws are good. There are complaints about the insufficient power of the tool. Tailor your saw to the job at hand. The lightweight, affordable STIHL 180 chain saw is designed for occasional use. Special products are available for felling and chopping work. Not a practical alternative at home. The machine is much heavier and not very useful for cutting small boards.
The STIHL MS 180 chain saw is priced very reasonably. The most inexpensive basic model of the common set. The cost of the machine depends on the country of manufacture. A German or American product is more expensive than a Chinese one for well-known reasons.
Service for your chainsaw
Before operating the saw, check the amount of fuel each time
Check the oil level in the oil tank at regular intervals, this is very important to make sure the oil level is not dropping. Test chain tension and sharpness before sawing
Clean saw of sawdust and shavings when work is complete. Rinse the air filter. nylon or foam filter is best, not a disposable felt filter. Cleaning of the air filter will be required when there are interruptions in operation, engine bubbling during sawing.
Wipe cooling fins, vents. Don’t forget to clean the brake band. It is advisable to use the prepared fuel mixture for 3 to 4 weeks. It should be remembered that careful care of the chainsaw greatly affects the duration of operation of the tool, the efficiency of work, the absence of breakdowns and malfunctions.
To ensure even wear of the bar, it is necessary to periodically flip it over backwards. Experienced chainsaw owners, in recommendations on how to use a chainsaw, advise to have three chains, which ensures even wear of the drive pinion. You should not cut with a blunt chain, it is dangerous, it increases the load on the engine, as a result the saw cuts absolutely poorly. crooked or goes to one side. If you are going to take a long break from using the saw, loosen the chain tensioning.
How to work a chainsaw: the importance of the air filter
Motorists know what happens to their machines when the air filter gets clogged. In principle, nothing catastrophic. traction is lost, the engine begins to overheat and, accordingly, the load on its moving parts increases. After changing or cleaning the air filter, everything goes back to normal. if, of course, do not delay with this process. The chainsaw in this respect is no exception. to ensure the supply of clean air to the carburetor, this tool is equipped with filters of the following type.
- Nylon. It is elementary to clean. it is washed in warm soapy water.
- Foam. And this version of the chainsaw filter is perfectly washable in soapy water.
- felt. This air cleaner cannot be washed or cleaned. it has to be thrown away every time.
Ask how often you need to clean the chainsaw air filter? It’s easy to tell by the way the tool works. if it fails, the engine starts to bump and so on.
How to saw with a chainsaw photo
Adjusting the carburetor on a STIHL chain saw
It is carried out if the saw stalls when you press the gas. Previously, the carburetor is cleaned from contamination, change the spark plug in it and clean the filter. Regulating idle speed.
Adjusting the carburetor on the STIHL chain saw
- First turn off the tool and turn the two screws L and H as far as they will go.
- The same screws are turned by one turn.
- Start the tool, warm up the engine.
- Pull the throttle trigger and turn the H-clamp until the engine speed is stable.
- Turn the LA machine screw until the chain starts to run and then turn it a quarter turn in the opposite direction.
After this, you should get your STIHL chain saw up and running. If there are still problems, you still have to work with the LA screw and turn it a bit more.
STIHL chain saw construction
All STIHL brand chain saws have a similar design, but with different motors. This makes it possible to divide them into performance and household tools. To understand the controls in detail, it is essential to read the instruction manual of the STIHL chain saw. It shows the features of the components and describes how to work.
The saws consist of the following components:
- guide bar;
- saw chain;
- Oil pump;
- carburetor;
- engine
- air filter;
- Control lever and starter lever;
- Oil and fuel tanks;
- handle.
STIHL chain saw design
All brand saws have a similar design, but are equipped with different motors. This makes it possible to divide them into performance and household tools. To become familiar with the specifics of the saw in detail, it is necessary to study its instruction manual. It specifies the features of the accessories and explains the correct way of working.
The saws consist of the following components:
- guide bar;
- saw chain;
- oil pump for feeding the oil;
- carburetor;
- motor;
- air filter;
- Control lever and starter lever;
- Oil and fuel tanks;
- handle.
Running in the STIHL chain saw
It represents the saw’s operation in a more gentle mode, allowing all the structural elements to rub against each other. Then the engine can reach its maximum rpm and show excellent performance. Run-in test for new or repaired tools.
- First fill up the saw with a full tank of oil and fuel mixture.
- Check the tension of the bar; it must not turn violently or be loose.
- Saw chain brake is adjusted.
- The tool is placed on a flat surface and started.
- The choke shutter is put in the closed position: the lever is pulled down.
- Inflate the fuel.
- Start the saw again and let it stop.
- The choke shutter is brought into the work position.
- Let the engine idle for a few seconds.
During the run-in period the saw can cut small branches and trees. Be sure to take short breaks, giving the motor a chance to cool down. The run-in allows the full tank of fuel mixture to be used.
If you can’t turn it on and start the chainsaw
When all the acts are performed in the prescribed manner, and the chainsaw does not start working, then there are malfunctions in its mechanism. Usually, the prerequisite for this phenomenon is common and simply eliminated problems, such as lack of spark, disconnected fuel supply, clogged filter, allowing the passage of air. In order to start the chainsaw, you will need to find the cause and take the necessary steps to eliminate it.
Only the right action should be taken. If a person does not know what to do, there is no need to perform rash actions. Disassembly is forbidden, one must be especially careful with the carburetor. You can not unscrew the screws on it, because if its device caused the breakdown, it is impossible to repair the chainsaw without professional equipment.
Listed actions to be performed in strict order. Only by changing from one measure to the other is it possible to determine the exact cause of the malfunction and quickly eliminate it without damaging other parts. Algorithm of actions performed in case of failures in the installation of the chainsaw:
- At first, it is sufficient to let the device rest. This is especially true for pollen, recently worked. It is enough to wait no more than ten minutes, as during this time the mechanism will cool down and, in the absence of other breakdowns, it will easily start. Sometimes it happens that the device has a candle poured during installation. If this unpleasantness occurs, it is enough to wait for a very short pause and repeat all the steps again to start the engine.
- The lid of the housing is unscrewed from the device to remove the air filter. The process of starting the device is carried out if it is absent. Sometimes the reason for the lack of ignition is that the filter is dirty. If the ignition occurred without it, the reason is this. To eliminate these problems, it is sufficient to wash the filter under running, warm water with soap and then dry it. You can also replace the old element with a new one.
- The spark plug is taken out. The spark is checked. If it does not appear, you need to replace the old spark plug with a new one. Usually this helps and a spark appears, but in some cases there is no spark even if the mixture changes.
When a spark appears, when it is impossible to get the unit to work, you need to continue with the following steps.
- There are cases where a spark appears, but the spark plug itself is wet. It is possible if gasoline gets on it. To get rid of it, it is enough to turn the device so that the cylinder is pointing downward. Then all the excess fluid will be drained out. Next, you should check the combustion chamber, for which you need to pull the starter more than ten times. A candle damaged by moisture can be replaced, followed by a test of its effectiveness. If it becomes defective, you can replace that element with a new one. After these actions you need to try again to activate the device.
- Sometimes the spark plug stays dry. In this case, you need to draw the gas mixture in a syringe and pass it into the cylinder. You should then immediately try to start the unit. If there is debris in the carburetor that causes a long period of nonresponsiveness when trying to start, there should be no obstruction in the flow of fuel into the combustion chamber when removing the debris. The mechanism of successful debris removal is determined by the flow rate when filling the gas mixture, so you need to pour the fuel with force, and then almost immediately try to start the device.
- The muffler is removed. To do this, unscrew it and carefully remove it so as not to deform the gasket that separates it from the engine. It is necessary to try to start the mechanism without using the air filter and muffler, which helps eliminate breakdowns in these structural elements.
STIHL 180 ms chain saw
A sawmill is a structure in which a longitudinal cut of wood, logs, planks, and other wooden objects is performed. You can also create a sawmill on your own, using a chainsaw as the basis. Next, watch the video of the saw from a chainsaw STIHL 180 ms:
To design a sawmill the owner used these materials:
In order for the sawmill to function technically correctly, elevators are needed. They are used to adjust the height of the board. Their number. at least three (for a board height of 45 mm, 35 mm and 25 mm). It is difficult to say exactly how much material is required to make a sawmill, this number depends directly on the size of the construction.
A helpful video about a sawmill made from a chain saw:
Sawmill. a complex design, more designed for professionals who develop a business for the manufacture of wooden furniture, boards, blanks. Such a construction is not useful if the volume of work with wood is small. For household chores, you can use such an auxiliary accessory as the “angle grinder” attachment on the STIHL 180 chain saw.