Chainsaw gets gas, spark, but won't start

Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The previous
owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
all. Not even a hint of trying to start.

I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was wet
and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
spark plug gap seemed okay.

I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled the
handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi compression.
Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.

I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the spark
plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.

Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
compression???

Thanks for any help,
Robert

clogged air filter?

--
Barry


"Robert Enenkel" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The previous
> owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
> warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
> all. Not even a hint of trying to start.
>
> I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
> stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
> fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
> removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was wet
> and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
> spark plug gap seemed okay.
>
> I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled the
> handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi compression.
> Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.
>
> I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the spark
> plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.
>
> Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
> that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
> compression???
>
> Thanks for any help,
> Robert

Ummm.... how about a dead spark plug?

Having spark in the wire is just fine, but you need it in the cylinder.

2 stroke plugs fail a 'lot'. No one that I know uses one and goes any
place without a spare plug or two.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Robert Enenkel wrote:
>
> Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The previous
> owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
> warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
> all. Not even a hint of trying to start.
>
> I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
> stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
> fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
> removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was wet
> and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
> spark plug gap seemed okay.
>
> I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled the
> handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi compression.
> Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.
>
> I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the spark
> plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.
>
> Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
> that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
> compression???
>
> Thanks for any help,
> Robert

"Robert Enenkel" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The
previous
> owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
> warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
> all. Not even a hint of trying to start.
>
> I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
> stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
> fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
> removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was
wet
> and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
> spark plug gap seemed okay.
>
> I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled
the
> handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi
compression.
> Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.
>
> I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the
spark
> plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.
>
> Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
> that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
> compression???
>
> Thanks for any help,
> Robert

Is there a vent for the fuel tank that might be plugged? If the vent
is plugged a vacuum will be created fairly quickly and no fuel will
make it out of the tank.

Good Luck,

Ken

could try running it on a sprits of ether but sure sounds like a bad plug to
me.

try connecting the unscrewed spark plug itself to the connector and lay it
against ground and see if the actual gap is arcing.

In rec.autos.tech Robert Enenkel > wrote:
: Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The previous
: owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
: warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
: all. Not even a hint of trying to start.

: I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
: stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
: fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
: removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was wet
: and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
: spark plug gap seemed okay.

: I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled the
: handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi compression.
: Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.

: I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the spark
: plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.

: Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
: that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
: compression???

: Thanks for any help,
: Robert

Pull off the exhaust pipe and see if the piston or rings are burnt. I
had a saw with similar no-start symptoms and took it to a Stihl dealer
for a tuneup. It too them about 45 seconds to determine I now had a
doorstop and no longer a chainsaw.

"Robert Enenkel" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The previous
> owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
> warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
> all. Not even a hint of trying to start.
>
> I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
> stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
> fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
> removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was wet
> and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
> spark plug gap seemed okay.
>
> I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled the
> handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi compression.
> Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.
>
> I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the spark
> plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.
>
> Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
> that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
> compression???
>
> Thanks for any help,
> Robert

I 2nd the air cleaner as the first place to look. If plug is wet, it may be
flooding. Dirty air cleaner will cause that. So will stuck needle in carb.
Check plug (or replace if foulded at all and remove it as potential
problem), remove air cleaner, spray starting fluid in carb and yank on rope.

If you really only have 55psi, theres your problem. Try putting a half a
teaspoon of oil (two stroke oil or regular 10W30) right down the spark plug
hole. Turn the engine over a few times before you put the plug back in,
then give it a whirl.
tad

"Robert Enenkel" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi -- I recently bought a used Husqvarna 268SE chainsaw. The previous
> owner said it started and ran for a while, but then died when it
> warmed up. I gave it fresh gas/oil mix but can't get it to start at
> all. Not even a hint of trying to start.
>
> I tried some experiments. I disconnected the spark plug lead and
> stuck in a piece of bare wire and held it about 1/8" from a cylinder
> fin, and when I pulled the starter handle, blue sparks did jump. I
> removed the spark plug after trying to start it, and the plug was wet
> and smelled from gas, so I assume the carburetor is working. The
> spark plug gap seemed okay.
>
> I hooked up a compression gauge to the spark plug hole and pulled the
> handle a few times with the throttle open and got 55 psi compression.
> Is that enough? I don't know what it should be.
>
> I tried putting a small amount of gas/oil mix directly into the spark
> plug hole, put the plug back on and tried to start it. No luck.
>
> Any idea what might be the matter? I can't think of anything else
> that could be wrong if it's getting gas, has a spark, and has
> compression???
>
> Thanks for any help,
> Robert

As Ottertail said: "You don't have compression." 55 is way too low.

Just went through this with my brushcutter -- different tool, same
principle.

I'm guessing new ring and piston would probably fix you up. Saw shop
probably would bite you about $120 to $140 for this. Mine tab was $111,
but my shop is on the low side.

Could do it yourself, of course.