Stihl 025

[bertsmobile1]

One of the JD/Stihl dealers near me is family owned and all the folks there are great people. I am on a first name basis with the parts folks. Owner offered me a job a few years ago but we couldn't come to terms. Worked out better running my own shop. Even at $100/hr the dealer is always backed up a few weeks and in the spring they are backed up 6 to 8 weeks.

people like to deal with people
And in particular like to deal with people they know on a first name basis .
The local Stihl dealers here are shocking , in fact all of the local mower shops are disgusting.
Sales staff on small wages & big commissions pushing people into the wrong mower for their yard and the wrong saw for the job .
Could not count the number of customers I had to pull aside and show them how to use the "easy start" , usually after replacing one of the pulleys a couple of times .

 

[Ertik]

only starts when using starting fluid , Replaced: air filter ,vent filter ,carburetor , spark plug ,fresh gas ,spark arrestor is clean. Any suggestions ?

First of all..NEVER use starting fluid on a 2 stroke engine,actually on any gas small engine, positively not on a 2 stroke.It washes the oil off of the insides of the motor and raises the compression to scary levels.use mixed fuel.
For your problem. First of all check the compression. 90+psi on a 2 stroke.Make sure the choke is closing FULLY. Make sure the primer lines are installed properly.You can check the seals and crank bearings easily, if it's running. while idling hold the saw level, and then turn it on its side rather quickly.If the bearings and seals are bad it sill stutter and or quit.It should run the same in both positions.

 

[nyjumpee]

Regarding Original Poster ~ who knows. . like somebody said, probably busy with life stuff and will check back when he gets a chance or when he needs the saw to start properly . .don't know BUT I know that I read every single post and found it all quite enlightening so don't feel like your responses were for nothing and thanks for the input!

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Regarding Original Poster ~ who knows. . like somebody said, probably busy with life stuff and will check back when he gets a chance or when he needs the saw to start properly . .don't know BUT I know that I read every single post and found it all quite enlightening so don't feel like your responses were for nothing and thanks for the input!

In southwest Missouri, the average small engine shop rate labor is around $100/hour. I am a one person shop and will be at $65/hour in 2023. The high labor rates make many repairs cost prohibitive.
I believe most mechanics/technicians want to do a good job and make it right for the customer. One of the main issues is the pressure from management to get the equipment out the door, turn it, and go in to the next one. This results in short cuts and possibly issues being overlooked.
The service and communication often leaves a lot to be desired from many local shops.
The turn around time to repair being 4-8 weeks out (sometimes more), is unacceptable.
I love giving the customer good solid service, keeping communication open and informed, turning the equipment as quickly as possible, and going the extra mile. I have all I can repair, have happy customers, and immense personal accomplishments and job satisfaction. To me, this is worth its weight in gold.

 

[StarTech]

Turn around times even in my shop are now are long time but it is not the shop's fault but is usually our vendors. Just this year I had in stock times approaching 6 months for some OEMs. I even gave on some projects due these extended delivery times myself. It is very frustrating to having to explain to customers this as several pull their equipment so have to cancel the orders, and a few weeks the same customer comes back. Then we getting stuck to tail of the process all over again.

I sitting here awaiting Honda ATV, Stihl, and Husqvarna parts that have been on order for over two months. Honda done missed two delivery windows.

 

[oldackonoak]

I started doing two stroke and 4 stroke small engines out of nessity seeing shop rate's so high. My neighbor gave me an MS 250 and that was my first experience with that easy start. I personally think that it is stupid. If you can't start a saw just pulling a recoil then you are not strong enough to handle any type of kick back. Not that you would get allot out of a 025 or MS 250 especially with an anti kick back chain. I don't like those chain either but I can see where someone that cuts once a year might. I haven't posted anything here in along time. By the time I get to the question most of the answers are posted.
I have been thinking of started a couple of small buisness's one small engine the other appliance work. I have been doing some appliance ork since I fixed the refigorator at church. I haven't charged anyone yet. And the appliance world has changed with everthing being solid state and poorly made. I told one guy to throw his dryer in the trash the conrtols were mounted to a plastic cover an you have to lift a tab a twist the plastic was old and brittle. It didn't even have a model number on it. So I couldn't get parts any way!! I have some old Stihls and allot of project saws but they are going to get tossed or sent to someone that has time for them. I jsut gave a friend a Jonsred 70e to a friend I was a good running saw. but just to heavy for my back. He is 25 and can handle the weight. It has a 9 tooth OEM sproket on it and a 20 in bar. She cuts fast!!! But getting any parts for it was just about impossible!
Have a good holiday season!!

 

[bertsmobile1]

Nothing wrong with easy start .
Lots of older people and women with shorter arms who can not start a strait pull saw .
The problem is sales agents not showing people how to use them.
Same as the inertia starts on push mowers
MY better half is 5' tall and can not pull start a mower so after even the Honda became too much I fitted a wind up starter to an old Victa & she is over the moon.
And it is the small saws that give the most problems so the customer buys a 12" or 14" bar to get a convienant weight then finds they can not start the saw without putting one foot through the handle loop & the other on top of the saw to overcome the very high compression .

Tiger .
With an attitude like that, go to the top of the class.
The big problem is managers see the techs time as 100% billable so resent any time spent with customers unless some one is paying for it .
The fact that 10 minutes with the shop tech can make an angry customer a happy repeat customer an that repeat customer is highly likely to buy more from the shop seems to have alluded them totally.
Like you, I tell my customers the truth and aplaud you for doing the same .
My customers appreciate being treated like an intelligent human being and being given true facts to base decisions on .
More & more they go with the repairs because they trust me to do the right thing by them , which I always do .

 

[StarTech]

Being honest up front even when it is bad news is something I alway stride for here as I know I can repeat and backup what I tell customers. Customers will respect you for it. I do have a problem when my customers start lying to me and I tend to get rid of them fairly quickly.

 

[oldackonoak]

Nothing wrong with easy start .
Lots of older people and women with shorter arms who can not start a strait pull saw .
The problem is sales agents not showing people how to use them.
Same as the inertia starts on push mowers
MY better half is 5' tall and can not pull start a mower so after even the Honda became too much I fitted a wind up starter to an old Victa & she is over the moon.
And it is the small saws that give the most problems so the customer buys a 12" or 14" bar to get a convienant weight then finds they can not start the saw without putting one foot through the handle loop & the other on top of the saw to overcome the very high compression .

Tiger .
With an attitude like that, go to the top of the class.
The big problem is managers see the techs time as 100% billable so resent any time spent with customers unless some one is paying for it .
The fact that 10 minutes with the shop tech can make an angry customer a happy repeat customer an that repeat customer is highly likely to buy more from the shop seems to have alluded them totally.
Like you, I tell my customers the truth and aplaud you for doing the same .
My customers appreciate being treated like an intelligent human being and being given true facts to base decisions on .
More & more they go with the repairs because they trust me to do the right thing by them , which I always do .

I can see your point on the easy start!! The MS 250 that was given to me the easy start doesn't really turn the motor over. It is probably broken I have never dealt or used one before. So I should keep my uneducated onion to myself. Thanks for the ego check I need that every now and then!!!

 

[bertsmobile1]

So you have never been in the situation where an elderly person brought in a saw the "Will Not Start ".
So you crank it and it fires right up, so you give it a clean & send it back
Then next week he brings it back because it still won't start
so this repeats a few times then you ask them to show you what they are doing when you realize that they can not pull the starter fast enough to get it to start .