361 Problem...

Therrin

Howdy guys...

I was running my 361 w/ new 16" bar today, cutting up a ton of stuff on the ground over at a clients place this morning. Mostly using my cutting stand, and stacking stuff on it then cutting till the pile built up too high under the stand, then I'd move it and start over.

After about 3 hours of work, the 361 was running beautifully.
Then, outta the blue, it just STOPPED..... hard. It didnt gutter out and die or anything, it just stopped clean, like the way it does when the brake is engaged, but it wasnt. The clutch didnt just stop running, the whole engine died.

So I started it back up, checked the air filter and such, and kept going. About 5 mins later it did it again, and after that I couldnt start it again. I checked the plug, its sparking beautifully. The air filter was being kept clean throughout the project and there was no grit or junk in the housing underneath the air filter at the mouth of the carby.

I cant figure it out. I dunno what would cause it to do that. The fuel filter is fine.

I'm sitting down to strip the WHOLE saw down right now. Clean everything up, check the carb for clogs, check the jets and everything. If I dont really find anything I'm not gonna have a clue what caused the problem though.

Any ideas?

newguy18

Carb is plugged,its starving itself for gas,its picks up at idle speeds but conks out at higher rpms because the faster it runs,the more fuel it takes.A simple tear down clean up will do,just don't damage the carb gaskets or else you'll have to rebuild the carb.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

Cant get the carb out.... wth.

Cant even figure out how to get the muffler off, and I've got all the top plastic (and darn near everything else) stripped off of it already)

Grrrrrrr

newguy18

Just do a poor boy clean,pull both jets out,counting the number of turns it takes to remove each one,write those numbers down.Pull the fuel line and filter out of the tank and remove the filter from the tank.Shoot carb cleaner into the fuel line and into both jets,also shoot some into the venturi after yuo blow out everything else to remove the crap,then let the saw run with some 93 octane and lucas fuel treatment.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

Eh, I'm doing a full strip and clean on the entire saw.


So I got the carb out... had to disconnect the trigger so I could pull the linkage out that the carb was getting hung up on.

There was some gunk in the screen inside the carb... between the metal and the gasket. Cleaned that all out, cleaned some stuff outta the fuel port.

I took a look at the springs that go back in the handle/trigger area and decided to work on putting together the clutch and clutch spring first =P

Is it the clutch spring or the brake spring that winds around the clutch assembly and is attatched by screw to the housing? I think it's the brake spring actually, cuz the top front part of it attatches to a linkage that connects to the top handle brake. *shrugs*

That darn circular spring is a PAIN to get back in though... it wraps around the clutch then back over itself... but itcs supposed to go circular, and the actual metal isnt...lol. I've been fussing over it for a little while now.


HOW DO YOU GET THE MUFFLER OFF OF A 361????? ANYONE???

newguy18

You took the brake band apart?may i ask why?The muffler isn't just bolted to the jug?

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

I took the brake band off cuz there was alot of crap under it and I wanted to clean the saw to within an inch of its life.

I got it back in though, I had to use pliers, a screwdriver, and a hammer =)


There's only one torx screw that i could find, in the front at the bottom of the muffler...and that doesnt allow it to come off. I cant find what else holds it on.

newguy18

Try removing that screw and tapping the muffler with the hammer,it may be siezed togther.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

I was tapping it with a crowbar and a small-handled sledge earlier. All I did was nick up the carby cover.... There's gotta be something I'm missing.

newguy18

Ask your local sawshop tommorow,they'll usually tell you.Mine does anyway.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

Didn't end up getting to that question.

I went through and cleaned out the carb....got a new plug for it, got it all put back together and it wont turn over.

As far as I know it's getting plenty of spark & fuel, so I dont know wtf is wrong. I'm prolly gonna drop it off over there tomorow and see what they think about it. I've ridden that saw hard and put her away wet though, (uh...horse phrase) and she's been worked mighty hard in the last year and a half, so I'm not suprised that I'm finally having some sort of a bug with it, I'd just like to know what's wrong.

Gotta fix my baby up.

newguy18

Did you adjust the carb out?Turn both jets all the way in,then back each of 2 full turns,that should get it started to where you can tune it,also try cleaning the magneto up if its rusty or nasty.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

The magneto is BEAUTIFULL.

The carb was running wonderfully where I've got it adjusted right now, why wouldnt it start back up right there?

newguy18

Did you strip it to clean it?If so did any diaphragms or gaskets tear?If so it sucking air and needs rebuilt.Hows the compression?

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

Compression is fine, and no, nothing is ripped, torn or brittle. All the gaskets and diaphrams are nice and soft and supple and fine. The screens are clean, the jets are clean, everything is peachy. It just wont start.

I was going to check voltage output at the coil, but I wasnt sure what voltage levels to check for.

newguy18

Should be 12 volts.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

quietrangr

There are two more torx screws deep inside the holes higher up on the muffler. These holes might be covered by those little plugs, but both of mine fell out long ago. The torx wrench that came with the saw will reach these other torx screws.

Therrin

THANK YOU!!!!!

I'll check that out right now. Thank you SOOOO much for mentioning that!

SawTroll

Could be sa coil problem, but I am no expert.....

But to start at the simplest spot - try to open the fuel cap for a moment, and see if it helps - if it does, you have a tank vent problem.

SawTroll

Have you looked at the user manual at all?

Therrin

Nope....

I didnt think the book mentioned how to take the muffler off so I didn't look there for that piece of information.


I dont think the problem is the coil though cuz im getting plenty of spark. It's gotta be a carb problem. Hmmm..... I'm tempted to take it to the shop and have them look it over.

Andyshine77

Sometimes coils stop working when they get hot, than start working again when they cool down. Try testing the coil immediately after the saw stops working.

They're a number of things that can be causing this to happen, so I would say take it to your dealer and have them look at it, it's probably an easy fix.

Therrin

After the second time it died (on the site) I *couldnt* get it started back up. I still cant.

I'll take it in tomorow but I know they're way backed up. I took my 200T in 2 weeks ago and still havent heard back about it. It's the only Stihl dealer in Bakersfield. =(

Anyone know what the voltage is that the coil is supposed to be putting out?

StihlTheOne

I read the thread with great interest right up to the time when it stopped with no explanation of what was wrong with the saw! Could you provide an update on the problem and what it took to get it fixed??

Also, did you get the muffler off?

Follow Up, please.

Therrin

Yes, I got the muffler off. No, I couldnt pull it apart because it's crimped together.

The saw is currently at my saw shop. I'm actually headed over there in...oh, about 20 minutes. Haven't a clue what is wrong with it yet, hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to the tech over there and see what they're thinking.

There's a chance they havent gotten to it yet though, they're sooooo backed up. They put my 200T at the top of the list (bad coil) and ordered a replacement for *that*, but I havent heard a whisper about the 361 yet.


I'm still waiting, as are you....

Therrin

Consensus has been reached....

The piston and cylinder are fried. Scored all the way around.



Soooo...they wanted $425 to fix, which is 2/3 the price of a new saw.

What're my options? Find a cylinder and piston that someone's got, or off ebay and fix it myself? He said they've been having alot of trouble with even the reputable gasoline distributors having high levels of alcohol in the gasoline and that it's been burning saws up alot lately.
Other than that I cant figure out what might've caused it since I don't run my saw on dull chains and I don't push it really hard.

newguy18

Yep,alcohol is eating saws up here,ate one of my boss's 200ts up 2 weeks ago.If its that close,just shell out for a new saw,keep the old one for parts.

__________________
Have your say join us today.


old schooler

Therrin

I'd rather find the parts and fix it.... i dont have 600 bucks lying around for a new one.

Therrin

Can I get a second opinion on this?
(other than NG)

Is it worth trying to find parts for and fix myself?

Does anyone HAVE a 361 parts saw with a good cylinder/piston in it?

What are my options?

On Ebay I found parts by a supplier who sells an "Aftermarket cylinder & piston kit for the 361". Would you guys stay away from that?

Willard Holmen

Therrin stay away from after market parts and fixing the saw yourself,no offense but it appears you are limited in saw repair skills. I don't know if you bought a used 361 [someones elses head ache] but if your serious about cutting wood for a living, you have to own new original equipment. You know what you got from day one and it it gives you trouble, hopefully you have warranty and get it fixed. One day of down time can cost you the value of 1 or maybe 2 saws.
I have never had bad gas burning out my saws. Proper maintenence goes a long ways.
Trade up your saws every few years maximum[depending on hours used] if you have little repair experience.