Echo CS 490 no start

[varmint]

I hate to be that guy, but my lightly used Echo CS 490 won't start. Running when put away, now, nothing. I have spark- and new spark plug. Won't even fire when dosed with ether starting fluid. Kill switch is working properly. I'm at a loss. The gas isn't a problem- other chainsaw is working fine. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[ning]

Following... My CS590 can be a real pain to start. If I pull it once with the switch off (derp), it instantly floods.
Web searches have said "choke on until you hear a small pop, then [varies] either choke off or half-choke".

 

[5030]

E-gas maybe and how long did it sit?

 

[5030]

Never use starting fluid on any chainsaw. You'll score the bore.

 

[Hughman]

Pull the spark plug and put a small squirt of 2 stroke oil in the cylinder. Then try it.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Never use starting fluid on any chainsaw. You'll score the bore.

I've used starting fluid all day every day on two strokes. I spray into exhaust though. If I can get it to hit one time, she'll run.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

You can remove plug. Twist up a paper towel. Light it and put in cylinder to burn off any flooding.

You could have a bad fuel line. They is badly about splitting or just breaking. Primer bubble good? I spray starting fluid in the exhaust. That seems to make the diaphragm in carb start acting right. If you don't have a bad fuel line. Just because a plug fires does not mean it's good. I changed five in a row once. Ran different each time. I was running a lawn shop in Texarkana.

 

[varmint]

Yeah, I've heard that spraying starting fluid is a bad idea... but a small spray followed by mixed gas operation seemed, to me, to be okay? Maybe a bad idea. Anyway, gas is fresh, there's no primer bulb on the CS490. It's always started cold with some difficulty, but restarts after running with one pull.

I'll try the 2 cycle oil squirt, see if that helps anything. It's getting gas- the plug is wet after several attempts- but not badly flooded. I've had this saw for 5-6 years, so I know its habits. Most of my sawing is done with a 16" CS 370- I save this one for bigger cutting. Just firewood, mostly ash since Emerald Ash borers killed hundreds of trees around us.

 

[Hughman]

This is where I got the idea when mine had this problem.

 

[xyz123]

So you getting mix to you plug? Have you ever pulled the EPA stops off carb so you could adjust it right? They come so lean sometimes from echo it makes them hard to start.
Was plug wet when pulled? Possible flooded? Pull plug and let dry out 24hrs.

Have you checked spark?

Please do not use starter fluid. Look at one inside crankcase that has had starter fluid used on it sometime. That alone will tell you dont do it. Get you a oil squirt bottle and use mix. I have 2 I use for bench.

 

[JJT]

Plugged air filter? Sounds like you have fuel and spark, just need air???

 

[varmint]

Update: still won't fire or start, after putting a bit of 2-cycle oil in cylinder and fresh pre-mixed fuel. Air filter on or off, no change. No more ether, although I spoke with a neighbor who does use it occasionally for his chain saws- and he's a retired engineer who worked with a military application drone company that used a lot of small 2 cycle engines, so he knows small engines. Anyway, I am now thinking I will pull the carb and clean it. I haven't squirted ether directly into the cylinder, and I won't, although that could rule out a carb problem.

 

[mrmikey]

E-gas maybe and how long did it sit?

Never answered this question, although e gas or not, it shoulda kicked with fuel in the cylinder. Any chance the timing could be off? Sheared key?
Luckily I've caught e-gas before I used it, it just started coming around here lately so now I'm checking gas before I put it in my small engines and have been able to find good gas...so far.
SIN just gave me an old Shindawa 488 that won't start, a victim of e-gas, fuel filter is partially corroded and fuel line is like a limp sticky noodle and about as strong. Stuff should be outlawed.

 

[varmint]

Yup- it was ethanol gas (10%) which has been the norm around here for years. We can thank the government and farmers who get subsidies for corn for it. I guess it does help with emissions, especially in warm weather, but there's a reason aviation gas is non-ethanol. We used to be able to buy straight gas at some locations, for a slight premium, but that's harder to find. Funny, but a lot of farmers prefer straight gas? I always use Marine Stabil in any gas that comes home in jugs, and I try not to keep it more than a month or so. Never stays in machines for storage. Ethanol is a curse, unless it's over ice after special handling with flavoring agents.

 

[jjeff]

Spark arrestor screen on exhaust plugged up?

 

[varmint]

I found a video on YouTube where the guy had exactly the same situation as me- except he went a step further and pulled the muffler to squirt ether into the cylinder directly, after which it fired. Blocked carb! I removed and cleaned the carb, and since it didn't appear to be gunked up in any way, I was holding my breath. Fired and ran on the first pull. Hardest part was getting the needle valve/spring assembly back together. It's running like a champ now.

 

[CharlesMcElhaney12]

There can be many reasons that your echo 490 chainsaw won't start. You have to look into these things to find out what is the issue your chainsaw is not starting:

• Make sure you are not using the old fuel in your echo chainsaw
• Probably the settings are wrong. ( Cold start is different and warm start is different )
• Spark plug might be in bad condition
• Air filter might be clogged
• Ignition coil might be faulty.

 

[jonconner]

The carburetor might be clogged. A clogged carburetor is often caused by leaving fuel in the chainsaw for a long period of time

 

[varmint]

You got it, jonconner. I posted earlier that I removed and cleaned the carb. Although it appeared clean, something was clogged. Runs like a champ, once again.

 

[5030]

The passages in a chainsaw carb are tiny to begin with so it don't take much to clog them. Why I use synthetic fuel. It might cost a bit but it don't gum anything up. I either use Echo Red Armor or Tru-Fuel 50-1 premix.