Cannot start Stihl 009

[calfal]

I have 2 Stihl 009 chainsaws, my husband bought them years ago as he had a bad back. He is no longer here to maintain the saws so I do my best to keep them going. They get non-ethanol fuel and Stihl oil. They are used lightly, only by me. Not often, but it is nice to have 2 running saws with me when I work on trails or a downed tree, in case one gets stuck. I bought a 40v battery powered saw last year, it is ok for small stuff but just does not have the power of a conventional saw. The one Stihl 009 has had a hard time starting for years now, once it starts it runs like a top but starting is a bear. Last week I did 20 pulls on it and finally gave up. Last year I took it into the local co-op and, after attempting a few pulls, the man looked at the sparkplug. He said "there is no gas on the sparkplug". He kept pulling and finally the saw started and sounded and ran great. I asked the man if there was anything he could do so that I can start it , even after it sits for 3-4 months. He said "the saw is old". Any ingenious ideas out there, for ease of starting? I do not mind getting a new lightweight saw but if I can keep using these two saws I would rather do that.

choke it.. pull the start rope until it pops,, then take it off choke,, and pull again should start..good luck

 

[nancyk]

"On my009 the 1st pull is always full choke.
Next pull is choke off and it always starts."
Do you wait until it sputters or just arbritrarily turn the choke off after the first pull? I keep the choke full until I hear the first sputter, which unfortunatly, on my easier starting saw, last time was 15 pulls.

 

[ljgordon]

OMG: 1994 009L. I cut 5 cords a year with mine for 9 years in New Mexico. Used it for 5 years in various parts of the USA while traveling in my motor home. Settled in KY. Used it about 5 years until the oil pump stopped working. Guess what?? Stihl no longer supports the 009. Could not get a new oil pump. I still use it by spraying oil on the chain because this is the absolutely best chainsaw I have ever owned. It will work next to the Stihl Farm Boss and the Husky 455 and beat hell out of them.

 

[nancyk]

"Could not get a new oil pump." I have two of these Stihl 009s. A few years ago the pump was rebuilt on one of them (the one that starts more easily) at a local shop, to the tune of $130. Probably should not have done it but I too like this little saw.

This morning sprayed two times into the carb opening with trigger locked "on". tried starting 10 pulls, no luck. Took out sparkplug, did one spray in the opening, put sparkplug back in, on second pull the saw started, then immediately died and will not start again. I will let it sit until this afternoon and try again.

 

[nancyk]

Update: siphoned out the fuel in the saw and put in fresher fuel made last fall. Saw started right up , with no putting any fuel mixture into the carb.

 

[ericm979]

Fresh fuel will do it. If you let the saw sit for more than a couple months dump the old gas out of the tank, start the engine, take it off the choke and let it idle until it uses up the fuel in the carburetor. That way the fuel in the carb won't dry up and form a varnish that clogs tiny passages in the carb. The old gas (use a clean container) can be run in your lawn mower or log splitter or similar engine. Some people run it in their truck but I'd hate to find out that it does not play nice with the emissions system.

I turn the choke off after two or three pulls even if the engine has not popped. I used to go until it popped but turning it off early seems to work a bit better.