A chainsaw is a kind of portable saw that runs on electricity, gasoline, or batteries. Just like any other saw, the primary use of a chainsaw is to help cut wood.
The device cuts through the wood using a set of teeth that are attached to a chain that keeps rotating and driving along a guiding bar.
It is used for various activities, including limbing, bucking, pruning, cutting firebreaks in wildland fire suppression, and harvesting firewood.
The main advantage of using a chainsaw is that it can cut through large amounts of material quickly and easily.
Having your own chain saw can be incredibly helpful when it’s time to do more intensive lawn and yard work without any help, but despite their use in many rugged, messy jobs, chain saws are more sensitive machines than many owners realize.
That being said, Stihl is one of the most popular options when it comes to buying a chainsaw. However, users have been reporting problems with it too.
For the average homeowner, the chainsaw isn’t something that is being used every day of the week.
It can sit around the garage for long periods until you need it to clean up after a thunderstorm, cut wood for a bonfire, or heating with your family and friends to enjoy the cold winter night.
But letting your Stihl Chainsaw sit for quite a while before you use it can get really frustrating when it fails to eventually start when you most need it, especially if you’ve invested in a high-quality, top-of-the-line tool such as a Stihl Chainsaw.
From a few most common issues reported by customers of Stihl chainsaw, the most common ones mentioned by quite a lot of its users were that their Stihl chainsaw is not getting enough fuel.
If you are also experiencing something similar, continue to read the article, as we will provide you with a detailed guide on how to fix this problem.
Reasons Stihl Chainsaw Is Not Getting Fuel
As already mentioned, one doesn’t require to work with a chainsaw every day or even every week.
So it can sit around your garage or backyard storage for long periods of time until you need to use it for cutting wood or doing some lawn renovations.
When not used frequently and exposed to the weather, like a rough storm that brings with them a great deal of dirt and dust, the fuel filters, fuel lines, and vent gets clogged with the accumulated dirt or get punctured and cause your chainsaw to not get enough fuel.
Another critical reason for your chainsaw not getting fuel can be a problem of a bad spark plug that has gone dry over time.
These are the most common three reasons your top-notch Stihl chainsaw is not getting enough fuel.
Below we have explained in detail the methods to fix your Stihl chainsaw not getting fuel to get it working again.
Fixing Stihl Chainsaw Not Getting Fuel:
1. Clean The Fuel Filter
Stihl chainsaw has two primary filters; an air filter and a fuel filter, which ensure your machine works efficiently, preventing any wear and tear on the engines.
Both of these filters are used to keep dust and debris out of the carburetor and fuel.
The fuel filter is essential to a chainsaw and ensures that the fuel you put inside is filtered. This fuel filter is located in the fuel tank of the Stihl chainsaw.
It is attached to the end of the fuel line to strain fuel before it enters the fuel system.
However, over time, when the filter is not regularly changed or the fuel being used is dirty, the fuel filter can get clogged up, restricting the amount of fuel that is able to pass through the filter.
Similarly, it can also get blocked if there’s any sort of debris or material stuck inside it.
A Stihl chainsaw that has a clogged fuel filter will not allow the machine to get fuel, and as a result of an insufficient supply of fuel, the chainsaw will fail to start, or even if it does, it may begin to run sluggishly.
An easy way to get rid of the problem is to use unblended pure petrol in order to keep your fuel filter clean. This will not only save you from cleaning the filter repeatedly but will also benefit your engine.
Apart from this, you must know the chainsaw’s fuel filter needs to be cleaned at least once a year to operate accurately without causing any destruction to the engine.
Replace the fuel filter annually and more often if you use the chainsaw frequently.
Once the fuel filter is thoroughly cleaned, the fuel flow should resume, and you should get your chainsaw to start working again. If cleaning the fuel filter does not solve your problem, then follow the next step.
2. Clogged Or Punctured Fuel Line/ Inlet
Another thing that we recommend checking is the carb fuel inlet. Just like the fuel filter, if the fuel sits in the inlet or the fuel line for a long time, it leaves behind the substance that builds up in the fuel line, restricting the flow.
The carb fuel inlet can also get blocked because of dirt accumulated inside it.
In order to clean the fuel inlet, we suggest starting off by simply pulling the fuel hose off the carb. Using a spray cleaner or a carburetor cleaner, try to remove the blockage and clean the carb fuel inlet by simply spraying it inside.
Using a spray carburetor cleaner is more beneficial in doing this task as it loosens up all the clogs accumulated in the line.
Once it’s done, you would just have to blow compressed air through it. When the air passes through the inlet with high pressure, it dislodges all the dirt and entirely cleans the fuel line and inlet.
If that does not work, you might have to strip the carb. This would allow your chainsaw to get fuel, and it will start working normally.
Another problem with the fuel line or inlet can be that it is damaged, punctured, or cracked. This wouldn’t be possible to appreciate without first entirely cleaning the fuel inlet and line.
After your cleansing process, when your fuel lines are wide open to get fuel, and you notice there still isn’t any flow, you must carefully look for a small puncture or crack that may be causing your fuel to leak.
If your chainsaw is not getting fuel because of this, we suggest you get the fuel lines and inlets replaced.
If you keep on trying to get your chainsaw to work without replacing the broken lines, you will waste not only a lot of your fuel but also electricity, the chainsaw’s battery, and a lot of your time.
3. Moisturize Spark Plug
The spark plug provides the necessary spark required to start and keep the Stihl chainsaw keep running. It can be changed annually at least or more often if you use your chainsaw more frequently.
Like the filters, they also need to be replaced depending on the usage of the chainsaw to keep it working perfectly.
Inspecting the spark plug and cleaning it thoroughly between the replacements. If you observe the color of the spark as very dark or a burnt electrode or broken porcelain, you may need to replace it to solve your problem.
A dry spark plug is another major reason that points to your chainsaw not getting any fuel.
To fix this, you can try taking the spark plug out. Once you have pulled it out, try injecting a bit of petrol inside the cylinder and re-fitting the plug.
This would ensure the spark plug is adequately moistened; ignition would cause the standard fuel flow that will keep your chainsaw running.
After you are satisfied with the amount of petrol injected into the cylinder to moisturize the spark plug, try starting the chainsaw.
If the ignition system runs successfully, then you have rooted out the problem.
However, do keep in mind that if the chainsaw does not start running, it won’t run for long until you get the spark and fuel issue fixed.
The Bottom Line:
Not getting fuel in your Stihl chainsaw is a significant problem that could lead to all kinds of issues, like the chainsaw not even starting.
To keep your chainsaw running in good condition and have it not leave your side when you need to cut fires for a late-night bonfire party with your friends, you should ensure that it gets the required fuel.
If your chainsaw is not getting the fuel, you should most probably apply the fix before it is too late.
Luckily, we have listed above some of the most common reasons, along with how you can fix each one of them quickly at home!
All you have to do is to make sure that you check your fuel filters, fuel inlets and lines, and also the sparkplug so your chainsaw keeps getting the fuel.