You are all geared up to cut wood from the felled trees in your backyard or somewhere else. Everything is going smoothly. After some time, you feel the chainsaw getting heated up. But, you continue anyway.
After successfully cutting a few wood pieces, the chainsaw comes to a halt. You try everything to turn the heated chainsaw on, but the chainsaw won’t start when hot.
What could have gone wrong? Is your saw out of fuel? You just checked the fuel tank, but there is plenty of fuel.
Still unable to restart your hot chainsaw? Ease down. I’ve got you. After reading this article, you will be able to solve this issue on your own in no time.
4 Reasons Why Your Chainsaw Won’t Run When Hot in 2024
But, wait, before I discuss why your chainsaw won’t start when warm, let it cool off. Leave it in a shaded area so that it releases all the heat.
Next, I am going to list down 4 reasons that are making it difficult for you to restart your firewood chainsaw’s engine when hot, along with some solutions.
1. Restricted fuel supply
A heated engine more than often restricts the flow of fuel to the carburetor. Now, this could either be because of a dirty fuel filter or damaged fuel lines.
How to resolve it?
If this is the case, the solution is relatively painless. A dirty fuel filter needs an immediate replacement if you are unable to clean the dirt off of it.
For clogged fuel lines, replace them with new ones and you are all set for the season.
2. Vapor lock
The term vapor lock refers to the accumulation of excess heat or vapors in the fuel tank when the vents are not functioning well. This in turn blocks the supply of fuel to the carburetor.
So, when you are sure that the fuel filter or the fuel lines are perfect, only then look for a vapor lock.
To confirm whether you have a vapor lock or not, remove the cover of the fuel tank followed by the venting of gases. The restarting of your saw after this action shows that you had a vapor lock.
How to resolve it?
Putting an end to vapor lock is quite simple. Check the vent hole inside the fuel tank. Clean the debris collected gently. Also, you need to clean the tank vents regularly for the smooth escape of vapors.
3. Difficulty in the ignition
When the fuel lines, fuel filter, and tank vents are all good, the next component to reach out to is the spark plug.
This is because a corroded or dirt-covered spark plug will fail to ignite when the chainsaw gets hot. This difficulty in the ignition indicates that the ignition module or the coil in the module has some issues.
How to resolve it?
To resolve this problem, start the saw. Right after it gets hot, the saw will stop. Now feed some starter fluid into the open choke valve that can be seen under the air filter.
If the saw starts properly, understand that there is something wrong with the fuel system. If not, you need to replace either the ignition module or the coil.
4. Carburetor
A worn-out carburetor is easy to identify. Start the engine and put some carburetor cleaner inside the open choke hole.
The release of dark and thick smoke shows that the carburetor needs immediate cleanup. Besides, a carburetor that has sticky white deposits would block the flow of fuel to the engine. As a result, the saw would not fire up.
How to resolve it?
Invest in a carburetor repair kit that includes a carb cleaner. This would be sufficient to make your carburetor as good as a new one. Also, check if some parts of the carburetor need replacement and replace them.
6 Chainsaw Cooling Techniques You Should Know
On top of that, several other factors contribute to a heated saw. You can avoid them by following these chainsaw cooling techniques:
- Always keep a check on the fuel tank to make sure it has ample fuel
- Whenever going for a refuel, never add fuel to a hot engine
- Never leave your battery chainsaw in the open and exposed to sunlight when no longer in use
- Tighten the nuts and bolts of the saw regularly that loosen with usage
- Right after usage, look out for any debris and clean the chainsaw if needed. Only then store it
- Sharpen the blades of your chainsaw from time to time with an electric file
Still confused? Check out this tutorial from TheRepairSpecialist on how to resolve the chainsaw not starting when hot problem:
Frequently Asked Questions
I have a Husqvarna chainsaw that won’t start when hot, should I get a new one?
You need not to purchase a new one. Go through the problems and solutions discussed above and I am sure, you will bring your Husqvarna chainsaw into function easily.
Can I take the above steps without cooling down a hot chainsaw?
I don’t think that would be a good idea as touching or working on a hot saw can be extremely dangerous. You must leave it and start to look for faults when the temperature has reduced.
Why do the fuel lines and the carburetor get clogged even though I clean them regularly?
This mainly happens when you use old fuel or let fuel stay in the tank even when the chainsaw is not in use. Avoid leaving fuel in the saw when you no longer need it. Always add fresh fuel and a suitable fuel stabilizer to the fuel to help retain it for a long time.
Final thoughts: Chainsaw Won’t Start When Hot
You might be thinking that there is no need to thoroughly check the problems your saw has because it stops only when hot and restarts when cool. But, you are wrong for thinking this way as a minor issue right now might end up damaging any component or the whole of your chainsaw permanently.
So, let your chainsaw cool off and replace or clean the parts that need it. This would save you from spending on a new chainsaw.
his personal experience and loves to share their nitty gritty details with his audience.
Although Richard does focus on other home improvement tools, his focus remains on cutting fallen trees or maintaining his backyard via chainsaw tools. He pledges to come up with new knowledge about chainsaws every once in a while.
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