Engineer’s tip: how to start a two-stroke engine
Straight from the horse’s mouth, one of MowDirect’s experienced engineers shares his secret starting tip for two-stroke engines, that are proving difficult. He has used a chainsaw engine as an example but the basic technique should be interchangeable.
Step 1. Put your Chainsaw on to choke
Step 2. If the Chainsaw has a primer, give it 5 pumps. No more, no less. If not – on to step 3
Step 3. Pull the recoil 2 to 3 times. The Chainsaw should rev’ as if starting then will stop
Step 4. Take the choke off
Step 5. Try to start as normal
Other things to check include your spark plug/s. This/they should be checked regularly as faulty or worn out spark plugs are responsible for a large proportion of starting problems so check at least once a week.
Also, check your filters. There is a checklist section in the basic chainsaw engine maintenance article that covers much of this.
N.B. Step four is very important as a great many starting issues occur from overuse of the choke, which can lead to the engine becoming flooded.