Chainsaw Repair

I used my chainsaw at home, for a few hours, a few days ago. I stopped because I had to take the chain off twice in a half hour when I pinched it in a heavy tree limb. It was a sign, I was tired. So, today, when I started the chainsaw, white smoke was coming out from above the chain. The smoke was going in the same direction as the chain goes: away from the body of the chainsaw and toward the tip of the chainsaw blade.

I sent a message to Jonsered Customer Service. How long would that process take and how involved would that process be? I was in position now to do the work. I saw the reply email to my message was from Husqvarna. I called the Husqvarna toll free customer service number and asked them, they said "We can not talk you through that level of maintenance over the phone."

While the chainsaw repair guys in my area are great, they are overworked, especially at this time of year and they are 20 miles away from my home. It would cost more time and money than I had. So, I was on my own and I was going in without backup!

I took the cover off and saw the exhaust port. There was a metal lip or latching mechanism. I pushed down with a flathead screwdriver on the little bump and pulled out the... metal filter. The metal filter had a black spot in the middle of it, maybe oil? I used a cigarette lighter to burn clean the metal filter. It smoked and then caught in fire!

When the filter was in the flame of my lighter but no longer smoking, I decided it was clean and let it cool off. Then, I put the filter back in the chainsaw and started it up. No smoke, problem solved? If I do not post again, it was a success or i died.

Good job on the spark arrestor screen.

Keep a extra in your tool box?

Good job on the spark arrestor screen.

Keep a extra in your tool box?

It is better to leave it out, unless it is mandatory where you cut.

Anyway, it sounds like the basic culprit may be too much oil in the fuel, and/or a way too rich carb setting?