Chainsaw Repair

My 5105 doesn't work exactly like the Stihls.

Both brands have have a secondary spring between the starter pulley and the crankshaft.

But the Stihl starter cord will pull all the way out and then the saw will turn over a couple turns

With the 5105, the secondary spring gives the engine a impulse reaction to the crankshaft sort of like the impulse magneto on the old tractors.

Brad Snelling demonstrated this with his 10 yr old daughter (at the time in early 2009) with a 420. She stood on the operator handle and pulled on the cord. She couldn't pull out the cord like you or I could but would just barely pull it through. The saw started right up because it would snap through the compression.


 

I went to the dealer in Mt Gilead to buy the 5105 advertised on CL. He sat down in a straight chair with the PTO side of the saw towards him and in his lap. He tripped the brake and started pulling on the cord with his left hand. He could only pull it through one stroke at a time reaching out with his left arm. Sort of like Snelling's daughter.

I was wondering what this crazy guy was up to???

After three pulls it gave a "kick", whereas he pushed the choke in. The saw started the next pull.

He stood up, reset the brake, and we went just outside the front door and made a few cuts.

$350

Later over at Detinger's, I saw the easy start stickers on the 5105's. They were not any wider than mine. Mine is very wide compared with my 346XP. Two reasons, for the rim sprocket is on the outside of the clutch and the starter sticks way out.

To start it in the regular fashion like with a 346, it is hard to pull over but if you can get it part way through the compression stroke, the impulse will flip it on through. It doesn't have to be jerked though the compression stroke but you can if you want to.

My son has been using it this winter. I didn't tell him anything about it and he hasn't complained but he's 6'2" and 220 lbs. He does say it zips though the wood.

easy start is kinda like adding an elastostart handle to a saw....just gives a slight cushion to the recoil and a little extra spin once its over the compression stroke. Nothing like the easy start that is on stihls homeowner saws.

So I do remember seeing non easy start covers after all.

Just read this.

5105 owners that want the older non easy start starter recoil, they will make the saw look narrower and being sold right.