Chainsaw goes off when it's warm / does not start - what to do?

• Causes of warming
• Prepare the use of the chainsaw
• Maintenance of the engine
  • Inspection of filters, hoses and seals
• Problems with the compression

The chainsaw is a particularly robust and reliable machine tool. However, there may be problems if the unit gets very hot or overheats during operation. Then the chainsaw does not start anymore. A temporary cooling, does not always bring the desired success. However, there are several ways you can help yourself and make the chainsaw usable again.

The chainsaw is a strong and reliable machine tool used in gardening, landscaping and forestry. There are several models that operate electrically or with a fuel-powered engine. The fuel-powered chain saws are used primarily because with these machines a completely independent work is possible. You do not need a power connection and disruptive cables do not hinder your work. Although chain saws are very reliable and robust, overheating often occurs during prolonged use. The chainsaw gets very warm, and then comes the moment it shuts off so the engine will not be damaged. This is very annoying if you need the chainsaw and have not finished your work yet. Therefore, take preventive measures in good time so that such overheating does not even occur.

Causes of warming

The causes of excessive heating of the chainsaw during operation can be very diverse. The most common reason is that the engine gets hot due to a permanent load. Especially older models, which are not yet equipped with overheating protection, have problems in this regard. Modern chainsaws stop the engine in good time. So the engine can not be damaged. For you, this means that you have to interrupt your work. This may not be so bad in the home garden. However, if you have to fulfill a professional job in the commercial or forestry sector, suspending the chainsaw can be a real problem. For this reason, you should know the causes of the heating of a chainsaw and prevent them in time, so that you can use the machine without interruption.

In the rarest cases, the purchase of a new chainsaw is necessary. Often, with minor repairs and good maintenance, you can prevent overheating and work with the chainsaw continuously without pausing.

Prepare the use of the chainsaw

For an unrestricted working with the chainsaw it is an advantage, if you prepare your application optimally. Check the oil level on a fuel-powered chainsaw and make sure the fuel has not been in the valley too long. Of course, the fuel should be enough for the planned work. Preserve yourself with a canister if you believe that the tank capacity is insufficient for your planned work.

A visual inspection of all ventilation slots is important to ensure sufficient cooling of the engine. Make sure that the chain saw runs smoothly even when idling and do not plan any work that could overwhelm the engine.

In summer, when temperatures are very high, you should plan your work in the evenings. However, they must be aware of the rest periods, because a chainsaw has a fairly high noise level during work. With optimal preparation, you ensure that you can work with the chainsaw without any problems and failures.

Tips for preventing excessive heating:

• pause about every ten minutes and let the engine cool down
• divide the work into several smaller stages
• Decision to buy a powerful chainsaw
• Fuel-powered models are more resilient than electric motors
• Maintain the engine regularly

To prevent overloading the chainsaw:

• structure your efforts by dividing the work into several subareas
• Avoid continuous running and switch off the chainsaw every time you interrupt your work
• Keep an eye on engine heat throughout the activity
• use two chainsaws alternately during extensive work
• Check and clean filter and carburetor regularly

Maintenance of the engine

If you have opted for a chain saw with electric motor, you benefit from the fact that it is maintenance-free. Unlike the petrol engine, you do not need oil to operate that needs to be changed. However, keep in mind that electric motors are not as robust as fuel-powered motors. It is therefore very important that you keep an eye on the heat development of the unit while you work. Electric motors can become hot very quickly when overloaded. Not all chainsaws have a mechanism that shuts off the unit in time. If an electric motor fires, it is defective and can no longer be used. Modern chainsaws are also equipped with electric motors with a mechanism that shuts off the engine before it comes to overheating. You can take precautionary measures by avoiding working with the chain saw at extraordinarily high temperatures.

Chainsaws with four-stroke petrol engines are significantly more robust and work very reliably even at high temperatures. When using these chainsaws, make sure that you regularly change the engine oil . As with the car, the engine oil is indispensable for reliable lubrication and thus for the smooth operation of the engine. If you are not going to use the chainsaw for a long time, you should completely drain the fuel. Old fuel can lead to higher wear of the engine and thus to overheating. If you only use the chainsaw occasionally, it is recommended that you do not completely fill the tank with gasoline. Even if you do not use the fuel-powered chainsaw regularly, you will need to change the oil. The oil change should be done once a year, regardless of how often the chainsaw is in use. If you do not use the chainsaw for a long time, it makes sense not only to drain the fuel, but also the oil.

Inspection of filters, hoses and seals

If the problems with the heavy heating of the chain saw occur despite optimum maintenance of the motor, it may be helpful to thoroughly inspect all filters, hoses and seals on the chain saw. It can make sense to exchange individual components. For a smooth function, it is important that the fuel tank is ventilated. For this purpose, the machine has ventilation slots . Check if the ventilation slots are free. It is possible that foliage or persistent dust has accumulated in these slots. In this case you should clean the ventilation slots. Then the engine is optimally ventilated and a rapid overheating is prevented.

A common cause of the engine's sudden silencing is the inadequate ventilation of the tanks and the clogging of the fuel hoses . Also check these components. The clogging of a gasoline hose is often caused by old gasoline. If you fill the tank of your chain saw with fresh fuel before each work, you can prevent a blockage meaningfully.

Also pay attention in this connection to the following things, which may also clog the tank:

• dust
• dirt
• foliage

Every time you change the oil you should change the oil filter. If the oil filter clogs, the engine may not work optimally and its service may fail. Also, a strong overheating of the engine by a clogged oil filter may occur.

Problems with the compression

Compressive problems with fuel-powered chainsaws can sometimes cause them to fail even if the engine's heat is low. If the compression of the engine is not optimally adjusted, or if defects are responsible for excessive or low compression, locating the fault and repair requires expertise. They can only do the repair successfully if they are familiar with building a fuel-powered engine.

With older engines, the piston rings can cause problems. Defective piston rings ensure that the compression of the engine is not optimal. Even at low heat, the engine goes out and you can not work properly with the chainsaw. The engine draws secondary air and not infrequently is a so-called piston eater the cause. If you still get new piston rings for your chainsaw, you can disassemble the engine and replace the pistons.

Check the entire ignition system and make sure that a spark is transmitted. Replacing the spark plugs and / or the ignition caps may be helpful with older engines to prevent overheating. If necessary, you can also replace the entire ignition system.

Also check the fuel filter and make sure the cylinder base gasket and pulse tubes are not broken. Problems of this kind are also very common in older engines. For many makes you get spare parts for a period of at least ten years, so you do not have to invest in the purchase of a new chainsaw.

There is also a gasket between the engine and the carburetor, which can be replaced if necessary. Also, make sure that the carburetor is properly adjusted and free from contamination. You can adjust older carburetors manually. It is possible to disassemble and completely clean the models. In addition, the carburetor can be replaced as a component.