help my chainsaw has gone wrong

[happyhero]

Hi can anybody help me?

Typical thing, good weather comes and you go to do some work in the garden ready to enjoy your nice shiney machine and suddenly it dont work no more.

I have a Stihl MS290 petrol chainsaw and I was using it today and suddenly when I went to start it by pulling the cord, there was hardly any resistance and it didn't seem to be turning the engine over, just a bit of clicking as i pulled the cord. It did still return home so not sure what could be wrong. If it was some sort of return spring then surely the cord would not return, it would stay out. So question is what could be wrong that would stop it kicking over.

Its was a new machine when I got it but I may have had it a while now, probably over a year.

Any help appreciated.

 

[oilman]

The drive dog between the starter and the crankshaft has gone. You will need a new one. Try the dealer you bought it from, you may get a free replacement.

 

[Thermo]

there is a small lever (for want of a better word) that engages when you pull the cord. they do sometimes stick and dont pop out, especially if they have been standing for a while. the housing for the pull cord is easily removed so you can have a look and give it a quick spray with wd40. If not then back to the dealer as oilman says. Its very unusual for stihl stuff to go wrong that quick.

 

[happyhero]

there is a small lever (for want of a better word) that engages when you pull the cord. they do sometimes stick and dont pop out, especially if they have been standing for a while. the housing for the pull cord is easily removed so you can have a look and give it a quick spray with wd40. If not then back to the dealer as oilman says. Its very unusual for stihl stuff to go wrong that quick.

Cheers guys for the answers, it does look like that bit but its is free not sticking at all although it does seem to have a funny end. I took just the cover with me with the cord and that bit in it on the off chance I would go past somewhere that may be able to help. I found a place the man said the same, that they often stick when left for ages but he also said it looks fine in this case, so I am going to take it all to him tomorrow to see why it doesn't engage. To me the lever looks a little odd like it may be missing a bit although he didn't think so. Hopefully tomorrow we will figure it out.

I also tried turning the part on the saw that this would drive and I could feel the compression, so it is something wrong in this housing.

 

[Thermo]

is it an elasto start?

 

[happyhero]

is it an elasto start?

dont think so, whats that?

 

[kevplumb]

if you remove the recoil cover there is a plastic ring in the flywheel (if its the same as a stone saw) renew it job jobbed as long as the rest is ok

 

[Thermo]

is it an elasto start?

dont think so, whats that?

with an elasto start you basically keep pulling it and it builds up the tension to kick the flywheel round and start the engine, virtually no effort involved. if youve got one that you just yank the full length to start it up (ooeer missus!) then its not!