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Start a chainsaw without a pull cord or Less Muscle Power

Have you ever struggled with the pull cord on your chainsaw? We understand the challenge and have the perfect solution for you. Our guide provides easy-to-follow steps that require less muscle power, making your task more accessible and more efficient.

Use electric start conversion kits, spring-assisted starting systems, capacitor-discharge, or memory power ignition to reduce pull effort. Choose chainsaws with automatic high idle to prevent flooding on start. Electric chainsaws only require pressing buttons. Maintain the chainsaw properly and use the correct choke settings for hot or cold starts to aid starting.

Are you tired of the muscle power required to start your chainsaw? We understand your struggle and have just the solution for you. Learn to maintain your chainsaw correctly and use the correct choke settings for hot or cold starts. Keep reading to discover a new way to power your chainsaw!

Contents

How to start a gas-powered chainsaw?

Before starting your gas-powered chainsaw, you must perform a maintenance check. You must make sure its spark plug boot is well-fitted. You should then refill fresh fuel and oil mixture specialized for four-cycle engines.

Make sure that you have added enough oil as per the recommended level. There are two different methods to start a cold and hot gas-powered chainsaw. To create a COLD gas-powered chainsaw, you must follow the below-given step-by-step guide:

● Step 1: 

You will start a cold chainsaw for the first time in your lifetime or for the first time on a particular day. You will need the fuel flowing to warm the engine enough to fire.

For your safety, you must first set its chain brake because the chain of a gas-powered chainsaw will rotate around its bar as soon as you start the engine.

Over the years, I’ve seen many methods to start a chainsaw without a pull cord. Some use an electric start button, others a drill, and then there are spring-assist mechanisms. Each has its advantages

● Step 2:

The engine of a gas-powered chainsaw will start smoothly if you give it a burst of fuel. You must close the choke to block fresh air flow into the engine. Fresh air mixes with the fuel and changes the mixture.

Step 3:

Not all gas-powered chainsaws have a decompression valve. If your chainsaw has this useful feature, then press the valve. The decompression valve reduces the pressure inside the combustion chamber of your chainsaw’s engine. It will help you start the engine quickly.

Step 4:

Some older models of a gas-powered chainsaw have a primer bulb. The newer models of a gas-powered chainsaw have an air purge bulb instead. You must push the primer bulb 4 to 6 times to send the fuel into the carburetor, which feeds air and fuel to the engine.

When you push the air purge bulb, the unwanted excessive air is made out of the fuel lines of your chainsaw.

How to start a hot gas-powered chainsaw?

When you try to start your chainsaw again after it was recently used, the temperature of its engine is still warm, so its spark plug will operate smoothly. Follow the below-given step-by-step guide to starting a hot gas-powered chainsaw:

● Step 1:

Don’t forget to set the chain brake of your chainsaw.

● Step 2:

You must close the choke of your chainsaw and set it to the “on” or “run” position. As your chainsaw has been running, fuel has already cycled into its carburetor. Closing the choke is what sets its engine to the high idle position.

Moving the lever to the “on” or “run” position opens its chokes but keeps your engine idle, allowing your chainsaw engine to run consistently.

Step 3:

Even when your chainsaw is hot, pressing the decompression valve will release any extra pressure inside the carburetor, which will be very helpful to start the engine.

Start your chainsaw with a drill:

Starting the chainsaw using a drill is convenient for elderly DIYers who are no longer strong enough to pull the cord too many times with speed.

If the engine of your chainsaw is not convertible from a cord start to an electric start, then you can start it with an electric drill. For this, you will need a socket that can fit on the nut of your flywheel and a method to attach it to the drill. You must buy a four-inch square head bolt with a shank that fits your drill chuck.

Grounding the bolt head to fit in your socket would be best. Now, to start the engine of your chainsaw, you must turn it on. You must then prime its carburetor and fit the socket on the nut of your flywheel.

Removing the Shroud Covering

You must remove the shroud covering your chainsaw’s engine to do this. Finally, it would be best if you operated your drill in its forward position, which will start the engine of your chainsaw quickly.

NOTE: A battery-powered drill is often insufficient to start your chainsaw quickly. In that case, use an electric drill plugged into a wall outlet. Sometimes, the bolt will strip out, and when you crank up, the bolt can come out.

Spring-assisted starting system:

The spring-assisted starting system can reduce the effort required to start your chainsaw by 40%. Stihl has introduced an innovative Easy2Start technology. Besides, Stihl, Husqvarna, PowerKing, Makita, Tanaka, and Poulan also use this technology in their chainsaws. 

It is just one additional spring between the crankshaft and the starter rotor. A spring housing with two drive lugs and a spring is attached between your gas-powered chainsaw’s rotor and crankshaft.

When you try to start the engine of your chainsaw, it tensions the spring against the opposing force created by the pistons of your chainsaw during its compression.

Check here the price of the Makita EA4300F40B spring assisted Chainsaw

Understanding the Mechanics of a Gas-Powered Chainsaw

When the energy of the pre-tensioned spring is greater than the opposing force created by the piston of your gas-powered chainsaw during its compression, the crankshaft will start to turn, and the engine of your chainsaw will fire.

The spring-assisted starting system overcomes the engine’s compression to reduce the effort, force, and time needed to start your chainsaw. This spring will automatically release the stored energy to the crankshaft of your chainsaw and start its engine quickly and smoothly.

Another chainsaw that is easy to start is the Husqvarna 445EII. You can check the price here.

Capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) or Memory power ignition (MPI):

A capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) can store an electrical charge and then discharge it into the ignition coil to produce a vital spark from the spark plug of your chainsaw. The capacitor charge gives the ignition. The capacitor can charge and discharge quickly, making it easy for you to start your chainsaw.

CDI works by passing the electrical current over the capacitor. It will build up a charge within a fraction of a second. Your chainsaw will generate and store a charge before sending it to its spark plug to activate its engine.

The power will pass through a capacitor to be transferred to the ignition coil, which will boost the power by acting as a transformer. It lets the energy go through it entirely instead of catching any of it. This system allows the engine of a chainsaw to keep running until there is enough charge in the power source.

Energy Transfer in CDI

CDI consists of a charging coil, flywheel, hall sensor, stator, and timing mark. The charging coil is the coil in the stator. It produces six volts to charge the capacitor of your chainsaw.

According to the movement of the flywheel, a single pulsed power is produced and sent to the spark plug by the coil to ensure the maximum spark is supplied.

The hall sensor measures the hall effect where the flywheel’s magnet changes from the North pole to the South pole. The hall sensor sends a tiny pulse to the capacitor discharge ignition box, which will trigger it to dump the energy from the charging capacitor of your chainsaw into its high-voltage transformer.

When you rotate the stator plate right and left, you will change the trigger point of your capacitor discharge ignition, which will advance or retard the time, respectively.

Memory Power Ignition Technology (MPI):

Memory Power Ignition Technology is the integral function of the easy start system. The capacitor in the ignition coil of your chainsaw collects and stores a slight charge from the revolution of its flywheel during the previous engine operation or start-up.

During the starting cycle, the stored power is released to give a powerful spark at a lower flywheel revolution for the easy start process.

Chainsaws manufactured by Blue Max, Makita, and PowerKing use CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) and MPI (Memory Power Ignition) technologies for an effortless start without pulling the cord.

Both Capacitor Discharge Ignition and Memory Power Ignition will provide you with minimum operator resistance, smooth ignition, and minimum wear to the starting assembly of your chainsaw.

These technologies produce powerful sparks at even very low revolutions per minute (RPMs) of your chainsaw, allowing the ignition coil to fire with minimum flywheel revolutions.

Safety should always be your priority when starting a chainsaw, especially without a pull cord. Ensure the chainsaw is secure, wear protective gear, and engage the chain brake

Inspecting the Chainsaw and Surrounding Area

Before you start your chainsaw, make sure to do a thorough inspection of the chainsaw and the area around you. Clear any obstacles and ensure there is no one in the immediate vicinity. Position yourself firmly on the stump or ground, keeping your left arm straight and your feet apart for balance.

Hold the chainsaw with both hands, keeping the guide bar away from any objects. Pull the starter handle sharply to start the chainsaw until the engine fires. You can activate the throttle once the engine has started to increase speed.

Always keep your left arm straight while operating the chainsaw to prevent kickback. When you’re done, place the chainsaw back on the stump or a flat surface and turn off the engine.

Automatic High idle mechanism:

Chainsaws manufactured by Makita and Husqvarna offer an automatic high idle mechanism. If the fuel level in your chainsaw is low or too high, your chainsaw will not have enough power to fire. Too much fuel will lead to flooding, which will clog the engine.

Chainsaws with an automatic high idle mechanism will adjust it at the high idle position when its throttle is set so the engine gets just the exact amount of fuel required to start it and keep it running.

How do you convert the pull-start of your chainsaw to an electric start?

Are you tired of getting the small engine of your chainsaw started by pulling its cord? Some models of chainsaws allow you to install a 12-volt electric starter to their engine.

Some manufacturers, such as Briggs & Straton, Honda, and Kohler, design the engine of their chainsaws to allow you to convert them from pull start to electric start, and they do sell the kits for this conversion.

Other manufacturers of chainsaws don’t offer this option. For example, if your chainsaw has a Tecumseh engine, you may or may not be able to turn it from a manual pull-cord start to an electric start. The two main things that you will need for an electric start conversion are;

  1. ring gear on the flywheel and,
  2. Mounting plates on the flywheel of your chainsaw.

Importance of Wrist Control in Chainsaw Operation

You can fit the flywheel with a ring gear, but you cannot do this conversion without mounting the starter to the engine housing of your chainsaw. First, you must stop and find out whether your chainsaw can be converted to an electric start by reading the user manual that comes with it.

If your chainsaw is convertible, you will see a section confirming it with basic conversion instructions in your user manual.

Wrist control is essential when operating a chainsaw. Always guard against kickbacks and repeat safety checks before use. Accelerate the chainsaw only when you’re ready to start cutting.

Starting a chainsaw without a pull cord has many benefits. It requires less physical effort, which is great for people with limited strength or mobility, and it can also be quicker and more convenient.

Hold the chainsaw firmly and ensure it’s working correctly. Never operate a chainsaw while standing over a stump or any unstable surface.

Always maintain control of the chainsaw and activate the chain brake when not in active use. The user manual also lists the specific part number of the kit needed for the conversion. You don’t have to install a battery for your chainsaw. New models have a 120-volt starter with a cord to plug into your wall socket.

Identifying the Mounting Boss on Your Chainsaw Engine

Look for a mounting boss on the engine of your chainsaw. The mounting boss must be pre-drilled or pre-machined on the engine of your chainsaw; otherwise, you can’t mount the starter. Another essential requirement is a ring gear on the rim of the flywheel of your chainsaw.

If your flywheel doesn’t have it, you must replace it with the one with pre-drilled or pre-machined ring gear.

After you have found and bought an electric starter that will work with the engine of your chainsaw, and if necessary, after having installed a ring gear on the flywheel, you must mount the starter to the mounting boss on the engine of your chainsaw.

They are located such that the starter’s cranking gear aligns with the flywheel gear’s notches. Without this, the conversion is not possible.

How to start an electric chainsaw?

An electric chainsaw is much easier to start if it has been taken care of. You must perform the maintenance task before trying to start your electric chainsaw.

For a cordless chainsaw, you must use a backup battery that is fully charged, and for the corded chainsaw, you must use a proper extension cord and plug it into a wall outlet.

You must ensure the extension cord is not too short in length and does not have a small gauge. Otherwise, it will not transfer the proper amount of power through it.

The most significant advantage of an electric chainsaw is that you don’t have to pull a cord; it needs minimum effort to get it started. You can start it by pushing a couple of buttons without a throttle to open.

Step No. 1:

First, you must disengage the chain brake of your electric chainsaw. The chain of an electric chainsaw will not rotate until you press the trigger, unlike the chain of a gas-powered chainsaw, which can turn even when the engine is idle. The chain of an electric chainsaw will not spin unless you disengage its break.

Step No. 2:

It would be best to press the trigger lockout or the throttle lockout. It is a slight safety button at the rear handle’s side. You can quickly press the button with the thumb holding your electric chainsaw’s handle.

Step No. 3:

While pressing the safety button with your thumb, use your index finger to press the trigger switch. To start the electric chainsaw, you must release the safety button under your thumb and continue pressing the trigger switch with your index finger.

You are ready to go chainsawing with your electric saw running successfully.

Some electric chainsaws have a brush inside their motor used to conduct electricity. If you cannot start your electric chainsaw, replace the brush inside its motor. You must prefer a brushless electric chainsaw because it is easier to create and needs little maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions:

● How do you start the chainsaw in cold weather?

Colder weather or a chainsaw just out of storage can complicate the situation. Here is a piece of helpful advice from a forestry forum poster:

“If I have not gotten a pop in 4 pulls, I transition to the part throttle, no-choke position, and if I have not gotten a start in about eight pulls, I return to the choke position for one or two pulls.

I am sure this varies with different chainsaws, but you should not have to pull too many times in the choke position, even in cold weather.”

Remarks

To conclude this blog post, I would say that you must prefer the chainsaw with a Spring-assisted starting system, Capacitor discharge ignition (CDI), Memory power ignition (MPI) technology, or Automatic High idle mechanism (Stihl, Husqvarna, PowerKing, Makita, Tanaka, and Poulan) while buying a new one for an easy and convenient start without pulling a cord.

You can also start your chainsaw with a drill, which is more comfortable than pulling the cord.

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  1. Daisy Prescott says:

    The tips for starting a gas-powered chainsaw are spot on, thank you for sharing.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you for your positive feedback, Daisy! I’m glad you found the tips helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions about starting a gas-powered chainsaw.

  2. Georgia Weaver says:

    Fascinating information about CDI and MPI technologies, very detailed explanation.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you for the positive feedback, Georgia! We’re glad you found the information on CDI and MPI technologies detailed and fascinating. If you ever struggle with your chainsaw, we’re here to help!

  3. Jar Grant says:

    Starting my electric chainsaw has never been easier, thanks for the tips.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thanks, Jar! We’re glad the tips helped. For even easier starting, consider an electric conversion kit or a spring-assisted system. Happy sawing!

  4. Kristen Elliott says:

    I appreciate the emphasis on safety and maintenance when using a chainsaw, very important.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Kristen! We agree that safety and maintenance are key when using a chainsaw. Stay safe and keep your chainsaw well-maintained for efficient use.

  5. Brian Richards says:

    The Memory Power Ignition Technology sounds fascinating, I want to learn more about it.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Memory Power Ignition Technology makes starting a chainsaw effortless. Stay tuned for more on this innovative technology!

  6. Celina Fields says:

    I appreciate the step-by-step guide for starting a cold gas-powered chainsaw.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you for your feedback, Celina! Have you ever considered converting your chainsaw to electric start for an even easier way to power it up?

  7. Javier George says:

    I never thought about the importance of wrist control when using a chainsaw, great reminder.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Javier! Wrist control is crucial when using a chainsaw. Remember to prioritize safety and follow our guidelines for easy starting. Happy sawing!

  8. Beverley Ryan says:

    The FAQs section is very helpful, answered some questions I had about starting a chainsaw.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you for your feedback, Beverley! We’re glad the FAQs section was helpful. If you have any more questions about chainsaw maintenance or starting, feel free to ask. Happy sawing!

  9. Arthur Holt says:

    Great tips for starting a gas-powered chainsaw, very helpful.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Arthur! We’re glad you found the tips helpful. If you ever want to make starting even easier, consider our guide for alternative starting methods. Happy chainsawing!

  10. Brandon Davidson says:

    I had no idea you could start a chainsaw with a drill, that’s so convenient!

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Brandon! We’re glad you found the information helpful. Starting a chainsaw with a drill can definitely save you time and effort. Happy sawing!

  11. Donald Neal says:

    I’m impressed by the variety of starting methods for chainsaws, will try them out.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thanks for your feedback, Donald! Glad you found the starting methods helpful. Best of luck trying them out on your chainsaw. Happy to help!

  12. Peggy Gordon says:

    I will definitely look for chainsaws with an automatic high idle mechanism, great tip.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you for your feedback, Peggy! I’m glad you found the tip helpful. Automatic high idle chainsaws are definitely a game-changer for starting tasks quickly and efficiently.

  13. Nina Lawson says:

    The video tutorials are very helpful, visual demonstrations make it easier to follow.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Nina! We’re glad you found the video tutorials helpful. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on starting your chainsaw efficiently.

  14. Kathy Hart says:

    I never knew there were ways to reduce the effort of starting a chainsaw, very informative.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Kathy! We’re glad you found the information helpful. Starting a chainsaw doesn’t have to be a strenuous task. Remember, there are always ways to make your job easier!

  15. Allan Morris says:

    I learned a lot about different starting systems for chainsaws, very informative read.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Glad you found the starting systems information helpful, Allan! Keep reading for more tips on effortless chainsaw starts.

  16. Danielle Romero says:

    Starting my chainsaw has never been easier, thanks for the tips!

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      So glad to hear the tips were helpful for you! Starting a chainsaw can be tough, but with the right methods, it becomes a breeze. Keep up the good work!

  17. Terra Arnold says:

    I never knew starting a chainsaw could be so technical, interesting information.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Terra! Starting a chainsaw can be technical, but with the right tools and techniques, it becomes easier. We’re glad you found the information useful.

  18. Glen Miles says:

    Great article, I feel more confident in starting my chainsaw now.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      I’m glad you found the article helpful, Glen! Maintaining your chainsaw correctly is key to easy starts. Remember to use the correct choke settings for hot or cold starts. Happy chainsawing!

  19. Bonnie Payne says:

    I’m glad I now know how to convert the pull-start of my chainsaw to an electric start.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thanks for reading! We’re glad you found the information helpful for converting your chainsaw to an electric start. Keep reading for more tips on easy starting methods.

  20. Antonio Mills says:

    Can you provide more information on how the automatic high idle mechanism works on chainsaws?

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Our guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to start a gas-powered chainsaw, including using an electric drill. Check it out for easy starting methods!

  21. Tammy Wells says:

    I always struggle with the pull cord, these methods will be a game-changer.

    • Allard Vdhooft says:

      Thank you, Tammy! We aim to make starting your chainsaw easier for you. Have you considered an electric start conversion kit or a spring-assisted system for a smoother start?

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