Adjusting your 2-stroke Chainsaw Carburetor how to tune by ear demonstrated and explained

Forgive my fumbling trying to find the H jet with a dinky screwdriver.
Impulse Diaphragm 2 Stroke Carburetors
Fat = Too rich mixture (too much gas/oil and too little air)
Lean = Too lean mixture (too little gas/oil and too much air)

[@hookeaires6637]

Without all the fancy video and audio, this man taught me something that is essentially simple, but not so easy to grasp. Saw is running great now. Thanks.

[@56fairbank]

This method is confirmed in the Walbro service manuals where it states that optimum adjustment for the high speed screw is obtained when a very slight 4 cycle sound at wide open throttle is heard

[@WHATTHEFIX]

Cool! Never knew that tech manual existed... Not sure if i said it in the video, but that is the most common way saws are burnt in my experience. Tuned to sound great is fine under no load, but as soon as you put it under load there is not enough fuel, oil, or cooling capacity from the mixture

[@williamrgrant]

Thank you for such a simple demonstration of (what can be) a complicated and nuanced process. Hearing the examples of good and bad tune were super helpful!

[@amitdesai2421]

This is a best video on KZbin about tuning chainsaw carb, really helpful, thank you for a video.....!

[@user-cd7jx2td8n]

No need to apologize for "dragging on," mate. I didn't find a word you said herein to be anything other than useful. In my experience, our new saws have been fairly well adjusted at the factory, so there's not a lot of need for carb adjustments. When a carb starts to perform poorly, on the other hand, that's when this information really makes a huge difference. We just replaced a Zama that was way too flood prone recently with another Zama. Having no way of knowing how the new Zama was adjusted at the factory, I carefully turned both the Low and The High jet screws full CW to refusal. After that, I followed the service manual's suggested spec by turning the Low screw out (CCW) one full turn and the High screw out (CCW) 1 - 1/8th turns. After getting the saw started, I turned the idle adjustment screw in (CW) to get the RPMs up enough to make a proper Low jet adjustment. At that point, I followed your advice and adjusted the Low screw out (CCW) until the engine just started to "gurgle." After hearing the gurgling sound, I slowly turned the Low screw in (CW) until the engine just started to sound miss free. As for the High jet, I used a hand-held tachometer and set the saw up for the specified max RPM. Regardless, once I was done with both jets, I adjusted the idle speed until the clutch shoes released just enough to stop the chain from spinning at idle. Regardless, I really appreciate the fact that you took the time required to tell the carb adjustment "story" properly and thoroughly - minus the TV personality wannabe hoopla and superfluous pasture patties. If I hear another wannabe saying something akin to "let 'er rip, tater chip," I think they'll have to come out from the nearest psych ward and give me that long quiet ride to what Karl Childers (in Sling Blade) referred to as, "The Nervous Hospital." Please keep up the great work.

[@chrisallen5548]

Great, that’s exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks.

[@mikeblunt2969]

First carb adjustment video I have seen that makes perfect sense easy to understand,,,,thanks!

[@garry_potta]

Great video and easy to understand for us beginners. Thanks dude. Just did muffler mod on my ms260 and left the high end just where you said. Saw really rips now!!

[@WHATTHEFIX]

Awesome! One less scorched piston lol. Seriously glad to offer help that isnt found in textbooks.

[@em4703]

@@WHATTHEFIX I like your tuning, most ppl tune too close to the edge trying to get a perfect balance with just a hair of 4 stroking sound, then the air temperature goes down 5 degrees and their saw runs lean. In my book, I go as fat as possible when tuning in the summer heat, as long as it's cleaning from 4 stroke to 2 stroke in the wood, it's all good. Never had problems with overheating, no fouled plugs, great piston wash pattern. Thanks for the video!

[@cybu6466]

This is Good, now my chainsaw is finally working !🎉

[@RG-wy1ol]

Thanks for the demonstration of how things work.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

Another way to check the low is to let it idle for a few seconds then go full throttle quickly, if it bogs or even quits it's too lean. Also if your high is lean it'll take a few seconds to come back down to idle after full throttle.

[@KarlHeinrichFreimut]

Just beautifully demonstated. Thanks a bunch.

[@WHATTHEFIX]

Thanks. Nobody taught me how. I want people to know how to make their saw cut without the book. Glad to help

[@jimmyscoffield1988]

Very good video, easy to understand, better than most I've seen

[@WHATTHEFIX]

Thanks. Exactly what I was wanting out f the video

[@hoyvintagecycles2936]

great video............ (basically you need it a little more rich during tuning so when you put it (Under Load) it will run better)

[@tylerpearson8612]

This is a really helpful video thanks man.

[@WHATTHEFIX]

100% welcome. Took me a long time to "know" what sounded right by ear. I am more than happy to speed up the process for others... and maybe save a few from scorching theirs!

[@jamesconn1104]

Thanks , i am seeking knowledge , been reluctant to fool with the H & L , for fear of ruining my saw .

[@kstuart3924]

Been trying to tune my ms250 and haven’t been able to get it, but you’re video I think is going to help HUGE😀👍. Thank you for making it. Super helpful!!

[@WHATTHEFIX]

You are welcome. Glad to help

[@jkjwf]

I have a CS-370 echo chainsaw and it says 30psi on a compression test. I got it to run and cut for about 2 minutes then it dies. I replaced the carburetor. Is it possible I can get it to run without replacing the piston maybe the ring is just locked up? Any suggestions on where to get a good aftermarket piston kit would help. Thanks.

[@dr.alimpije511]

great video

[@rodgraff1782]

The high idle??? Never heard the high mixture adjustment called that. The high speed should be checked with a tach, to see where you are as far as max RPM.

[@TheKelday]

Man this video was so helpful thanks for making it!

[@WHATTHEFIX]

Glad to help!

[@therealRustyShackleford]

First thing I do with a 2 cycle that won’t run is change out the gas.

[@gordonwbell]

Haha I put a new adjustable carb on my ms170, and it had some gas, but during the tuning process it ran out of gas but I didn’t realize this until after I messed with the carb some more trying to start it. Duh.

[@rawmilkmike]

Thank you.

[@swordfish1120]

Good vid. At the 9:34 time stamp the engine sounds so good but you're shaking your head no. Is this because it's too lean and running a saw with this sound could damage the engine?

[@willk5413]

Ya. Running it without load it sounds good, but as he mentioned, when it's on the wood it needs more fuel and will be a tad lean, so he likes it rich when he's revving it under no load. I think he mentioned this as well, but it's always good to remember that it's much better for the saw to be too rich instead of too lean.

[@johnwagner8465]

Thank you..I

[@keeganjacobs5913]

Hello, have a question on my Stihl chainsaw. When i turn on my chainsaw , and then when i go to the idle position by pressing on the trigger and going to run position, it shuts off but if i depress the trigger few times , it won't shut off. So i go from cold start , hear the burp, put the lever to warm start, and it starts. Should i wait few seconds before i depress the trigger and it automatically goes to run position and idle ? Or is it ok just to depress the trigger right away when it starts ?

[@WHATTHEFIX]

You want to to pull up on the choke lever only to put it in non choke-hi idle mode. When the saw has “caught” after a few sec then pull trigger to allow idle.

mine is smoking, what can be the problem, big plums of smoke. is it running to low ? or to high ?

[@WHATTHEFIX]

too much oil in your mix? Hard to say

[@mitchelrichardson8164]

either too much oil or too rich. lean it bit more little step by step, if its still too smoking, its got too much oil in the mix ratio.

[@deanbeaner3878]

Good demonstration, thank you

[@timnolan5849]

First thing to do is clean the air filter then make the carb adjustments.

[@desmondmcguinness4668]

good xx

[@firstname5134]

Very confused..everyone on KZbin does it different..so by what you're saying I'm definitely running my saw lean on the high end..but if I give it more fuel on the high end it dies out? Maybe I got the idle wrong

[@WHATTHEFIX]

Too much fuel (screw too far out) on H will cause flooding at mid to high RPMs. Too much fuel on the L side ( idle) will cause flooding not only at idle, but also in the first few seconds of WOT. Until it cleans out the extra fuel. Then if H too lean it will switch from flooding to over rev and hot. Hope this helps.

[@tylerhellums8774]

You need fuel and air. Too much of either will make it stall. I like to turn the jets all the way in so they are seated. I then turn the screws out from there so it will start because the saw won't even start on the far end of either of the extremes.

[@erichammond7140]

Im haveing trouble with tuning the walbro wa carburetor on my partner 1616 chainsaw

[@WHATTHEFIX]

If you have not cleaned the carb (best to use ultrasonic tub) and installed a new kit, there is likely blockage or worn parts inside it. If you have, there is likely air leaking in from somewhere other than the throat of the carb... check intake manifold to cylinder, crankshaft bearing seals. Good luck

[@GripFreak]

@@WHATTHEFIX Anything that allows too much air will run lean. Leaking crankshaft seal, engine gasket leaks, dirty fuel filter, stiff diaphragm, debris inside carburetor, leaking fuel lines. Echo Repair Specialist... Good video sir!

[@brianperkins6121]

Some of the newer saws have an electronic rev limiter built into the ignition system , this will trick you and make your saw sound like its rich when its not. learn to recognise what's going on ,,Rev limited chainsaw burble / 4- stroke sound vs. rev limiter sound example kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp3Rip18jbJghK8 , example of how to mixture tune one of those , How to tune a chainsaw with rev limited coil example ,, must be tuned in steps while cutting staring very rich and working in small steps slightly leaner until it will just run clean under load in the cut . example kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYnUiXenhr-Kfac

[@jasonbusch3624]

The low was not fat it was lean because it was high Idling. The idle will immediately drop to an idle when it is rich enough. Start with both screws at the recommended starting point. Always tune the low first and never open the idle screw. Always start with the idle screw as low as possible or you can get a poor low mixture adjustment. Slightly rev the engine and when it drops to and idle it is rich enough when it instantly drops and idles, if it hangs and high idles before it drop down it is too lean. Then adjust the high speed and just about tune the 4 stroke miss out.

[@mrtennessee6862]

Idle screw as low as possible? Turn it in, to the right, is that correct. Thanks

[@jasonbusch3624]

@@mrtennessee6862 left

[@lucas_peep1474]

The idle still sounds a little lean

[@JRA79]

Idle cannot be lean, in theory. Once you hit the spot that you lose RPM's the saw naturally starts to want to die.

[@ameenalshwaiyat7006]

Man you can’t use the term turn in and turn it out until you explain what is in and what is out meaning clockwise or counterclockwise . That is why some people are confused

[@tomalophicon]

If people don't know which direction is in and out they should not be trying to tune a power saw.