How to Clean and Maintain a Chainsaw Stihl MS251C

www.BushcraftRidge.com In this video I clean and maintain my Stihl MS251C after a few days of heavy use. I show how to do the following: take off and clean the chain and bar, remove the carburetor housing, remove and reinstall the air filter, fuel and oil the chainsaw, flip the bar, reinstall the bar and chain, and restart the machine after maintenance.
First use of this saw: • Stihl MS 251 C Chainsaw
My video of some heavier use of the chainsaw: • Stihl MS251C Chainsaw ...
BC Feller Training: • BC Faller Training Sta...

[@richardp6461]

Thank you. A screw fell out on my tail gate the other day when I was changing the chain, and I couldn't figure out where it came from. After watching your video. I realize it was the one that holds the 2-pronged tension thing to the adjusting wheel. This was very helpful to me.👍

[@markb7268]

I have had mine for 7 years and it has done a lot of work , you will damage your saw if you keep yanking on the pull cord like you demonstrated in the video,just take it easy and a couple of gentle pulls will start it every time. The air filter is meant to twist off to the left and to the right when putting back on, if you just yank it off and bang it back on you will soon find that the plastic mounting will either deform or break off leaving you with a problem that needs fixing before you can use the saw again.All the info you need is the user manual.

[@MUDNUT460]

If you keep yanking on that pullcord like any other chainsaw you WILL break the easystart mechanism. It is designed in a way where you pull nice and slow.

[@BushcraftRidge]

Yeah, I've used the easy start a few times. I don't like it. The full pull still works better for me.

[@woodknack1]

@@BushcraftRidge It is not made to be pulled started like a regular chain saw. All you are going to do by ripping the cord back fast is break the easy start. Just slow down, pull the cord nice and slow up, takes about twice and the engine will turn over by itself. This is designed so an old man can start it! People shouldn't do videos on stuff they really don't know enough about. Other people that don't know watch to learn and this is a bad learning video by someone himself that doesn't know enough about his own saw to do a video!

[@michaelking3629]

Just cleaned my MS251c and paid special attention to getting out all the crud of the bar of which there was tons. One thing to note was that prior to cleaning the bar, the chain move super easy by hand, hover after there was much more resistance. If anyone experiences the same, not to worry, the saw just needs a bit of work to allow the chain oil to get to where it needs to be lubricated. I also give the chain and drive sprocket a squirt of WD40 high performance of lithium grease which works a treat. Good vid, many thanks.

[@BushcraftRidge]

Nice! Thanks for info!

[@cliffmounts7878]

Thanks! I just got mine about a week ago i have yet to use it. Glad to have this video at hand. Thanks again.

[@ureasmith3049]

I've been using that saw (the regular ms251 version) for 2 years. Great workhorse for the home owner. Have felled and limbed 14 huge eastern white pines bordering my property. Plenty of power for the job. I was tempted to pay double and buy a pro-level saw. Glad I didn't, this is the perfect weight for my needs.

[@jarrod1687]

Pro stuff is lighter

[@ahikernamedgq]

I just bought that chainsaw. I love it. Thanks for your video on cleaning and maintaining it!

[@BushcraftRidge]

You are very welcome. It's a great little chainsaw. I'm geeting to where I need a heavier duty saw, though.

[@GeorgiZhukov33]

Thanks man. This helped me get out of a jam while trying swap out the chain. All set now thanks to you - and my saw is clean to boot. Liked and subbed.

[@jimmack6744]

Good video. You should let it warm up longer before going full throttle without warming it up will score the cylinder as the piston and cylinder don't heat evenly maybe about 30 seconds.

[@alexandrawhitelock6195]

Thank you…walked me thru a thorough cleaning…👍

[@sofjanmustopoh7232]

Your MS251CE has easy start . You dont have to YANK it. Just pull

[@BushcraftRidge]

I have used the easy start a few times, and honestly it still works better with a full pull.

[@papascruffy]

Good info. My chain tensioner don't turn so I'm fighting to tighten the chain, it turns when the cover is off but won't turn the tension gear when I put the cover back on. Any recommendations on how to fix that?

[@johnb7566]

Nicely done video bro.

[@BushcraftRidge]

Much appreciated, brother!

[@akoc3rd]

Nice content it helps me to do mine properly..

[@jarrod1687]

Use an air compressor to clean the debree off and out of the nooks and crannies. Watching you start it was painful but I'm sure you have figured it out by now after owning it for a while

[@Dominic.Minischetti]

That great, I don’t have a chainsaw, but it’s good to know!

[@BushcraftRidge]

My father-in-law got me this one for Christmas.

[@richardhaas477]

THANKS VERY GOOD VIDEO

[@BushcraftRidge]

Thanks! Glad you like them.

[@asterbohdi5166]

you should clean the bar away from the nose sprocket, not towards, it stuffs up the nose sprocket.

[@niles006]

lol yup I dumped the oil once, its a good learning experience

[@jessicahalfmann7218]

I cant get the tensioner off or turn the black knob. I am trying to replace the chain... any ideas?

[@MrBurdinekl]

I just took my tensioner off (I removed the bar for cleaning, I did have not yet removed the wheel from the bar) on my new ms 251 c. Did you continue unscrewing the Quick adjustment knob?? You know, you pop out the handle (tooless) and twist left (unscrew) to loosen the bar so that the chain tension can be set… Well, I found that to take the bar off I just kept unscrewing the quick adjust handle. If you are referring to the tension-setting wheel actually coming off from the bar (to clean even better or to flip the bar), I have not done that yet. Sorry.

[@jessicahalfmann7218]

@@MrBurdinekl thx!

[@MrBurdinekl]

@@jessicahalfmann7218 Did that fix it?

[@4dixieland]

way to push through with all the distractions lol! Thanks for the vid

[@BushcraftRidge]

In this house? Always.

[@madden3087]

“I went down and grabbed this but my wife said no”. No truer words ever spoken. Love the video man.

[@BushcraftRidge]

LOL! Right!?

[@petertomas3665]

You should read the users manual mate. You can learn many things there you dont know. This will protect you and your chainsaw will have a better life.

[@MrBurdinekl]

Those little bottles of 2 cycle oil mix are usually designed to mix with 2.5 gal of gas. Check that please. …. I cleaned out a used up 2.5 gal jug of RoundUp (It is graduated up to 9 quarts… I drew a line for 10 quarts which equals 2.5 gal.) to be my 2 cycle mix fuel can. Just checking. Otherwise, great helpful video!

[@notmyname3883]

and on the outdoor dining table to boot! What a dink!

[@KirkHermary]

This is a very good teardown and maintenance video. I've never fiddled much with my chainsaws. Mostly just wiping them down, clearing the drive mechanism of wood and junk, and sharpening the chain. I wouldn't be too concerned about where the coloring/paint is off. It's just where logs and branches are running up against the saw and moving around. It certainly doesn't hurt to rotate the bar though and keep the wear even around it. Gas is corrosive and is great for degreasing and removing oil and other gross stuff. Nothing wrong with using gas to clean stuff. My grandpa would wash his hands with gas after working on cars and stuff. Any chains I've seen have arrows on the side. However as you mentioned the teeth have to be able to cut so a user will find out in a hurry if they install it wrong haha. When I replace a chain I put it on the drive gear first, lay bar in, run the chain into the groove, then tension. I like to have a tight chain, as you use it and bind up it will start to loosen. I've never tried holding the handle into my leg. I like to pull both hands apart when pull starting. That way instead of yarding/wrenching one arm and shoulder both arms doing the work. Very good video!

[@BushcraftRidge]

Thank you, sir!

[@fatalfromabove8943]

Title should've been ( how to maintain any chainsaw ) but you did a great job. I worked for Asplundh for almost 5 years. Chain maintenance is a big thing.

[@BushcraftRidge]

Thanks, brother! I appreciate that. Deleting "Stihl" now. :-)

[@gunterbecker8528]

Put u chain into diesel it will clean it and also lubricate it as well !

[@theo66]

'E' stands not for 'easy' but for 'ergostart'... All 'things' and 'guys' have a specific name. The way you put tension on your chain is not correct. The way you start your engine, on a table and stabilising it with your knee (!) is quite an example to show it to an audience following a lesson 'how NOT to start your chainsaw' !!! But all at once you say 'it's the first time I do this', that says it all....I'm sorry to say !! And I hope your wife will not see this video, at least it's not a place where you maintain chainsaws...I guess you don't need grease to prepare your meals: there's enough left on the table !! Auch !!! I'm sorry to say, but all woodboys will find this video horrific !!

[@BushcraftRidge]

Thanks for the tips!

[@jimmyhuffman2103]

Yeah don't forget about the oil this time, I don't think you're bar will take much more abuse.

[@BushcraftRidge]

Thanks for the tip.

[@rejectsgaming948]

Can tell your not informative on the easy start because your supposed to slowly pull the rope rather than jerking it and running it full throttle without warming it first will score the piston wall too causing it to loose compression. If you ever loose compression youll know why. Im supprised the spring mechanism hadnt already broken on you the way your starting it. Good luck though and thanks for the video.

[@BushcraftRidge]

Appreciate the tips!

[@josephsullivan9090]

pronounced "Two Fifty One C"

[@kxracer27]

That poor ez start

[@blakefox476]

Geeeez dude… how can you make a saw video and not know anything about the saw? 😂 That is not how you start a Stihl. Proper procedure : all the way down pull till burb, bump to half choke pull till it starts, hit the trigger and it will drop to idle and back to normal switch position. Don’t even get me started on how you’re yanking the easy start lmao

[@EasternWild]

Yea, that’s a good way to pull the cord out of the saw lol you literally easily pull it until you fill the tension turn over and it “burps”. That saw will be in the shop before long 😂

[@daliborkmekic267]

Dva tri puta je napumpas tek onda palis a ne jednom kao sto si ti uradio,zato je i nisi mogao upaliti tako lako

[@stevenreeves4766]

not dirty cause your saw is brand new. ha.

[@sybo10]

Terrible design on the chain tensioner, does not work, do not buy this chainsaw if your a serious chainsaw person.

[@BushcraftRidge]

You are absolutely correct. This thing couldn't make it through anything a serious chainsaw person would want to cut.

[@judyrivera1507]

My tensioner does not work well ,have not had good results with this model

[@tenchi144]

This saw is designed for run of the mill home owner stuff. If you want a real "chainsaw person" saw, you should go with a ms362. Be ready to fork up twice as much money as this saw tho. 800 bucks for a new one, but you'll have a sawyer's saw that'll cut 24/7.

[@tenchi144]

You should check the stihl chainsaw selector. It'll help you get a better idea of what you need.

[@sybo10]

@@tenchi144 thx

[@balonm]

Dude, you have to read the manual how to start the saw. You are showing to people bad practice. Everything with this start was wrong. Sorry, its not to be rude, just if you are teaching about something, there have to be truth behind. With great power comes... You know the drill :)

[@Manatawny1]

He. Has no idea how to start the saw

[@randallferguson2048]

Stihl makes junk! Buy a husky

[@SmokeyT63]

LMAO I'll bet you're a ford guy and a cowboys fan too