13 Possible Causes for a Craftsman Chainsaw Starting, Dying, and Starting Again

When your chainsaw begins acting up and won’t stay running, it may be really stressful, particularly if you have work to do at the time. I have included a checklist below in the hopes that it would be of use to you in isolating the cause of the problem.

The Craftsman chainsaw will start up momentarily before turning off if it is deprived of air, fuel, and the spark plug.

A choke that has been improperly set, a clogged air or fuel filter, a congested fuel line, a fuel tank vent that is not operating properly, a blocked spark arrestor, a filthy carburetor, an ignition coil that has been damaged, or a clogged cooling system are all potential reasons.

In the following paragraphs, you will discover a list of some of the many potential causes for why the chainsaw that came with your Craftsman model stopped operating. Before beginning any kind of repair on a chainsaw, it is important to first remove the wire from the spark plug, cool down the engine and the muffler, and ensure that all of the moving components have stopped moving.

Your Craftsman Chainsaw Kicks On, Cuts Itself Off, and Then Starts Running Again

Choke on a Craftsman chainsaw that has been improperly set

It is impossible to start a cold Craftsman engine without first engaging the choke, which restricts the passage of air into the combustion chamber. In order for the engine to be able to run rich with more gasoline and less air in the cylinder, as is required for a cold engine, this.

After the temperature of the motor has reached the desired level, the choke should be switched off by sliding the lever or the knob, depending on the type you have. When the choke is not adjusted appropriately, the engine will eventually die.

TAKE ACTION: Check that the choke lever is adjusted to the appropriate position. When beginning from a cold start, use FULL CHOKE, and when starting from a warm start, use RUN.

Chainsaw manufactured by Craftsman with a Clogged Air Filter

The air filter on your Craftsman chainsaw is a component of the saw that requires regular maintenance, including examination and cleaning. It is responsible for preventing material such as dirt and sawdust from entering the carburetor throat, which may cause the engine to wear out more quickly than it should.

The typical homeowner should give their air filter frequent attention during the course of the year, and they should either clean it or replace it depending on its condition.

In the absence of normal maintenance, filters run the risk of being clogged with debris such as dust, sawdust, and other particles. If the collection is severe enough, it might potentially block the passage of air through the filter. If this continues to happen, the chainsaw will eventually become inoperable.

Examine the condition of the air filter, and clean it if it seems to be in good form and to have just a little bit of dirt on it. If the filter is excessively filthy or cracked, you should replace it with a new one as soon as possible.

Air filter cleaning instructions for a Craftsman chainsaw:

• To clean the air filter, remove the cover from it.
• Take away the device that cleans the air.
• It is essential to remove the filth and dust that has accumulated on the air filter housing.
• Make use of a brush while cleaning the filter.
• In the event that it is essential, it may be washed in a solution consisting of a gentle detergent and water. After rinsing, the water ought to be completely clean. Make sure the filter has been completely dried off before you install it.
• Replace the filter when it has been sterilized. If the old air filter is very dirty, ripped, or does not seal well, you should acquire a new one and put it in. You may get a new air filter at a local hardware store or online.

Check the owner’s manual to determine whether the newly cleaned FOAM air filter has to be oiled before you put it back in place after you’ve given it a good cleaning.

Chainsaw made by Craftsman with a Clogged Cooling System

The air intake on the engine keeps it from becoming too hot and turning off, which saves fuel. It is essential to do routine maintenance on the cooling system by removing any obstructions that may be blocking the air intake and the cooling fins. This will help prevent the system from overheating.

Waiting for the engine to reach operating temperature before removing the spark plug is one solution to the problem. When the engine cover has been removed, the region surrounding the cylinder should be cleaned, along with any debris that may have gathered there.

Clear the air intakes on the chainsaw of any dirt or debris, paying special attention to the pawls on the flywheel and the cooling fins on the cylinder. Replace the engine cover you removed before. Always make sure the outside of the chainsaw, especially the air intake for the starter, is clean.

A Craftsman Chainsaw that has a Spark Arrestor that is Blocked with Debris

In order to prevent sparks and other hot exhaust material from shooting out of the chainsaw, Craftsman models have a spark arrestor that is situated downstream from the muffler.

People are shielded from the risk of harm and fire by the spark arrestor, which would otherwise be triggered if sparks from the hot material set surrounding trash on fire.

Carbon buildup on the spark arrestor screen may obstruct airflow, which can cause a Craftsman chainsaw to overheat and fail. Eventually, this will cause the chainsaw to stop working.

It is needed to do routine maintenance on the spark arrestor screen, including examination and cleaning.

First, remove the wire from the spark plug, then wait for the muffler to cool down completely. After that, you need to remove the spark arrestor screen from the muffler.

When it comes to cleaning the display, all you really need is a metal brush. If the old spark arrestor screen is excessively dirty, cracked, or has holes in it, you should replace it with a new one and install it.

If you want to slow down the pace at which carbon collects on the spark arrestor of your chainsaw, you should sometimes run it at full power. Carbon will begin to build up in your chainsaw if you let it sit idle for extended periods of time or use it at slow speeds.

Explosion Caused by Outdated Gasoline in Craftsman Chainsaw

It is possible that the chainsaw’s fuel is the primary cause of its inability to function correctly or possibly of its complete inability to function at all. It is possible for gasoline components to get clogged with varnish and sticky deposits left behind by old fuel, resulting in a reduction in the quantity of fuel that is delivered to the engine. Because of this, the saw can become inoperable.

To keep your Craftsman working properly, you should always use fresh gasoline that has a low proportion of ethanol in it. It is recommended that the fuel be a blend of oil and gasoline in the proportion of 40:1.

While selecting a fuel source and performing maintenance on it, several factors should be taken into consideration:

• In other words, you should never utilize gasoline that is older than a year. After just thirty days after purchase, there is a possibility that the quality of the gasoline will begin to deteriorate.
• For optimal performance, the fuel-to-oil ratio in your Craftsman chainsaw with two cycles should be 40:1.
• Choose gasoline that has an octane rating of 89 or above and contains no more than 10% ethanol at the most.
• Put in some ISO-L-EGD and JASO M345 FD- and JASO M345 FD-approved, high-quality 2-cycle oil.
• It is necessary to stabilize the fuel. A fuel stabilizer like Sea Foam or STA-BIL may be added to gas in order to prevent the gasoline from degrading over time. This allows the gas to be conserved. By employing these items, moisture levels in the fuel system may be lowered, and the fuel system itself can be cleaned. Even while some 2-cycle oils do come with a stabilizer, you’ll need to test it to see how long it lasts; the answer might be anything from thirty days to two years.

ANSWER: Empty the tank of its contents. Put 1 part of 2-cycle engine oil and 40 parts of fresh unleaded gas in a gas can and mix them together. It is recommended that a fuel stabilizer be used whenever there is a requirement for the fuel system to be cleaned. You will get a product of superior quality and performance regardless of whether you choose Sea Foam or STA-BIL.

Put this mixture into the vehicle’s fuel tank. Start the chainsaw and give it a few minutes of operation to allow the mixture to circulate through the engine. If the engine is not getting enough gasoline, the fuel filter, the fuel line, the carburetor, and the fuel tank vent should all be inspected again.

The Fuel Filter on the Craftsman Chainsaw Was Clogged With Debris

The gasoline filter serves as a barrier between the fuel system and the dirt in order to protect the engine from any potential damage that may be caused by the dirt. The fuel filter is a very small component that is formed like a cylinder and is located within the gas tank.

It is attached to the pipe that carries the gas. If the filter is not routinely changed or cleaned, it is possible that it can get so clogged with debris that insufficient gasoline will be delivered to the carburetor.

Check to see whether the filter is in excellent operating condition; if it isn’t, replace it with a new one. It’s something that I try to do once a year, and more regularly if I find myself utilizing it a lot more often than that.

When it comes time to change the fuel filter on your Craftsman chainsaw, you should do it in the following manner:

• First thing you need do is clean the area around the fuel tank cap to stop dirt from getting into the tank. After that, you may go on to the next step.
• Make sure that you take detailed notes on the location of the existing filter inside the tank so that you can successfully replace it with the new one.
• Remove the filter from the tank in a gentle manner by using a piece of bent wire or a set of pliers with needle-nose ends.
• When the filter has been taken out of the tank, it can be taken out of the gasoline line by gripping the fuel line and pulling the filter out. This may be done after the filter has been removed from the tank.
  
• Make sure you have a new fuel filter installed in place of the old one.
• It is necessary to install the gasoline filter inside the tank itself.
• It’s time to change the gas cap.

Fuel line for the Craftsman chainsaw is broken or clogged.

It is possible for the gasoline line to get blocked with the sticky residues left over from the previous fuel, which would prohibit new fuel from entering the engine. It is possible to remove the fuel line from the chainsaw and clean it if it gets clogged with debris.

To remove the blockage from the pipe, carburetor cleaning should be used. After that, the barrier may be removed with the help of compressed air. It is possible that it will take more than one attempt before the barrier is completely overcome.

In the event that the obstruction cannot be removed or if the gasoline line is dry and damaged, it is necessary to replace it with a new fuel line that has the same diameter and length.

In addition, the damaged line should be either repaired or replaced. If the gasoline line on your chainsaw is perforated, air might leak into the fuel system. This would cause the chainsaw to run badly due to the extra air in the cylinder, which would cause the chainsaw to run poorly.

Craftsman Chainsaw with the Fuel Tank Vent Blocked and No Oil

It is necessary to install a vent in the gasoline tank of a Craftsman chainsaw in order to ensure that air can move freely into and out of the container.

When the gasoline has been added, the vent on the tank has to be opened so that air may be released. As the amount of fuel in the tank decreases, there needs to be room for air to enter as well.

When the gasoline tank is unable to vent, a vacuum is created, which stops fuel from departing the tank and flowing to the carburetor. This is because the vacuum acts as a barrier.

How to fix: if the fuel vent on your Craftsman chainsaw is blocked, you will need to locate it and clear it out. It’s a cylinder-shaped piece of hardware that gets attached to the top of the tank, just next to the grip.

Chainsaw manufactured by Craftsman with a Grimy Carburetor

The carburetor of your Craftsman chainsaw is responsible for blending the right quantity of air and gasoline, which allows the chainsaw to start up and continue to operate.

It is possible for the chainsaw to stop functioning if the channels have been obstructed or if any of the smaller elements are not performing their functions properly. The failure of a carburetor in a Craftsman tool is often brought on by an outdated supply of gasoline.

It’s possible that you’ll need to clean or get your carburetor rebuilt in order to get it working properly again. In the event that this does not resolve the issue, you will be need to purchase a new carburetor.

Changing the Settings on the Carburetor of a Craftsman Chainsaw

It’s possible that tweaking the carburetor will be required in order to get the desired RPMs at both idle and full throttle. The carburetor is equipped with a pair of adjustment screws specifically designed for this kind of use.

There is a limit to how much customization you can perform with the carburetor settings on a Craftsman. It is going to be necessary to make use of specific gear in order to carry out these adjustments. Be very cautious, since there is a significant risk of causing harm to the carburetor if you adjust its settings too much.

Problems with the carburetor may be sent to a nearby Craftsman repair store, or you can call Craftsman at (888) 331-4569 to speak with a representative directly.

Spark plug on the Craftsman chainsaw was faulty.

If the spark plug is dirty or damaged, it will not be able to create a spark that is reliable enough to keep the chainsaw running. A saw that has intermittent sparks may have a loss of power or possibly completely stop down.

Examine the spark plug’s tip for any signs of wear or damage. If the spark plug is extremely dark in color, has cracked porcelain, or has a scorched electrode, it has to be changed.

Before you go and replace the spark plug, you might try cleaning it with a wire brush first to see if it can be salvaged in that condition. Just switching it out is another option worth considering. It’s a low-cost maintenance item, yet it’s very necessary for the functioning of your Craftsman.

Verify that the wire for the spark plug is connected correctly and that there is the appropriate amount of space between the electrodes. (Before continuing with the other maintenance tasks, you must first remove the spark plug.)

The Unreliable Performance of a Craftsman Chainsaw Is Due to a Defective Ignition Coil

When you have determined that the spark plug is in excellent condition, it is time to go on to the ignition coil to see what else needs to be done. It is necessary for electricity to travel from the coil to the spark plug in order for your chainsaw to start up and continue to function properly.

The higher the temperature of the coil, the greater the likelihood that the winding on the coil may split, which will result in a short circuit. In the event that a random spark were to occur, your Craftsman chainsaw would either lose power, splutter, or come to a complete stop.

If there is a problem with the ignition coil, the spark plug will not get a sufficient voltage to light it.

Problems with the Chainsaw’s Engine Compression on a Craftsman

When you pull the starting recoil rope, there is a possibility that the compression may decrease. To put it another way, if there is not enough pressure being provided to the chain, a Craftsman chainsaw will not continue to run.

Pistons that have been damaged, rings that have been worn out, and crankshaft seals that are leaking are some of the causes.

I would advise taking your chainsaw to a small engine mechanic, a Craftsman service shop, or an engine dealer to get it checked out and maybe repaired.