Service & Repairs

1. Pull up the throttle trigger and move the choke lever to the bottom of its travel.
2. Press the primer 3 – 4 times.
3. Pull over 3 to 4 times or until it fires.
4. Move the choke lever up one position to the half choke position.
5. Pull over again and it will start.

The correct fuel mix is a ratio of 50:1, (or 50mL of petrol per 1 mL of Stihl 2 stroke oil).

Only use STIHL 2 Stroke oil as it is specially formulated for STIHL equipment and will maximize the life of the engine. (The use of other oils would also present a complication in the event of a warranty issue).

STIHL have recently released in NZ a fully synthetic 2 stroke oil called STIHL HP Ultra. STIHL HP Ultra is designed to completely burn away at the operational temperature of the engine and is a significantly higher quality compared to semi-synthetic oils.

STIHL are sufficiently confident in the quality of this oil that they will double the warranty period for domestic customers who purchase a container of this oil when they purchase their new machine.

The key requirements of a 2 Stroke oil are:

• To provide the lubrication the engine requires at its operating temperature. 2 Stroke engines are designed to run at a range of temperatures, from the relatively low temperature of a water cooled engine to the high temperatures associated with high performance sports machines. It is only logical that the manufacturer knows the design and performance temperature of their own machines and ensures that their oil is formulated accordingly.
• It is important for the 2 Stroke oil to leave as little residual carbon as possible in the cylinder. Residual carbon forms an abrasive within the cylinder and if present will cause premature wear. Synthetic oils are more highly refined, more uniform molecular size and out-perform Semi-synthetic oils in many respects.
• Use of non-manufacturers oil in a machine will jeopardise the validity of warranty claims.
• Never use the generic 2 stroke oils – we have experience of these oils causing significant issues in 2 Stroke engines.

We recommend the use of 96 Octane (super) fuel quality, although the saw will run adequately on regular grade. We tune engines to the 96 octane grade.

Fresh fuel (up to 1 month old) is important for starting the engine, and for the correct performance of the carburettor.

• We recommend that you never use a fuel mix that is more than one month old. This is due to the “unstable” nature of New Zealand fuel, and its changing characteristics when stored. Old fuel may be safely disposed of in the car fuel tank.
• If you will not be using your 2 Stroke engine for more than 1 month, we recommend that you empty the fuel tank and then run the engine until it is dry.

Only STIHL SynthPlus chain lubricant will adequately lubricate your chain.

The key role of the chain bar lubricant is to penetrate to the chain rivets and to the bar tip sprocket to ensue these moving parts are always lubricated. Due to emissions requirements, the amount of oil pumped onto the chain is much less than in days gone by. It is therefore important that the lubricating properties of the bar lubricant are optimised. The STIHL SynthPlus bar lubricant is designed to penetrate and retain its lubricating characteristics at the high temperatures generated by the chain.

For every tank of fuel, you should use about 80% of the bar oil tank.

Different STIHL chainsaws will pump different volumes of bar lubrication depending on the size of the Saw and its chain. A correctly operating STIHL chainsaw is designed for the bar lube reservoir and the fuel tank to be topped up at the same time. The bar lube reservoir should have a small volume left when the fuel tank empties. If it is using significantly more or less, you will need to have the performance of the oil pump checked.

At about the centre of the bar, just take the weight of the saw lifting the chain. You should just see the bottom of the drive links.

Correct chain tension is essential to prevent premature wear and damage to the chain, bar and drive sprocket combination. The chain should always run snuggly against the bottom of the bar and be re-tensioned regularly if working conditions cause it to stretch and droop. Stihl chain incorporates only the latest technology, is pre-stressed and will, therefore, out-perform other manufacturers chain.

2 Stroke engines are designed to be operated at full speed.

Please note that, with a few notable exceptions, all 2 stroke engines are designed to operate at full throttle. Only at full revs is the power maximized and the correct operating temperature maintained. Avoid allowing the revs to be dragged down under load for prolonged periods, or engine damage will occur.

Basic user service requirements include keeping the air filter clean, keeping debris and dirt out of the fuel tank and cleaning the entire machine) after each use. The need for a professional service of your saw will depend on the amount and conditions of work. As a minimum, we recommend at least one service per year.

A routine service will include the following:

• Check and clean the air filter.
• Remove all fuel and clean the fuel system.
• Clean or replace the fuel filter as required.
• Check the starter mechanism.
• Replace the spark plug.
• Test run and adjust the mixture screws.
• Check the condition of all working components.
• Check the operation and integrity of the safety features.

STIHL offer an excellent warranty system As described above, if as a domestic customer you purchase and use the STIHL HP Ultra 2 Stroke oil when you buy your machine, and you service your machine annually, you will receive double the normal warranty as indicated by the second of the number of years listed in the table below:

Warranty Type	Warranty Length
Private/Domestic use (depending on oil quality – Standard/Ultra)	2 Years
Commercial Use (Contracting, Forestry, Industrial)	1 Year
Government and Local Authority	1 Year
Forestry (Professional)	6 Months
Hire & Rental	6 Months
Cutting Attachments & Accessories (supplied with the product)	1 Month
Spare Parts, attachments & accessories supplied as replacement	1 Month

A key component of the STIHL Warranty System is the free First Service after about 5 hours use, or within the first 3 months of ownership. It the event of future warranty issues, it is important that your machine has had its free First Service. We recommend you take advantage of this excellent offer.