Pull rope on chainsaw (Stihl 020AVT)

[Engineer]

Can anybody give me a step-by-step procedure on how to replace the pull rope on a chainsaw?  The saw in question is a top-handle Stihl 020av, early 70's vintage.

[Al_Smith]

Most Stihls are relatively easy to change the pull rope .

I have a Stihl 020 top handle as a matter of fact but I've never changed the rope but will tell you how most of them are done .

Firstly you have to remove the starter assembly meaning the side cover .Usually it has a bolt which holds the spool in place .I'm assuming the rope is broken? If not cut it loose.It will spool around.Then remove the bolt freeing up the drum .

Be carefull removing the drum so you don't pull the spring out with it else there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth plus you will be submitting a thread on how to rewind a spring .

Remove the old rope .Thread in a new one leaving a few extra inchs .There should be a notch or two around the edge of the spool,take the excess rope out there .Engage the spool with the spring and reinsert the bolt .Wind up the spring,about one more turn than it takes to tighten it up .Stick the rest of it through the starter housing hole and attach the handle with a double end knot . Put the housing back on the saw and start it up .

How's that for detail ?  8)

[Al_Smith]

Don't get confused .When I said tighten it up,not to take trhe spring as tight as a mouses ear but merely enough to properly rewind the rope .Too tight you will break or bind the spring .

[Hilltop366]

A couple of tips to go with Al's post.

Before threading rope on the starter spool melt the end of the rope with a lighter an have a rag ready to pull the rope through to smooth the rope end out, otherwise you end up with a bump on it that won't go through the hole. Being careful not to get hot melted rope on your hands ( don't ask ).

Also before throwing the knot away look at it to see how it was made, I have come across a saw that had to have a specific knot in order to fit in the limited space in between the starter and flywheel.

Some saws have a notch on the spool to pull the rope through (kind of doubled over as the other end of the rope is already put through the starter cover hole) so it can be wound up without taking the spool off.

[sablatnic]

On most of the 020's, the starter assembly was held on by just two screws, but on the first ones you had to remove the whole left part of the housing. Are you lucky to have one of these?!?? Fortunately, they are rare. I have seen just one.

[Al_Smith]

Aha,never fear while Al is here .This conversation kind of piqued my curiosity so I took a peek at the 020 top handle I have in the shed .

A walk in the park. Remove two screws and the whole kit and cabootle pops out ,drum ,spring,the whole nine yards . Just wind it back up with a new rope ,thread it through the hole ,install  the handle.Go get em .

[Engineer]

OK, got the pull rope on that was pretty easy.   Thanks!

[Al_Smith]

A- good but did the saw start ? Most important .

[Engineer]

Ah, no.  That was going to be the next question.  This saw is new to me and it was purchased as-is.  The previous owner told me it started and ran well.  I am not familiar with the starting procedure for the saw and it would be great if I could get a step-by-step on how to do so.  I don't have an owner's manual either and I'd like to find one.

[Al_Smith]

O my,you are a babe in the woods . :D
First I guess is make sure it has fuel properly mixed and some ratio between 32 and 40 to one with good mix oil .Make sure it has bar oil .

The choke on that model is a tiny little handle on the starter side of the saw,engage it my shoving the lever forward .Pull the rope ,maybe several times.It should putt after a while .
If it does hiccup but not start ,disengage the choke and have at it again .Still nothing squeeze the throttle . If after all that a no go get a hold of the guy that sold it to you and severely reprimand him .

After you chew his butt out good and proper ,pop off the air filter which is right behind the stater housing .Get a little sqeeze bottle and give the carb a good shot of fuel and start the whole process over .If after all that nothing submit a thread on how to rebuild a Stihl 020 AV  carb or check for a faulty ignition .It's got to be one or the other .

Now,that nonsense of my running off at the head most likely has nothing to do with it.The thing will most likely fire right up and purr like a kitten . ;)

[Engineer]

In that photo, the little lever is just forward of the gas cap.  It has the word "START" printed next to it, with an arrow pointing back toward the gas cap.  The rear of the lever slot is marked with a "0", the front of the slot is marked with a "I".  No matter what I do, either position, it won't hiccup or start.  I tried the same sort of procedure that I've done in the past with my other Stihls - put the choke on, pull until it burps, put it on half choke and pull to start.  No dice.

I did not change or check the plug - could that be a culprit?

[Rocky_J]

I is on and O is off (I remember it by referring to the I position as 'ignition').

[Al_Smith]

 Pull the plug,ground it and roll over the saw.No sparky,no starty .

Now comes the fun part .An 020 AV top handle is not made like it's later cousins the 020T and MS 200T . On the AV you have to dig the works out of it's shell,so to speak .These are a nightmare to work on .

It once took me about 45 minutes just to figure out how to disect one .

[sablatnic]

One more thing about starting. The throttle latch. Grip the handle, give it full throttle, push in latch, (the black push button on the left side of the handle), release throttle while holding the latch, and the throttle is locked in starting position. Is the ignition on? (The black slider on the body, underneath the throttle latch). If you do get a spark, you can remove the air filter and prime it with about a spoonfull of the fuel. The airfilter is behind the cower held by one screw, on the left of the body. Please write again, if you are lucky or not. I wonder. It is labeled 020 AV. It might be an early, pre electronic saw. In that case it could be dirty or burned points. Hope not!