There is nothing worse than when you are wanting to put your chainsaw to good use and tackle a problem with it only to find out that when you do fire it up, it keeps cutting out on you! So, why does my chainsaw keep stalling? I have researched this annoying problem in great detail and will share with you what I have found throughout this article. 

If a chainsaw keeps on repeatedly cutting out after you start it up, it could be down to one (or even more than one) problem. These can range from problems with the air filter, spark arrestor, gasoline being used to even how the carburetor is operating. I will go in depth into how you can check if the stalling problem has been caused by some of the features mentioned above so that you are able to quickly identify and fix the problem which is preventing you from chainsawing until your heart is content! 

What Types of Chainsaw are Available on the market? 

This article will mainly be focusing on gas-powered chainsaws as these are more common to stall as opposed to its similar counterparts. However, I will give you a rough overview of the other options to you on the market today! 

 Corded Electric Chainsaws 

These types of chainsaw are smaller than gas-powered ones and therefore more lightweight to use. They run through the power of electricity which obviously means that they do not require an engine to operate them. 

Battery-powered chainsaws 

As the name suggests, these chainsaws are battery powered which means that you will need to charge up the batteries before you make use of the chainsaw. These are the most lightweight of all chainsaws due to the ease at which you can move around with them. However, on the other hand, they are the most expensive chainsaw on the market at the same time due to how portable they are and easy to use.   

It is also worth noting that manual chainsaws are also an option. These do not require gasoline or electricity to operate as you will be the one generating the power manually in order to cut down whatever you need to.  

Back to Chainsaw’s Cutting out.. First off, Check the Air Filter and Spark Arrestor 

A clogged air filter is usually the most common reason as to why your chainsaw keeps on stalling. This is purely down to the fact that if an air filter is blocked in any way, it will have a knock-on effect to the air circulation within the machine and subsequently kill the engine. This will also have an effect on the spark arrestor as this filters the exhaust which is directly connected to the air filter.  

Be sure to whip out the chainsaw’s user manual to make sure you know how to dissemble the machine as cleaning these 2 items is definitely the first thing you will want to do so you can cross them both of the list as to why the chainsaw keeps cutting out. 

You will also want to have a check of the fuel filter as if this clogs up with dirt or debris then this could be a reason as to why the engine is cutting out too.  

Chainsaw Gasoline Problems 

Many people who report chainsaw engine problems are people who have not used their chainsaw in a good amount of time. This could be down to it being kept away in storage or even down to the winter being a long and harsh one so you have not had the chance to fire it up and put it to work. Whatever the reason may be, this could be the root to your stalling problems.  

The reason as to why a chainsaw that has not been used as much over time keeps cutting out is quite simple. When gasoline is left standing in the carburetor and fuel lines, some of it will actually evaporate. This leaves a substance that in turn will clog the chainsaw’s fuel system.  

If for whatever reason, you are storing your chainsaw in a place where there is a lot of moisture (reason could be a leak in the shed it is stored) then this could infiltrate the fuel system too. The water from the moisture will mix with the ethanol within the gasoline and could create a clog where the fuel lines are located within the chainsaw.  

To combat this, you will need to purchase carburetor cleaner which will help dissolve this unwanted residue. You therefore need to make sure that you keep your chainsaw in a dry place, preferably covered with some waterproof material.   

Check the Carburetor 

A reason for the chainsaw engine to stall is that the engine might not be receiving the correct amount of fuel from the carburetor. For the usual chainsaw carburetor, there are 3 different options to choose from when looking at its adjustment screws. One screw will deal with when the machine is in idle mode, one for high speed and finally one for low speed. Depending on when your chainsaw is stalling, you should adjust these screws accordingly. For example, if it is only stalling when on high speed setting, then it is probably the high speed screw which will need to be adjusted.  

 Hopefully you have found the problem with your chainsaw within one of these problem features mentioned above. If not, then you can always take the machine back to where you purchased it or to a specialist in the field who may be able to help you out.  

Once you have got your chainsaw back up and running you are free to get it back to work in your garden to achieve the garden of your dreams.