Stihl 026 auto choke-release? (2024)

I have a late 026 Pro which is new to me. When the control is set to "choke," and I bump the trigger, the control does not automatically flip to "high idle," or "run." When the control is set to "high idle," it does release to "run" with a tap of the trigger.

Is this the way the saw was designed to work? It feels like "choke" should automatically release to "run" with a trigger tap.

Thanks for looking.

Roy

Normal.

Squeeze trigger and push down to choke/high idle.

Pull til it kicks.

Thumb up one notch to choke off...pull til it runs...blip throttle to set low idle

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

Normal...copy.

Thanks

Wood Doctor said:

Here is how my 026 PRO works. When the trigger is pressed while in the choke position, it automatically shifts to Run position and skips past high idle. When in the high idle position, it also automatically shifts to Run position when the trigger is pressed. It would appear that OP's does not work the same as mine. I like the way mine works.

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I would prefer your saw's deal, too. My 036 works that way.

Do you happen to know when yours was built? I wonder if early, versus late, saws differed. My saw was built in "early 2001"...maybe making it one of the last???

irhunter said:

I would prefer your saw's deal, too. My 036 works that way. Do you happen to know when yours was built? I wonder if early, versus late, saws differed. My saw was built in "early 2001"...maybe making it one of the last???

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Compare your serial number to mine: 236542472.
Usually the larger number means a more recent date of MFG. I would suspect that mine was about the same time as yours. I bought it used in 2011. I have an older one that works the same way. Note that the 028's usually were locked in the choke position and required a manual shift from choke to fast idle.

Mine is:

249258799

I also have a MS260, which I have never run (it's a box of parts), which seems to be like my 026.

Roy

That's interesting. I have never had an 026 which would not hold on high idle. I have run 026s which would not click from high idle to run...after hitting the trigger.

My current 026 starts fine. I thought that it not clicking off choke after a trigger pull was due to repair-guy (me) error or worn parts. It now, kind of, sounds like...that was the way the saw was built.

That said, I find it odd that my late 026 Pro doesn't click off choke and Wood Dr's does.

irhunter said:

I have run 026s which would not click from high idle to run...after hitting the trigger.

Click to expand...

Those were broken...

irhunter said:

My current 026 starts fine. I thought that it not clicking off choke after a trigger pull was due to repair-guy (me) error or worn parts. It now, kind of, sounds like...that was the way the saw was built.

Click to expand...

Correct. Choke (on/off) is set by operator only.

SteveSr said:

Those were broken...

Correct. Choke (on/off) is set by operator only.

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I agree, on both counts.

I would still find it interesting to learn why Wood Dr's 026 Pro is different. Is it possible a redesigned master lever is available? Or, an after-market lever?

irhunter said:

Mine is:
249258799
I also have a MS260, which I have never run (it's a box of parts), which seems to be like my 026.
Roy

Click to expand...

That means yours was likely made more recently than mine. The controls that drive me bonkers are the ones that fail to hold the fast idle needed for a cold start. Even a few of the big Sthl saws fail to do that. Bad production runs can cause it.

irhunter said:

I would still find it interesting to learn why Wood Dr's 026 Pro is different. Is it possible a redesigned master lever is available? Or, an after-market lever

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Could be that the spring that holds the lever in various positions is bent/fubared or the control lever is incorrect/defective. Correct operation is well documented in the Owner's Manual which is available on Stihl's website.

SteveSr said:

Could be that the spring that holds the lever in various positions is bent/fubared or the control lever is incorrect/defective. Correct operation is well documented in the Owner's Manual which is available on Stihl's website.

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Exactly. I have had to bend that spring lever on several 024 and 026 Stihl saws from other owners so that it would then work correctly. I hate doing it, but that usually works. Most of the time the owner admits that he fooled with it and maybe messed it up.

irhunter said:

I have a late 026 Pro which is new to me. When the control is set to "choke," and I bump the trigger, the control does not automatically flip to "high idle," or "run." When the control is set to "high idle," it does release to "run" with a tap of the trigger.

Is this the way the saw was designed to work? It feels like "choke" should automatically release to "run" with a trigger tap.

Thanks for looking.

Roy

Click to expand...

This is how everyone I have run works as well.