Gapping a chainsaw coil pack help needed

[Cory Schmidt]

Our Stihl MS361 chainsaw gave up on us. We think its the coil module pack thing(what ever its actually called I don't know). As soon as we find another we'll get it tossed in. A few questions though what is the proper gapping to the flywheel and are there any technique for setting it (besides swing magnet to that side and stick gage in between). That's all I need, thanks in advance.

 

[Oliver 500 Wa]

I do pretty much like you said, but just use a sheet of notepad paper folded in half so it is double thickness to set the gap.

 

[T.R.K.]

.012

 

[4play]

Being too far is where the problem might be, you cant be too close before making contact with the flywheel. Stihl has a tool to set gap, the one I have is .008" Most people use a business card and that works just fine. Just spin the flywheel to make sure there is not contact after setting gap.

 

[Mule Meat]

T.R.K says .012 which is correct.

Like Oliver stated a piece of notebook paper folded in half. This works good for setting the gap.

You may see or hear of people using a business card. But the gap on saws and trimmers is a little less than on most four stroke mower type engines.

 

[Weldon K]

I watched YouTube videos just last night on repairing ignition on chainsaw. Two different guys demonstrated setting the gap by using a common business card for gauge.

 

[Weldon K]

Link below to one of the videos. At about 2:00 minute mark he shows rotating flywheel to align magnets and setting gap with business card.
chainsaw ignition fix

 

[Tony in SD]

Fold a dollar bill in thirds and use that. Or if you?re feeling rich use a $100 bill.

 

[Cory Schmidt]

Ok .012 sounds good...thanks all. We normally do the paper trick, but something was a miss the last time (found a cheap coil pack and put it in) and the saw was popping and randomly dying since it was put in. Now it died completely again pulled it apart the coil was slightly melted....good chance its that cheap coil. Now to find one with out spending more then the saw is worth.

 

[AzPeapicker]

Good Evening Cory
If you can find anyone that still has micro fish film ,get some . That s what I use . I cut it in about 1" strips staple 1 end together for a double thickness
Works for me , then rotate the flywheel past the magnets & remove the plastic strips.

Azpeapicker EX/M [email protected]

 

[Steve@Advance]

A melted coil probably was caused from an outside source.

Either lack of air flow as in clogged cooling fins, or the gap was too close and the flywheel was rubbing. I like to use the paper business card, and also push the slack out of the crank bearings by holding the flywheel toward the coil while tightening the screws.

 

[jeffcat]

Let us keep it really simple. Next time you go to the super market stop in the bakery department and buy a plastic container of cupcakes, cookies, sticky buns, or some other fat food. Take the lid and cut with scissors strips about an inch wide. Hold on the flywheel magnet and place the coil In position. Screw it down. Now just turn. The flywheel and remove the plastic strip. Those containers are made from .o10 thick plastic sheet. In the little box my digital micrometer is a set of strips. Milk jugs are 20 if I remember. Detergent bottles are 30. Very handy non magnetic gauges. Also on scratch.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 23:21:34 03/08/19) I watched YouTube videos just last night on repairing ignition on chainsaw. Two different guys demonstrated setting the gap by using a common business card for gauge.

And 2 different guys were flying by the seat of their pants. There are specs on the gap and when you follow them (it's not hard) things tend to work better.

 

[Bret4207]

For goodness sakes! If you're going to try to fix engines of any kind, invest in a set of feeler gauges. Even Harbor Freight has them. You can get them in flat sheet styles or in round rod styles, both work.

Or you can go buy $8 worth of cupcakes and use an unknown thickness of plastic that may be completely different from what someone else across the country uses and fly by the seat of your pants and spend your time wondering why the saw won't run.

 

[Billy NY]

Business envelope will work, notice anything out of tolerance, crank bearings could be suspect.

 

[jeffcat]

That is why I started that those. Boxes are made from .o10 thickness plastic.
IF you take your digital micrometer and check them you will find SON of a
gun!!!! They are .o10. If you don't have a micrometer then you shouldn't be
playing with matchbook covers, plastic notebook covers, or other stuff. Verify
the thickness. It really works.

 

[Kid Shileen]

Get a feeler gauge set. They don?t cost much and are really handy. However a match book cover will work in a pinch.

 

[Oliver 500 Wa]

I don't like to use a feeler gage for this because it magnetizes the gage. Then when you use it for other things it's always picking up crap

 

[Bob]

(quoted from post at 13:13:56 03/09/19) I don't like to use a feeler gage for this because it magnetizes the gage. Then when you use it for other things it's always picking up crap

Certain feeler gauge sets have one or two BRASS feeler gauges in the .008" or .012" range for just this purpose, or setting pickup air gap in certain older electronic ignition distributors.

 

[guido]

Hello bob,

This set I bought in the 60's, No electronics then.

Guido.

 

[guido]

Hello Cory Schmidt,

Here are my 2 cents. My set is from the 60's

 

[Oliver 500 Wa]

(quoted from post at 11:58:20 03/09/19)

(quoted from post at 13:13:56 03/09/19) I don't like to use a feeler gage for this because it magnetizes the gage. Then when you use it for other things it's always picking up crap

Certain feeler gauge sets have one or two BRASS feeler gauges in the .008" or .012" range for just this purpose, or setting pickup air gap in certain older electronic ignition distributors.

That would be handy! Neither of my 2 feeler sets have the brass ones.

 

[guido]

Hello Weldon K

Here is a better source of good info. Look around the shop in the video.
click on donyboy73 you tube channel,

Guido.
link

 

[sotxbill]

you guys dont have to get cranky now.

 

[ditchwitch]

Ive always used a matchbook cover for all small engines and its worked fine. Now finding a matchbook might be a problem these days

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 13:27:07 03/09/19) That is why I started that those. Boxes are made from .o10 thickness plastic.
IF you take your digital micrometer and check them you will find SON of a
gun!!!! They are .o10. If you don't have a micrometer then you shouldn't be
playing with matchbook covers, plastic notebook covers, or other stuff. Verify
the thickness. It really works.

Jeff, you don't think that maybe different stores use different boxes over the whole of the nation? You never mentioned measuring anything, you just said use a box the sweets come in. Yours might well be .010. Mine might be .008 or .018. Use a feeler gauge.

 

[Cory Schmidt]

Again thanks for the responses.

We do have feeler gauges (and DO USE them for valves and such), but then comes the magnetizing the guage problem. Go to use em and can't get them off without bending the XXXX out of em or sticking to everything close by (including other gauges when put away).

When ever we do small engine stuff the simple card stock or paper trick never gave us trouble, till this time. I was just checking to be sure that there was no different system for the chainsaw and to get a dimension to mic the card stock next time to be sure its close.

We threw the flywheel once on this saw and ran it for years after resetting with paper. We went with a cheap coil pack ($20 (online) and here in a few days over $100 plus (at Stihl dealers) here in a few weeks) when original died completely (had absolutely no spark) on us. We simply got what we paid for with the cheap coil, dead in a few months of actually using (to almost abusing) the saw.

 

[kevinstuff]

I cut up a plastic water bottle , they are about .010 thick

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 19:49:52 03/11/19) Again thanks for the responses.

We do have feeler gauges (and DO USE them for valves and such), but then comes the magnetizing the guage problem. Go to use em and can't get them off without bending the XXXX out of em or sticking to everything close by (including other gauges when put away).

When ever we do small engine stuff the simple card stock or paper trick never gave us trouble, till this time. I was just checking to be sure that there was no different system for the chainsaw and to get a dimension to mic the card stock next time to be sure its close.

We threw the flywheel once on this saw and ran it for years after resetting with paper. We went with a cheap coil pack ($20 (online) and here in a few days over $100 plus (at Stihl dealers) here in a few weeks) when original died completely (had absolutely no spark) on us. We simply got what we paid for with the cheap coil, dead in a few months of actually using (to almost abusing) the saw.

Cory, you can buy brass feeler gauges or you can pick up an inexpensive micrometer (not a dial caliper, although that would probably work if you are careful) at Harbor Freight and find something the right thickness. A few thou can make a big difference on some of these ignitions.

 

[Cory Schmidt]

Cory, you can buy brass feeler gauges or you can pick up an inexpensive micrometer (not a dial caliper, although that would probably work if you are careful) at Harbor Freight and find something the right thickness. A few thou can make a big difference on some of these ignitions.

Next time I run to Fleet I might check for non magnetic gauges, if I remember. We have micrometers around to, good ones (my pa was a machinist off farm and got to take some tools home when place closed). we do some minor turning and other fabrication here so I know how to use and read those as well.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

I have always pulled off a strip of 1" emory cloth ( sand paper ) and used it for a spacer . I would rock the flywheel back and forth a few times to clean any debris from the surface of the coil , tighten the bolts , and rotate the flywheel to remove the cloth .

I have never measured emory cloth but I guess that would be easy enough .