HT131 Pole Saw

[Diesel487]

Are these things hot garbage for everyone else too?

We have about 10 of them, and only 3 work reliable, 1 barely runs. The rest are part outs at this point

Of the 3 that work they never stay running, ive adjusted and cleaned the carbs, fiddled with the idle screw, theyve been to an engine shop at least twice (each) and they come back still not working


Before trees i cut grass and the 131 motor was always reliable, but in pole saw config its trash.

Anyone have any tricks, tips, or know a better brand?

 

[Reach]

We have a few of those, and certainly do not have the problems with them that you do. Occasionally one goes into the shop because somebody bends the shaft on it, but that will happen with any power pruner provided the operator is careless enough. It is very rare that we have any engine troubles with them, and we have been using those for many years.

How old are they? Is it possible they are due for replacement? And how often do they go in for a tuneup? They should at least have an annual going over by the dealership.

 

[Diesel487]

We have a few of those, and certainly do not have the problems with them that you do. Occasionally one goes into the shop because somebody bends the shaft on it, but that will happen with any power pruner provided the operator is careless enough. It is very rare that we have any engine troubles with them, and we have been using those for many years.

How old are they? Is it possible they are due for replacement? And how often do they go in for a tuneup? They should at least have an annual going over by the dealership.

One was purchased around March of last year, the other 2 are maybe 3 years old at most. The graveyard is +5 years old. They were in the shop multiple times over the summer. Of course the one stihl dealer near us is a joke and can never actually fix anything. Ive read manuals, watched plenty of youtube, and they still wont run properly

 

[Reach]

Five years is a long time for a small engine that’s in frequent use, those could just be worn out if they get used daily like ours do. We rarely keep a saw more than 2-3 years.

A better dealer can make all the difference, that may be worth looking for. Also, your fuel and oil combination makes a big difference too. Ethanol free fuel with Stihl full synthetic oil will make a substantial difference in the longevity of your engines.

 

[Vicente]

Mine sucked for a long time motor was fine but there was something wrong with the linkage eventually after 7 trips into the shop they replaced all the internal drive stuff from the motor to the head and now it's great.