You can check the resistance of the ignition coil with a digital multimeter to see if there is a short, you would need to find out what the values should be from a dealer or a manual.

Why not take it to the dealer? If the module is bad, it should be replaced under warranty.

Thank you guys. I found my bill of sale and Warranty. I bought the saw 2 1/2 years ago and found out the ignition coil is under warranty for five years but not the labor. The dealer ordered me one today and I'll fix it my self at no cost. Boy I'm glad I save paper.

Take a minute and check the on/off switch. Ive seen them go bad on a number of saws. As for a reason, I think moisture or possibly crud from use builds up around the poles and then the switch is always closed grounding the voltage from the magneto. Just pull the wires off the switch and check it again. If you find out it is the switch, then leave it in the run position and use the choke to shut the engine down until you can buy a new switch.

While you may be able to get a saw running that way, that is a REALLY unsafe idea to leave it with no off switch. You need to be able to shut the saw off in case of emergency. I would never run a saw without a quick way of shutting it down. Yes, choke will shut it off, but not as quick as cutting spark.

Hi there,

Het joecool85 dont be such a pansy...

This guy is trying to get a saw started to diagnose where the problems are. FWIW a choke is probably faster than a switch in stopping an engine because it stops all air from entering the cylinder. Furthermore, all modern saws (stihl 270) have brakes to eliminate emergencies or loss of control situations. I read where he is receiving an ignition under warranty so whatever is, is.

Yes I thought I was getting a free ignition coil. The warranty reads the company will supply you with a new one if the saw is no more then 5 years old and you are the original owener which I am, and that's it. The dealer checked my saw and agreed it was bad, now he's telling me Stihl won't send one unless the dealer installes it (for safety reasons or some crap) I didn't see that in the warranty. The warranty looks pretty black and white to me, I think the dealer is trying to give me the shaft. If that was the case then maybe Stihl shouldn't be alowed to sell you one retal for the same reasons. What say you guys? Anyone in here well versed on Stihl and their warranties?

I'd agree more with joecool than your solutions rmh. What's being a pansy about being safe? We all probably know people that wear body armor at work. I think they are pansies too (insert sarcasm). The choke idea will work but you did not think through what you have to do to engage the choke. While this situation is happening you are saying you need to throttle the engine and then flip the lever down from run through half choke and then to full choke. So now your saw is overreving and you want to shut it down, so you are saying that throttling it up to apply the choke is the quicker and better solution, lol.

The brake works well but does not "eliminate" all situations. They activate on either contact with hand/wrist/object or inertia. There are plenty of problem situations that a brake will be ineffective for (dropped saw, slip, grab, etc.) Although rare, brakes don't do anything for broken sawchain. There is a small stop on the underside that helps prevent injury from this, but they are not completely effective. Check out this test of chaps for other types of pansies.

Maybe you feel a little more manly because you can call someone a pansy. If your saw came the way you describe from the factory you'd probably complain about what a piece of &*#@ it was and how it was probably made in China. But when you design it to run that way, well, then it's a man's chainsaw. I think next time you need to give a little more thought to both a personal attack and to your solution.

Now this is a silly debate. Choke vs. kill switch? Who cares? If you need to get away from a saw that bad, throw the darn thing into the weeds.

I think your dealer is slightly deceptive but whatever. First I doubt that Stihl would warranty any part that was not dealer installed. That's how dealers make money....flat rate for installing the coil. (however low that might be) Secondly I also doubt that the dealer ever talked to anyone at Stihl about this repair. Why would he? He hasn't done anything yet. As far as your problem goes. First try a new spark plug. That's rule number one when diagnosing no spark situations. Spark plugs can go bad instantly so looking at it doesn't mean anything. Secondly try bypassing the switch or at least check it with an ohm meter.. If you get spark then replace the switch. If I were a dealer I would never just hand out new replacement parts to any customer for them to install. No offense to anyone but dealers can't just hand out parts. There are procedures for repairing warranty defects and filing the claims. They must be followed or they get no reimbursement for there time and effort.

spark plug failure is highly over rated...

I can't believe these morons! All the guy wanted to know was how to troubleshoot a magneto and they're arguing safety and dealer warrenties? Get a life! Answer the f@#$'n question or don't post! If I had this guys problem, after I got the chainsaw running I would hunt these morons down and cut their computers in half. F!@#'n morons! By the way. Lots of luck with that magneto problem, I'm having the exact same difficuties on a 210. Let me know what you figured out.

Who is the moron posting in a 2 year old thread? Someone should take away their computer license. lol.

well this moron is responding FOUR farking years after the OP. WHY? Because rmh3481's post caused me to check the switch, it was kaput. I disconnected the lead to it, got spark, covered the lead with tape, put the cover back on, and the damn thing started on the first pull. Which ain't bad for about a 30 year old Poulan.

Thank you rmh3481. And NO I do not worry about the ability to shut down immediately. I'll "toss it in the weeds" if necessary.

BTW, why all the trash talking? Is this forum full of a bunch of teenagers?