can't start my homelite 240 chain saw?

put some sea foam in the gas.

Don Penn
August 2009

Hi, make sure you use a fresh mix of petrol/oil as it goes off in less than three months.
If still no joy do the usual check of making sure the plug is sparking by unscrewing it, plugging it back into the plug cap and resting it on a metal part of the engine (e.g. cylinder head) and then spinning over on the starter cord. You should get a fat regular spark at the plug.
If all that looks OK try putting a small quantity of petrol down the open plug hole and replace the spark plug. If it then fires up then dies away it is probably a petrol/ blocked carb problem. If it won't fire at all it is probably an ignition/plug problem.
If you think it is a plug problem try a new one (borrow a known good one). They do fail and wire brushing to clean them can leave metal deposits on the insulator and cause a short.
On my chainsaw I have had the fine internal filter in the carb block up with petrol/oil deposits when it was left over winter with fuel in it. The diaphragm carbs can be stripped and cleaned out but it is a very tricky job and the gaskets are very easy to damage.
If nothing else you will develop serious arm muscles pulling the thing over. ;-o)

Tony Bardwell
March 2007