How To Change The Primer Bulb

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There are several repair and maintenance repairs that you will continually perform on your petrol chainsaw. One of which is replacing the primer bulb.

The primer bulb is there to assist you with cold starting the chainsaw, and though not an essential part of the chainsaw, it is certainly a very useful part.

Until you do not have one that functions properly, you will not fully appreciate the primer bulb. The 2 stroke engine system employs a primer bulb system that squirts fresh fuel to the carburetor. Essential for cold starting. Without the primer bulb system you will have all sorts of difficulties in starting your chainsaw.

Primer bulbs tend to be made out of rubber or plastic which means they are susceptible to wear and tear and breaking.

So if you own a chainsaw with a primer bulb system, it is part and parcel to expect that the primer bulb will break and need replacing.

You can have a professional do it for, but that is a waste of money as changing a primer bulb is a simple job to perform.

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5 - Fit New Primer Bulb. Place the new primer bulb in the exact place the old one came out of. Replace the mounting back on the carburetor.

6 - Replace Carburetor. Put the choke plate back in it’s place and then re-screw the carburetor back to it’s home. Replace the air filter and air filter cover and you have then successfully replaced the primer bulb.

Replacing Remote Primer Bulbs

As well as chainsaw’s having the primer bulb mounted on the carburetor, there are many models where the primer bulb is mounted separately from the chainsaw carburetor.

These are known as remote primer bulbs and use a snap and ring system to secure them in their proper place within the chainsaw.

It does not matter which model or make of chainsaw that you have, all remote primer bulbs are changed in exactly the same way.

1 - Clamp Fuel Line Return. You do not want any excessive fuel leakage so you need to clamp the fuel return line. You can use any clamping tool providing it does not damage the fuel line.

2 - Remove The Fuel Lines. After clamping the return line you need to remove all the fuel lines from the primer bulb system. All you need is a suitable screwdriver and simply remove the screws that hold the lines to the primer bulb.

3 - Take Away Old Primer Bulb. The primer bulb will be attached to plastic tabs which in turn snap in to the mounting ring. You must squeeze these plastic tabs and at the same time pull the primer bulb away from the mounting ring. The best tool to use for this is a pair of needle nose pliers.

4 - Replace Primer Bulb. On your new primer bulb the plastic tabs should simply snap in to place on the mount ring.

5 - Connect Fuel Lines. Reattach the fuel lines to the primer bulb and remove the clamp from the fuel return line and you have then successfully replaced the remote primer bulb on your chainsaw.

When the primer bulb on your chainsaw is cracked or worn it will not perform properly. This is definitely one time that you must change it. Wear and tear and breakage are the highest contributing factors in determining the time to replace your chainsaw primer bulb. However there are other times as well when you should consider changing the primer bulb as well, even if it is not worn or broken.

When You Change The Fuel Lines

All the fuel lines on your chainsaw are made from plastic. And because they are plastic they are prone to wear and tear as well as cracking from wear and age. So when you change the chainsaw fuel lines you should also change the primer bulb at the same time. The reason for this is that the fuel lines will be the same age as the primer bulb, and even if they have not begun to wear or crack, it is highly likely that they will do so shortly. You may think that you can save on time and money by keeping the existing primer bulb , but this will lead to false economy. You have got messy and in to the heart of the chainsaw to replace the fuel lines, it just doesn’t make sense not to change the primer bulb when you are in that situation. The last thing you want to do is take the chainsaw apart again just to replace the primer bulb.

Replacing Primer Bulbs That Are On The Carburetor

Depending upon the brand and model of chainsaw that you have, the primer bulb system can differ. But despite the fact that there are different primer systems out there, replacing the bulb is a very similar process with each. There are steps which will apply tp each primer bulb system and it is fair to say that if you can change one particular primer bulb then you can change them all. The fundamentals are the same for each system. On many chainsaws with the 2 stroke engine, the primer bulb is mounted on to the carburetor and the following steps should be taken to replace it:

1 - Access Carburetor. You get to the carburetor by removing the air filter cover and taking the air filter out.

2- Remove Carburetor. The carburetor will be mounted to the chainsaw with 2 or more screws. Undo the screws and pull the carburetor away from the chainsaw. Once away, pull the choke cover away from the carburetor.

3- Take Away Old Primer Bulb. The primer bulb will sit in a primer bulb plate that is attached to the carburetor by screws. Undo the screws and remove the plate. You may experience a little fuel leak here but that is usual. Once you have removed the mount the primer bulb will simply pop out.

4 - Clean. Once the old primer bulb has popped out take a rag and wipe any dirt and grease from the primer bulb mounting and carburetor.

To Care Is To Share

When you clean the carburetor

The carburetor on a chainsaw has a hard working life and needs to be cleaned on a fairly regular basis. This will ensure optimum performance. In many versions of the petrol chainsaw the primer bulb is located near or on the carburetor. So when you take the carburetor apart to clean it, do a thorough job by taking the primer system apart and replacing the primer bulb.