I don't think this is true. I have a MS361 Pro saw with a 20" bar that is 5 years old. I have never stored it dry or added any additives. Just stored it with whatever fuel was left in it and it has always started and ran fine the next time I used it. However, I always run 91 octane gas that does not contain ethanol.
Ethanol is what does it Greg. I also suspect you use yours more than the average guy. It's the sitting around with ethanol in it that kills the carbs and fuel lines.
Sure sounds to me like its loosing its prime. Fuel lines and primer bulbs are pretty cheap. You may not see a hairline crack or pin hole. Or the lines could just be loose around a fitting going into the bulb or carb. So you may not see or smell fuel because its pulling air into the lines and leaking back into the tank. And you're not able to prime it with the bulb because its sucking air instead of making a vacuum. I'd swap them out also. Wont hurt anything and you're not out much.
My Stihl ran like a champ every time I used it then all of a sudden I couldn't get it started. It would choke and sputter like it wanted to and even if it did catch it would quickly stall out. Found a pin hole in the rubber gas line from the tank to the carb was the cause. Replaced it and it started up like it used to. Was likely from using gasoline with ethanol. Replace the fuel line even if you inspected it. Just a tiny pin hole you could barely see.
Stihl has never made a chainsaw that required the chain brake to be engaged to allow it to start. Yes, the new Poulans are not real strong saws, but do pretty good for what they are designed to do and that is light home owner use around the house. Actually Husqvarna owns the Poulan name today but actually the Poulan name probably makes Husky as much money in sale as the Husky name itself Every Wal Mart and box store sells them to people who know no better and probably shouldn't be running a saw. . Poulan at one time made some of the finest saws on earth. If you ever ran a a 4200,52000, 8500 heck even the 3400 up to the 4000 series of Poulans they were fine saws and many are still putting wood on the ground today. If the OP hasn't got your saw going PM me and I will help you. There are many thing that the Wildthings are known for that cause problems. All are easy fixes. 99% of the time it's fuel delivery related, the other 1% the flywheel moon key has sheared and the saw is way out of time. You still will get spark, but the port timing is off and will not ignite the gas air mixture. You plug will be very wet when checked. Also the carb intake mounting base screws will back out on the Wild Thing saws, but usually the saw will still run, but extremely lean and at a very high RPM it will be sucking air and if not taken care of you will soon have a toasted P/C. The red neck way to check compression is to pick the saw up by the starter handle. If the rope stays inside the housing you compression is usually good,,,USUALLY but not always. IF the weight of the saw allows the starter rope to pull out and the saw to falls to the ground compression is low. It should have at least 125psi of compression to run 150-160 from the factory if you can get a compression gauge to check for sure is best. The worst thing about these saws is the adjustment screws of the jets in the carb, they take a special tool to make adjustments to the carb, thanks to the EPA . They are set at the factory very lean to meet EPA specs and that itself will kill a Wildthing chainsaw in a short time. If you need help PM me
Does your saw have the CQ brake system that Stilhl offered on some models. What is the model of your saw? If it has to be engaged to start, I wonder how the saw stays running when you disengage the brake to use it. Is there any type of switches around or near the brake handle that would activate when the brake is activated?
