Hey Y'all,

I have 3 Stihl machines.
-MS311 chainsaw
-MS180 chainsaw that was given to me
-FS 131R string trimmer

How can I find out what diameter/size starter rope I need to replace the originals? I wanted to always have a spool on hand for each since I can never find any locally.

Thanks so much!

Might try Bailey’s Online. That’s where I usually get my chainsaw parts

well I was just answering a similar question for myself

I broke the starter cord on my log splitter yesterday and went to the local shop , I had brought the recoil starter assembly with to match , the owner grabbed it and loaded it up with new rope

and when you consider his time and all not that it took more than 7 minutes he charged me 15 dollars

it was all loaded and perfect to put the 3 screws back in and start

I would have loaded it myself , as I have many times in the past on other machines

I got home to look and see what the line costs 16-18 dollars a hundred foot spool so me being me I am thinking buying a spool and thinking about what size to get

so I measured my starter ropes with the dial caliper

6hp log splitter new rope 0.134

55cc chain saw .112

72 cc chain saw .130

string trimmer 0.095

8hp snow blower .175

this is what I found on sizing

#4 (1/8" Diameter)
#4-1/2 (9/64" Diameter) rope is used on most chain saws and larger 2-cycle engines.
#4-1/2 (9/64" Diameter), #5 (5/32" Diameter) and #5-1/2 (11/64" Diameter) rope is used on most 4-cycle push mower small engines.

with size 4 1/2 9/64 should come out to .140 after it is pulled on some I suspect it stretches and comes out about .130 since that size is working on the log splitter and the chain saw I think I am ordering size 4 1/2

yes Oregon branded spools of 3 1/2 , 4 and 4 1/2

https://www.baileysonline.com/oregon-31-242-starter-rope-no-4-1-2-200ft-premium-oep-31242.html

For small Honda engines, I use drinker line rope. You can get it at a poultry equipment supply store.

I broke mine a few years ago, respooled it with paracord. Still going strong.

3 1/2 mm works on most of mine. 50cc and up.

"How can I find out what diameter/size
starter rope I need to replace the originals?"

Get the part number from the illustrated parts list (IPL)
and search that number on your web.

These little games these manufacturers play many times
even confuse their own clerks, metric / sae / gauge etc.

A man after my own heart!! Works great!

In my many years in golf maintenance, I always kept a tube of bow string wax around. Every pull cord got stretched out and waxed. Saved the cord, saved the eye on the recoil....Suppose Trap wax or candle wax would do also.