Thread: What to look for on a used saw?

I am going to look at a 026 tommorow. What are some things I should look for or take not of?

What size Torx should I take along to take the muffler off with?
What should the compression be?

What are some things I should look for or take note of?

I will take a scrench a Torx screwdriver and a compression tester along, are there any other tools I should take with me?

look at the bottom of the saw , does it look warn. paint on the bar or lack of . pull the bar cover ,if the plastic around the clutch is toasted then the saw has seen some heavy extended use.
if the saw is sitting on a doily up on the guys mantle in a waterford crystal enclosure and he only wants 50 bucks for it ,then i might buy it
the rest is elementary my dear watson

Originally Posted by nitro

look at the bottom of the saw , does it look warn. paint on the bar or lack of . pull the bar cover ,if the plastic around the clutch is toasted then the saw has seen some heavy extended use.
if the saw is sitting on a doily up on the guys mantle in a waterford crystal enclosure and he only wants 50 bucks for it ,then i might buy it
the rest is elementary my dear watson

You used "doily" in a arborist forum!?!

Maybe others will chime in here...
Compression: I would think 150 or better would be good.
A T27 driver comes to mind.
How clean are the cylinder fins?
Bar oil all through the recoil cover? if no, then he was probably pretty careful about spillage or cleaned the saw before you showed up.

I look for stickers; like anything Nascar and alcohol related, or references to No Fear, peeing on the competition, and large-breasted women.

Used chainsaws are always a gamble. Check the underside of the chainsaw. Like the brake pedal on a car, if it really worn, the saw has been around the block. I would avoid trying to pull the muffler. You break you buy. Compression tests are next to useless. Two strokes aint complex, they either run well or they don’t. Just bring a log with you. You will know within 3 seconds if the saw is any good. Consider the value of used saw very carefully. If it needs to be fixed, Stihl parts are very expensive. Never pay more the 50% of the value of the saw new. Above 50%, you are better off buying the saw new, with a warrantee and a guaranteed history but that is just my opinion.

Originally Posted by Jacob J.

I look for stickers; like anything Nascar and alcohol related, or references to No Fear, peeing on the competition, and large-breasted women.

Hey man, I had to put those hotrod and Jagermeister stickers on my saw to manly it up some! My last one blew itself up in shame the day after I put the My Little Pony stickers on it.

For the OP, I posted this a week or two ago when a guy was looking at a used 361. Hope you find it helpful.

Originally Posted by serial killer

Ok, since you're rilly new here I'm gonna assume that you might be new to buying used chainsaws and give you a couple tips that we might be skipping over. I would tend to believe that all Stihl dealers are stand-up individuals, but that might not always be the case.

To tell how much a saw has been used, you look the entire thing over for paint wear.

If the bar is burnt or wear out, it's been used a little. If the wear pattern is fairly even then it's just been used. Bad spots or burn marks are not so good. A "brand new bar and chain!!!!!" is not really a selling point. As an avid chainsaw buyer, I have oodles of bars and chains laying around and even if I wanted to buy a brand new one I'd like to shop around and pick the exact one I want.

If the paint on the bottom is wore out, that means that it's been bounced around in the back of a truck. That's not always so bad, because I could drive around with a saw in my pickup for a year and only use it once. The ones you are looking out for are the ones that also have bad cracking somewhere or a chunk missing or have been bounced around in the back of a tree service truck for a year and used by half-drunk laborers who don't have a clue.

If the paint on the starter cover is wore out, that's a bad sign. If the cover grid is full of muck, that ain't good either. If it's got a little sawdust, that's normal. If it's immaculate, you need to figure out why. Is it a brand new cover, a brand new saw, or did an unscrupulous logging company blow it out with an air hose and some Windex before they dumped it? You should be able to read the model number on the starter cover on a 361. I think the felling sights come painted black on that side and they should probably have some paint left too.

If the paint on the front of the powerhead is wore out, that's no good. I means someone has bashed it off a bunch of logs. If it is worn, check and make sure the dog mounting points and the muffler and the oil tank and its filler neck are all still intact. One of the 361s I bought this year had a busted dog mount that I haven't yet fixed to my satisfaction.

If the paint is wore out on the clutch cover, that means the thing has cut a fair number of stumps or bashed against something in the back of a truck. A 361 really shouldn't be a stumper, so watch yourself.

By now, you should have noticed whether any of the handles are cracked or any of the controls broke or missing. If anything has been intentionally removed or modified, someone has either used this saw in a professional manner or done a half-assed fix on it. If they were making money with the thing, why sell it? If it was busted, was it busted so badly that it wasn't worth fixing right?

I think I covered most of it. If not, just get a compression check and flee the crime scene before forensics shows up.

Look for compression well over 100psi for an engine in good condition. If it has compression I don't see a need to pull the muffler. Pull the plug and pull it over a few times to clear the cylinder before testing compression. You need a T25 torx. I would pull off the cover and check the cylinder fins, seems people always break them off. Also look at the air filter, see how plugged or clean it is, it will tell if the maintained it. Don't forget to check the chain brake. Run the saw and make sure if it's oiling. Bring a log and make some cuts.

All the above is useless if they only want $50. for the saw and its whole, if that's the case take it and run.....................454

1. You need a T27 Torx and definately pull the muffler. Bring a bright LED flashlight to inspect the cylinder. That's about the single best thing you can do. Don't worry, you're not likely to break it.
2. Assess the overall condition. Broken shrouds, fuel tank repairs, abuse.
3. Sure, do a compression test if you have an accurate tester. You better see close the 140+.
4. Bring some fresh mix and run the saw.
5. Also keep in mind the best care may be from professionals that don't care about asthetics. (the saws I've gotten from loggers look like crap but have pristine cylinders, however I've seen homeowner saws that look pristine on the outside that look like crap on the inside.)

Check the compression and the spark. Everything else is cheap to fix.

T27 Torx. Compression over 140. Smooth rotation of the crank. No play in crank bearings. And of course, it starts and runs well.

I would just ask him for a chunk of wood to try it out in. That should tell you everything you need to know.

Originally Posted by blackoak

I would just ask him for a chunk of wood to try it out in. That should tell you everything you need to know.

+1

Originally Posted by Jacob J.

I look for stickers; like anything Nascar and alcohol related, or references to No Fear, peeing on the competition, and large-breasted women.

But.....you didn't say if that's a good thing or a bad thing???



Casey

Compression a big issue Spark another big issue carburetor can be fixed