Stihl Aftermarket Parts Review

[SteveSS]

Most of these carbs work fine. Do the ones you purchased have ZAMA on the plate?

Yes. They do.

 

[MustangMike]

I thought all of the Huztl stuff was packaged as Farmer Tech? And yes, the carb I got for my 044 says ZAMA on it and seems to function well.

 

[DSS]

Not all the Huztl stuff is packaged as farmertec. And there is farmertec stuff coming from other places than Huztl.

 

[Fritzy]

I'm not a chainsaw expert, but I just completed a 025 build, some new OEM Stihl parts just were not in the budget right now. I wanted to keep the guts Stihl ( cylinder, piston, crank, carb, etc). But the AM parts were cheap, I had good luck with some, not so much on the others.

The good
AM chain break cover
Replacement rubber buffers
Fuel/oil lines: no issues so far. Filters seem to work. How this cheaper rubber will hold up to the fuel, that's TBD, but no issues so far.
Clutch cover: little cheesy looking, but seems durable.
Air filter elements: little finicky, but no complaints

The bad
Air filter cover: seems okay made, but does not line up with the 025's OEM handle, appears to possible for the squares off top of the ms250, but not the 025.

The "we will see"
Got a AM exhast, seems to work good but unlike the OEM unit, the aftermarket one is one piece. There is no way to access the spark arrest or screen or make the exhast hole bigger if you wanted too.

I did order some large AM bucking spikes, just because. They work great.

 

[fearofpavement]

I just received three shipments today of aftermarket Stihl parts. I got bucking spikes (for big Stihls) a clutch cover and a rim/drum for a Stihl MS660. I haven't installed any of these yet.
The dual dog sets that are sold for the MS660 work great and can be used with the roller catcher. The same set is also sold for the 044/046/MS440/MS460 and they don't line up well enough for the roller catcher to find the hole on the inner dog. If you're not using the roller catcher, they work well enough.

 

[Fritzy]

I stand corrected, the air filter cover is rounded on the AM, not squared off like in the 0 series, seems to fit with the ms250....don't have a 250 to prove it, but that's what it looks like

 

[fearofpavement]

Not all the Huztl stuff is packaged as farmertec. And there is farmertec stuff coming from other places than Huztl.

Exactly. Farmertec is a manufacturer and Huztl is a seller. There is "machinesdoctor" which is also Huztl. They ship in the same yellow tape balls. I have received Farmertec parts from other distributors. I buy the majority of my Asian parts from Huztl but also use Wangluo and some others.

 

[fearofpavement]

I stand corrected, the air filter cover is rounded on the AM, not squared off like in the 0 series, seems to fit with the ms250....don't have a 250 to prove it, but that's what it looks like

Most of the aftermarket distributors do not understand the differences between the O and MS series Stihls and advertise the parts for models they don't fit. Studying the pics is the best thing.

 

[Fritzy]

Most of the aftermarket distributors do not understand the differences between the O and MS series Stihls and advertise the parts for models they don't fit. Studying the pics is the best thing.

I figured thAt out after ordering, but it was a three buck mistake with the free shipping, I have a OEM case with a scored piston on another 025, going to try the meteor piston...more to follow

 

[Somesawguy]

I need to replace the fuel line, impulse line, filter, and intake boot on a 025 Stihl for my dad. Are all of the aftermarket parts about the same, or should I stick with a particular seller?

Is there an online seller of OEM parts? Locally, they are very very expensive for even basic parts.

 

[fearofpavement]

I've had good experience with the Farmertec parts but it isn't known other than by experience who sells those. Huztl, machinesdoctor, wangluo and others sell Farmertec.
As far as online Stihl parts, invariably parts cost less at the dealer than someone online selling original Stihl parts unless it's NOS or something like that.

 

[fearofpavement]

I figured thAt out after ordering, but it was a three buck mistake with the free shipping, I have a OEM case with a scored piston on another 025, going to try the meteor piston...more to follow

You can use MS series plastics on the 025, you just can't mix them. If you have an MS handle to go with the air filter cover, that will work.

 

[DSS]

Exactly. Farmertec is a manufacturer and Huztl is a seller. There is "machinesdoctor" which is also Huztl. They ship in the same yellow tape balls. I have received Farmertec parts from other distributors. I buy the majority of my Asian parts from Huztl but also use Wangluo and some others.

I think they're all one and the same. I say this because I've ordered on the same day from at least four different places, and had the whole order arrive together in the same ball of grey plastic.

I've also ordered four things on the same day from the same seller, and had them all arrive separately.

 

[Brushwacker]

Anybody have AM handle bar issues ? How about Farmertec's on an ms660 ?

 

[MustangMike]

Don't remember the brand, but got two AM for the 440 & 044 ($14 each/free shipping) w/screws, and they work just like OEM to me. Good fit & feel, and no problems so far.

 

[Frogfarmer]

I tried a handle for an 038 and it was weak. It worked and is still attached but I do have to be careful not to tweak it. Also bought a plastic one for an 026 and I have no complaints at all with that one. Could be hit or miss.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I've never seen a good chinese piston, but some of the cylinders look very good. I got an 038 kit from HL and the jug was very nice but the piston was garbage. I'll stick with Meteor, never a problem yet.

..........................................................................
Could you please provide some specifics regarding what made the piston garbage? ie, flaws/voids in casting? it wasn't round? piston pin wouldn't fit in hole? ring grooves wrong size? not shiny enough?[/QUOTE]
I've not had a piston failure yet and have installed quite a few, not all on Stihls however.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Got my 044 #2 running today, it was the coil. So now the saw has Heztl (Farmer Tech) carb & coil, will see how they perform & hold up.

The carb has a snorkle, which I covered with a piece of cloth & a rubber band. It is labeled ZAMA! The carb also had the thinner adjusting screws, which I prefer.

The coil itself was an exact fit, but the spark plug wire is a little too long, but it works! I adjusted the coil by putting a business card between the coil & the flywheel, then rotating the flywheel till the magnetic portion drew it in. I pressed it a slight bit firmer and tightened it up. She fired right up!

It may be low tech, but it worked. Besides, all my feeler gauges are flat!

I think you can use the old diaphragm cover off a similar Zama without the snorkel.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I don't know if the Chinese are improving some of the products or just selling the same stuff they did but I know the 290 fuel lines won't work, they kink. I had an issue with the 029 buffer plugs not fitting, ordered some screws for 029 and they weren't the same threads. Most of the plastics on the 1127 series saws fit but didn't look original, like their starter assys. I kinda like their clutch covers, very nice. Haven't had any trouble with any parts on the MS250 series except for the choke actuator rod being the wrong shape, ended up making my own. Stihl 041 air filters wouldn't fit, ended up trashcanning them.

 

[Khntr85]

I have bought a clutch cover for my ms362 and just recently got a farmer tec whole engine to put in a ms180.... The clutch cover is identical to OEM, and the whole engine I put in the ms180 has 3-4 tanks threw it and seems to be running great..... Only time will tell how long the engine will last!!!