Worked on my first WildThing

[AOD]

...and now I know why this saw is so hated. What a cheap POS. All I had to do was sharpen the chain, which barely had any cutters on it to begin with, take down the rakers a bit and lastly pop off the top cover and check the air filter. First to operations were routine and easy enough. Then I go to remove the top cover, what a poorly designed pile of crap! You gotta slide it in and out just right to keep from bending/breaking anything inside. I finally got it off and was able to service the air filter, which is a pitiful joke in itself, and proceeded to put the whole business back together. What a friggin pain! After 20 minutes longer than it should have taken I finally got it back together. All I can say is I am glad it's not my saw and now I know the true quality that these saws are put together with.

 

[Rookie1]

Dont you feel dirty. You need to run down to the local car wash and cleanse yourself now. Dont forget to use the underbody wash too. Thats what I did when I fixed a Wildthang oilpump the other day. Glad to see im not the Loneranger.

 

[teacherman]

Sounds like a lot of fun! Oh, I must have one of these fine machines! I wonder if it shares any lineage with the legendary "Power Horse." Sounds as though they are similar.

I'm sure the owner of said fine machine appreciated you working on it for him. Sometimes, it seems no good deed goes unpunished......:greenchainsaw:

 

[brages]

I fixed up a Craftsman/Poulan (34cc/14", no AV) -- it needed a primer bulb and new fuel lines. I thought it was pretty easy to work on, very straightforward. Cheap, sure, but not badly designed.

I like the Poulans better than the cheap Homelite and Ryobi stuff coming out of China... RAH RAH GO USA, etc!

 

[epicklein22]

Guess you haven't worked on a mini mac yet.

<a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/01/16/go-cry-emo-kid/"><img alt="emo cat" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/2001819576783355739_rs.jpg" /></a><br />more <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com">animals</a>

 

[Modifiedmark]

I'm with you last 2 guys.

 

[Rookie1]

All im sayin is after working on my "cheap plastic"021 Stihl the wildthing is built way cheaper and flimsier. Id say the cheapest Stihl is still better built than it. When I finished it I took it out and cut some wood with it and it did OK. Theres no way Id rely on it as my frontline firewood saw. Maybe 3or4 string.

 

[spacemule]

And just think, more Wild Things are sold than 361's. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[blackoak]

All im sayin is after working on my "cheap plastic"021 Stihl the wildthing is built way cheaper and flimsier. Id say the cheapest Stihl is still better built than it. When I finished it I took it out and cut some wood with it and it did OK. Theres no way Id rely on it as my frontline firewood saw. Maybe 3or4 string.

I wouldn't rely on one to cut a 2X4 in half.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Rookie1]

I wouldn't rely on one to cut a 2X4 in half.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[man of stihl 83]

its sad

somepeople will spend almost a $100 to fix those piles of junk and ive seen some people with good saws that complain about spending $50 to replace an oil pump

 

[AOD]

And just think, more Wild Things are sold than 361's. :hmm3grin2orange:

Cuz you can buy 5 WildThings for the price of one 361.

 

[spacemule]

Cuz you can buy 5 WildThings for the price of one 361.

More like 8, but who's counting? :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[RED-85-Z51]

...and now I know why this saw is so hated. What a cheap POS. All I had to do was sharpen the chain, which barely had any cutters on it to begin with, take down the rakers a bit and lastly pop off the top cover and check the air filter. First to operations were routine and easy enough. Then I go to remove the top cover, what a poorly designed pile of crap! You gotta slide it in and out just right to keep from bending/breaking anything inside. I finally got it off and was able to service the air filter, which is a pitiful joke in itself, and proceeded to put the whole business back together. What a friggin pain! After 20 minutes longer than it should have taken I finally got it back together. All I can say is I am glad it's not my saw and now I know the true quality that these saws are put together with.

There is no excuse for a simple sharpen and filter service to take 30 minutes. None at all.

Ive sharpened the chain, new plug, cleaned the air filter, and put on a new loop handle in 10 minutes, without rushing at all.

You only need 3 tools for the job.

Ratchet with 1/2" socket for the bar nuts.

Flatblade screwdriver for the top cover screws.

3/4" socket for the plug.

The top cover slides off no problem on both the old style, and the newer Stratocharged style, if you are about to break parts doing anything, you are doing it wrong.

I mean in all honesty, a Full tuneup including a carb rebuild, fuel lines, primer bulb, plug, sharpen chain and a new spur is a 50 minute job tops, including a quick blowoff of the unit.

Flimsy...I dont think so. The top handle breaks away if the thing gets run over...Ive seen 1 come in with the top cover all busted off and the top handle missing, it served as a chock for the guys truck on accident. I see far too many broken Huskys, and Stihls for the Wild Thing to be called "flimsy".

 

[Javelin]

there is a diffrence between the cheap stihl and the poulan!:greenchainsaw:

 

[spacemule]

There is no excuse for a simple sharpen and filter service to take 30 minutes. None at all.

Ive sharpened the chain, new plug, cleaned the air filter, and put on a new loop handle in 10 minutes, without rushing at all.

You only need 3 tools for the job.

Ratchet with 1/2" socket for the bar nuts.

Flatblade screwdriver for the top cover screws.

3/4" socket for the plug.

The top cover slides off no problem on both the old style, and the newer Stratocharged style, if you are about to break parts doing anything, you are doing it wrong.

I mean in all honesty, a Full tuneup including a carb rebuild, fuel lines, primer bulb, plug, sharpen chain and a new spur is a 50 minute job tops, including a quick blowoff of the unit.

Flimsy...I dont think so. The top handle breaks away if the thing gets run over...Ive seen 1 come in with the top cover all busted off and the top handle missing, it served as a chock for the guys truck on accident. I see far too many broken Huskys, and Stihls for the Wild Thing to be called "flimsy".

AOD is just trying to score some points with the Stihl mafia. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[stihlboy]

AOD they are not That Bad im sure the multicolor mac is worse. My guess is you dont know how to work on them. you think you got it bad?? try replacing the 3/16 i.d fuel line.. it is alot bigger around than the hole it goes in. took me 30 minutes, i ended up melting and streching the end of the line so it went into the tank then pulled it through with needlenose pliers and cut off the melted part and installed a fuel filter

 

[blackoak]

There is no excuse for a simple sharpen and filter service to take 30 minutes. None at all.

Ive sharpened the chain, new plug, cleaned the air filter, and put on a new loop handle in 10 minutes, without rushing at all.

You only need 3 tools for the job.

Ratchet with 1/2" socket for the bar nuts.

Flatblade screwdriver for the top cover screws.

3/4" socket for the plug.

The top cover slides off no problem on both the old style, and the newer Stratocharged style, if you are about to break parts doing anything, you are doing it wrong.

I mean in all honesty, a Full tuneup including a carb rebuild, fuel lines, primer bulb, plug, sharpen chain and a new spur is a 50 minute job tops, including a quick blowoff of the unit.

Flimsy...I dont think so. The top handle breaks away if the thing gets run over...Ive seen 1 come in with the top cover all busted off and the top handle missing, it served as a chock for the guys truck on accident. I see far too many broken Huskys, and Stihls for the Wild Thing to be called "flimsy".

Red would you please autograph my Wildthing for me after you do a 50 minute tune up for me, never mind the quick blow off you might break it.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[teacherman]

And just think, more Wild Things are sold than 361's. :hmm3grin2orange:

That speaks volumes about the American buying public........

We are the "Power Horse"-men of our own economic apocalypse, soon to be:
:deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse:

 

[RED-85-Z51]

AOD they are not That Bad im sure the multicolor mac is worse. My guess is you dont know how to work on them. you think you got it bad?? try replacing the 3/16 i.d fuel line.. it is alot bigger around than the hole it goes in. took me 30 minutes, i ended up melting and streching the end of the line so it went into the tank then pulled it through with needlenose pliers and cut off the melted part and installed a fuel filter

The 3/16" is a snap..it's the smaller line that seems to give people problems.

I use Tygon, I take a saw file with a handle on it and put it in the line hole, apply pressure and give it a few twists, blow it off, cut line at an angle and push it in, use hemostats to grab from inside, voila. never a leak, no problems, the case is thick in that area.

The worst thing to put fuel line on is a Tanaka ECS-415. Complete saw teardown, includes splitting the crankcase, removing the cylinder, etc...It's a solid 2-3 hour job and you had better hope the case doesnt leak bar oil outside, or into the crankcase when you get it all back together.