Ms 462 repair on a budget

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numnutz6383

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I'm trying to repair a 462 on a budget. As long as the bottom end ends up being good, all it likely needs would be a new cylinder. OEM P+C kit around me is running around $400 from a dealer. On ebay I found an OEM kit for $300. I found a used OEM cylinder on eBay for $140, and a Lil Red Barn piston can be had for $42. So that would be $182 vs $300 or 400. Significant cost savings.

How does this cylinder look? Worth the $140? How concerning is that spot marked by the arrow? Are Lil Red Barn pistons a waste of money?

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Well, if it was mine and I wanted to keep it I would take a Dremel tool and grind a chamfer on the edge of the ports where the plating has flaked off, put a new piston in it and run it.

You can get an 80 grit or whatever wheel to go on that Dremel as well to clean any aluminum transfer.

It will last you until you are sick of it.

Get a Meteor piston if they have them.
 
Personally- if someone was asking me to spend US$140 on that particular cylinder- I would say no thanks.
Odds are pretty good the LRB pistons you are looking at for $42 are the same Asian made pistons you can buy for like $5 or less online.
I'm probably just gonna bite the bullet and get an OEM kit.

If meteor made a cylinder (they don't from what I can tell) would they be the preferable aftermarket choice? What other choices exist?
 
I'm probably just gonna bite the bullet and get an OEM kit.

If meteor made a cylinder (they don't from what I can tell) would they be the preferable aftermarket choice? What other choices exist?
Can you grind out upper transfers and bevel the exhaust port proper like, if so a HL set will give fair service if closely examined for loose plating in the upper transfers and bevel corrections on the exhaust port.
 
Unless you need the saw ASAP for work I don't think its worth it to get used/off brand parts that will need to be replaced much sooner than new OEM. I would save my pennies and get new OEM parts from ebay as soon as it is an option financially.
 
For my money, near $200 on secondhand shite and cheap as chips piston on a modern high spec saw versus one more Franklin on OEM is a no brainer.
Over here- a new OEM top end for a 462 leaves you with just a couple of $20 bills change out of $1,000:00 and a complete new 462 out of any Stihl shop is going to cost me $2,575:00- so $300 of yours aint too bad.
 
For my money, near $200 on secondhand shite and cheap as chips piston on a modern high spec saw versus one more Franklin on OEM is a no brainer.
Over here- a new OEM top end for a 462 leaves you with just a couple of $20 bills change out of $1,000:00 and a complete new 462 out of any Stihl shop is going to cost me $2,575:00- so $300 of yours aint too bad.
Is this freedom dollars or Canadian dollars? My lord that's absurd. I've called four Stihl dealers in a 20 mile radius, prices run 1300-1400 for a new 462.
 
Can you grind out upper transfers and bevel the exhaust port proper like, if so a HL set will give fair service if closely examined for loose plating in the upper transfers and bevel corrections on the exhaust port.
At this point this is beyond my knowledge and abilities. I'm planning on learning how to port etc, but in something much cheaper than this.
 
Im pretty sure you can find meteor cylinders and pistons. Ive just fitted them to a 460, isnt that the same just an older version? Saw runs great.
 

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