Ms261 crankshaft slop

[vortec325]

I got a free 261 , guy said he took it to the shop they put a new clutch on it and he went on his way . Used the saw for about 6 months and took it back due to the chain brake killing the motor . They told him it’s a total loss . I got it and immediately noticed that the clutch drum and bearing were totally shot . I had a less than perfect one that I put on and it tightened it up a lot but in the process I noticed that the crank shaft has a fair amount of in and out play . Does this mean the main bearings are toast or is there something the dealer could have missed with the clutch replacement ?


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[pioneerguy600]

Is it the cranksghaft that is moving in /out or the clutch drum ot rim drive? The ball bearings that the crank turns on don`t allow for much sideways movement.

 

[grizz55chev]

I got a free 261 , guy said he took it to the shop they put a new clutch on it and he went on his way . Used the saw for about 6 months and took it back due to the chain brake killing the motor . They told him it’s a total loss . I got it and immediately noticed that the clutch drum and bearing were totally shot . I had a less than perfect one that I put on and it tightened it up a lot but in the process I noticed that the crank shaft has a fair amount of in and out play . Does this mean the main bearings are toast or is there something the dealer could have missed with the clutch replacement ?


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Check the clutch springs, clutch maybe locked up.

 

[vortec325]

Is it the cranksghaft that is moving in /out or the clutch drum ot rim drive? The ball bearings that the crank turns on don`t allow for much sideways movement.

I got the clutch drum and stuff ripped off . It’s most certainly the crank that’s moving in and out . It moves on the flywheel side too so the whole thing is moving


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[vortec325]

Check the clutch springs, clutch maybe locked up.

The clutch drum is so shot that it was cocked off and wedged acting like the brake is on


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[pioneerguy600]

I got the clutch drum and stuff ripped off . It’s most certainly the crank that’s moving in and out . It moves on the flywheel side too so the whole thing is moving


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Ya, then I think you have to pull it apart, sounds like the bearings are too loose of a fit on the crankshaft allowing the crank to slide inside the inner race bore that should be a very tight fit to the crank stubs.

 

[vortec325]

Yah that’s what I figured . Pretty sad for 2 years of light use and supposedly nothing but the stihl synthetic oil


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[pioneerguy600]

Definitely something wrong if the bearing or both bearings spun out on the crank, have seen it on heavily used 046`s a couple of times the clutch side bearing had spun around on the crank til it reduced the crank stub enough in diameter that a new bearing would slide right on and off with no resistance.

 

[vortec325]

It can happen if both bearings were junk but what’s the chance on a low hour saw . Guess we will see [emoji1303]


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[pioneerguy600]

Little left to do but split the cases and find out, lets hope the bearings didn`t spin out in the case bores.

 

[Huntaholic]

Little left to do but split the cases and find out, lets hope the bearings didn`t spin out in the case bores.

Unfortunately this is most likely the case. The housing is out of a much softer material than the crank and if that's the case its really not worth fixing back if you use OEM case halves.

 

[vortec325]

Little left to do but split the cases and find out, lets hope the bearings didn`t spin out in the case bores.

Yah that’s what I’m afraid of


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[vortec325]

I know this is a stupid question but is there a trick on getting the flywheel off ? I tried using a puller but was putting more effort into it than I though I would need too


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[SteveSr]

I know this is a stupid question but is there a trick on getting the flywheel off ? I tried using a puller but was putting more effort into it than I though I would need too

The Stihl specific puller works great if you happen to have one. Another option is to heat the flywheel gently with a propane torch while the puller is under tension. Usually these come off pretty readily. What type of puller are you using? Pics?

I also seem to recall an issue with improperly hardened crankshafts in 261s. Others can fill in the gaps. These would tend to destroy the clutch end of the crank. This sort of sounds like yours may have started this way and someone just kept running the saw.

 

[vortec325]

The Stihl specific puller works great if you happen to have one. Another option is to heat the flywheel gently with a propane torch while the puller is under tension. Usually these come off pretty readily. What type of puller are you using? Pics?

I also seem to recall an issue with improperly hardened crankshafts in 261s. Others can fill in the gaps. These would tend to destroy the clutch end of the crank. This sort of sounds like yours may have started this way and someone just kept running the saw.

I have just a small flat four finger puller . The kind you put bolts threw not the the one with “hooks” . The clutch end is actually pretty good, a little dark color to it (maybe the grease they used ) but not worn . A new bearing and clutch hub takes all the play out of it


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[pioneerguy600]

This style puller is the cats whiskers for pulling the flywheel off a Stihl saw,

 

[vortec325]

I honestly don’t see how that would work


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[pioneerguy600]

Big part screws into the flywheel center, smaller bolt runs in through the center of the big part and pushes on the end of the crank stub, pops off the flywheel real easy.

 

[vortec325]

Big part screws into the flywheel center, smaller bolt runs in through the center of the big part and pushes on the end of the crank stub, pops off the flywheel real easy.

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[SteveSr]

This style puller is the cats whiskers for pulling the flywheel off a Stihl saw,

This is basically the same as the Stihl puller.