The cylinder wall is perfect and compression is 175 psi, but the piston skirt is ugly. Should I just run it, clean the piston skirt and perhaps install new rings, or pop in a new Meteor piston with new Caber rings? I just want to make sure that I don't cause issues with the cylinder wall as good 52mm jugs are getting hard to come by.
New piston in the 038 Magnum or not?
- Thread starter John Lyngdal
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Post up some pictures... round my neck of the woods "ugly" is very subjective.
They have them aftermarket but some people like OEM...mine was too far gone and I tried an AM on mine, so far so good...
I thought Northern Georgia was quite nice as I drove through the area, but I don't think the same can be said of this piston skirt. The saw was a CL find that I've put into rehab. The carb was set way too rich when I received it, hence the carbon deposits in the exhaust port. Will take care of those when I pull the jug.
If you are putting new rings I'd do the piston. Last thing you want is the skirt to chip and things to go fubar after you had it all part. Pistons are cheap. And you're already doing rings...
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See what piston looks like when you take it out and check skirt clearance if it looks salvageable.
Looks like some carbon scoring going on.
What happened to the cylinder fin?
Looks like some carbon scoring going on.
What happened to the cylinder fin?
I thought Northern Georgia was quite nice as I drove through the area, but I don't think the same can be said of this piston skirt. The saw was a CL find that I've put into rehab. The carb was set way too rich when I received it, hence the carbon deposits in the exhaust port. Will take care of those when I pull the jug.
Looks like you also have a cooling fin broken off. If it were mine I'd just save myself some work and put a new P/C kit in it..
The cooling fin injury looks like it happened some time ago based on the broken surface. I'll order a new piston and cylinder and give it a full rehab.
Found a 52mm Tecomec kit for the saw, but wondering if I should just install a new piston and rings since the jug is damaged and run it till she drops. What would be the downside of doing this?
Found a 52mm Tecomec kit for the saw, but wondering if I should just install a new piston and rings since the jug is damaged and run it till she drops. What would be the downside of doing this?
RBurtcher
ArboristSite Operative
Big bore, short stroke. Replace the piston if it looks/mics out as questionable imo.
What does cylinder look like? If you can save that get an OEM or Meteor piston.
The Italian Tecomec P/C kits were OEM quality, word is they are now being made in China. Try to find an Italian one. Maybe Weedeaterman has one?
I talked with a person who worked for Total, the former importer for Tecomec. He was not very reassuring about the Chi-Com product vs the Italian made. Maybe someone who has used one of the Chi-Com products can comment on them.
I wouldn't hesitate a minute to get a Huztl (Farmer Tech) or other aftermarket piston/cylinder kit. I have one on mine and have had no problems. When you go to re-sell it some buyers will balk but if it's for your own use why spend all that money for OEM? I've tried AM kits in several different Stihl models and haven't had a failure yet.
I would especially want OEM if it was for my own use.
The Italian made P/C kits were OEM quality. I posted pictures here of a 038M kit a few years back. This was before the site crash and pictures were lost, I might still have the pictures saved on a backup from my old computer, I'll have to look. see: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/tecomec-cyl-assys.116179/
Compare one of those with a Huztl kit. Well the Chi-Com kits plating, casting, and port chamfers look, fugly
I mentioned for my own use because if I did have a problem with it I would just grab another saw and keep going. If I depended on it and it was my only saw I doubt it would be an 038. I'd probably get something a little more modern..actually, probably wouldn't even be a Stihl..
Pull it apart. If it cleans up run it if it's not worn. May be scratched up. Can't tell in the picture. Compression seems too good for anything too bad. The. Token cooling fin doesn't bother me really. There's several more on there. Just me It's for yourself The cylinder will be fine.
