Scored a Stihl MS200T that ran wihout an air filter - advice?

[Mike-B]

Hi Fellas,

Looking for some advice on cleaning out an MS200T. First here's a back-story:

I was doing some I.T. work for a friend, helping him set-up his new business. Wasn't planning on charging him as the work was trivial (to me) and only took a few hours on the weekend. Anyways, he decided he had to offer me something in return and wandered off (I figured to grab a carton of beer) and he comes back with a tidy looking MS200T asking if I'd have a use for this?!

He knows I have one already on the farm and that it owed him nothing after he sold off his landscaping business. I asked him if he knew at all what they were worth at the moment secondhand and replied he did but that this one "needed some love". Turns out this unit had been run from new for 3-4 tanks without the airfilter. Being a true friend, I was not going to hassle him as to weather it was him or one of his boys but he said he only discovered it when it started to run lean and he took the cover off... so I can guess who it was. :rolleyes2:
Apparently he'd shoved it on a shelf at home planning to get it looked at but never got around to it. In the meantime he sold his business, was no longer interested in fixing it or even selling it for parts, and that was that. Reluctantly, I accepted his offer. :msp_smile:​

So, it still runs and he says the compression is good. It's only as couple of years old according to the sticker on the clutch cover and I suspect its a US model as it doesn't have the Aussie C-Tick sticker. I'm handy enough with carbs and such on Stihls but haven't done any real work on two-stroke pistons/cylinders. What I'd like is any advice on how to clean-out sawdust from inside a chainsaw? Anything else I should be looking out for? I've got no idea how much sawdust can get sucked into an MS200T in 3-4 tanks or if it's even a worry?

I'll post some external photos soon but it will be a few days before I can open it up.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[blsnelling]

Take it apart and remove the cylinder. It might not need much of anything if only 3-4 tanks. Check the crank bearings, piston, and cylinder for wear.

 

[Mike-B]

It might not need much of anything if only 3-4 tanks.

Yeah, this is what I am hoping. Is there any need to replace new cylinder gasket when pulling the head off?

 

[imagineero]

Put an air filter on it. Sharpen the chain. Fill the oil and fuel. Get back to work.

Shaun

 

[B Harrison]

I guess if it was in green wood when used then there is a good chance that it just needs to be cleaned up and retuned. I can't imagine its broken, so


air filter, fuel, oil, run! If something is wrong, it will come up.

 

[Saw Dr.]

Take it apart. Put the piston so it covers the intake port. dust the port out with a toothbrush and then suck it clean with a shop vac. Spray out the carb with some cleaner. Put the handle/airbox assy in the parts washer and get the crap out of there. Reassemble saw and put a filter in. I'd replace the foam block under the carb mouth too. Go cut wood and forget about it. Many of the old Stihl saws had just screens for air filters. I have seen them where the crud is stacked up against the emulsion tube in the carb, and they still run great. While I would not suggest running without a filter, I doubt much damage was done in a few tanks unless he was cutting cement.

 

[Mike-B]

Cheers for the tips guys. I'm still tempted to pull the cylinder off just to have a stickybeak. I'll see what I can see through the intake, exhaust and spark plug first though.

It's funny, I know how solid my other one is and yet I get my hands on an almost new one and all of a sudden I get precious! :rolleyes2:

FWIW here are some photos. Cosmetically it's basically new. Hardly any discolouration around the exhaust too. The bar and chain really only have seen a few tanks...

View attachment 261797
View attachment 261798
View attachment 261799
View attachment 261800

 

[JOE.G]

Thing looks new, I wonder why it was run with out the filter. I would clean it up and run it.

 

[RVALUE]

Take it apart and remove the cylinder. It might not need much of anything if only 3-4 tanks. Check the crank bearings, piston, and cylinder for wear.

First?

 

[RVALUE]

Not to name names, (or let the monkey out) but I know some who don't use filters.


Just saying.

 

[385XP]

Take it apart and remove the cylinder. It might not need much of anything if only 3-4 tanks. Check the crank bearings, piston, and cylinder for wear.

I agree with you on that . 4 tanks isnt that much run time really at all. ive hada 460 with the hd filter that leaked for over a year of logging and it stiil ran good when i got rid of it.

 

[formationrx]

...

happy 4 u... that is a nice saw...
+1 imagineero

 

[Guido Salvage]

Just put it on a shelf and look at it....

 

[zogger]

No idea on your high rent saw, but all the old poulans i have and are good runners now came with about the most clapped out non existent filters you can imagine, just wore out to the screen. And absolutely no idea how much they were run like that either. I did nothing to them other than getting them running and make my own filters using the old screen part and dustmask material. One of them has plenty of cords on it now, a 3400.

I really wouldn't worry too much about a few tanks and no screen. If ya want take it apart and rinse the crancase out well. Me, I'd just run it unless it showed scoring already.

 

[Mad Professor]

That saw looks sweet!

I'd have look inside intake and ex., if all looks well , flush case out with some mix and get a new filter.

If scoring is present take Brads advice above and pull the cylinder. That saw is worth putting a OEM piston if it needs it.

 

[blsnelling]

I think he should send it to me, so as to not have to deal with all the hassles

 

[PJF1313]

Cheers for the tips guys. I'm still tempted to pull the cylinder off just to have a stickybeak. I'll see what I can see through the intake, exhaust and spark plug first though.

It's funny, I know how solid my other one is and yet I get my hands on an almost new one and all of a sudden I get precious! :rolleyes2:

FWIW here are some photos. Cosmetically it's basically new. Hardly any discolouration around the exhaust too. The bar and chain really only have seen a few tanks...

Dumb question -

Is a "stickybeak" in the Southern Hemisphere, the same as a "look-see" in the Northern Hemisphere?

 

[Mike-B]

Dumb question -

Is a "stickybeak" in the Southern Hemisphere, the same as a "look-see" in the Northern Hemisphere?

It is indeed!

I have to say I'm feeling pretty fortunate with this one. I called the mate who gave it to me last night - partly out of a sense of guilt - to make sure he was ok with it considering what has been suggested here and he was adamant I keep it.

Ii think I'll start taking payment for my IT services in near new chainsaws from now on. :msp_smile:

 

[PJF1313]

It is indeed!

I have to say I'm feeling pretty fortunate with this one. I called the mate who gave it to me last night - partly out of a sense of guilt - to make sure he was ok with it considering what has been suggested here and he was adamant I keep it.

Ii think I'll start taking payment for my IT services in near new chainsaws from now on. :msp_smile:

1) Thanks !

2) YOU SUCK!! (if it hasn't been said!)

I guess it pays for all the other "can ya help me with...[submit a win3.1 question here]" questions you get from everybody else...