tickhound93
ArboristSite Guru
Hey guys, new user and wanted to fill you in on some of the projects i have going, share my experiences and hopefully hear some of yours with the loved and hated chinese ebay parts.
I run a shop, i fix bikes, 4wheelers and saws. I will be the first to say this, i am NOT a saw guru, but i have schooling and experience behind me enough to where i fix customer saws, take used saws as trade ins, and in turn sell them.
In my area, stihl is about your best option for a saw, dealers are around, they have a good reputation, and there is little for competion from other brands. However, I am not a stihl dealer and cannot get oem parts ordered directly to me.
First off, customer machines get OEM parts only. I know they work and can stand behind them, however i own a fleet of stihl saws, and have decided to try aftermarket parts on my personal saws, to find out if they are junk, or are a feasible alternative to stihl OEM.
Saw number 1, an ms250 with a scored top end, given to me by a farmer. I ordered a huztl complete engine, cylinder, pan, crank, bearings, seals rings, piston pin, circlips pin bearing and of course the piston. Also cam with a nice LAZER plug, never even heard of them.
I assembled the saw, started it up, and went through break in. After an hour of use, it developed a lean condition, which i suspected because of the scored top end. i replaced impulse line and pick up line with OEM, to eliminate those as problems that caused the failure, problem persisted, i checked my intake manifold gaskets and intake rubber- all were fine. I suspected cheap crank seals. I pulled the clutch to check the seals, and i found a crank that had severe play. i tore down the engine, trying to find the root of the problem. I miced the am crank bearings, thinking they were smaller in diameter, and found that they were larger in diameter, but felt like new bearings. and all other measurements between am crank, pan and cylinder were identical to those of the oem. I then assebled the AM cylinder and pan with the OEM crank, and had no play. Next step is OEM bearings and seals on AM crank, pan and cylinder. I want to use this engine a s a guinea pig to test and stress AM parts, replacing AM parts should they fail with OEM to determine the true serviceability of each AM component.
Saw Number 2- 046 west coast i got for free, bad top end, larger clutch cover, dual spikes, 3/4 wrap handle, 36 inch far with 2 36 inch chains, one 404 and one 3/8. Being shipped to my door as we speak are a AM bb top end and dual port muffler kit. I will port this cylinder, adjust squish, and bump compression to 185 if i can. I will test it and post results after wood making season is over.
Hit me with questions, concerns, and experiences.
And keep in mind, these are MY personal saws, not customers, these builds are for my experience and others who want to know what these AM parts are all about.
I run a shop, i fix bikes, 4wheelers and saws. I will be the first to say this, i am NOT a saw guru, but i have schooling and experience behind me enough to where i fix customer saws, take used saws as trade ins, and in turn sell them.
In my area, stihl is about your best option for a saw, dealers are around, they have a good reputation, and there is little for competion from other brands. However, I am not a stihl dealer and cannot get oem parts ordered directly to me.
First off, customer machines get OEM parts only. I know they work and can stand behind them, however i own a fleet of stihl saws, and have decided to try aftermarket parts on my personal saws, to find out if they are junk, or are a feasible alternative to stihl OEM.
Saw number 1, an ms250 with a scored top end, given to me by a farmer. I ordered a huztl complete engine, cylinder, pan, crank, bearings, seals rings, piston pin, circlips pin bearing and of course the piston. Also cam with a nice LAZER plug, never even heard of them.
I assembled the saw, started it up, and went through break in. After an hour of use, it developed a lean condition, which i suspected because of the scored top end. i replaced impulse line and pick up line with OEM, to eliminate those as problems that caused the failure, problem persisted, i checked my intake manifold gaskets and intake rubber- all were fine. I suspected cheap crank seals. I pulled the clutch to check the seals, and i found a crank that had severe play. i tore down the engine, trying to find the root of the problem. I miced the am crank bearings, thinking they were smaller in diameter, and found that they were larger in diameter, but felt like new bearings. and all other measurements between am crank, pan and cylinder were identical to those of the oem. I then assebled the AM cylinder and pan with the OEM crank, and had no play. Next step is OEM bearings and seals on AM crank, pan and cylinder. I want to use this engine a s a guinea pig to test and stress AM parts, replacing AM parts should they fail with OEM to determine the true serviceability of each AM component.
Saw Number 2- 046 west coast i got for free, bad top end, larger clutch cover, dual spikes, 3/4 wrap handle, 36 inch far with 2 36 inch chains, one 404 and one 3/8. Being shipped to my door as we speak are a AM bb top end and dual port muffler kit. I will port this cylinder, adjust squish, and bump compression to 185 if i can. I will test it and post results after wood making season is over.
Hit me with questions, concerns, and experiences.
And keep in mind, these are MY personal saws, not customers, these builds are for my experience and others who want to know what these AM parts are all about.
