New to Me - 044 - A few questions...

[bulletpruf]

Fellas -

Picked up a 044 from the Trading Post here. It's a slant fin, serial number 123723575. Chain brake handle dated 1989 on the sticker. Has 150 psi. This is my first 044; surprised at how light it is. Certainly feels a lot lighter than my 038 Magnum.

Anyway, as I understand it, this slant fin jug is the good one to have, right? And this is the saw with the 10mm wrist pin, correct? What are y'all seeing for compression on yours? Wondering if 150 psi is on the low side.

Also, my assumption is that the saw should run great as-is (I haven't cut with it yet), assuming it's tuned properly, and given the excellent timing from the factory, porting would not make a huge difference. However, I would still see good gains from a base gasket delete and a muffler mod. Y'all agree? Figure I would swap the rings for OEM or Caber if/when I delete the base gasket.

Thanks!

Scott

 

[BonScott46]

You might gain a little from new rings but from what I have read and seeing mine 155-160 is what they run with very low hours. The KS jugs were as high as 180 stock from what I have read, you might be able to get it there with a tightened squish and new rings. All 10mm's were slant fin jugs from the factory but not all 12mm's were straight fins. I would suggest switching over the filter to an HD2 or Maxflow as well as tightening squish and porting the muffler, or at least gutting it and enlarging the stock opening significantly. You can get an aftermarket empty can muffler with a dual port front cover for cheap on Ebay. That filter setup is pretty restrictive or at least mine was and it was a big improvemenet switching it over. A guy could advance the timing as well if so desired.

 

[Wicked500R]

BonScott hit it. Mine is a very low hour KS jug but have not checked compression. I need a new compression gauge. When I got mine, I also thought wow this thing is light weight! Pull the muffler and have a peek at the piston condition.

 

[bulletpruf]

Thanks for the input. The KS jugs were the good ones, right? Are all the KS jugs slant fin? If not, how can I tell if I have the good jug/KS jug? Stamped somewhere on it?

I like the idea of the MaxFlow or HD2 filter, but will the HD2 require a different air filter cover or will it fit under the stock one?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[blsnelling]

Go with OEM rings or make sure the Cabers are not F-Cast. The F-Cast rings are MUCH stiffer, thus creating much more friction.

 

[BonScott46]

It would be stamped on the top of the jug. I have never seen or heard of a KS coming with that filter setup. The Mahle slant fins run very well, especially if you do all the stuff talked about before. You need the filter base, post and cover to convert to the HD style setup.

 

[BonScott46]

Go with OEM rings or make sure the Cabers are not F-Cast. The F-Cast rings are MUCH stiffer, thus creating much more friction.

Is it the I-cast iron one should look for?

 

[BonScott46]

This guy is located in Italy like you and has I-cast cabers for good prices.

http://www.dlastore.com/e_store/pis...l-044-ms-440-magnum-ms-441-ts-410-ts-420.html

 

[Wicked500R]

Take off the top cover and have a look. This is my KS jug,

 

[Jacob J.]

Thanks for the input. The KS jugs were the good ones, right? Are all the KS jugs slant fin? If not, how can I tell if I have the good jug/KS jug? Stamped somewhere on it?

I like the idea of the MaxFlow or HD2 filter, but will the HD2 require a different air filter cover or will it fit under the stock one?

Thanks,

Scott

You'll need the HD filter base, like the one here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stihl-OEM-...095914&hash=item3d4d142b39:g:sfEAAOSwJq1ZaAq2

You'll also need the HD filter flange, like the one here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/STIHL-CHAI...689631?hash=item5450d9951f:g:yzYAAOSwwLpZ5PBv

Then you can buy the Max-Flow system if you like, or the HD2 filter and HD filter cover. All the KS jugs that came on the 044s were slant fin. The early Mahle jugs also make good runners and you'll see those in both slant fin and straight fin.

I would say yours is definitely a 10mm wrist pin- it has the metal model badge on the starter housing and the 4mm spline screws on the starter. This means it's an early crankcase with the smaller mixing area.

 

[bulletpruf]

Take off the top cover and have a look. This is my KS jug,

Here's what I have. Similar, but different markings.

 

[Jacob J.]

It looks like yours is the Mahle.

 

[bulletpruf]

You'll need the HD filter base, like the one here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stihl-OEM-...095914&hash=item3d4d142b39:g:sfEAAOSwJq1ZaAq2

You'll also need the HD filter flange, like the one here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/STIHL-CHAI...689631?hash=item5450d9951f:g:yzYAAOSwwLpZ5PBv

Then you can buy the Max-Flow system if you like, or the HD2 filter and HD filter cover. All the KS jugs that came on the 044s were slant fin. The early Mahle jugs also make good runners and you'll see those in both slant fin and straight fin.

I would say yours is definitely a 10mm wrist pin- it has the metal model badge on the starter housing and the 4mm spline screws on the starter. This means it's an early crankcase with the smaller mixing area.

Thanks, Jacob. I grabbed the HD2 air filter, base, and flange. Need to figure out part number for HD filter cover.

Scott

 

[Jacob J.]

Thanks, Jacob. I grabbed the HD2 air filter, base, and flange. Need to figure out part number for HD filter cover.

Scott

1128 140 1003 is what I have here. That's the later version.

 

[bulletpruf]

1128 140 1003 is what I have here. That's the later version.

Ok, got one of those, too. Thanks again for all the info.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Nice to see it is a Stihl jug. I bought what I thought was a slant fin 044 and turned out it was a slant fin New West aftermarket jug. Live and learn.

 

[wyk]

Did you pick yours up in Europe? If so, good chance it has the rather restrictive euro muffler with two baffles in it. It will make far more of a difference if you simply swap that out for a more free flowing muffler and retune than put a new air filter on it. I prefer the smaller air filter set up - light, compact, works about as well as the HD in my experience, but half a pound less weight. My 044 is a much later model than yours. a 126 or 128, I forget. But it has the KS jug and pulls 170 psi. If I got an 044 that pulled 150, I would run it and be happy - especially at the prices these 10mm 044's go for in Europe since no one seems to know their potential here.

 

[bulletpruf]

Did you pick yours up in Europe? If so, good chance it has the rather restrictive euro muffler with two baffles in it. It will make far more of a difference if you simply swap that out for a more free flowing muffler and retune than put a new air filter on it. I prefer the smaller air filter set up - light, compact, works about as well as the HD in my experience, but half a pound less weight. My 044 is a much later model than yours. a 126 or 128, I forget. But it has the KS jug and pulls 170 psi. If I got an 044 that pulled 150, I would run it and be happy - especially at the prices these 10mm 044's go for in Europe since no one seems to know their potential here.

It came from Hungary. I'll check the muffler. If it has two baffles, I'll either drill them out or remove one or both. EDIT - I did check, and it has two baffles. I'll remove the second baffle, or as much of it as I can, drill out the first baffle, and add a second port, with a deflector and screen.

I found an OEM piston for a reasonable price, so I'm going to run that. It wasn't much more expensive than a good set of OEM rings. Will do the base gasket delete when I swap then piston.

Thanks

Scott

 

[bulletpruf]

Got the muffler modded today. Cut, drilled, and chiseled out the extra baffle. Then drilled out the other baffle. And drilled a hole in the side and added an extra port and deflector. Should breathe better now.

Here's what I started with.



Then this.



After drilling out...



Finally, all installed with the extra port. Still have some clearance between the deflector and the chain brake handle.