New to me Stihl 038AV Super, photos and a few questions

[LondonNeil]

it lives! moooo hahahahaaa!

A 1.5mm x 14mm ID and 20mm OD fitted snuggly in the counterbore and snugly over the plug threads. i gapped the new plug, smeared gasket compound on both sides of the copper washer and fitted over the threads then did the plug up super tight, F'in tight, really really tight. Success! no leaks. saw felt different instantly, it must have been leaking like a sieve before. It now has noticeably more compression as i pull it over.

Finally got my other new bits from the dealer, so new fuel and oil filler caps, fuel filter and flock air filter fitted, plus new clutch drum/drive sprocket. New stihl chain, the correct 1.6mm/063" gauge, fitted. I started it up and ran it for just 60 seconds or so, giving it a few short bursts of full throttle, to check it runs. Not had the time for more yet.....reason being it was my 2 year old's birthday today, and as i type this with my left hand I am cradling my 11 day old girl in my right....tired dad here! Anyway saw runs and is clearly now in need of a tune as within a minute it was clear it runs very differently now without the air leak, as the saw started to warm i was getting chain creep so it is idling faster being the obvious one. i've never tuned a saw before so I'm after tips but my plan is to note the current settings then to set the high and low to the factory settings which iirc are in the manual and are something like one turn off fully clockwise. Then to adjust the idle speed until the chain just stops creeping....and to cross my fingers that at that point it neither smokes too much, nor stalls, it responds to the throttle and cuts ok. I know you guys will adjust saws on sound, it should '4 stroke' for a moment after throttle then settle, and four stroke as it hits wood before clearing up yes? and fro you tube vids i think i know 4 stroking is a sort of 'burble burble' right? however not sure i'll manage to pick that up. do you guys tune while not wearing ear plugs/defenders? or is it still easy to pick up when you have hearing protection? this saw is LOUD!
if it matters, the carb is marked 'Tilaston, made in USA'

 

[JustJeff]

The four stroking should be easy to distinguish on that old saw, the mufflers are fairly open. At full throttle, it will rev up quickly and the exhaust note should change from a smooth buzz to a more rorty sound. Often described as burbling but to me, burbling is an idle sound so I have to imagine a 12000 rpm burble. When you sink it in the wood and it smooths out, you will know it's good.

 

[LondonNeil]

Ok I got it out today, returned the carb to factory settings ( one turn off fully clockwise on high and low), started it up, warmed it, slowed the idle until the chain creep stopped and wow, it's a different saw! It was absurdly rich before, a quarter turn on low but 1.5 turns or more on the high! No wonder it smoked a little, it doesn't now. It also makes more then 3 cuts on tank now too, although it still uses a good bit. To get it perfect I had to richen the idle little and could then speed up the idle slightly to get it smoother but not chain creeping. It's still a very slow idle though, I may adjust this more. Throttle response is instant, no smoke on throttle yet when at wot in air I can here it burble then clean, then burble then clean and so on, in wood it seemed clean I think. I'm sure you guys would tweak it but it seems good to me

With the right chain it now cuts much better. I do think the bar groove may be getting worn wide so I'll keep an eye out for a deal on New Stihl bar but the saw does cut now, which is better, a lot better! I ran a tank and a bit through it and cut half my pile of uglies down to stove size. Yeeeha! Noodles flying out front, out back and all over!

It also smells better to use, being overly rich before the exhaust fumes made me light headed, not this time though.

I've also been working on the plastics with auto finesse dressle,. A plastics conditioner. It has them looking much less faded now. I'll have to get another pic for you.

Feeling happy with this saw at least, although a bargain bar would put a big grin on my face.

 

[Adam08ski]

Ok I got it out today, returned the carb to factory settings ( one turn off fully clockwise on high and low), started it up, warmed it, slowed the idle until the chain creep stopped and wow, it's a different saw! It was absurdly rich before, a quarter turn on low but 1.5 turns or more on the high! No wonder it smoked a little, it doesn't now. It also makes more then 3 cuts on tank now too, although it still uses a good bit. To get it perfect I had to richen the idle little and could then speed up the idle slightly to get it smoother but not chain creeping. It's still a very slow idle though, I may adjust this more. Throttle response is instant, no smoke on throttle yet when at wot in air I can here it burble then clean, then burble then clean and so on, in wood it seemed clean I think. I'm sure you guys would tweak it but it seems good to me

With the right chain it now cuts much better. I do think the bar groove may be getting worn wide so I'll keep an eye out for a deal on New Stihl bar but the saw does cut now, which is better, a lot better! I ran a tank and a bit through it and cut half my pile of uglies down to stove size. Yeeeha! Noodles flying out front, out back and all over!

It also smells better to use, being overly rich before the exhaust fumes made me light headed, not this time though.

I've also been working on the plastics with auto finesse dressle,. A plastics conditioner. It has them looking much less faded now. I'll have to get another pic for you.

Feeling happy with this saw at least, although a bargain bar would put a big grin on my face.

Are you UK London or US?

For a decent budget bar and chain and if UK, then on ebay buy an Oregon Pro AM bar and the suitable chain.

You will want a 72DL Oregon Pro AM bar for a Stihl 038 and a 3/8" .063 72DL semi chisel chain (I bought an Oregon one). Semi chisel as it is easier to file. This set up will be about £30 cheaper than buying a Stihl bar and chain.

Just my two pence though.

This was my 038 mag with the bar and chain mentioned above. My chain was chisel though. OK bar for what you will want.

 

[LondonNeil]

London, UK. I've read the Oregon bars are softer and wear faster than stihl. Tbh as this saw will not be used much that wouldn't be an issue. The current bar is useable still, but I think the chain rocks side to side a little more than ideal. I'll carry on with this bar for now and keep an eye out for a bargain on a bar, stihl preferably but Oregon would be ok.

 

[Adam08ski]

London, UK. I've read the Oregon bars are softer and wear faster than stihl. Tbh as this saw will not be used much that wouldn't be an issue. The current bar is useable still, but I think the chain rocks side to side a little more than ideal. I'll carry on with this bar for now and keep an eye out for a bargain on a bar, stihl preferably but Oregon would be ok.

Oregon bars are who make husqvarna oem bars. They are fine I have cut about 5 tonne buried deep in wood with a pro am. The bar still looked new. Having said that I now have only stihl bars. Chains I am not fussy if it's stihl Oregon or Carlton. Anyway nice to meet you. I have just purchased a super 038 project. They are a good saw the 038's if you don't mind the weight.

 

[LondonNeil]

Thanks for the info. Yes it is a weight, my back is sore today and I only ran it a short while yesterday.

Do you know anything about Rotatech ( formerly piranha) bars? Northern Arb Supplies sell them. I run a couple of their chains on my ms180 and they have been fine although I've read on arbtalk that some guys have snapped chains so I may avoid for the bigger saw, I'm undecided. I've not heard reviews of the bars though.

 

[LondonNeil]

Btw, where abouts in Essex are you? My parents are in Epping and brother and family in Leaden Roding, near Dunmow.

 

[Adam08ski]

Thanks for the info. Yes it is a weight, my back is sore today and I only ran it a short while yesterday.

Do you know anything about Rotatech ( formerly piranha) bars? Northern Arb Supplies sell them. I run a couple of their chains on my ms180 and they have been fine although I've read on arbtalk that some guys have snapped chains so I may avoid for the bigger saw, I'm undecided. I've not heard reviews of the bars though.

Their bars rust as they etch their name into the side, contrary to what they look like in pictures. Havn't actually had any experience on use though, purely on the rust when I acquired a 039 with a bar of theirs on.

 

[Adam08ski]

Btw, where abouts in Essex are you? My parents are in Epping and brother and family in Leaden Roding, near Dunmow.

Chelmsford, or to be more precise East Hanningfield.

 

[LondonNeil]

Chelmsford, not far then.

What are you planning for your super 038?

 

[Adam08ski]

Chelmsford, not far then.

What are you planning for your super 038?

this is where I am at. I had a mag and sold it, regretted it ever since, had a fair few saws like 372xp's and 044's and still like the old mag more.. so I bought a 038 case and crank, resprayed/bearings/sealed it. Added a few OEM and aftermarket bits to get a decent saw going. And then bought an 038 super to do what will now be a full OEM original restoration/respray. My wife thinks I am mental..

This is how the 2nd mag is looking.


This is how the super looks...

 

[LondonNeil]

Smart! Is this CAD put to any purpose? Firewood or something more?

The respray looks very good, what paint did you use? I hear the stihl stuff chips very easily but valspar tractor paint in ford grey is a good match. It's not easy to get in the UK though.

 

[Adam08ski]

Smart! Is this CAD put to any purpose? Firewood or something more?

The respray looks very good, what paint did you use? I hear the stihl stuff chips very easily but valspar tractor paint in ford grey is a good match. It's not easy to get in the UK though.

Just a firewood hoarder now. My family and friends have farms up in the midlands and spent my youth and early 20's cutting anything I could. The paint is 1k ford tractor white. Couldn't get hold of ford light grey. It's no better or worse than stihl stuff.

CAD is a troublesome thing to get rid of..

 

[LondonNeil]

lol! yeah, while if i had time id love to mod this saw, make it a magnum, or build a hutzl kit up etc etc and feed the desire to play, i dont have time for that and am doing ok at focusing my play time on collecting, bucking and hand splitting the end product. About 15m3 since April, not bad for someone in Crystal Palace I think.

did you etch prime before paint? i wonder about powder coating instead, but need a RAL number for the colour

 

[Adam08ski]

lol! yeah, while if i had time id love to mod this saw, make it a magnum, or build a hutzl kit up etc etc and feed the desire to play, i dont have time for that and am doing ok at focusing my play time on collecting, bucking and hand splitting the end product. About 15m3 since April, not bad for someone in Crystal Palace I think.

did you etch prime before paint? i wonder about powder coating instead, but need a RAL number for the colour

I have a few saws that I keep clean but are not shelf queens to cut with. These projects are just me messing in the evening on the table in front of the tv etc. 15m3 in Crystal Palace. That is hilarious!! Are you in a residential area? Bet any neighbors love you. Think my semi detached neighbors hate me.. I got bored axe splitting over the years. Now I just noodle/slab the big rounds down into burner sized lumps. I am lazy and favour my back over an extra gallon of fuel.. hahaha

So I am guessing you know your paints. Yes I did etch. Ideally a 2k solid colour from a gun would be great but I have no compressor anymore. There is a seller on eBay that powder coats stuff. He has a decent stihl colour too.

 

[LondonNeil]

15m3 this year since April, thats for 2018/19 and 19/20. Another 6-7m3 already done for this winter. Yep, typical semi, typical zone 3 residential street. My neighbours have their own anti social habits so frankly if my saw annoys them, and the big saw annoys them more....hey ho. I keep it sensible though, generally no more than a tank or occasionally two at a time, keep it to daylight hours, and usually middle of the afternoon, use the small saw mostly and unless I really really have to cut out front to shift a big round, I keep the cutting to the back garden where houses are further apart and more trees and bushes to absorb the noise.... And it's harder for them to come and complain. Besides, much of what I get is already cut to length (Arb waste) so the saw is only run a little, once a month on average.

There's a powder coat guy not far from here that my dad has used for lots of bits on 2 vintage Greeves motorcycles he has restored, decent and fair priced, I'd need a ral number though for him to mix to.

I take it you just used a rattle can then? Good finish, those cans are fine while full. Clear lacquer over for a bit of extra protection?

Although tbh I am undecided, a fresh coat would be nice but the honest worked but not wrecked look also appeals, this saw is probably 35 years old after all. Which reminds me, anyone know how to date the saw? Can it be done from the serial number? Or I think I may have seen a date wheel on the inside of one of the plastics but with some decoding needed.

As for splitting Vs saw, I find it good exercise, clears my mind and if anything it helps my back. I think it's good core muscle exercise. Using the saw is what often makes my back stiff! Plus the saw is kinder for my neighbours.....errrmmm. ...

 

[LondonNeil]

Found it! I thought I'd Googled 'stihl grey ral number' before but just tried and from the very first return

Stihl
Motorsägen orange: RAL 2004
Motorsägen grau: RAL 7035

Thought it might be useful for others.

 

[LondonNeil]

A bit more Google and I've found their design manual

http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_image...ng_in/series9_2008/stihl/01_basicelements.pdf

It lists stihl grey as
Pantone 428
HKS 96 40%
RAL 7035

Stihl orange as
Pantone 165
HKS 8
RAL 2008

 

[Adam08ski]

15m3 this year since April, thats for 2018/19 and 19/20. Another 6-7m3 already done for this winter. Yep, typical semi, typical zone 3 residential street. My neighbours have their own anti social habits so frankly if my saw annoys them, and the big saw annoys them more....hey ho. I keep it sensible though, generally no more than a tank or occasionally two at a time, keep it to daylight hours, and usually middle of the afternoon, use the small saw mostly and unless I really really have to cut out front to shift a big round, I keep the cutting to the back garden where houses are further apart and more trees and bushes to absorb the noise.... And it's harder for them to come and complain. Besides, much of what I get is already cut to length (Arb waste) so the saw is only run a little, once a month on average.

There's a powder coat guy not far from here that my dad has used for lots of bits on 2 vintage Greeves motorcycles he has restored, decent and fair priced, I'd need a ral number though for him to mix to.

I take it you just used a rattle can then? Good finish, those cans are fine while full. Clear lacquer over for a bit of extra protection?

Although tbh I am undecided, a fresh coat would be nice but the honest worked but not wrecked look also appeals, this saw is probably 35 years old after all. Which reminds me, anyone know how to date the saw? Can it be done from the serial number? Or I think I may have seen a date wheel on the inside of one of the plastics but with some decoding needed.

As for splitting Vs saw, I find it good exercise, clears my mind and if anything it helps my back. I think it's good core muscle exercise. Using the saw is what often makes my back stiff! Plus the saw is kinder for my neighbours.....errrmmm. ...

I've gone the complete opposite on saw use. I have generally done a whole day here and there and nothing in between.

Arb waste is great, problem is who I get stuff off give huge rounds tipped off the back of their tipper . So I rarely have anything smaller than 18" diameter mix of soft and hardwood. I have some 2 ft stuff that is just sitting there as I no longer have a bar/saw big enough. Sold a 181se with a 28" easier this year.. I am hoping this Mag of mine, gasket deleted, muffler modded, timing advanced 3 degrees and intake and exhaust ported will cope with a 28"

The finish is good, I have used tractor/implement enamel to good effect, you just need to bake it over 60 degrees and wait a while for all solvent to evaporate till it is hard hard. Found it to be more durable than 1K clear coat.

I checked through your earlier pictures, I would leave the case and starter, clutch cover as they all look fine, but find yourself a used or farmertec rear tank/handle. Yours is magnesium and they weigh a **** ton compared to the plastic ones.

I do like the wrecked look, this is my wrecked by clean 034..