Rebuilding Stihl 044

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ShannonB

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Joined
May 23, 2020
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Location
Springdale, WA
My husband bought his 044 over 20 years ago brand new and we have used it well, logging off our property and burning firewood as our only source of heat for most of those 20 years. We switched to pellets last year because it has just become too hard to find wood anymore. So his old Stihl has been sitting in the shop collecting dust. Then this spring we needed to do some cleaning up of bug kill trees and his saw wasn't running right and then it finally gave up. It blew up, the piston was so scarred up. He was so devastated. To him it was like losing an old friend. So I started searching around on the internet and found that I could buy a new crankcase all assembled, all I had to do was swap out all of his other parts. So I bought it and it went together great. His eyes just lit up when it fired up on the 1st pull, just like a Stihl should. But then he noticed it wasn't oiling. So I tore it back down and decided that I would just replace the oiler thinking it was 20 years old as well so it must need it. Then I went through 2 of the plastic gears that are part of the worm gear just melting. So I decided to buy a whole new set up, oiler, clutch, housing, everything for that side of the saw. He started to pull on it and sparks started flying. I have finally figured out that whoever assembled the crankcase didn't seat the bearing in behind the oiler correct. It's actually sitting in there crooked. Sorry for the novel here, but I don't want to tear this saw down again. It's been down in pieces for over a month now. Do I have to split open the crankcase to seat this bearing correctly?
 
My husband bought his 044 over 20 years ago brand new and we have used it well, logging off our property and burning firewood as our only source of heat for most of those 20 years. We switched to pellets last year because it has just become too hard to find wood anymore. So his old Stihl has been sitting in the shop collecting dust. Then this spring we needed to do some cleaning up of bug kill trees and his saw wasn't running right and then it finally gave up. It blew up, the piston was so scarred up. He was so devastated. To him it was like losing an old friend. So I started searching around on the internet and found that I could buy a new crankcase all assembled, all I had to do was swap out all of his other parts. So I bought it and it went together great. His eyes just lit up when it fired up on the 1st pull, just like a Stihl should. But then he noticed it wasn't oiling. So I tore it back down and decided that I would just replace the oiler thinking it was 20 years old as well so it must need it. Then I went through 2 of the plastic gears that are part of the worm gear just melting. So I decided to buy a whole new set up, oiler, clutch, housing, everything for that side of the saw. He started to pull on it and sparks started flying. I have finally figured out that whoever assembled the crankcase didn't seat the bearing in behind the oiler correct. It's actually sitting in there crooked. Sorry for the novel here, but I don't want to tear this saw down again. It's been down in pieces for over a month now. Do I have to split open the crankcase to seat this bearing correctly?
@HarleyT
 
I'll buy your OEM 044 crankcase that you replaced. With the o44 you could smack on the bearing from the oiler side. But the proper way to seat the bearing is from the inside using the oiler and a stop. Seems like rebuilding the original bottom end would have been the better decision. Pass on the china built stuff...
 
I'll buy your OEM 044 crankcase that you replaced. With the o44 you could smack on the bearing from the oiler side. But the proper way to seat the bearing is from the inside using the oiler and a stop. Seems like rebuilding the original bottom end would have been the better decision. Pass on the china built stuff...
Well, that very well could be, however I have never worked on a saw or even ran one. I restore classic cars and I jumped in to this blindly. I can't afford the oem parts, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. Thanks for your thoughts.
 
Well, that very well could be, however I have never worked on a saw or even ran one. I restore classic cars and I jumped in to this blindly. I can't afford the oem parts, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. Thanks for your thoughts.

No worries. Really all you would have needed was new seals and gaskets. About $60. Add another $40 or so for bearings.
 
There's nothing else too a crank case...

Looks like you needed a piston. Meteor with caber rings $35. How was the cylinder?
 
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