Stihl 038 rebuild

[Rubicon]

Hi guys. I had written a few posts regarding a Stihl 038AV I was planning to rebuild. Well I am glad to say that I am almost done and the saw should be running by this weekend. I have a few questions however. I have two brand new air filters that I found that I can use. One has a screen element and the other is a screen with some kind of fuzzy material on it. Does it matter which one I use or not? Also, an old man gave me a box of old solid tip (no sprocket) bars that are made for the 038. Since I got them free, should I use these bars or are they junk and don't last? Thank you.

 

[sonny]

The fuzzy filters are much better, but dont last as long. Not to be used if a little worn. Yes the hard tip bars are much better than roller- tip bars. I would use roller tip on large bar. Just helps the chain turn better.The hard tips last almost for ever.

 

[treeclimber165]

I used to run the hard tip bars on my 038 magnum, they ran $75 for the 27". Can't run the chain as tight, it creates too much friction.
Fuzzy filters are better, the fuzz catches dirt in the air passing through. The flocking can wear off if you clean it too hard though. I like the 3 stage filter on the new 044's better. Heavy cloth wrap over an accordion paper filter with a foam insert on the inside. Too bad they aren't available for the old 038's.

 

[Rubicon]

Thanks for the quick reply guys. I see your point with the fuzzy filter but upon closer inspection, although this is a new filter, I can see a few spots where there is almost no fuzz. Would my saw be damaged in the long run if I used the screen filter? I think I will use the solid bars and just leave the chain a little looser. Thanks again.

 

[treeclimber165]

Plan on keeping a spare air filter or two in the shop. Even with gentle care, they still tend to Quit filtering properly after a while. I think the heat of the saw warps the two halves so they don't seal together tightly after a while. When you clean it, keep an eye out for debris inside the filter getting past. If you see crap there, it is time to trash the filter and pop a new one in.

 

[Rubicon]

Just one more thing; not so much a question but an observation. When I changed the main bearings on my 038, I noticed that on both bearings there is a plastic retainer of some kind along the balls. I noticed that the old bearings were all steel. Is this something new for Stihl or have they been using these bearings for a while? It seems that they might be prone to failure in high heat situations.

 

[sonny]

they been there for around 5 to 6 yrs. no problems as of yet.