Stihl MS180 Connecting Rod

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dogder

dogder

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
32
Location
Connecticut
Hi all. I busted a piston, bent a connecting rod and broke through the bottom pan using a metal piston stop:frown: Has anyone tried to reform and heat treat the connecting rod?? Can you acquire a replacement connecting rod?? Or should I try and get a replacement cylinder assembly?? I'm looking for the cheap way out. Thanks
 
biggus

biggus

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
256
Location
USA
I guess it's "good" to know it's not just me. I just got done bending a rod on an ms210 trying to do something as simple as taking the clutch off. Never in my life have I bent a rod doing this and I've been scratching my head all day long while I was on the road thinking over and over again, "How in the world could I have bent a connecting rod like that?" I found this thread searching for a related topic and now I think I can go to bed in peace, realizing that sometimes there is just junk stuff out there even if it's labeled STIHL.
 
old-cat

old-cat

Fir Man
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
3,752
Location
Near Mt. St. Helens
Please now contemplate the quadrillion+ rpms that the 170/180 rods have successfully moved the piston up and down. If you follow the Stihl service manual you will not bend the rod, nor hole the piston.

Could you please explain how a STIHL piston stop can prevent internal destruction better than other piston stops?????
 
BloodOnTheIce

BloodOnTheIce

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
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3,781
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Western, NY
In my 6 years in the biz, only bust a hole in piston and it was a MS180 that was seized
and I want to see how much it took to bust one. 400+ inch pounds and a metal piston stop later it busted.
 
blsnelling
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
53,727
Location
Franklin, OH
Yes, they survive under typical use and when carefully following the Stihl prescrived service practices. However, IMHO, that's still no excuse to build a saw that is so fragile to work on. There's no excuse to build a saw with a stamped steel connecting rod. The rest of the saw is nearly equally as fragile. That just need not be. We don't hear of these issues with the competition.
 
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