Stihl 311 “throw away saw”

[farmguywithasaw]

I bought a pile a crap a while back and in the pile was a 311 saw. No bar or chain and the factory air cleaner cover and filter was gone. They guy that had it took a chunk out of an old foam mattress and stuck it on the carb as an “air filter”. I got it to run good and put a bar a chain on it. It cuts ok but compression feels low. I talked to the dealer a top end is almost 500 dollars and just a piston and rings is $225. Is it just me or should the piston and rings be more like 50-75 $. I think they do this on purpose so you buy a new one

 

[CausticUC]

I am lazy tonight.

First hit, bailey's says $49 for a piston.

 

[HarleyT]

1140 030 2009 Piston Ø 47 mm $38.22

from the Stihl dealer here.....

 

[67L36Driver]

Do not darken that dealers door again. He is an *******.

Drop a Farmertec MS390 top end on it and put it up on Craigslist for $300 is my SOP.

Farmertec has most all the other missing parts to boot. [emoji6]

 

[cuinrearview]

Do not darken that dealers door again. He is an *******.

I agree with this. Even for Canada, those prices are insane.

Drop a Farmertec MS390 top end on it and put it up on Craigslist for $300 is my SOP.

I do not agree with this advice.

 

[jltrent]

I had one in pretty good shape. The two piece gas line at a Stihl dealer cost $26 OTD and a peta to put on .....as on these latter saws Stihl changed everything with very few other options than to pay their unreal high prices.

 

[s sidewall]

Why do you need the complete top end?

Steve Sidwell

 

[CausticUC]

I bought a pile a crap a while back and in the pile was a 311 saw. No bar or chain and the factory air cleaner cover and filter was gone. They guy that had it took a chunk out of an old foam mattress and stuck it on the carb as an “air filter”. I got it to run good and put a bar a chain on it. It cuts ok but compression feels low. I talked to the dealer a top end is almost 500 dollars and just a piston and rings is $225. Is it just me or should the piston and rings be more like 50-75 $. I think they do this on purpose so you buy a new one

After thinking on this a bit, were those prices just for the parts (as we all think it was here) or includes the labor to put them in as well?

If it includes them doing all the work, those prices might not be far off for a dealer.

 

[Dph1256]

Do not darken that dealers door again. He is an *******.

Drop a Farmertec MS390 top end on it and put it up on Craigslist for $300 is my SOP.

Farmertec has most all the other missing parts to boot. [emoji6]

You sure about that? The ms311 is very different than the older 290, 310, and 390 family. I have seen very few aftermarket parts for these newer farm and ranch saws

 

[EngineNoO9]

Buddy has an MS311. It cuts pretty darn good. Not saying I'd spend the money he did for it just cause it's a stihl... But it's nice and does good work.

 

[farmguywithasaw]

Those prices were just for the parts, no labor it is actually a 310 I got looking at it again. I was tired last nite.The 0 is wore off so it looked like a 1 my bad. When I phoned the dealer that was for a 310 parts. The piston has signs of scoring on both sides from ingesting debris from the “air filter” that had been put on it. But it does run and cut I was gonna do the top end for ***** and giggles. I have a 445 in doing that was given to me. It was straight gassed and had bearing failure. I’m waiting on bearings and seals I have a farmertech top end. It seems ok but the piston is not machined very smooth and the intake has locator pins and one doesn’t line up

 

[cuinrearview]

You can clean that 310 cylinder up and buy a Meteor piston. Skip the Chinese ****.

 

[jltrent]

You can clean that 310 cylinder up and buy a Meteor piston. Skip the Chinese ****.

+1000000000000 AN OEM cleaned up is much better than AM.

 

[cuinrearview]

If you don't feel comfortable cleaning a cylinder up I have a used OEM 290 cylinder I'd sell cheap. A Meteor in that would run better than a junk FT top end.

 

[farmguywithasaw]

Well the FT top end for the 445 I got for $50, I just wanted to try it out. I wonder if I should get a OEM piston though. I can clean it up ok but thanks. I think I’ll just run it for now I only have 40 bucks in the saw to get it running + bar and chain ( which I can swap to other saws)

 

[cuinrearview]

If you want to replace bearings and possibly a crank with the top end when it goes I would keep running it...

 

[farmguywithasaw]

It will be on eBay under “ boat anchor” then

 

[cuinrearview]

@chainsaw guy666 was looking for one

 

[dmb2613]

You can clean that 310 cylinder up and buy a Meteor piston. Skip the Chinese ****.

OP said it is a311 different animal lol

 

[cuinrearview]

OP said it is a311 different animal lol

Read on my friend, he corrected himself.