Stihl 500i

[Deleted member 117362]

500i & 461 with a 20” are my most used combos. Also have a 25”, 28” light, and 32” that come out when needed.


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Those do not look used to me, they look brand new, just out of box.

 

[cheeves]

RAN OUR 500 TODAY. GREAT SAW. HAS A 24" BAR ON IT.
I BELIEVE PORTED THIS SAW WILL BE HARD TO BEAT.
SAW STARTS RT UP AND RUNS SWEET. NICE HANDLING. WE'RE MAKING $ WOTH IT ALREADY AND ONLY HAD FOR A FEW DAYS AND YESTERDAY IT WAS MISERABLE WEATHER WISE.
THIS IS ONE GREAT SAW!

 

[pl_silverado]

Those do not look used to me, they look brand new, just out of box.

I guess next time I’ll take a picture before I clean them all up.


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[rwoods]

Got mine yesterday. Took it for a spin today - 2 3/4 tanks. May be my new one saw plan. Everything behind it bucked to firewood length; ran out first tank here.

Ron

PS Better picture of a tank's work. Might not look it but every piece, including trashy ones, are cut to firewood length. All trunk pieces were greater than bar length. 8 pin sprocket, no problem in this Pin Oak.

 

[capetrees]

All these posts where everyone has one or it's coming and only two reviews!

I'd love to dive in on one, local store has one in stock (and supplies on everything is very short of you plan to buy anything) but I'm looking for the pluses and minuses on the saw. Of course, it's new so durability is not there yet but handling, does it bog down, hard to start cold or hot, fuel consumption, etc.

anyone?

 

[Red97]

Mine started in 3 pulls out of the box using the primer bulb.

I don't plan on cutting much with my 500i. Just running it on the dyno dialing in a porting recipe. So other than engine performance, I won't have any review.

 

[rwoods]

All these posts where everyone has one or it's coming and only two reviews!

I'd love to dive in on one, local store has one in stock (and supplies on everything is very short of you plan to buy anything) but I'm looking for the pluses and minuses on the saw. Of course, it's new so durability is not there yet but handling, does it bog down, hard to start cold or hot, fuel consumption, etc.

anyone?

From another thread:

Sorry, WF, I barely take pictures.

As most of you know I am just a firewood cutter. Below is my usual two saw set up full of fuel and oil , a Mcculloch PM800 with a 25" Stihl bar .404" chain skip or full depending on what I last put on it and a 60cc Stihl with a 20" bar and 3/8" full comp (often I substitute a MS361 for the 036PRO - just depends on which has a sharp chain on it - 361 was barless today so ...):
View attachment 865062

View attachment 865063
View attachment 865064
View attachment 865065

The do it all MS500i full of fuel and oil with 25" lite bar full comp 3/8":
View attachment 865066
View attachment 865067

The doc says I need to lose some weight; I just lost 22.5 pounds.

Ron

How much pin oak will a 500i cut on one tank? See below. My MAC would have used at least two tanks if not three.

Everything in front of the sidewalk was cut to firewood length, including those trashy pieces. The larger round pieces are between 27" to 30" in diameter and are bucked into three pieces each.
View attachment 865071

Plus this:
View attachment 865073

I cut up a 27" red oak at another site. Before the morning was over, I used 2 3/4 tanks. I don't know about logging but for my use it appears to be a winner.

Pros: Seems to have as much torque as my 82cc MACs. Higher speed than my MACs. You can feel and appreciate the weight difference immediately.

Cons: The Owner's manual was missing several pages only to find that the information is so slight that it really made no difference. Without information beyond pump the purger at least 8 times before starting, I am going to assume that the following is just part of the learning curve as opposed to an issue with the saw: Like my fuel injected truck, the saw gives no warning that it is about to suck the tank dry. It just runs wide open and then dies. Also like my truck it takes a lot of cranking to restart after running out of fuel. Unlike my truck which has no purger, you can flood the saw or not (can't really tell but the OM does tell you how to deal with a flooded saw). I have yet to experience a one pull cold start. This may all be due to a dry tank. One pull starts after it is warm, but all my saws usually do that.

Too early to draw conclusions, but I believe this may become my main do it all saw.

Ron

PS New lite bar looks like an old bar. Things got a little hot in a crotch knot with a dull chain.

Ron

 

[pl_silverado]

If any of you are in SE PA and looking for a 500i, my local ace has one sitting on the shelf. 25” ES bar, $1320, as of an hour ago today.


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[livemusic]

If any of you are in SE PA and looking for a 500i, my local ace has one sitting on the shelf. 25” ES bar, $1320, as of an hour ago today.


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"ES" meaning ES Light? I am unsure of Stihl lingo.

 

[oldfortyfive]

Finally got to run my new 500i. 40 degrees (F) outside today. Cleaned up our campsite from some heavy winds about two months ago. Mostly tree trunks 12 to 24" that were left. My buddy had an 029 with a new chain there too. Wasn't even a contest. Awesome saw. Did not have any issues. Run and started great. One thing I did notice that I can say I've not noticed on my MS 261CM was when cutting if you let you thumb sit down on the saw (left hand on handle) you could really feel a lot of vibration. I assume that is just due to the larger engine.

 

[Andyshine77]

All these posts where everyone has one or it's coming and only two reviews!

I'd love to dive in on one, local store has one in stock (and supplies on everything is very short of you plan to buy anything) but I'm looking for the pluses and minuses on the saw. Of course, it's new so durability is not there yet but handling, does it bog down, hard to start cold or hot, fuel consumption, etc.

anyone?

Reviews are out there you just have to look harder AS doesn't get the traffic it once did. Also most want to get some time on a saw before really giving it a full review.

My thoughts on the saw so far? Starts easy temperature doesn't matter, cold 3-4 pulls, warm so far one pull without fail, I even started it after it sat a week without priming, fired in six pulls, kept running after three more.

Real smooth in the cut, wide power band, one of the best tuned saw I've ran right out of the box, with instant acceleration.

Not the best filter setup, it collects dust pretty fast, some are saying they have found fine dust on and around the intake body, I have not seen this so far.

Runs on the cool side, unlike like some newer saws.

It's too expensive!

Handling is fine, larger than the 462 for sure, the AV is a bit loose feeling like all Stihl saws with spring AV. Slightly nose heavy with a 28" light bar.

Most are saying it eats fuel, I didn't really pay attention nor do I care, guys in production sure do, if it cuts faster would that not potentially make up for grater fuel consumption?

Bog down? Any saw can bog down, so I'm not sure how to answer that, other than it has about the best power of any 80cc saw ever made.

 

[PV Hiker]

I'm still waiting for my dealer to get me a 500i non full wrap handle w/28" lightweight bar. But I walked into my local Cal Ranch and was very surprised that they would even have this chainsaw let alone two of them. Each has a 32" lightweight bar for a price of $1439.95.

Tempting but I have no use for the 32" bar and chain as would have to replace it. I'll wait for my complete ship to come in. No rush as it is not cutting season here.

So if you are looking for a 500i with a 32" lightweight bar Cal Ranch in Carson City Nevada has 2 of them.

Have a happy holidays...
.

 

[rwoods]

I am sure you will like the saw. I got the half wrap since the full wrap was not available in our area. I wanted the full. If circumstances develop where you need to work a trade on handles, let me know.
Ron

 

[user 122190]

I'm still waiting for my dealer to get me a 500i non full wrap handle w/28" lightweight bar. But I walked into my local Cal Ranch and was very surprised that they would even have this chainsaw let alone two of them. Each has a 32" lightweight bar for a price of $1439.95.

Tempting but I have no use for the 32" bar and chain as would have to replace it. I'll wait for my complete ship to come in. No rush as it is not cutting season here.

So if you are looking for a 500i with a 32" lightweight bar Cal Ranch in Carson City Nevada has 2 of them.

Have a happy holidays...
.
View attachment 876939View attachment 876940

In my area, if they have the saw they will mount what ever B&C lengths you want.

 

[sean donato]

In my area, if they have the saw they will mount what ever B&C lengths you want.

Same here

 

[PV Hiker]

Being this is a small store with limited stock you get what is displayed. They have a few bars and chains but no parts no service.

 

[joe25DA]

Surprised that ACE carries pro series saws. The one near me only has homeowner/farm saws.

Same

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Got mine for Christmas from the mrs. The lightest of all of my collection by far

 

[cheeves]

Suprisingly the Bridgeport equipment near me has 2 500i
And 4 462sView attachment 864546View attachment 864547

BEEN RUNNING ONE FOR NEARLY A MONTH NOW. SAW IS SOME SWEET! BOSS IS THINKING OF GETTING ANOTHER ONE! SAW IS A REAL JOY TO RUN. PAID FOR ITSELF MANY TIMES OVER ALREADY!

 

[oldfortyfive]

Got mine for Christmas from the mrs. The lightest of all of my collection by far

where did you find that? It’s sweet.