026 Identification

[rking453]

I just picked up this 026 on eBay for $150. It's my second 026, the first one is an early red-lever version, non-decomp, narrow filter, tall black tank vent, non-see through tank.

This one has me puzzled a bit, I'm thinking someone pieced it together from an both an early and late version 026 in order to have the parts it has. Maybe I'm wrong.

The serial number isn't too far off of the first saw, but it has the newer translucent tank, old style filter/carb, red lever, and a mystery cylinder with a plugged decomp port. I'm not sure if it is even a factory Stihl cylinder or not.

I haven't torn the saw down, it makes 180 PSI compression and seems to run well, though I haven't had a chance to really test it out in the wood yet.

Anyone got any insights on what the story might be with this saw?

 

[Woodslasher]

MS260 Pro cylinder on an older chassis. I've got my grandpa's bone-stock 026 red-lever, it has a translucent tank and I will swear up and down nothing nothing on that saw has been replaced except for a carb kit/fuel line.

 

[rking453]

MS260 Pro cylinder on an older chassis. I've got my grandpa's bone-stock 026 red-lever, it has a translucent tank and I will swear up and down nothing nothing on that saw has been replaced except for a carb kit/fuel line.

Thanks for the info, I wonder when they switched to the translucent tanks, or if they produced both for a time.

How does the MS260 pro cylinder compare to the original on the 026?

 

[Woodslasher]

Thanks for the info, I wonder when they switched to the translucent tanks, or if they produced both for a time.

How does the MS260 pro cylinder compare to the original on the 026?

I have no idea, my grandpa probably still has the original receipt for the saw somewhere. As for MS260 vs 026, I've cut with the 026 for all of 30 seconds and I've never even held a MS260 (I think), so I honestly couldn't say.

 

[drf255]

That’s a factory cylinder. I think it’s a 44mm and not a 44.7.

There were many model changes in the line. I have personally seen metal tag 026 PRO saws. The red lever is wrong.

Does it have a metal or plastic oil pump?

The 180 compression seems high. Those jugs have a bigger chamber than the old red lever jugs did.

 

[Captain Bruce]

The 026 I am re-conditioning, has the see-thru tank, black lever, old style air filter with air hood that captures the shoulders off the filter fasteners.....and the vent is the orange umbrella, missing the top cover.....now that I look at your unit, I am directed towards the correct parts...#23, and #24 on the IPL. Anyone with better info. re: vents?

 

[LogSawyer74]

I've always heard the early 44mm 026 non-decomp cylinders were the best running. But I don't have first hand knowledge of that...

 

[president]

MS260 Pro cylinder on an older chassis. I've got my grandpa's bone-stock 026 red-lever, it has a translucent tank and I will swear up and down nothing nothing on that saw has been replaced except for a carb kit/fuel line.

T1