Well, that awfully sounds like the stories from another Va Stihl tech on this site...LOL. His regulars are Dapper Dan and dirty Frank....:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:
must be a Stihl dealer thing..., I reckon
Let's hear them stories !
1970's Stihl shop guy
- Thread starter bobt
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Well, that awfully sounds like the stories from another Va Stihl tech on this site...LOL. His regulars are Dapper Dan and dirty Frank....:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:
must be a Stihl dealer thing..., I reckon
Let's hear them stories !
7sleeper
Addicted to ArboristSite
About your original question about a new saw, I don't want to be considered unpolite but there are other companies out there just as good as Stihl and you don't sound like someone who needs a shop around to help him out.
In your situation I would seriously consider a Dolmar 420. Built like a pro saw but smaller and enough power for some more mature logs. Alternatively Husqvarna has the 435/440 saw as a direct opponent for Stihl.
Great stories sofar! Keep them up.
Welcome to this site!
7
In your situation I would seriously consider a Dolmar 420. Built like a pro saw but smaller and enough power for some more mature logs. Alternatively Husqvarna has the 435/440 saw as a direct opponent for Stihl.
Great stories sofar! Keep them up.
Welcome to this site!
7
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Ahum....you are talking to an ex Stihl tech here. To this particular crowd, Dolmar or Husky, etc are fighting words !! :greenchainsaw:
7sleeper
Addicted to ArboristSite
Exactly! So he knows the shortcommings....
Actually I considered him to be an elder gentleman who now lets the younger generation fight out the battles and now knows that he has seen many pretty women in his lifetime.
So that was my reasoning. Want to fight Belgian? I dare you ....
Oh I forgot Austrian beer is better than Belgian beer! OOOhhhh that was below the belt.
Greetings
7
Grrrrr, you are crossing the famous line....You gotsa payyyyyyyy. BTW I did't know there was any beer in Austria...:check:
Nur Berge, Schnee und Edelweiss, Stroh Rum, ...aber Bier, nöoooh, dass gibt's nicht....
7sleeper
Addicted to ArboristSite
Grrrrr, you are crossing the famous line....You gotsa payyyyyyyy. BTW I did't know there was any beer in Austria...:check:
Nur Berge, Schnee und Edelweiss, Stroh Rum, ...aber Bier, nöoooh, dass gibt's nicht....
7
bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
HaHa! Belgian and 7sleeper, BEER FIGHT! Wait till I get my raincoat on before ya go tossin pints at each other! Good Stuff!
No, I really hold no hard and fast loyalty to Stihl saws. The Husky 61 I have is as good or bettern my 041 farm boss. They are about the same displacement and both cut very well in the Maple that I cut for firewood. I actually pick up the Husky before the 041 anymore due to the av handles. The 041 just hurts my left hand too much to use it for very long.
I would certainly take a look at a new Husky or Dolmar if I can find a dealer in the U.P of Michigan. I know there is a reputable Stihl dealer near to my Dad's place, but I don't know of any Husky or Dolmar dealers. This is not the same dealership I worked at. My old boss has since passed away and all his stock was sold off maybe 15 years ago.
Hmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,BEAUTIFUL WOMEN?????? I don't have much experience in that category. I only met one in total. I married her six months later, and will have been married to her 30 years come this June 13. Yep, my brain isn't foggy enough yet to forget our anniversary,,,,,,,,altho we both have forgotten it on some years, when we wake up one morning and look at each other and say "Hey, yesterday was our anniversary!"
Yellow saws,,,,,,,um,,,where to start? Maybe this little story will help tell you my opinion of yellow saws back in the seventies. (Substitute Humlite if you wish. Same opinion!)
There was this guy who owned two yellow type older heavy no power saws that ran wild and sounded like dung. He was always in the shop to get them fixed and whatnot. My boss had been giving him his best sales pitch for as long as I was working there all to no avail. He wouldn't budge away from them yellow type saws for anything. Finally one day the boss says to him, "Go take this 041AV out to my wood pile, and you will see what I'm talking about." The boss had used that line many times before on him but nothin doing. The guy wouldn't try one of our Stihls. This time he ammended his statement by handing him a dollar bill. He said "I'll even pay ya!"
Well that worked. The guy grabbed the dollar bill, picked up the saw. Didn't say a word and headed out back to the wood pile. Saw starts up with one pull and he's out there sawing away for like a half hour. The boss says to me "Boy, I better go get him, or he'll saw up all my wood!" Just then the saw stops,,,,,,,the guy walks around to the front of the store, puts the 041AV in the back of his old rust bucket of a pickup,,,,,steps back to the front door of the shop and says "How much do I make out the check for?" My boss says that if he wants to trade in one of his old heavy no power whiny saws that he couldn't give him much for it. The guy says "You keep my saws. I don't want nothing for 'em, just get 'em out of my sight!"
Moral of the story,,,,,,Persistence pays, and a little payoff now and then doesn't hurt either! HaHaHa!
No, I really hold no hard and fast loyalty to Stihl saws. The Husky 61 I have is as good or bettern my 041 farm boss. They are about the same displacement and both cut very well in the Maple that I cut for firewood. I actually pick up the Husky before the 041 anymore due to the av handles. The 041 just hurts my left hand too much to use it for very long.
I would certainly take a look at a new Husky or Dolmar if I can find a dealer in the U.P of Michigan. I know there is a reputable Stihl dealer near to my Dad's place, but I don't know of any Husky or Dolmar dealers. This is not the same dealership I worked at. My old boss has since passed away and all his stock was sold off maybe 15 years ago.
Hmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,BEAUTIFUL WOMEN?????? I don't have much experience in that category. I only met one in total. I married her six months later, and will have been married to her 30 years come this June 13. Yep, my brain isn't foggy enough yet to forget our anniversary,,,,,,,,altho we both have forgotten it on some years, when we wake up one morning and look at each other and say "Hey, yesterday was our anniversary!"
Yellow saws,,,,,,,um,,,where to start? Maybe this little story will help tell you my opinion of yellow saws back in the seventies. (Substitute Humlite if you wish. Same opinion!)
There was this guy who owned two yellow type older heavy no power saws that ran wild and sounded like dung. He was always in the shop to get them fixed and whatnot. My boss had been giving him his best sales pitch for as long as I was working there all to no avail. He wouldn't budge away from them yellow type saws for anything. Finally one day the boss says to him, "Go take this 041AV out to my wood pile, and you will see what I'm talking about." The boss had used that line many times before on him but nothin doing. The guy wouldn't try one of our Stihls. This time he ammended his statement by handing him a dollar bill. He said "I'll even pay ya!"
Well that worked. The guy grabbed the dollar bill, picked up the saw. Didn't say a word and headed out back to the wood pile. Saw starts up with one pull and he's out there sawing away for like a half hour. The boss says to me "Boy, I better go get him, or he'll saw up all my wood!" Just then the saw stops,,,,,,,the guy walks around to the front of the store, puts the 041AV in the back of his old rust bucket of a pickup,,,,,steps back to the front door of the shop and says "How much do I make out the check for?" My boss says that if he wants to trade in one of his old heavy no power whiny saws that he couldn't give him much for it. The guy says "You keep my saws. I don't want nothing for 'em, just get 'em out of my sight!"
Moral of the story,,,,,,Persistence pays, and a little payoff now and then doesn't hurt either! HaHaHa!
bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
Another thought about saw brand loyalty. When I first got involved with working with Stihl chainsaws, we had many loyal Homelite and yellow type saw users. These other brand saws were a great advancement over the old REALLY heavy saws in the 30 lb class that existed in the past. These were good saws at the time in comparison. However it was not really too hard to sell them on the 040 and later 041 class saws, as these were far better in longevity, power , reliability, and weight. Oh, yes the 041AV still weighed in the 16lb area for the bare saw, but ran much better than the other brands hands down. We didn't have competition from Husky and Jonsereds back then.
So you see as chain saws developed, certain companies made a reputation for themselves in the time that they were produced. I was in it when Stihl was pretty new in our area, and nothing ran better than a Stihl. This is where I got whatever amount of loyalty to the brand that is with me to this day.
I still think that the worst thing that Stihl did was stop making parts for the 041 series. They made the promise that parts would be available for 10 years for these saws, and that was a big selling point, as customers could be confident of getting replacement parts for the "life of the saw".
However, this series of saw was much longer lasting than everyone could guess I suppose, as there must be many many 041's out there that would be ready to go tomorrow if parts were available.
When Stihl went to producing cheap throwaway saws, I lost a lot of respect for the brand. I failed to notice that the professional saws were overpriced for homeowners. They couldn't sell high priced saws to the homeowner. Pretty simple fact I guess.
So you see as chain saws developed, certain companies made a reputation for themselves in the time that they were produced. I was in it when Stihl was pretty new in our area, and nothing ran better than a Stihl. This is where I got whatever amount of loyalty to the brand that is with me to this day.
I still think that the worst thing that Stihl did was stop making parts for the 041 series. They made the promise that parts would be available for 10 years for these saws, and that was a big selling point, as customers could be confident of getting replacement parts for the "life of the saw".
However, this series of saw was much longer lasting than everyone could guess I suppose, as there must be many many 041's out there that would be ready to go tomorrow if parts were available.
When Stihl went to producing cheap throwaway saws, I lost a lot of respect for the brand. I failed to notice that the professional saws were overpriced for homeowners. They couldn't sell high priced saws to the homeowner. Pretty simple fact I guess.
Trigger Man
Addicted to ArboristSite
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bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
I really hate to post this, but I had a chance to look at a ms170 Stihl this past summer. I was out sawing up firewood from the log pile when my Dad's neighbor came out to chat. I didn't know him so we introduced ourselves, and along in the conversation I learned that he was working for a landowner thinning trees and he said that his little ms170 quit on him earlier in the month.
He said that it would start and idle fine, but wouldn't accelerate at all, that he had rebuilt the carb, but nothing worked. I said that I would be happy to try to help him, so he brought it over, started it up, and no acceleration. Just as he described.
I thought that maybe the high speed mixture jet was just too lean or something, so I hunted up a screwdriver, and lo and behold there is only one carb mix screw! Wow! What is this? And to top it off, the plastic cover didn't align anywhere near the mixture screw. You had to insert the screwdriver at about a 45 degree angle to reach the screw! What a mess!
Well, nothing worked, the mixture screw had no affect on the saw performance at all. I checked the fuel line and fuel filter. They were fine. I offered to look at the carb, but he said that he already put a carb kit in it. (I don't know if he did it right or not).
I said why don't you just bring it to the dealer where you bought it from.
GET THIS! He said, "Nah, they have a minimum charge of $100.00, and this saw only cost about $170.00. It isn't worth it." I almost choked! I wouldn't go nearer than the next town to that dealer. Stihl always built their reputation on service and reliability.
What a disappoint ment in both saw quality and service. Very Bad, very Bad!
He told me that he was just going to keep it for parts or throw it away.
He said that it would start and idle fine, but wouldn't accelerate at all, that he had rebuilt the carb, but nothing worked. I said that I would be happy to try to help him, so he brought it over, started it up, and no acceleration. Just as he described.
I thought that maybe the high speed mixture jet was just too lean or something, so I hunted up a screwdriver, and lo and behold there is only one carb mix screw! Wow! What is this? And to top it off, the plastic cover didn't align anywhere near the mixture screw. You had to insert the screwdriver at about a 45 degree angle to reach the screw! What a mess!
Well, nothing worked, the mixture screw had no affect on the saw performance at all. I checked the fuel line and fuel filter. They were fine. I offered to look at the carb, but he said that he already put a carb kit in it. (I don't know if he did it right or not).
I said why don't you just bring it to the dealer where you bought it from.
GET THIS! He said, "Nah, they have a minimum charge of $100.00, and this saw only cost about $170.00. It isn't worth it." I almost choked! I wouldn't go nearer than the next town to that dealer. Stihl always built their reputation on service and reliability.
What a disappoint ment in both saw quality and service. Very Bad, very Bad!
He told me that he was just going to keep it for parts or throw it away.
wigglesworth
Booned
welcome to the site bob
T
Teddy.Scout
Guest
Hey boss!
I'll sit next to you!
I'll sit next to you!
crane
Addicted to ArboristSite
Bob,
Welcome aboard, love the no nonsense way you write.
Keep an eye out for the man with the "Yellow Brand" from Iowa, LOL
Your gonna fit right in with this lot
Drew
bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
hey guys, Thanks for encouragement from the last three posters as well as all the rest who have been kind to me! I am a newby here and i realize that I have absolutely no credibility to talk about any new saws of any manufacturer.
Yes, I have a deep seated love for Stihl saws that was formed thirty years or so ago. As I stated in one of my last posts, however I am not totally enamored with them as of this date in time.
I would love to sit with you all in my garage in the beloved upper peninsula of Michigan, trade stories,,,,,,and lies HaHa,,,,,,compare saws and guns, or fishing equipment and toast each other with a few brews!
Yes, I write from the hip and try to tell it like it was! Them were purdy good darn times I
experienced in the old saw shop when i was a teenager! Then again I would not want to offend anyone here. I am just an old guy having fun on the computer reminiscing!
Durn it all anyway, how do you spell that word,,,,,um, reminicing? Well,,,,,I can't figger it out! I usta be a gooood spellar!
Why am I posting stuff on here at 2:33 am? Well old men have wierd sleeping habits!! HaHa!!!!!
Let's see, um I before C except after E,,,,,no, that's not right,,,,I better get to bed or the wife is gonna kick my behind for being on one of those ####o chats,,,HaHaHa!
Yes, I have a deep seated love for Stihl saws that was formed thirty years or so ago. As I stated in one of my last posts, however I am not totally enamored with them as of this date in time.
I would love to sit with you all in my garage in the beloved upper peninsula of Michigan, trade stories,,,,,,and lies HaHa,,,,,,compare saws and guns, or fishing equipment and toast each other with a few brews!
Yes, I write from the hip and try to tell it like it was! Them were purdy good darn times I
experienced in the old saw shop when i was a teenager! Then again I would not want to offend anyone here. I am just an old guy having fun on the computer reminiscing!
Durn it all anyway, how do you spell that word,,,,,um, reminicing? Well,,,,,I can't figger it out! I usta be a gooood spellar!
Why am I posting stuff on here at 2:33 am? Well old men have wierd sleeping habits!! HaHa!!!!!
Let's see, um I before C except after E,,,,,no, that's not right,,,,I better get to bed or the wife is gonna kick my behind for being on one of those ####o chats,,,HaHaHa!
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bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hi again guys! As I am new to this site, and have WAY too much time on my hands, I have been doing lota and lota of reading of current and old threads. I see many posts about oil, WOW! That is a HOT topic! Everyone has an opinion.
Also I see lots about saw mods. I don't know anything personally, but it is an interesting subject none the less.
Another topic that comes up over and over is carburetor adjustments and limiter caps. I do not own a saw with limiter caps. I have not even seen a carb with limiter caps personally, Haha! Does that tell you how far I am out of the link today! Yeh, well, I am an old timer for sure!!!!!!!! I told you that before.
I do however, remember how many people brought their saw into the shop because there was "something wrong with it" and it was nothing more than the carburetor was WAY, WAY out of adjustment! If the saw didn't idle just as they wanted it to idle, they would fool with the jets until it wouldn't idle at all. If the saw hesitated on hitting the throttle, they would fool with the jets until it would bog down and die. You get the idea!
We educated them time and time over. "Here, listen, this is how it should sound when it is idling". They would nod yes I understand. Then, "This is how it should sound when at WOT and not in the cut". They would nod yes as if they understood that too, but they understood nothing at all, even if it was done over and over, time after time!!!!!!!!
I am not even going to attempt to respond to any threads which are about carb adjustments. Some carbs don't even have a high and low jet anymore. I applaud everyone who has tried to explain it by giving the correct beginning jet adjustments, and then go on to try to type words that describe sounds that a correctly adjusted saw makes. I am in awe of your helpfullness! You are a better man than me!!!!!!!! I couldn't even get the point across to many saw users when they were right there in person and heard the saw running properly!!!! It was a losing battle!
Now, why in H, E, DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS did the saw companies put limiter caps on carb jets? They knew that the average Joe couldn't learn to adjust a carburetor worth a hill of beans. They just crank the screws all over the place and hope for the best. Best case scenario, the saw doesn't run very well. Worst case, they sieze a piston. Neither very good for the reputation of the maker.
The thing that I am P.Oed about is that if I remove the limiter caps from the carburetor, I will void the warranty on the new saw that I am about to buy in the next couple of weeks. I don't trust the factory settings any more than many of you do. I want the freedom to adjust the saw to run correctly. I understand that the saws are set too lean for the most part. I don't want my saw to run lean.
Just a rant from an old saw guy
Thanks for listening,,,,,,Bob
Also I see lots about saw mods. I don't know anything personally, but it is an interesting subject none the less.
Another topic that comes up over and over is carburetor adjustments and limiter caps. I do not own a saw with limiter caps. I have not even seen a carb with limiter caps personally, Haha! Does that tell you how far I am out of the link today! Yeh, well, I am an old timer for sure!!!!!!!! I told you that before.
I do however, remember how many people brought their saw into the shop because there was "something wrong with it" and it was nothing more than the carburetor was WAY, WAY out of adjustment! If the saw didn't idle just as they wanted it to idle, they would fool with the jets until it wouldn't idle at all. If the saw hesitated on hitting the throttle, they would fool with the jets until it would bog down and die. You get the idea!
We educated them time and time over. "Here, listen, this is how it should sound when it is idling". They would nod yes I understand. Then, "This is how it should sound when at WOT and not in the cut". They would nod yes as if they understood that too, but they understood nothing at all, even if it was done over and over, time after time!!!!!!!!
I am not even going to attempt to respond to any threads which are about carb adjustments. Some carbs don't even have a high and low jet anymore. I applaud everyone who has tried to explain it by giving the correct beginning jet adjustments, and then go on to try to type words that describe sounds that a correctly adjusted saw makes. I am in awe of your helpfullness! You are a better man than me!!!!!!!! I couldn't even get the point across to many saw users when they were right there in person and heard the saw running properly!!!! It was a losing battle!
Now, why in H, E, DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS did the saw companies put limiter caps on carb jets? They knew that the average Joe couldn't learn to adjust a carburetor worth a hill of beans. They just crank the screws all over the place and hope for the best. Best case scenario, the saw doesn't run very well. Worst case, they sieze a piston. Neither very good for the reputation of the maker.
The thing that I am P.Oed about is that if I remove the limiter caps from the carburetor, I will void the warranty on the new saw that I am about to buy in the next couple of weeks. I don't trust the factory settings any more than many of you do. I want the freedom to adjust the saw to run correctly. I understand that the saws are set too lean for the most part. I don't want my saw to run lean.
Just a rant from an old saw guy
Thanks for listening,,,,,,Bob
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mowoodchopper
Polar Bear
Great to have a guy like you around! I like the old saws and the stories about the old saws! Welcome!
crane
Addicted to ArboristSite
I think that limiter caps were invented so the average joe could only "crank the screws" soo far. That way it was easier for the "tech" to set it right. Althought the $ charge for re-setting, is still the same LOL. Problem is, that at times the correct setting is outside the range of the caps:bang: Without the little cap remover tool, it makes removing the caps a little frustrating.
thomas72
Addicted to ArboristSite
I was not around in the 60's and 70's, but I run and work on a lot of saws from that time era and would have like to have been around in the years when saw builders were hot and heavy and innovative designs to produce power with quality and not trying to please the epa.
sefh3
Addicted to ArboristSite
Bob Welcome to the site. I just found this post. Alittle late but I found it. Where are you from? I see your in Michigan too. Yes removing limited caps does void the warranty.
bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yes Crane, Exactly what i was trying to say. However, can I remove the limiters if I feel it is necessary and then replace them? I don't know about that, as I said, I have never worked on a saw with them at all. I remember limiter caps on car carburetors. You had to break them to get em off.
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