After market stihls

[beastmaster]

I have some old stihls I make my living with and depend on. I'v used a lot of after market parts I get on on-line auctions sites. They seem to work fine, and at a fraction of stihls price.
I need a bigger saw and trying to get a 066 or 064 etc. I'v been shopping for one I can rebuild. I came across these, brand new 066 motors made from all after market parts. From the cases to the cylinders. http://www.ebay.com/itm/STIHL-MS660...116?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c364b03c4
Any one have any experience with one of these motors? Thanks

 

[fearofpavement]

Well, I have been happy with the parts I've purchased from that seller but that's a pretty large portion of the saw you're referring to. I think in the future, it will be hard to know how Stihly a saw is vs replaced parts. I just did an 039 with a Hutzl cylinder kit and it's running great but I haven't actually cut wood other than testing. Later this week I may have an opportunity to do something with it.

 

[MCW]

I actually have the whole knock off 660. I had to replace the carby with a genuine Stihl Walbro to get it to idle properly but nothing wrong with the power - it's right there (or higher) than any stock 660 I've run and I've run a few. The chain tensioner feels a bit notchy and weak but the carby is the only major problem so far. These bottom ends will hold together fine. The compression on this saw is also higher than any 660 I've tested and is 180psi. It feels like it too when you start it.

 

[C SAW 090]

I actually have the whole knock off 660. I had to replace the carby with a genuine Stihl Walbro to get it to idle properly but nothing wrong with the power - it's right there (or higher) than any stock 660 I've run and I've run a few. The chain tensioner feels a bit notchy and weak but the carby is the only major problem so far. These bottom ends will hold together fine. The compression on this saw is also higher than any 660 I've tested and is 180psi. It feels like it too when you start it.

Where did u get the knock off stihl? I would like to have one?just cause. How much did it cost?

 

[chuckwood]

I have some old stihls I make my living with and depend on. I'v used a lot of after market parts I get on on-line auctions sites. They seem to work fine, and at a fraction of stihls price.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STIHL-MS660...116?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c364b03c4
Any one have any experience with one of these motors? Thanks

I've noticed there are lots more adds on Ebay selling real cheap aftermarket parts for Stihl and Husky. They offer cylinder and piston sets at incredible prices. Most of it seems to be Chinese. For occasional hobby or home firewood sawing, the Chinese stuff will probably do fine. For professional purposes, I'd never use anything but genuine OEM parts that are designed to hold up under daily use. The cheaper aftermarket stuff is less expensive for a reason. Sometimes cheaper can be more expensive if the part fails.

 

[MCW]

Where did u get the knock off stihl? I would like to have one?just cause. How much did it cost?

I can't really say sorry. There are currently two manufacturers making 066/660 copies and I only tested one of them.
I keep anything related to saw copies very close to my chest after Husqvarna Australia arrived at a customer's door to take photos of a 365 copy I sold him - loose lips sink ships which is what happened in this case. I only imported a couple to test BB kits on and sold the saw once the tests were finished. They said nothing illegal had happened at my end and the customer still has the saw but were very interested in those particular copies as they were the best they had seen. Both copies I imported are now fully ported, one is being raced (soon to be piped) and is cleaning up genuine Husqvarnas, and none have had any reliability issues.
If you look online you should be able to find an 066/660 copy for sale somewhere.
As far as price goes you would be lucky to land one for under USD$700 which is too high (a fair proportion is freight). In Australia we pay USD$2000 for an MS660 so well worth importing one here. Remember though that just the genuine Stihl carby cost me USD$150 so that added a fair bit to the total cost.
I imported this 660 out of curiosity, not as a business opportunity. I have had over half a dozen people contact me wanting me to source one of these 660's for them but I have refused after the issue with Husqvarna which could have been a lot worse than it was.

 

[MCW]

I've noticed there are lots more adds on Ebay selling real cheap aftermarket parts for Stihl and Husky. They offer cylinder and piston sets at incredible prices. Most of it seems to be Chinese. For occasional hobby or home firewood sawing, the Chinese stuff will probably do fine. For professional purposes, I'd never use anything but genuine OEM parts that are designed to hold up under daily use. The cheaper aftermarket stuff is less expensive for a reason. Sometimes cheaper can be more expensive if the part fails.

I can see your point but the better P&C kits do seem to be holding up as well as OEM as long as you fit decent rings like Cabers. I had a customer buy a 660 BB kit off me a few years ago. Earlier this year he emails me and wants another one. When I asked why he said it was because he had worn the other one out. I apologised and he basically said "don't apologise mate, it had done nearly 2000 hours!". Turns out he was a pro logger