Another not so good stihl jug

[timberwolf]

Did not want to post this in on the other thread and fan the flames, but something really seems to be up, well more down with the quality of Stihl cylinders.

Had a brand new, in the box 460, never been run, so took a few pictures. Saw clearly never cut a block of wood, no soot in the muffler, no oil in the tank.

Warning graphic content which may offend some viewers well lets hope not, don't want a flame war, but maybe get to the bottom of whats going on?

 

[timberwolf]

So far so good.

Intake and exhaust flanges are rough and there are a number of bumps and quite a bit of casting flash as well as a couple small 1-2 mm inclusions near the exhaust port edge. Not bad, just not real good either.

 

[Tzed250]

Looks pretty bad...

 

[wigglesworth]

so.......how many posts is this one gonna have? LOL It is pretty rough looking though.

 

[stihl sawing]

Could you guys point out what is wrong with it, Not trying to be a smartarse but i really don't know and have not seen an old one to compare. I see a casting line, is that bad? It does look tarnished or off color to me.

 

[timberwolf]

Gets a bit ugly though.

More chips on the plating near the base, must be how they are handeling the jugs, maybe the hone is catching the edge?

Also the machiening is very rough on the squish band. The combustion chamber is a straight cut machiened cone rather than a more hemi shape cast into the head like in the good old days.

The honeing this time is not to bad and gets within about 1mm of the head.

 

[clutch25]

Haven't seen many saw jugs, but in the power sports world...that isn't all that bad.

Ooops...didn't see the last ones of the cylinder....don't care for that!

 

[stihl sawing]

I would think if both of the jugs shown have chips, they are using an inferior type of metal and casting to produce these things.

 

[timberwolf]

Just gets plain sloppy on the ports.

 

[stihl sawing]

Yeah i can see the crap on the ports. stihl is screwing up.

 

[fredmc]

friggin cheapo crap!

 

[blsnelling]

I would think if both of the jugs shown have chips, they are using an inferior type of metal and casting to produce these things.

This 260 cylinder actually has three chips. I'm actually surprised to see that again. I figured the chips were from a handling mishap. Evidentally not.

At least they got it in the beveling fixture straight this time and the bevels are close to even from left to right.

 

[stihl sawing]

I hate to say it, but looks like the end of a once really great product, again. How many companies are going to ruin their product for the sake of price. I hate it i tell ya i hate it. Kinda pisses me off too. Edit If i want to buy chi com garbage i will buy one of them knockoffs on ebay for about 400 dollars less.

 

[Streblerm]

I hate to say it, but looks like the end of a once really great product, again. How many companies are going to ruin their product for the sake of price. I hate it i tell ya i hate it. Kinda pisses me off too.

If indeed the quality is dropping, it isn't for the sake of price, it is for the sake of profit. I haven't seen the price of Stihl saws going down.

Same thing with all the import goods at the box stores. They aren't significantly cheaper to the consumer than similar goods made here, but the profits are much better for the company selling them.

 

[FATGUY]

Is there anyone at Stihl that we can bring this up to? Honestly, I'm thinking about not buying a 361 now. If I do, I won't haggle price, but I'll want to see the jug before I buy.

 

[stihl sawing]

If indeed the quality is dropping, it isn't for the sake of price, it is for the sake of profit. I haven't seen the price of Stihl saws going down.

Same thing with all the import goods at the box stores. They aren't significantly cheaper to the consumer than similar goods made here, but the profits are much better for the company selling them.

Agreed, More profit. Your right the price hasn't dropped. But it can remain the same and not go up cause of the cheap crap. I need to go do something, this is really pissing me off. Just hate to see a company that has had a superior product for years and years start making cheap junk.

 

[timberwolf]

Is there anyone at Stihl that we can bring this up to? Honestly, I'm thinking about not buying a 361 now. If I do, I won't haggle price, but I'll want to see the jug before I buy.

361 still looks decent, picked up a new one about a month ago. Right off the bat the jug does not have that frosted glass appearance to it, the ports are clean, smooth and not full of that silver goober like on the 460. The chanfering is not even on the 361 and way over done, but hey it's production quality work and they need to leave a little something on the table for the engine porters to work with.

Interesting they are both marked "BR" so I assume they are made in Brazil? Yet the casting alloy and plating process would look to be different.

 

[blsnelling]

361 still looks decent, picked up a new one about a month ago. Right off the bat the jug does not have that frosted glass appearance to it, the ports are clean, smooth and not full of that silver goober like on the 460. The chanfering is not even on the 361 and way over done, but hey it's production quality work and they need to leave a little something on the table for the engine porters to work with.

That's more like it!

 

[jack-the-ripper]

That doesn't even look like it would pass quality control standards. Sad looking product right there.

 

[doc874]

046 cylinder

Wondering where that 046 cylinder was it bought from? Its pretty sloppy work for a country where engineering perfection was always the first priority. Hell they lost the war because of over engineering. ( Just my opinion).