Low Compression on 044...why?

[Saw Dr.]

stihl ms 250 will hang on the rope all day and wont budge !!!

I have several that will drop as fast as the cord can unwind. Never mind how they (do not) run. :jester:

 

[Philbo]

Thanks for the responses. I actually mentioned this back on the 1st page, but some of you may have missed it.

As far as being hard to pull over, I wouldn't say that. Not quite like trying to crank my 288 without the decomp pressed in... I just held it up by the starter rope with the b/c on (and full of fluids) and it took about 15 seconds to reach the end of the rope. Slowly cranking down over about 3 cycles of the piston

Sorry for the lousy pics. I obviously haven't figured out the best way to photograph a piston and cylinder yet :msp_wink:

If it helps, from watching the piston through the exhaust port, I see no scoring on that side of it from the top to the bottom. Looks just like in the pic I posted previously and is smooth.

Now, to find a comp gauge...probably gonna have to order one bc I live in Bufu and can never seem to find the specific tools I need locally.

 

[Philbo]

Did the dealer measure compression with the decomp pushed in? I know some of the late 044's had them.......

No decomp on my saw.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have several that will drop as fast as the cord can unwind. Never mind how they (do not) run. :jester:

See my post above on the 084 that runs like an old warhorse. However, my back gives out now and then just by trying to lift it by the handle.

I'll also test my old McCulloch saws and see what they each have to say about it. Most of those have a shortage of plastic housing. :msp_rolleyes:

 

[mdavlee]

Mac 125 is another heavy saw that will drop very slowly when held by the cord. Some of my smaller saws will drop but it's slow. They have been ported and have machine work done so the compression should be up around 180-200 lbs.

 

[DarkTimber]

For a comp tester try the auto parts stores got mine at oreily and it works just fine was only around $30

 

[Reyn]

Don't know if this helps you but I have a ported 359 from Randy and it took around 15-16 second hang time with it. That's with bar,gas,oil and the plastic scabbard on the blade. When it was sent back it had 185lbs compression.

 

[chainsawdad]

I was at my local Stihl shop recently picking up some different stuff and decided to drop my 044 off with them to check over as I've been having a problem with it cutting off on me once warm. Once warm, I'll set the saw down (still running) to move something, etc. Go to pick it back up and it cuts off on me as soon as I start to move it. Blipping the throttle right before moving it seems to help, but I wanted someone hopefully more qualified than myself to troubleshoot it. I don't really have the time at the moment (just bought a house and doing tons of renovation) or the experience with saws yet to really know what to look for. It's summer and I'm not running the saws too much this time of year.

I ask them for a new spare air filter, change the plug, fuel filter, inspect the carb/possibly rebuild, check the clutch springs, and to check the compression (I don't have a gauge.)

I got the saw back and was told there was a leak/busted fuel line (they replaced.) The carb was cleaned, but apparently did not need rebuilding. The clutch springs are apparently fine. The compression was 97lbs....

The guy at the counter said it so casually. I was confused and said "damn...isn't that a bit low?" He replies "yeah, it seems a little low, but still plenty to do some cuttin" I paid the bill and left, wondering to myself how I could have cut up 7 cords of wood in the last year with that low compression?

The 044 seems a little tired to me, but it seems to run relatively well/strong to me. Always starts right up. I don't have that much of a frame of reference, but it will definitely hand it to my old muffler-modded 346xp in the bigger wood. I definitely used it with a 28" bar with skip chain to buck up a 40" white oak one afternoon for a friend and it handled it ok.

I'm including a couple snaps of the cylinder and the piston the best I know how...from a cell phone pic with the muffler cover taken off. Sorry if these don't tell you anything, but to me the cylinder and piston both look to be in great shape, but what do I know? :msp_tongue: I can run my fingernail up and down the piston with no snags.

What's going on with that low of compression? Should it even start and run decent with 97 lbs? Maybe I should get my own damn compression gauge...:hmm3grin2orange:

Edit: Bahh, somehow the pics are upside down...don't know why, they didn't look like that when I uploaded them...

I would buy your own if it runs strong sounds like they did not get a good seal get a good one about £25 thats all worth trying alan.

 

[stihl for life]

I love how stihl wants everthing sold buy a dealer . half the dealers are 2 dumb to even tie there own shoes . my local dealer is one jack ass and noes nothing . but the dealer i work for part time in the summer when im not logging is a stihl dealer but we work on any saw we get so many saws come it beacuse people think the other guys so dumb its funny when people come in and tell us stories about this guy. comp test 30 buck not hard to find wish ya luck maybe a new carb kit lines and fuel filter might do the trick .

 

[Wood Doctor]

Repair Nightmares

I love how stihl wants everything sold buy a dealer. Half the dealers are 2 dumb to even tie there own shoes. My local dealer is one jack ass and noes nothing, but the dealer i work for part time in the summer when i'm not logging is a stihl dealer. But we work on any saw. We get so many saws come it because people think the other guy's so dumb. It's funny when people come in and tell us stories about this guy. comp test 30 buck not hard to find wish ya luck maybe a new carb kit lines and fuel filter might do the trick.

I'll never forget when a logger friend brought in a vintage 084 that was repaired by a Stihl dealer. He said it would not even turn over and asked for my help. He was correct. A muffler bolt was somehow dropped inside the jug and left there. The muffler was held onto the jug with the other bolt.

That's when I decided to start offering repair help to chainsaw owners.

 

[stihl for life]

I'll never forget when a logger friend brought in a vintage 084 that was repaired by a Stihl dealer. He said it would not even turn over and asked for my help. He was correct. A muffler bolt was somehow dropped inside the jug and left there. The muffler was held onto the jug with the other bolt.

That's when I decided to start offering repair help to chainsaw owners.

i really dont no how some people can be bone heads and been trained for this kinda of work .ive never had training its just somthing i love and no how to do . ya we all make mistakes its life but some people its not for them they dont got the right attitude for the job. just want the pay check at the end of the week some guys .. i do it because i love falling trees and fixing saws . (ps geting paid is nice so i can buy more saws :hmm3grin2orange

 

[Wood Doctor]

I really don't no how some people can be bone heads and been trained for this kinda of work. I've never had training its just something i love and no how to do. We all make mistakes. It's life but for some people it's not for them. They don't have the right attitude for the job. They just want the paycheck at the end of the week some guys. I do it because i love falling trees and fixing saws. (p.s. Getting paid is nice so that I can buy more saws. :hmm3grin2orange

Yes. In this case, someone should have checked the saw before it was given back to the customer. That did not happen. Or, the mechanic should have checked it once again himself. I do this quite often. Before I return anything to a customer, I let it sit for awhile and then check it again. Sometimes, that is overnight. Good equipment deserves attention.

And, a stitch in time saves nine.

 

[angelo c]

Must be pretty sure of your self to not even start a saw before handing it back to its owner after charging a him few hundred $...

 

[d in the tree]

Comp. tester

How did it turn out with your new tester? Try pouring some oil in the spark plug hole after you have a base line comp reading. Base gasket maybe? Just had a guy bring me his 660 claiming it was short of power. Compression was low but rings looked good. Oil in the hole didn't make much of a difference. One broken bolt and a blown base gasket. Cheap fix. The saw needed a good cleaning anyhow.