Melted bottom on MS200T

[bubbajunk]

I picked this up cheap the other day, it runs and cuts great but looks pretty bad. The entire bottom of the saw is melted. I pulled the tank and the plastic has only a thin metal shield stuck to it between the muffler and the plastic. I ran it for a few hours the other day and it didn't get hot enough to soften the plastic but it obviously has in the past.

Do these have issues with heat?

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Yea they do
You best send it up to me in the North where its so cold it doesn't mater...
Post some pic's of the damage

 

[stihl86]

They had a problem awhile ago with the mufflers cracking. It took 3 tries to get it right. It could be from a past failure, Heat is a problem with any saw.
If the heat shield is intact, there's not much more you can do.
The defective mufflers had a reference letter of "A' or "B" on the muffler.
"C" was never a problem
A saw that never got any service, which is 99%, could loosen over time.
Again, it might have been from a past failure.

 

[bubbajunk]

Here's a bottom pic, the thing looks like its melting. I don't suppose I've run it long enough to get it to the point where the bottom is that soft again but the damage is bad enough that the saw don't sit flat anymore.
The saw sounds fine, not particularly loud or anything. There's a thin aluminum 'decal' for a heat shield stuck to the inside.
I even tried to soften the plastic with a heat gun to reshape it a bit but couldn't get it hot enough.
I got it for almost nothing, and it runs and cuts great.
It just eats oil and looks horrible.

After I use, it'll continue to drip oil off the bottom of the bar for days. On warmer days it'll just about empty the tank while it sits. The odd part is I only see the oil running off the far end of the bar, not near the pump.
When its running, it oils well but not so much I'd consider it excessive. The bar oil lasts about 3 tanks of fuel when running.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Could a previous owner have run it with loose muffler bolts (they are bad for working loose if not loctited) and the hot muffler was actually contacting the heatshield?

 

[bubbajunk]

The muffler contacts the heat shield now, its pretty much a zero clearance deal above the plastic.
The heat shield, which is nothing more than a foil decal of sorts, is pretty much touching the muffler, when I tighten the bolts on the plastic, I'm pulling the plastic tight against the muffler.
The bottom of the saw gets hot, but not so hot its melting, at least it hasn't in the amount of time I've run it for so far. I've never set it down running though, its always been in my hand or cutting.
If the muffler was loose, wouldn't I hear it? Its not particularly loud. Its no louder than my completely stock 029.

 

[lone wolf]

I picked this up cheap the other day, it runs and cuts great but looks pretty bad. The entire bottom of the saw is melted. I pulled the tank and the plastic has only a thin metal shield stuck to it between the muffler and the plastic. I ran it for a few hours the other day and it didn't get hot enough to soften the plastic but it obviously has in the past.

Do these have issues with heat?

Prob from a cracked muffler!

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

The muffler contacts the heat shield now, its pretty much a zero clearance deal above the plastic.
The heat shield, which is nothing more than a foil decal of sorts, is pretty much touching the muffler, when I tighten the bolts on the plastic, I'm pulling the plastic tight against the muffler.
The bottom of the saw gets hot, but not so hot its melting, at least it hasn't in the amount of time I've run it for so far. I've never set it down running though, its always been in my hand or cutting.
If the muffler was loose, wouldn't I hear it? Its not particularly loud. Its no louder than my completely stock 029.

not you- a previous owner, you picked the saw up cheaply I thought- so it is not a new in box saw for you- or was the damage not there when you bought it?

 

[lone wolf]

This! https://www.ebay.com/itm/GAS-FUEL-T...932608&hash=item51df2694b6:g:J2IAAOxyOlhSqkod

 

[bubbajunk]

not you- a previous owner, you picked the saw up cheaply I thought- so it is not a new in box saw for you- or was the damage not there when you bought it?

It was like this when I bought it. I gave $100 for this, a pair of 015L saws and an MS250. The MS250 and the MS200T both run and cut wood. The 015L saws both need fuel lines, bars, and chains. I didn't put any value on the 015L's, but they both do start if I spray fuel mix at the carbs.

The MS200T is melted on the bottom and the very bottom of the rear of the right side cover is cut off. The chain was sharp and the bar in good shape.
The guy had piles of saws in an old shed, probably a couple hundred or more. They were stacked like firewood.
He had advertised the 015L's, but he had the MS250 in a case in the front garage, and the MS200T hanging from a hook in his garage.
Supposedly he bought out some repair shop a number of years ago with the intention of fixing them all up but never did. The house had a SOLD sign out front, so my take was he was dumping everything fast. I'm not sure he knew the difference between a Stihl or a Chinese Homelite. Complete saws were basically $40 each. The MS250 is like new, but I dumped that on CL right away. This one may be heading there as well. I didn't expect the MS200T to run, let alone start easy and cut. He didn't know where he got it from, but he knew it cut wood which is why it was in his house garage. There was a puddle of oil beneath where it was hanging so it had been there for a while. He even gave me a homemade oil bottle to refill it with. A soda bottle with a liquor pourer on it with a rubber cap that was full of bar oil.
The saw has enough compression to require me to drop start it. It pulls as hard as my 036P without the decomp button depressed.

I at first was thinking about buying some new plastic for it but I don't think its worth all the trouble. If these tend to run hot, maybe I'll just move on from this and use the money for something nicer. I'm sure some tree guy starting out would value one of these more than me.
To me its just a nice little saw for around the yard. I could probably get by with an electric for most jobs were I'd use the MS200T.

That aluminum 'protector' on fleabay looks like it would make the heat problem worse? It needs to be on the inside to protect the plastic.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

I am interested in it if you are moving it along.I have a box of 200 parts that need a ugly saw.

 

[lone wolf]

It was like this when I bought it. I gave $100 for this, a pair of 015L saws and an MS250. The MS250 and the MS200T both run and cut wood. The 015L saws both need fuel lines, bars, and chains. I didn't put any value on the 015L's, but they both do start if I spray fuel mix at the carbs.

The MS200T is melted on the bottom and the very bottom of the rear of the right side cover is cut off. The chain was sharp and the bar in good shape.
The guy had piles of saws in an old shed, probably a couple hundred or more. They were stacked like firewood.
He had advertised the 015L's, but he had the MS250 in a case in the front garage, and the MS200T hanging from a hook in his garage.
Supposedly he bought out some repair shop a number of years ago with the intention of fixing them all up but never did. The house had a SOLD sign out front, so my take was he was dumping everything fast. I'm not sure he knew the difference between a Stihl or a Chinese Homelite. Complete saws were basically $40 each. The MS250 is like new, but I dumped that on CL right away. This one may be heading there as well. I didn't expect the MS200T to run, let alone start easy and cut. He didn't know where he got it from, but he knew it cut wood which is why it was in his house garage. There was a puddle of oil beneath where it was hanging so it had been there for a while. He even gave me a homemade oil bottle to refill it with. A soda bottle with a liquor pourer on it with a rubber cap that was full of bar oil.
The saw has enough compression to require me to drop start it. It pulls as hard as my 036P without the decomp button depressed.

I at first was thinking about buying some new plastic for it but I don't think its worth all the trouble. If these tend to run hot, maybe I'll just move on from this and use the money for something nicer. I'm sure some tree guy starting out would value one of these more than me.
To me its just a nice little saw for around the yard. I could probably get by with an electric for most jobs were I'd use the MS200T.

That aluminum 'protector' on fleabay looks like it would make the heat problem worse? It needs to be on the inside to protect the plastic.

The aluminum protector takes the place of the destroyed plastic and holds it all together well. Aluminum dissipates heat nicely. The plastic is already destroyed so! Either put a new tank or use the plate I recommended as a easy fix if that is what you are after?

 

[bubbajunk]

The aluminum protector takes the place of the destroyed plastic and holds it all together well. Aluminum dissipates heat nicely. The plastic is already destroyed so! Either put a new tank or use the plate I recommended as a easy fix if that is what you are after?

The problem is that while it'll dissipate heat quick, its also going to make the plastic get hotter as it draws heat from the muffler side.
The plastic on it isn't getting all that hot now, maybe I'm just not running it long enough.
For the $26 that tin would cost me, I can spend a few more dollars and stick a Chinese tank on it, and maybe even a new right side cover to make it all look new again.
I think I figured out why the oil is dripping all over, I drained the tank and the oil in it looks really thin, like used motor oil. I refilled it with some regular old bar oil and is not such a mess.

 

[lone wolf]

The problem is that while it'll dissipate heat quick, its also going to make the plastic get hotter as it draws heat from the muffler side.
The plastic on it isn't getting all that hot now, maybe I'm just not running it long enough.
For the $26 that tin would cost me, I can spend a few more dollars and stick a Chinese tank on it, and maybe even a new right side cover to make it all look new again.
I think I figured out why the oil is dripping all over, I drained the tank and the oil in it looks really thin, like used motor oil. I refilled it with some regular old bar oil and is not such a mess.

Well that is an option too if you want it looking cleaner.

 

[bubbajunk]

I am interested in it if you are moving it along.I have a box of 200 parts that need a ugly saw.

Your a long way from PA. I'm not sure it would be worth all the hassle to ship.
I also haven't decided what I'm doing with it yet. I was going to hit a few local shops to see if someone maybe has a better tank assembly for it before I do anything.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Your a long way from PA. I'm not sure it would be worth all the hassle to ship.
I also haven't decided what I'm doing with it yet. I was going to hit a few local shops to see if someone maybe has a better tank assembly for it before I do anything.

It probably would be worth it,i am in the middle of nowhere ,and very small population.I doubt there are many 200t's around here.It always depends on the price.

 

[junkyard]

Take a look on eBay before selling one of those. I bought one at an auction a few weeks ago in what I though was rough shape and it brought $500 on CL. It wasn't listed more than 20 minutes when it sold.
It was melted at least as bad as yours with lots of drop damage. The buyer didn't care, so long as it had compression. I never even put fuel in it.
I suppose time of year and your area make a big difference but around here Stihl sells fast. I guess these days with the availability of cheap Chinese rebuild parts even a well worn saw is worth buying and rebuilding. I've seen some pretty rough saws bring decent money.

I've had a few top handle saws, and they're not for me. I don't climb trees or use it for work, I do better with a small or light rear handle saw for ground clean up and my 036 for bigger stuff. For yard work and occasional tree trimming the MS200T felt heavy and a bit clumsy to me. I'm not relying on a saw to make a living, so for me, cheap and light works best.

Nearly ever one of those I've seen has had some degree of burnt or melted plastic. I just figured its the norm for those.