New sthil gone bad

[Marky Mark]

New stihl gone bad

I have followed this site for sometime but just started posting, by trade I am a computer networker but for years I have always loved to cut trees. I went out in jan a purchased a ms440 mag Stihl saw to back up my 028 and it just won't run, the first one had a bad carb, I returned it and I was given a new saw. The second one has been back 4 times and stil won't cut for sh$%. I have 79 acres about 150 miles from my house and have been cutting trees that a forester recomended I remove and sell.
Well this weekend was it, the saw just wouldn't run when I went to cut. I brought the saw to Al's repair in Hancock NY and he was suprised it wouldn't run. I did not buy this saw from him. While I was there In picked up husky 357 xp and before long walked out the door with it. I managed to cut and skid about 25 trees with this saw and it is a real work horse.
Has anyone had this type of problem with the Stihl saw?? Are they hit or miss, have they gone down in Quaility in that last few years.
Just wanted to vent
mark

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Nothing but good luck here, except with maybe an 019; most don't seem to make even a good tire chock.

028/038 very good run of saws, lil'heavy.

Really, love 044/ms440; very good performer, have 4 and 1 of those!

There is a chainsaw forum on this site, perhaps you would get more of the attention of the Stihl Techs there. Perhaps they would know of lemons and their handling etc. As a non-pro; you should get better warranty than we do!

i would hope any reputable dealer would help you that sold such equipment, esp. new. Perhaps if you had a local tree service pal that did buisness at the same place; things might go diffrent, some dealers just seek proffessional clinetelle that will do buisness for years, buying equipment to be repaired/maintained almost every year. Perhaps with a lil'more clout, that would help.

 

[lhwoodman]

sthil

hey mate:i've used 5 different sthil saws for 20 years and they all run perfect.i do all the maintenance dailey.
did ya buy your sthil used?
jack

 

[stihltech]

MS440

Sorry to hear you got a problem child. Only had 1 that bad a few years ago, bad machining on the carb pump side, have not had one since. Should have been a warranty fix or replace. Stihl will replace for 7 days, I have done it for a longer period with a problem like yours. I would want it back for the challenge of the repair, but I am kind of strange that way.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Hey tech, my 020 has a kill switch that keeps getting disconnected. Is this that the people I'm paying to repair are doing a halfassed job?

 

[Rob Murphy]

I had an 088 that blew up 3 times each time completley rebuilt we told them to keep it in the end.We traded it on an 020T.Mostly they have been good saws though.

 

[treeman82]

I have had several Stihl saws over these past few years. I did buy one Husky a few years ago and it never ran right (model 41?) The only Stihl saw I have ever had a problem with was an 019. The first saw had some kind of carb problem or something and the dealer took it back giving me a new one. A year or so after that I traded it in on an 020T and I gotta say " I love that little saw" I tried my buddy's MS200 about a week ago and noticed that it feels different in my hands than my 020T. Any of you guys ever notice this?

 

[stihltech]

020T

The 020T has a tricky connection at the switch. I have to sit down and study it when I do it to get it right. Possible short wire? Or routing? Like I said it is tricky, but I have never had one come off. Only replaced broken handles from long falls.

 

[treeclimber165]

020T

A few years ago, I was working for a guy who had 020T's. One of the ground guys backed the chipper over one and broke the handle. I volunteered to fix it, figured I'd just buy the handle pieces and swap out the guts. After 3 days, I took it to the dealer to have them put it back together. Took the guy over an hour. He said they never rebuilt them, just replaced them entirely, guts and all. Dang things are about impossible to put back together if you pop one open.

 

[stihltech]

Stihl

We is a professional, do't try this at home. At least an 020T switch.

 

[Toddppm]

I've done one in about 3 hours, I'm so glad I had another one to take apart and look at

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I did the same thing on my first 020, thought I could fix something, took the handle apart.

Never again.


On this one (the model/year without the high needle on the carb) it seems twigs get up under the handle and disconnect the wire

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i'm no wrench, but ....

i've learned something about the 019's and generally of saws in my travels and trials in paying the BeaST (Blood, Sweat and Tears!). If they have a long travel from carb to valves (cylinder), air has a better chance of getting leaked into the mixture (fuel/air) after the carb has balanced and prepped it and no more saw (after a bit). i think 019's have a specifically longer travel of stiffer (rather than flexible rubber) plastic for this purpose. Any violation in there from shock to sticks poking thru can be disasturous allowing straight air into the mixture after the carb did its job.

Also i think (personally) that the 'boot' in 019 stiffer palstic material that takes mixture from carb to cylinder has diffrent temp characteristics than other Stihl rubber solutions. That compounded by a longer travel to be able to affect the temp of the mixture anyway, perhaps is a reason they are more finicky. It seems to me that the rubber boot in other of their saws insulates more than the thin plastic, and is also used in shorter runs from carb to cylinder than the 019 in the first place. So i favour the shorter, narower (less space for condensation?), most direct more well insulated runs between the carb/cyl. of most Stihl saws.

It seems that it all is something of the anti-vibe system, where as the carb is set with the handle (with you) on one side of the system, and the cylinder (with the explosions) on the other side of the isolation wall. So that the travel, has to be flexible somewhat, for each side to flex as they won't be in coordination as part of isolation. None anti-vibe saws seem to feed straight in from carb to cylinder (like 009 with carb bolted right to cylinder) and don't have this problem.

Pretty sure i had an 020 that had a similar fate, from a stick finding its way thru and disturbing a more flexible, free forming hose betwixt carb and cylinder. Mmmmmmmmm StihlPhil (Stihl District Dude) kinda extended beyond fair and took care of that for me!

So i'm not just picking on the 019's.......................... this time! In Florida we have an extra love for the 019, as the Palm fibres get caught in the cooling side of the engine, and are harder to get out than most saws, even though Stihl did upgrade it for such reasons to make easier maintanance. A La recomendations and comments streaming thru (yes in part) our District Dude, Thanx Stihl!

If you pick up a saw on my job, the choke might be closed. this means the air filter has been cleaned; when someone was told to fill it with oil, gas and air. Actually we don't do it after, we just don't reset it, so we're just being lazy, cuz we close the choke before opening the airbox, so nothing can fall in to the carb throat. This protection doesn't werk with saws that the choke plate is part of the airbox, and comes off when you open it, leaving the thraot open to debris as you take a dirty filter (with dusty crap you'r trying to keep out of carb)from its mount over it. eSo with like say an 009, even more care needs to be taken in that regard, but we still close the carb anyway to signal service to that device of the machine.

 

[Treephotographa]

I would just like to say that I have never had a problem with a Stihl saw and if anything has broken or worn out it is always been easy to replace. I have been using a Stihl 044 and 066 for about 6 years and as long as I keep them well maintained they'll go for a few more years

TP

 

[Ozmartin]

Recently purchased a new 025C Chainsaw works great but ......
What is with the Air Filters on these units?

They have this crapy fibre airfilter which clips on to a black plastic
housing.
This would not be an issue - except there is NO seal between the Air Filter and the Black plastic base !

When you a/f gets dirty it starts to draw air & dust - esp around the clips.

I'm concerned that as it's a consumer saw ... it's got a one piece hardchrome cylinder bore so big bucks /throw if it gets scored up!

I ordered a new a/f partnumber 1123 120 1651 A
it came with new base ? , nuts & filter - same as whats on my unit.

However the instruction sheet shows mods to the prev. design which had an even smaller one sided filter vs the U-shaped one.
So all they have done is replaced one crappy a/f design with another that flows a bit more.

Something to consider when buying a new saw.
Maybe we should all contact Stihl so that this "enginnered plot" to
shorten our engines lives is resolved properly.

So much for German engineering! "cheep" "cheep"
Who designed this their accountant ?


Ta

Martin

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Oz,
The stihls with odd numbers are made for the homeowner, not commercial use, at least that's what someone told me.
The odd numbered stihls main design is economy, and to look good on a shelf in the garage. Please do not attempt to cut wood with these saws, unless it's only small cuts and on rare occasions.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i agree with Mike on that.

Even the 019, that as i understood and drooled was to be a 'pro' saw as it was coming out, yet is odd numbered and budget orientated, making it somewhat quirky in my mind on some points.

009L's (L for larger displacement saw than 009)have been stable, cheap, no antivib to go wrong saws for light stuff on the ground for me though, to take wear and exposure off other saws costing more, in a small package. Bought a few used overtime, more likely to loan one of 'em. Otherwise haven't liked the odd numbered saws i've had. And i have all Stihl, nice to have parts, chains, bars, tools etc. interchange; and one dealer to deal with; by carrying one brand. Stihl is pro saw most likely to find parts, service, new around here. Sorry, but people that rent out saws etc. to be used/abused etc., rent all Stihls around here; always figured there was a dependability, ease of service etc. message there!

 

[stihltech]

025C

As for the air filter, if it is kept clean and the clips are not over spread, I am not finding any problem with them. Only problem comes with plugged filter. But then, a plugged filter will draw dirt through the seals if it is bad enough. The tree guys are buying them and getting 2 to 3 years out of them. Can't get them to buy a pro saw, they think it is great for the price.

Seems that anybody can wreck any saw if they maintain it badly enough.

 

[Ozmartin]

025C Airfilter.

- Yes your right about the maintenance - but there are days I do a lot of cutting - and being in dry dusty conditions can have the filter plugged in a number of hours.

I've "protected" the issue a litlle - every time I clean / replace the air filter I spread a thin bead of rubber grease at the join.
- It's a pain!

This is like insurance - but for crying out loud could they not have put a 'decent' air filter on like that's on the 026.
Stihl should make an HD A/F system for the 025 as an option - as I would be one of the ones willing to pay the "extra" for a decent filter system.

My use is as a domestic user that means - busy twice a year max.
So why spend x dollars extra for the pro 026 - the 025 should do the job as well - I was just stupid at the dealer not to check the A/F system at the dealer when I purchased .... I trusted Stihl.


I realise what small specs of dust can do to an engine thats running over 10,000 RPM.

At least if the pros get 2-3 years - mine should go 15 so I guess what the heck.


Martin