Newbie post alert!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bought a Shindaiwa 488 from an Arboristsite member David Newbie. Thanks. It looks like it will be a very good saw. It has the fully adjustable H and L screws.
Truck mount for giggles:
Floods:
The saw was advertised as a strong fuel flooder. I had the same issue at first. It would start...sometimes, if it wasn't flooded, then even flood upon restart. I took apart the carb and checked the metering lever height on the needle/seat. Meter lever height was fine relative to the carb rim. I then stretched the OEM metering spring a bit to add more strength. My thought was the stiffer spring may hold the needle onto the seat more firmly. It seems to have fixed the problem!!!!
Starting procedure:
I also learned better how to start the saw to avoid flooding it. I set the choke, set the throttle lever open (which I had not been doing) and pull ONCE or TWICE only whether it coughs or not. Then choke off, throttle off, another pull or two and she goes fine. Carb H and L adjustments and idle adjustments also got her running smooth.
Muffler Mod:
I modded the muffler by first gutting the exit pipe as per:
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/santas-workshop.267935/
I folded the factory muffler louvers back and forth until they snapped off. I also dremeled a notch in the front for a little more flow. Deleted the screen altogether. It isn't too noisy and sounds nice.
Picks show a bit oily... rich H screw perhaps?
Bar Mod for Siguhara:
There is a lot of bar adjustment left - the adjustment pin is situated all the way in next to the saw as far as it will go.
I put my old Siguhara 14" bar on. VH2U-0N35-A. I had been using that bar previously for a PS420 Dolmar, which it fit ferfectly. I use 3/8 low pro 0.050 with 52 drive links.
The Shindaiwa saw came with .325 chain, but manual and other data shows the option of 3/8. I switched the rim to 3/8-7. I had loops of 52-link 3/8" 0.050 around the shop and had been running that length fine on the Dolmar, so I thought I could use it for this. It is a problem. 52 drive links is too short!!
The bar mount also turned out to be a challenge.
The bar pattern on the Shindaiwa is listed online as Oregon A041 but the Dolmar had K095, I believe, which is small Husq?
The Shindy mount is slightly different:
http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.n...c2f1695639b298fe88256e0e001e9f1f?OpenDocument
Eager to run the new-to-me Shindaiwa, I decided to slightly modify my Sugihara bar. I tweaked the chain tension adjustment holes with a round file so the pin would go in and the bar would rest flat against the saw. The pin was slightly further down from the Dolmar location, away from the bar centerline, but now it works. I also could not get the 52-link chain and bar on as usual. I had to assemble bar, chain, and sprocket together, then install on the saw. This is not ideal, but it worked and I was able to run the saw. I can get a longer chain. I have no idea why 52 links is too short. It is listed on Bailey's as using that length, though Bailey's is not the world's authority I suppose. Taking the clutch off to get the chain off is not going to be fun.
https://www.baileysonline.com/stihl-63ps-3-8-low-profile-picco-super-chainsaw-chain.html
Oiler:
The saw has a metal bar guide plate on each side - one on the saw and one on the removable chain brake cover - which seems to contain the oil even though the bar isn't just right. Seems to oil just fine.
How does it cut?
The saw cuts nicely. It is fairly powerful for it's size. It is perfectly balanced at the top handle with the 14" bar, maybe slightly even nose-up. It runs smoothly and does not tingle the hands. One poster on this forum says the vibration isolation is not as good on the 488 as other saws. I think it is good enough. It has at least rubber dampers I think. I ran her a couple of hours yesterday cutting saplings and other things up to about 6" with no issues at all and no vibration effects in my hands. The saw also absolutely leaps back to life with a very gentle tug to the pull cord after it is fully warmed up. The saw has metal and no primer bulb. I don't want a primer bulb. I like it.
I bought a Shindaiwa 488 from an Arboristsite member David Newbie. Thanks. It looks like it will be a very good saw. It has the fully adjustable H and L screws.
Truck mount for giggles:
Floods:
The saw was advertised as a strong fuel flooder. I had the same issue at first. It would start...sometimes, if it wasn't flooded, then even flood upon restart. I took apart the carb and checked the metering lever height on the needle/seat. Meter lever height was fine relative to the carb rim. I then stretched the OEM metering spring a bit to add more strength. My thought was the stiffer spring may hold the needle onto the seat more firmly. It seems to have fixed the problem!!!!
Starting procedure:
I also learned better how to start the saw to avoid flooding it. I set the choke, set the throttle lever open (which I had not been doing) and pull ONCE or TWICE only whether it coughs or not. Then choke off, throttle off, another pull or two and she goes fine. Carb H and L adjustments and idle adjustments also got her running smooth.
Muffler Mod:
I modded the muffler by first gutting the exit pipe as per:
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/santas-workshop.267935/
I folded the factory muffler louvers back and forth until they snapped off. I also dremeled a notch in the front for a little more flow. Deleted the screen altogether. It isn't too noisy and sounds nice.
Picks show a bit oily... rich H screw perhaps?
Bar Mod for Siguhara:
There is a lot of bar adjustment left - the adjustment pin is situated all the way in next to the saw as far as it will go.
I put my old Siguhara 14" bar on. VH2U-0N35-A. I had been using that bar previously for a PS420 Dolmar, which it fit ferfectly. I use 3/8 low pro 0.050 with 52 drive links.
The Shindaiwa saw came with .325 chain, but manual and other data shows the option of 3/8. I switched the rim to 3/8-7. I had loops of 52-link 3/8" 0.050 around the shop and had been running that length fine on the Dolmar, so I thought I could use it for this. It is a problem. 52 drive links is too short!!
The bar mount also turned out to be a challenge.
The bar pattern on the Shindaiwa is listed online as Oregon A041 but the Dolmar had K095, I believe, which is small Husq?
The Shindy mount is slightly different:
http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.n...c2f1695639b298fe88256e0e001e9f1f?OpenDocument
Eager to run the new-to-me Shindaiwa, I decided to slightly modify my Sugihara bar. I tweaked the chain tension adjustment holes with a round file so the pin would go in and the bar would rest flat against the saw. The pin was slightly further down from the Dolmar location, away from the bar centerline, but now it works. I also could not get the 52-link chain and bar on as usual. I had to assemble bar, chain, and sprocket together, then install on the saw. This is not ideal, but it worked and I was able to run the saw. I can get a longer chain. I have no idea why 52 links is too short. It is listed on Bailey's as using that length, though Bailey's is not the world's authority I suppose. Taking the clutch off to get the chain off is not going to be fun.
https://www.baileysonline.com/stihl-63ps-3-8-low-profile-picco-super-chainsaw-chain.html
Oiler:
The saw has a metal bar guide plate on each side - one on the saw and one on the removable chain brake cover - which seems to contain the oil even though the bar isn't just right. Seems to oil just fine.
How does it cut?
The saw cuts nicely. It is fairly powerful for it's size. It is perfectly balanced at the top handle with the 14" bar, maybe slightly even nose-up. It runs smoothly and does not tingle the hands. One poster on this forum says the vibration isolation is not as good on the 488 as other saws. I think it is good enough. It has at least rubber dampers I think. I ran her a couple of hours yesterday cutting saplings and other things up to about 6" with no issues at all and no vibration effects in my hands. The saw also absolutely leaps back to life with a very gentle tug to the pull cord after it is fully warmed up. The saw has metal and no primer bulb. I don't want a primer bulb. I like it.
