Stihl 044 fuel tank/rear handle replacement parts

[pdqdl]

OK. An idiot dropped one of my favorite saws out of a tree. Fuel tank & handle are broken. Incidental note: this already has the tank/handle off a MS460 saw, so we know there are some interchanges possible.

The easy & expensive option is to call the local dealer and pay a fortune for parts that he doesn't keep in stock anyway. Big wait, high expense.

2nd option: scout around for a parts-only saw and transfer good parts over. Does anyone have one?
Also: I found a MS361 that would be a good candidate: does anyone know if the fuel tank, handle & housing are the same?

3rd option: buy an unbelievably cheap aftermarket set of parts. I'm not so proud about Stihl that I won't bolt up an aftermarket part if it works. Does anyone have any experience with them? Ebay is literally flooded with these fuel tank & handle assemblies.
Example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Handl...058723?hash=item5b4aa088e3:g:hn4AAOSwI2xbY~XO

It looks like a great deal, but money invested in crap that doesn't work isn't a good deal.

Feel free to render your opinions & advice!

 

[CausticUC]

4th option, machine shop/welder that does magnesium tig or soldering.

 

[pdqdl]

I don't have all the missing parts, and these are plastic parts anyway. At least they are on my saw. We already swapped the tank/handle out with a MS460. If the handle was originally magnesium, that is news to me.

 

[Mad Professor]

4th option, machine shop/welder that does magnesium tig or soldering.

Fuel tank is plastic.

Try the trading post here.

I might have one but I'd have to check condition and if it's 044 0r 046. Also it's at my other house....

 

[CausticUC]

Bad me, I forgot some were plastic.

 

[JoshNY]

I have a 440 I built out of Huztl (farmertec) parts, the aftermarket handle/tank has held up just fine for me, cut my firewood for 2 years so far with it.
I heard some of their earlier tanks had issues with leaking at the seam, but they improved their manufacturing process and the tanks being sold now don't have that issue.

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

 

[pdqdl]

Bad me, I forgot some were plastic.

Uh oh. That suggests that I might get screwed up if I happen across a used saw that is made with metal. It seems unlikely that all the parts would interchange.

Anybody know about this issue?

 

[CausticUC]

Uh oh. That suggests that I might get screwed up if I happen across a used saw that is made with metal. It seems unlikely that all the parts would interchange.

Anybody know about this issue?

It would be in an updated IPL as an alternative configuration. Its pretty obvious which is which in person.

However, I think the 044 tank and handle are combined. Seems about around that time.

 

[Woodslasher]

To the best of my knowledge, NO 044/046/440/460 saws came with metal tanks. The only metal OR plastic tanked saws I know of are the 038’s.

 

[JonCraig]

I also have never seen nor heard of an 1128 series with anything other than plastic tank.

I *think* any tank/handle assembly from an 044/046/440/460 will work. It's an easy swap. Cheap insurance would be to replace the impulse line (OEM please; probably $10) and if the A/V mounts are squishy, replace those as well (I've used aftermarket A/V and worked fine for me).

It's a 30 minute job. Only thing you'll need if you don't already have is a T25 Torx bit. And I'd recommend blue loctite on the A/V screws.

 

[pdqdl]

Thanks guys.

I think you are probably right about metal vs plastic. We have an 038; it's metal. Our 044 is plastic, as is the 460. I may just try out the cheapo aftermarkets...it turns out that both of them have broken handles/tanks. That is why my mechanic swapped the 460 onto the 044.


The same guy injured both of the saws.

He's gonna pay.

 

[JonCraig]

Sounds like maybe he's more suited to using a plastic Poulan.

 

[BangBang77]

Sounds like maybe he's more suited to using a plastic Poulan.

Sounds like he's a candidate for bouncing off the mailbox on his aerial trip to the road...

 

[drf255]

The 046 tank is wider than the 044 tank. It will fit, but the covers get all strange.

Get an AM 440 tank. Swap on the ignition switch and the line/filter from your busted oem tank. I highly recommend @Definitive Dave flippy cap eliminator caps. The don’t leak, are easy to use, and make the saw look less frankensaw-ish. Also, pull out the tank vent and check it. Some of the am tank vents came with duckbill vents that don’t separate. Can be fixed with an exacto blade.

As mentioned above, the 1128 series never came with metal tanks. Old Stihl saws did, and some transition saws like the 028 and 038 came both ways.

 

[pdqdl]

I'm convinced. There is a bunch of loonies on eBay that have an 044 bid up over $300 for a junker with no starter cover. OEM costs big Buck$.

Thanks.

 

[MAngelotti1]

Pm me if you have interest in a 046 tank/handle assembly and we can figure out the rest!

 

[jltrent]

AM plastic is useable. I try to go with OEM metal though.

 

[MAngelotti1]

Ok I have a plastic if and when you are interested. Shouldn’t be going anywhere!

 

[pdqdl]

Thanks for the offer on that 046, but I have recently been convinced that the 046 version isn't necessarily the best option. See comments above.