Stihl 048AV, 039, 026 PRO

[Stihlmill]

Hey guys, I'm relatively new on here and have a few questions about some saws I recently acquired. I have an MS180C, 4 026s and an 026 PRO, an 028 WB, an 029, 039, and an 048 AV with handle warmers. I got the 048 about 3 weeks ago from Budapest shipped to me for $200, the 026 PRO I just got yesterday for $325 and the guy drove it to me which was a 4 hr round trip drive for him, the 029 was $150, and the 039 was $185. They are all really nice looking saws and all started in 2 or 3 pulls. The 39 has some bearing noise so I bought a good used one on eBay for $20 and a used 26 cylinder for $20 from the same guy for my one 26 with low compression. Does anyone think the 026 PRO was too much. I've been looking for one for years and this has been the first one I've seen so I may have been too anxious to get it. It has compression release, clear fuel tank. A sticker on it says 1995 so I'm assuming that's about how old it is. Bar is a farm boss bar, which I'm sure isn't factory, with 90% of the paint on it and a like new sharp chain. It's clean inside and out. Really doesn't look like it's seen much use. The 39 I now think was too much needing bearings. It was an "untested" machine but was/is really clean. Has 160psi compression. Maybe the fuel wasn't mixed right. Idk how the bearings could be that bad but anyway I got crank seals too. I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this but I don't put anything on my stihls but oem stihl parts. The 048 is super clean too and runs phenomenally. I was thinking $200 may have been too much but then I just saw one for $350 without handle warming option. I see parts are drying up for them so I'm not sure how that effects the value of that. Any comments or opinions are appreciated. Thanks. I'll try to post some pictures of them. Thanks again.

 

[LonestarStihl]

From Budapest huh? Sounds like @David Major sold it to you.

 

[Stihlmill]

 

[Stihlmill]

From Budapest huh? Sounds like @David Major sold it to you.

Yep, the guy said it was his grandfathers and he doesn't cut wood so he just wanted to unload it.

 

[LonestarStihl]

Look like some fine saws! the 048 is on my list of saws to get eventually I think you paid a good price for it

 

[drf255]

Looks like a good deal all around to me.

Don't dismiss that 039. They are great saws. With a small muff mod, they will keep right up with an 038 Mag.

 

[Stihlmill]

Looks like a good deal all around to me.

Don't dismiss that 039. They are great saws. With a small muff mod, they will keep right up with an 038 Mag.

That's one of my buddy/boss' saws. He has a 170, 180, 200t, 38 mag 2, 64 mag and 84. He had another 64 he got rid if I should have got and kick myself in the ass for not getting. He keeps complaining about he don't have a 26 so I was going to give him one, and there is only 1 I'm not very attached to yet, that I still can't give it up yet. I need a tree to fall or cut down then I can really decide if I can give him it or not.

 

[Stihlmill]

Looks like a good deal all around to me.

Don't dismiss that 039. They are great saws. With a small muff mod, they will keep right up with an 038 Mag.

What do you do to the muffler on them to make them run, like really run? Would that also work on the 26, 28, 29, 48. Etc. all my saws? Thanks.

 

[LonestarStihl]

That's one of my buddy/boss' saws. He has a 170, 180, 200t, 38 mag 2, 64 mag and 84. He had another 64 he got rid if I should have got and kick myself in the ass for not getting. He keeps complaining about he don't have a 26 so I was going to give him one, and there is only 1 I'm not very attached to yet, that I still can't give it up yet. I need a tree to fall or cut down then I can really decide if I can give him it or not.

Tell you buddy/boss I'll take that 038 mag off his hands if he needs

 

[Stihlmill]

Tell you buddy/boss I'll take that 038 mag off his hands if he needs

What makes a mag/mag2 different than a normal saw? Is mag for magnesium or magnum like a gun? Stihl has so many suffixes on saws idk what's what and I tend to like to think I know a little about stihl saws since I've been running/owning them for 30 years now but the harder I dig the less I seem to know.
I.E. check this out, I have an 026 that I never noticed until today but it's a red trigger saw. What does that mean? I've read/heard red trigger saws are great but what makes them different or better? I'll put pics up. I think the sticker on the chain brake says 1985. Thanks guys.

 

[LonestarStihl]

I'm not quite sure about the red trigger one I think people just like it because it's different. There's also a "red light" 066 which people like. Those are just little things Stihl did over time as far as I know.

The "super" and "Magnum" indications are for a larger bore cylinder on the saw than the original. Such as...
038av - 61cc
038 Super - 66.8cc
038 Magnum - 72cc

Although on the 076 the AV and Super version are same displacement but the Super has a high top intake and so on. So there's differences in the build I guess you could say

 

[drf255]

What makes a mag/mag2 different than a normal saw? Is mag for magnesium or magnum like a gun? Stihl has so many suffixes on saws idk what's what and I tend to like to think I know a little about stihl saws since I've been running/owning them for 30 years now but the harder I dig the less I seem to know.
I.E. check this out, I have an 026 that I never noticed until today but it's a red trigger saw. What does that mean? I've read/heard red trigger saws are great but what makes them different or better? I'll put pics up. I think the sticker on the chain brake says 1985. Thanks guys.

Red lever saws are older. Pre-EPA kinda stuff.

There's a lot of debate on the red lever appearance. In many models, they came black lever, then went red, then back to black.

There's quite a few jug variations in the 026 model line. "Red lever" jugs seem to have a round combustion chamber. They don't have reliefs around the plug or a casting boss for a decomp. They yield higher compression than their counterparts. I prefer non-red lever jugs for porting as they keep compression lower.

I'll see if I have pics.

 

[drf255]

Here's 3 red lever jugs with the bands cut. The cut accentuates the chamber design.

 

[drf255]

Here's non-red lever jugs. Same design on them, some with have decomp drilled and some won't.

 

[drf255]

Here's uncut red vs non-red

 

[drf255]

Here's a non red lever with decomp boss but no valve.

 

[drf255]

All of the above are 44mm variants. Late MS260 got 44.7mm jugs to compensate for more restrictive EPA requirements. Stihl increased the power back by slightly increasing displacement.

 

[Stihlmill]

Sorry. My 19 mo old jacked my phone... it was in the sofa and didn't find it until his mother cleaned up today. That's a lot of good info. I never knew there was so many differences. I will get pictures tomorrow of my 26 red trigger. I noticed today on my bosses 064 that it's a red trigger from west Germany and his 038 mag is also red trigger from west Germany! The 38 runs perfect. The 64 he sinned and let someone use it. Came home burned up then he sent it out for rebuild and specifically said oem stihl parts and got it back with aftermarket parts because the guy said stihl parts are too much. Needless to say it doesn't run for crap so I'll be tearing it apart soon to do it right. Thanks a lot for all the help and info!!

 

[Mad Professor]

Looks like a good deal all around to me.

Don't dismiss that 039. They are great saws. With a small muff mod, they will keep right up with an 038 Mag.

That must be some muffler mod to make the clamshell run with a 038M

 

[Stihlmill]

All of the above are 44mm variants. Late MS260 got 44.7mm jugs to compensate for more restrictive EPA requirements. Stihl increased the power back by slightly increasing displacement.
View attachment 597928

Finally got pics of that 26 red trigger. Maybe someone just replaced it like I did on my 39 with a red one or maybe not. Hopefully one of you can tell.