Stihl 066 Magnum and Stihl 038 Super

[davefr]

I picked up a 066 Magnum and 038 Super at a junk store this weekend and cleaned them up and they both run great. I tested them each with a 24" bar and chain.

The 066 muffler had all the internal baffle chambers removed. Does that mean it's Walkerized or Madsenised or just a field modification (ie headers)? It took out a 20" stump in mere seconds. The sound of that saw at full throttle sounds is awesome. Does the 066 hold up OK in durability.

The 038 Super seems to weigh nearly as much as the 066 Magnum, but didn't have the power of the 066. It sure runs nice but it's a tad on the heavy side. Would it stand a chance up against an 372XP or 044 in capability or reliability? I think it should marry up nicely to about a 20" bar. What CC would you guess a 038 Super to be??

 

[treeclimber165]

I do know that the 038 super is 3.8 or 3.9 cubic inches. I owned a 038 magnum for years, and it is 4.4 cubic inches just like the 044. They were a bit heavy, but very durable. The only thing I didn't like about my 038magnum was the air filter setup. The 044 had a 3-stage filter which was much more efficient. Go ahead and buy a couple spare filters for the Super, and it should rip with a 20" bar, but it should pull a 24" without any strain. I had a 27" on mine and never had a problem.
As for the 066, I would get a new muffler for it. Lots of 'tree guys' pull out the baffles on the muffler thinking it will give them more power. All it does is make it louder. My neighbor's kid did the same thing with a Honda Civic and all he does is piss off the neighbors. The one company that I worked for that had an 066 had a 36" bar on it. It held up ok, although I personally think the 088 is a much stronger saw. Should do you fine for occassional big cuts. Anything less than 30" diameter, I think I'd prefer the 038 or 044.

 

[Deere John]

Our 038 was stolen last year - someone figured they needed it more than us - for drug we think because the cops knew who, just could not finger him with the saw and all the rest of the goods he took. Great saw - loved to use it - wish I had it back.

I use my 066 (and 064) with a variety of bars. I generally keep a 20" bar on them and let it rip with that. The longer bars go on only occassionally. The 20" bar is enuf for what I do, and I can use the saw for more than just the bigger cross cuts that way.

As a general rule, I figured the manufacturer has built the most durability and performance into it, so I don't play with the mufflers etc.

Enjoy your saws. I agree with Brian above - replace the gutted muffler.