Stihl 500i specs

[SmellyPirateHooker]

Ugh, this (I can't believe I'm saying this) might be my first "bought new" Stihl. Kind of hard to ignore a saw that has the weight of a 60cc and the power of a 90cc. The added complexity does bother me as a person who does his own saw repair though.

 

[dmb2613]

remember it has to break before you fix it

 

[user 122190]

remember it has to break before you fix it

Not on this site. Seems that everybody here does a muffler mod before putting gas in the saws. Porting before or after a single tank of gas.

 

[SmellyPirateHooker]

Not on this site. Seems that everybody here does a muffler mod before putting gas in the saws. Porting before or after a single tank of gas.

Nah, my last saw made 3 whole tanks before the playing started.

 

[Termite]

[QUOTE="smokey7, post: 6685976, m. Power to weight is almost unbelievable. Surely would have to be a heavy hitter and convert alot of husky only guys to the creamsickle dark side.[/QUOTE]


I am wondering how they got the weight so low. Where did the reduced weight come from. So many of the components are fixed and can not be reduced like P&C, handle bar, muffler, ect? I hope the saws, 462 & 500i are robust enough to last.

 

[ericm979]

Small amounts can be removed from many components due to better modelling and simulation. For example FEA can show where to lighten cases or other parts while maintaining strength. Thermal modelling can show where material can be removed from cylinders without causing overheating. Better casting and machining can make parts more accurate so they don't need to be as overbuilt to account for production tolerances. Not much for each component but a few grams on many parts adds up.

 

[user 122190]

Nah, my last saw made 3 whole tanks before the playing started.

Mines going on 8 years. Another going on 3. Just maintenance.

 

[user 122190]

Same thing in backpacking. Guys cutting the handles off their toothbrushes, to save an 1/8 ounce, but still carry a 357 and a box of ammo. Go figure.

Why not just take a big poop, and skip desert the night before.

Small amounts can be removed from many components due to better modelling and simulation. For example FEA can show where to lighten cases or other parts while maintaining strength. Thermal modelling can show where material can be removed from cylinders without causing overheating. Better casting and machining can make parts more accurate so they don't need to be as overbuilt to account for production tolerances. Not much for each component but a few grams on many parts adds up.

 

[Franny K]

Does this 500i have a stuffed crank?

 

[SmellyPirateHooker]

Mines going on 8 years. Another going on 3. Just maintenance.

I know, I have issues. Everything I own is tweaked to my liking. Just can't help it.

 

[SmellyPirateHooker]

Small amounts can be removed from many components due to better modelling and simulation. For example FEA can show where to lighten cases or other parts while maintaining strength. Thermal modelling can show where material can be removed from cylinders without causing overheating. Better casting and machining can make parts more accurate so they don't need to be as overbuilt to account for production tolerances. Not much for each component but a few grams on many parts adds up.

I would think it's something a bit more substantial then that. For the kind of weight they chopped they had to of found a way to make a perticularly heavy component much lighter. If I had to bet, it's got to be the crank. It's the heaviest piece on the powerhead for sure. You can't shave the counterweight portion withough making the rod and piston lighter, but you can gun drill the cranks centerline. Even change the material I would think.

 

[ericm979]

The crank's balance factor on single cylinders can vary quite a bit. Unlike with say a 90 degree V engine where you get perfect primary balance with 100% balance factor, with a single there's no crank counterweighting that gives perfect primary balance. It's going to be out of balance in one plane or another or both. 100% balance factor (crank counterweights all of the piston, rod end, etc) puts the vibration perpendicular to the bore axis. 0% would make it parallel to the bore. Usually engine designers pick something in the middle depending on the application. For motorcycles with mostly vertical cylinders it's usually in the 60-75% range which puts most of the vibration roughly in line with the bike's wheelbase. That makes it less perceptible to the rider. With a saw that's got AV the engine designer could have a broad lattitude for balance factor if they can move the AV mounts around to suit.

 

[rwoods]

I would think it's something a bit more substantial then that. For the kind of weight they chopped they had to of found a way to make a perticularly heavy component much lighter. If I had to bet, it's got to be the crank. It's the heaviest piece on the powerhead for sure. You can't shave the counterweight portion withough making the rod and piston lighter, but you can gun drill the cranks centerline. Even change the material I would think.

I believe their promo says they have lightened the flywheel. Ron

 

[SmellyPirateHooker]

The crank's balance factor on single cylinders can vary quite a bit. Unlike with say a 90 degree V engine where you get perfect primary balance with 100% balance factor, with a single there's no crank counterweighting that gives perfect primary balance. It's going to be out of balance in one plane or another or both. 100% balance factor (crank counterweights all of the piston, rod end, etc) puts the vibration perpendicular to the bore axis. 0% would make it parallel to the bore. Usually engine designers pick something in the middle depending on the application. For motorcycles with mostly vertical cylinders it's usually in the 60-75% range which puts most of the vibration roughly in line with the bike's wheelbase. That makes it less perceptible to the rider. With a saw that's got AV the engine designer could have a broad lattitude for balance factor if they can move the AV mounts around to suit.

Correct, the only way to truely attain perfect balance or least come closer to is with an added balance shaft. That's certainly not going to happen in a saw

 

[SmellyPirateHooker]

I believe their promo says they have lightened the flywheel. Ron

I'm sure they have lighten everything, but no matter how much you take out of the flywheel it's not going to be much. Every saw I've torn apart has a pretty light wheel as it is. Which brings up another thought, you want a certain amount of rotating mass on an engine. If it's not high enough for its use it becomes problematic with sudden RPM loss under loads, starting and stalling out. Knowing they most certainly have lowered the rotating mass and seeing how well the saw cuts, I wonder if that injection is soo good it makes up for that and allows the cuts in weight.

 

[NvrDwn]

Not on this site. Seems that everybody here does a muffler mod before putting gas in the saws. Porting before or after a single tank of gas.

Hey I waited a year and about 25 thanks before having it played with