Long time lurker and reader, posting for the first time in a long time, possibly ever. I'm a contract climber most recently traveling around the US and working along the way. Let me know if you're in the Sarasota area and need a climber 
Anyways....
I had a great score today...definitely one for the books. I got this 044 from a guy on Craigslist for 200 bucks. I talked him down from 250. Saw was in great cosmetic shape but there is a missing clutch side seal and a probable toasted bearing. The story goes, he was an old logger and it started running funny so he brought it to a shop near here, thinking it needed carb work. They did some fiddling with it but never got it to run right, and sent it to their sister shop. They determined it had an air leak and needed seals. They gave him a price to repair but he didn't want to spend the money and decided he would just sell it. He said they quoted him about $300. I don't know much about these 044s other than the fact I used one once and it seemed like a ripper. Maybe it was a 440, I don't know the difference. I do know I like that generation, at least the 036, the 020t and the 066. The pictures below will show that the plastic piece inside is broken. It turns over no problem and I don't have a compression test gauge, but putting my finger over the plug hole it feels pretty good. Even with the scoring on the exhaust side of the piston. The grooves don't catch a nail, so I'm sure the cylinder can probably be cleaned up. I've been told it's a Kolbin Schmidt, 10mm cylinder. I understand that's a good thing, but I don't know why other than it being an early design and more rare. I'll post some pictures, can anyone tell me what's the big deal with these? I was planning on keeping this in the saw fleet to replace my 372. The husky needs a top end but it was always a ripper for me. And I've been told that husky has more power than this 044. So I'm inclined to keep the 372 in the line up. My bigger saw is a 660, so I would like the ability to share bars in case something happens and I have to use the other saw to finish a job. I have to keep my fleet small, since I can only fit what I own in my truck bed toolbox. Anyways, I'll attach some pictures below of the saw. I'm looking for some input on how this saw will perform compared to the 372 and which should stay in the toolbox and which should go on to ebay to enjoy the next part of life. The 044 seems lighter than the 372, so as a climber I am attracted to that....
Anyways....I had a great score today...definitely one for the books. I got this 044 from a guy on Craigslist for 200 bucks. I talked him down from 250. Saw was in great cosmetic shape but there is a missing clutch side seal and a probable toasted bearing. The story goes, he was an old logger and it started running funny so he brought it to a shop near here, thinking it needed carb work. They did some fiddling with it but never got it to run right, and sent it to their sister shop. They determined it had an air leak and needed seals. They gave him a price to repair but he didn't want to spend the money and decided he would just sell it. He said they quoted him about $300. I don't know much about these 044s other than the fact I used one once and it seemed like a ripper. Maybe it was a 440, I don't know the difference. I do know I like that generation, at least the 036, the 020t and the 066. The pictures below will show that the plastic piece inside is broken. It turns over no problem and I don't have a compression test gauge, but putting my finger over the plug hole it feels pretty good. Even with the scoring on the exhaust side of the piston. The grooves don't catch a nail, so I'm sure the cylinder can probably be cleaned up. I've been told it's a Kolbin Schmidt, 10mm cylinder. I understand that's a good thing, but I don't know why other than it being an early design and more rare. I'll post some pictures, can anyone tell me what's the big deal with these? I was planning on keeping this in the saw fleet to replace my 372. The husky needs a top end but it was always a ripper for me. And I've been told that husky has more power than this 044. So I'm inclined to keep the 372 in the line up. My bigger saw is a 660, so I would like the ability to share bars in case something happens and I have to use the other saw to finish a job. I have to keep my fleet small, since I can only fit what I own in my truck bed toolbox. Anyways, I'll attach some pictures below of the saw. I'm looking for some input on how this saw will perform compared to the 372 and which should stay in the toolbox and which should go on to ebay to enjoy the next part of life. The 044 seems lighter than the 372, so as a climber I am attracted to that....
