Stihl MS180 upgrades

[KostasVolos]

NOT true, at least in the U.S. Every one that I have encountered has had an unlimited coil... and they run too fast 14-14.5K at sea level. Did you possibly mean 171, 181?

Nope.Recently I have asked the
technician at the local Stihl shop about this .I was told that after
2001 (or was it 2011 ?,not quite sure... ) all Stihl 2-mix chainsaws do have limited coils.
Furthermore I 've confirmed his statement with my tach .
When the rpms reach about 13,000 then the tach goes nuts.
It becomes unable to keep a constant reading ,while the saw sounds almost like four stroking ,even If the H screw is turned all the way in . The coils my 2-mix 180s have are made in Germany .As far as I'm aware in the US the 2-mix MS170/MS180 are unavailable.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

NOT true, at least in the U.S. Every one that I have encountered has had an unlimited coil... and they run too fast 14-14.5K at sea level. Did you possibly mean 171, 181?

They’re not limited here in Australian either. They are too lean at sea level here as well. Drilling the main jet should get you to a safer number if you want any longevity from it.

 

[KostasVolos]

Check towards the bottom of the page 12 ...

" If RPM exceeds a preset limit .... "



I think it was after the year 2001 that all stratified engine (2-mix) Stihl chainsaws DO have a limited coil.

"most new engine designs produced in the last 10 years or so ,do "

 

[KostasVolos]

They’re not limited here in Australian either. They are too lean at sea level here as well. Drilling the main jet should get you to a safer number if you want any longevity from it.

I 've found an easier way ...
I went to a Stihl repair shop in a nearby town and politely asked if I can remove some jets from the carbs that they are thrown away to the recycling bin .
They gave me three buckets full of
carburetors .I asked to pay for them ,
but they declined ( greek " philotimo ") .
I took my time and salvaged about fifty jets .
When I returned home I cleaned them with carb cleaner spray .
I 've thrown away plenty of them ,since their size was smaller or larger from the range I wanted,but luckily I got some in that range
( .43 / .44 / .45/ .46 /.47 /.48 ) , I was searching for .

 

[KostasVolos]

Furthermore ,"advancing the flywheel key mod" is rather not applicable on any Stihl stratified engine ,since the electronic ignition module does that automatically ,when the rpm increase towards WOT.
It's not just a rev limiter .

Note:Just revisited the manual of
the MS180 2-mix .
At the last pages ( at specifications ) it clearly states :
Ignition System
Electronically controlled magneto ignition .

 

[SteveSr]

Nope.Recently I have asked the
technician at the local Stihl shop about this .I was told that after
2001 (or was it 2011 ?,not quite sure... ) all Stihl 2-mix chainsaws do have limited coils.

In the U.S. the 2-Mix are the 171 and 181 and, yes they are available here. These are the new and "improved" Strato-saws that Stihl is hoping to replace the 170 and 180 and I don't doubt that they have a limited coil.

BTW, this strategy hasn't worked too well for the MS251 replacing the MS250.

 

[KostasVolos]

Here in Greece ,the MS170 ,MS180,MS171 & MS181 are available and all of them have the 2-mix engine.But there's that general consensus that the models ending with "1" are somewhat "cold blooded" .
They are difficult to start and do not seem to operate as smoothly and trouble free as their counterparts ending with a zero .
Unfortunately ,the MS200,MS210 & MS250 are not imported any more( as also many other farm and pro grade models ending with "0" ) and have been replaced by the ones ending with "1" .

Myself have tried the MS181 and to be honest did not like it .
Far more complicated in many aspects than the ordinary MS180 and the spring AV system is quite "soft" ,making the saw "dancing"
here and there while cutting .

But most models -if not all- here in EU ,no matter if ending with a zero or with
a one ,are the 2-mix kind ,due to very strict EURO environmental regulations .

 

[KostasVolos]

Latest discovery.
Amazing fuel & bar oil tank caps !
An after market product ,but actually is more expensive
than the OEM ! Not by much ,but still more expensive.
Quality of materials and of final product seems great and
they seal just by hand tightening .
No need of the scrench to tight or untight them ,
while still they have the slot for a scrench .
And they get removed easily just by gently pulling them out of the tank .
No more fancy finger Kung-Fu moves to remove the caps out of the tanks,if needed.

 

[cscltd]

”Ella” What supplier did you get those caps from or what make are those caps?

 

[KostasVolos]

”Ella” What supplier did you get those caps from or what make are those caps?

I was searching all over the web for caps of this type and actually found them in a shop here in Greece.It seems that the same shop has an e-bay account and those caps can be found there also.Nowhere else I was able to locate anything like them .
Do not know what brand they are ,
but they seem pretty solid .Used them just once ,but I'm pretty convinced.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4020309191...RkCMvfdMfP4qlWbqRnL3Jhzg==|tkp:Bk9SR-iDybLtYQ

 

[cscltd]

also know as dla engine parts-great-thanks

 

[adedeluca]

My biggest issue with the MS180 is the air filter.Let me explain .
This saw (as well as the MS170) are specifically designed for users that almost never remove the air filter,blow it clean and reinstall it.
Thus ,by design the air filter,once it is installed it is not supposed to be removed.It is designed to be changed with a new one once a year.Otherwise ,
the penalty of frequently removing the air filter ,cleaning it and reinstalling it ,is that the filter no more fits snuggly around the oval shaped intake snorkel and wood and dust start making their way into the cylinder and piston.

Myself I frequently remove the air
filter to clean it.It's also a good way to prevent the auto
compensating carburetor to tilt
the mixture towards the lean side.

But haven't got a way to seal
the air filter around the oval shaped intake snorkel ,yet.

Has anyone found a (quick & efficient ) way to deal with that issue?

Yes I simply wrap 7-9 layers of Teflon tape around the plastic snorkel intake .
This makes a nice seal now
I read this on our web site by a viewer

Mike

 

[KostasVolos]

Yes I simply wrap 7-9 layers of Teflon tape around the plastic snorkel intake .
This makes a nice seal now
I read this on our web site by a viewer

Mike

Well ,I 've tried the teflon tape,
but I prefer the 2-part epoxy !
;-)

 

[adedeluca]

I totally agree!

Totally yes agree 170 is good enough for most of my stuff. Keep chains sharp period is super inportant. Mike

Well ,I 've tried the teflon tape,
but I prefer the 2-part epoxy !
;-)

the fit is not so compliant with cured vs hard epoxy

Well ...

A ) The ability to dismantle the whole saw with the use of few tools ,to me it is a "pro" build standard.

B ) The ability to repair the saw with the use of a dedicated
"Repair & Service Manual" ,even
with limited mechanics knowledge ,
is also a pro level standard.

C ) The "one way" fitment of most
parts is also a pro level standard.

D ) The availability of numbered parts ,
even down to a single bolt or washer ,
is another pro level standard.

E ) Almost in every home owner level chainsaw ,
no matter the brand ,the use of plastic parts is extended.
But Stihl uses the most durable and robust polymers.
No other brand has to offer such sturdy plastic housings and covers.Trust me ,I have dropped my MS180s so many times
and from such heights ,that no other saw could have survived these falls.I have experienced what happens with Husqvarna and Echo home owner grade saws ,when accidentally dropped from a tree or down on a slope.


Sure ,pro level Stihl chainsaws have magnesium housings
and covers,forged connecting rods,larger engine displacements,
M-tronic electronic tuning ...

But ALL Stihl saws are made under the same standards.

yes I prefer Sthil overall. Nothing is perfect Sharp chain is paramount !

 

[KostasVolos]

the fit is not so compliant with cured vs hard epoxy

I'm not sure that I 've understood that .
What exactly do you mean ?

 

[ryobi]

What is the part number for the hd air filter everybody keeps talking about?