Stihl MS361 - Rebuilding Top and Bottom end, need advice on parts

[2-StrokeDude]

Hey all, I'm new to the forum and I’m currently working on rebuilding a free MS 361 I got. The piston blew up and destroyed the cylinder, bottom end crank bearings and the connecting rod bearing. So I’ve split the cases, and I am planning on replacing the crank, main bearings and seals, cylinder and piston.

Here’s what parts I’m planning on purchasing, how does the cylinder kit look? It says it’s got a Nikasil coating so it seems like it would be a decent cylinder. I’m fine if I need to chamfer the ports a little bit to clean it up

Cylinder -

Stihl MS361 MS 361 Nikasil cylinder piston kit 47mm with gaskets Chainsaw ms | eBay​

Fits Stihl chainsaw models MS361.
www.ebay.com

Crank -

Tecomec Crankshaft fits Stihl MS341 MS361 - Replaces Stihl 1135 030 0400 | eBay​

Crankshaft fits Stihl MS341, MS361.
www.ebay.com

Bearings and seal kit -

RTS Complete Crankshaft Bearing Kit for Stihl MS361 MS 361 C-M TWO Seals Gaskets | eBay​

For MS361 Chainsaws. Includes: Flywheel side crankshaft bearing and seal, Clutch side crankshaft bearing and seal, Case half gasket, Cylinder base gasket, Muffler gasket, Piston needle bearing, Clutch drum needle bearing, and clutch drum e-clip.
www.ebay.com


The crank looks pretty nice to me and is most similar looking one compared to the original OEM crank.

I’m trying to get away with rebuilding this saw for $200 or so. With all of the things I’m buying for it I would be out about $185. Do you think these are decent parts? Not looking to get a Hyway or Metoer kit, yes I know they are better or OEM parts are best, but I’m kinda on a budget here so trying to keep things cheap but still get decent parts.

Think these parts would be decent and last a while? Probably would be better than the Farmertec junk?

 

[ZeroJunk]

Probably be fine. I have a local tree guy running an 066 that I put a Chinese crankshaft in several years ago.

Check your ports on the cylinder closely to make sure there is no sharp edge, and if the circlips have tabs on them don't use them.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I just partially rebuilt a 361 but only needed piston and rings along with coil and some other odds and ends, so I bought Meteor and Caber because $33 vs $15-20 China stuff was well worth it even though like you I wanted to put a minimum into it. Tecomec crank should be fine, they still make good quality even though they moved most manufacturing to China. Bearing set should be fine. The jug is usually where you want to invest in quality, I think the China kits on Ebay are a crapshoot whether you pay $25 or $69 they're all pretty much the same. So if you're going to spend $70 get a Hyway kit for $100, otherwise buy the cheapest China kit.

 

[2-StrokeDude]

Thanks for the info, I'll plan on buying the crank and bearings and looking for a better cylinder kit

 

[2-StrokeDude]

Probably be fine. I have a local tree guy running an 066 that I put a Chinese crankshaft in several years ago.

Check your ports on the cylinder closely to make sure there is no sharp edge, and if the circlips have tabs on them don't use them.

Also, what do you mean by if the circlips have tabs don't use them? Are you talking about these?


What is bad about them, do they just pop out of their grove and wreck everything?

I have used circlips like these on 2-stroke mopeds and they seem to work fine, never seen the kind with tabs on them.

 

[cookies]

I'd get the oem piston and cylinder kit..expensive but it will make more power and last longer than any aftermarket without the threat of getting a bad cylinder thats out of round. If you just have to save because you can not afford the oem p/c kit then get meteor.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Also, what do you mean by if the circlips have tabs don't use them? Are you talking about these?
View attachment 1131004

What is bad about them, do they just pop out of their grove and wreck everything?

I have used circlips like these on 2-stroke mopeds and they seem to work fine, never seen the kind with tabs on them. View attachment 1131005

The bottom type will not stand up to the RPM over time. The tabs break off from metal fatigue. Been there, done that. Get some OEM Stihl.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

The circlips that came with my Meteor piston kit must've been good - they were next to impossible to install. Hardest part of any work I did on it. Someone told me the Meteor jugs weren't any good, just the piston kits, but don't know if true or not. Anyway, Cyber Monday special here for a Meteor cylinder kit, great deal marked down from $124 to $85. https://www.hlsproparts.com/product-p/mcc1884.htm

 

[2-StrokeDude]

The circlips that came with my Meteor kit must've been good - they were next to impossible to install. Hardest part of any work I did on it. Someone told me the Meteor jugs weren't any good, just the piston kits, but don't know if true or not. Anyway, Cyber Monday special here for a Meteor cylinder kit, great deal marked down from $124 to $85. https://www.hlsproparts.com/product-p/mcc1884.htm

Wow, that is a great deal! Thanks for sharing that with me! I will definitely be buying that, it will certainly give me more peace of mind knowing I have a good cylinder and piston in there...

 

[ZeroJunk]

Meteor stand alone pistons got away from the circlips with a tab or tabs some time back.
They do not work for 13,500 or more RPM saws.

If by chance the kit comes with them, don't say I didn't warn you.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Your rolling the dice with aftermarket parts at best. If you go that route and have to tear it down a second time my guess is your not gonna be happy. Spend the money one time and be done with it. Find a good used crank, maybe good used cylinder, new OEM bearings and piston.

 

[2-StrokeDude]

Meteor stand alone pistons got away from the circlips with a tab or tabs some time back.
They do not work for 13,500 or more RPM saws.

If by chance the kit comes with them, don't say I didn't warn you.

Looks like the kit comes with the normal kind of clips, so I should be good.

These look like the same clips that were in the saw. When I tore it down originally among all of the piston chunks and engine carnage I found, one of the circlips was still intact and they looked like the meteor ones that come in the kit. I'll post some pics of what happened to the engine, you guys won't believe what happened to it, I just cannot believe a piston would just grenade like this on a Pro Stihl saw!

 

[2-StrokeDude]

Your rolling the dice with aftermarket parts at best. If you go that route and have to tear it down a second time my guess is your not gonna be happy. Spend the money one time and be done with it. Find a good used crank, maybe good used cylinder, new OEM bearings and piston.

I would love to buy all OEM, and yeah I am an OEM all the way guy at least when I'm working on my Honda Motorcycles, and yeah I guess Stihl stuff too, but for a new OEM cylinder+piston on eBay its like +$300, then a new crank is +$110, gaskets and bearings like +$150, so honesty I might as well buy a new saw at that point. But with it being a free saw I kinda want to see how far some good aftermarket parts like a Meteor cylinder kit will get me, yes I know Stihl is %100 better, but I'm on a budget here so we'll see what happens

 

[2-StrokeDude]

Here is all the carnage, look at that plug, she was runnin hot man!

Also a few pics of all the parts after cleaning them in hot water and dish soap/ degreaser for a few hours. The cases were caked with sawdust and bar oil as well as all the other parts

A bit of background on the saw:

- I work at a plant nursery where my boss used this saw for years cutting up large amounts of firewood for a wood boiler. So it sat for a long while in between uses. He said he was using it one day when it just went "bang" and locked right up. So he took it to a Stihl dealer and they said he was better off buying a new saw. (they were right!) So now he has been using a new MS 362C for a few years and he likes that, its pretty much an updated verison of the 361.

 

[2-StrokeDude]

Here's the cylinder...

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

This jred 630 I picked up a while back had a scattered piston, didn’t split the case but I did spend quite a bit of time flushing out the bottom end. New piston, cylinder was flawless. Runs like a top to this day.

 

[2-StrokeDude]

This jred 630 I picked up a while back had a scattered piston, didn’t split the case but I did spend quite a bit of time flushing out the bottom end. New piston, cylinder was flawless. Runs like a top to this day. View attachment 1131061View attachment 1131062

Wow, that is crazy! That piston looks worse than mine! I first though about just flushing the bottom end, and then putting a new cylinder kit in there, but I'm glad I did not since one of the crank bearings is full if metal chucks and won't hardly spin. And I pretty much assumed the crankshaft connecting rod bearing was bad too, and it seems alright but makes a subitale grinding noise so I figured I'll replace everything once insted of throwing a top end on there and they having to tear the whole thing down after the bearings gernade...

 

[cookies]

Wow, that is crazy! That piston looks worse than mine! I first though about just flushing the bottom end, and then putting a new cylinder kit in there, but I'm glad I did not since one of the crank bearings is full if metal chucks and won't hardly spin. And I pretty much assumed the crankshaft connecting rod bearing was bad too, and it seems alright but makes a subitale grinding noise so I figured I'll replace everything once insted of throwing a top end on there and they having to tear the whole thing down after the bearings gernade...

Flush the crank in diesel, mixed gas or even penetrating oil to wash it then blow it out and rewash it out to see if it smooths out beautifully. If it does and its not discolored from heat i'd run it.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I would love to buy all OEM, and yeah I am an OEM all the way guy at least when I'm working on my Honda Motorcycles, and yeah I guess Stihl stuff too, but for a new OEM cylinder+piston on eBay its like +$300, then a new crank is +$110, gaskets and bearings like +$150, so honesty I might as well buy a new saw at that point. But with it being a free saw I kinda want to see how far some good aftermarket parts like a Meteor cylinder kit will get me, yes I know Stihl is %100 better, but I'm on a budget here so we'll see what happens

Depends on the saw for me - the 361 is a real nice lifetime kinda saw, but I won't use it enough to justify any more than the Meteor piston in it and, like you, got it as a bargain fixer upper. I don't pay a lot of attention to my smaller saws because I mainly use saws for milling and those are all my larger ones. I only just now paid serious attention to getting everything fixed up perfect on my 455 Ranchers to sell them because they were consumer saws I didn't use a lot. Made in Italy doesn't necessarily guarantee anything with the Meteors, but they have a long time great reputation among AM parts.

 

[stihltech]

OK my 2 cents. Most of us do not use aftermarket in a shop due to liability reasons. We don't want to get stuck warrantying anything that the manufacturer will not stand behind.

That being said, does the private homeowner type just throw this saw away? Up to them.

Do not buy the absolute cheapest aftermarket out there. I see you are looking at some of the "better" aftermarket brands. Good move.

Heed the advice given on here. Especially about the pin locks. We want to see it run again. Go for it