Stihl should be ashamed of themselves.

[SamT1]

Wtf is with the air filter on a 500i?
mine has sucked dirt since day one. I’ve tried some of the suggested “fixes” from members here. I’ve also tried to trade it and can’t get a new one. Can’t get a piston either.
this air filtration system is a failure in the real world. I’ve owned this saw a year. Somewhere around 300 cords on it (poor accounting I donno exactly) I’m shocked it still runs to be honest.
I need to order an aftermarket filter I guess, but would prefer to put a piston in at the same time.
I’ll admit I run saws like I stole them. But I’ve never seen a Stihl with this kinda issue. They would be in deep doo doo if these things were blowing up from dirty carbs and all the wood going though them. I’m guessing the average user doesn’t go through air filters too often. I think this is #5 I’ve put on this saw. Maybe I should just toss it on the shelf and put some panty hose over the hole.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Have you tried an outwears cover? It would keep the fines from plugging up the pleats and eventually plugging the filter whereby the vacuum starts pulling dust past the filter seal.

The size of the dust on the handle is pretty small.... That would plug any filter in a hurry.

 

[Woodslasher]

Maxflow makes foam filter kits for those, their website said they should be getting another batch in sometime in February so maybe see if you can pick up one of those.

 

[SamT1]

Have you tried an outwears cover? It would keep the fines from plugging up the pleats and eventually plugging the filter whereby the vacuum starts pulling dust past the filter seal.

The size of the dust on the handle is pretty small.... That would plug any filter in a hurry.

I’ve run chainsaws well over 20 years and never had this kinda issue. It’s Stihl’s problem not mine.
I’m all for modifying stuff, but having to modify it just to be right is BS. They need to recall and fix this. Never have I had a vehicle or device that an aftermarket air filter cleaned the air as good as stock.
I’d probably buy another because the thing is so light and mean, but I can’t even trade it because dealer doesn’t have one. (Hasn’t for 3 months) I’m fixing to be back to running a 440 when this looses compression from all the wood running through it.

If harbor freight sold something that had this kinda flaw, they would throw a spare piston in the box with it.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Theres not much modification to a cover on the filter....

I believe this is the one that fits the Stihl Round Filters...

https://www.outerwears.com/proddetail.asp?prod=2319
Perhaps the saw doesnt do as good a job of preventing fines from getting to the filter as previous Stihls... I run these covers on all my Stihls and I never have to actually clean the filter. Nothing makes it to the filter.

If I was having as much of an issue as you, I would make it a point to clean the filter more often.

I have a 500 as well, it hasn't ingested any wood.

 

[3000 FPS]

Wtf is with the air filter on a 500i?

I’ll admit I run saws like I stole them. But I’ve never seen a Stihl with this kinda issue. They would be in deep doo doo if these things were blowing up from dirty carbs and all the wood going though them. I’m guessing the average user doesn’t go through air filters too often. I think this is #5 I’ve put on this saw. Maybe I should just toss it on the shelf and put some panty hose over the hole.

Ok the panty hose cracked me up. Do they even still make those things.
I do not own a 500i but have read a lot of reviews and most people seem to rant and rave about them. Maybe they do not use them like you do.

 

[SamT1]

Ok the panty hose cracked me up. Do they even still make those things.
I do not own a 500i but have read a lot of reviews and most people seem to rant and rave about them. Maybe they do not use them like you do.

I’ve learned that 95% of people don’t. I used to sell my tired worn out saws on eBay instead of rebuilding and I always had stellar reviews.
Don’t get me wrong, this thing is light and has mega power. But it’s time Stihl recall them and fix this air filter. Like I said, if I could buy a piston I’d swap it and go again. But I can’t.
im sure the filtration is fine for someone felling trees with it. But run 2 tanks of fuel through it every day in harsh conditions and the filter is a joke. I’ve run lots of other Stihl saws in the same conditions and never seen actual small chips beyond the filter.
An outerwear won’t fix it. The chips are coming in under the filter and around the center stud. The little click half turn deal doesn’t cut it for a pro saw, that a home owner deal
I won’t clean my air filter every couple tanks. Will just find something with a better design.

 

[user 122190]

From your picture, it looks pretty bad. Hard to believe that this is something common. Reviews are incredibly positive, yet you seem to have a special use or condition that is unique to the 1000s or 10,000s of other owners. Like I said hard to believe.

 

[Jonny Quest]

SamT1: You have every right to be pi$$ed. A poor design on a pro-grade saw is bad ju-ju in this day and age. With the availability of the internet and almost unlimited access to information, one would think that this will come back and bite Stihl in the a$$. Shame that your dealer isn't helping more...

JQ

 

[vision976]

A couple of suggestions to improve the situation mentioned within this thread:
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/500i-sucking-dirt.356495/

 

[Pioneer]

I've seen a lot of other complaints about Stihl air filtration systems, in particular how fast the filters plug up because of how much sawdust gets to them. I can tell you that's the case with the ms250 as well, cutting very dry or dry rotted wood that throws a lot of dust will plug up the filter enough to change your carb settings in short time.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Wonder why Echo isnt having these issues with their CS7310P, CS590, CS620P...

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[esshup]

Try putting Vaseline on the sealing parts of the gasket on the filter and around the top where the hole for the center stud is. It might be leaking through there.

Dolmar makes a larger air filter for their 7900, and it has a cloth oversleeve on it. Works great!!

 

[PV Hiker]

I did some cutting in a burn area bucking trees off trail. The 500i air filter I added a bead of Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease between the filter and case. No black soot made it around that grease seal. The grease did not melt and flow like others will. It was suggested by my dealer.

The stock filter did a good job as I did not see any black soot behind the filter on the white housing.

I've been doing this and have been ok.

You can look at past posting like this one. https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/got-a-500i.356306/#post-7628821

Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease - Inland Vacuum Industries, Inc.​

Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease is a silicone grease suitable for sealing and lubricating valves, gaskets, bearings, vacuum systems, and other equipment.

inlandvacuum.com

Expand to read and for link. Sucks you're having issues. Heard later models have tighter assembly. Vaseline will run when hot. This silicone grease will not.

 

[link]

Wtf is with the air filter on a 500i?
mine has sucked dirt since day one. I’ve tried some of the suggested “fixes” from members here. I’ve also tried to trade it and can’t get a new one. Can’t get a piston either.
this air filtration system is a failure in the real world. I’ve owned this saw a year. Somewhere around 300 cords on it (poor accounting I donno exactly) I’m shocked it still runs to be honest.
I need to order an aftermarket filter I guess, but would prefer to put a piston in at the same time.
I’ll admit I run saws like I stole them. But I’ve never seen a Stihl with this kinda issue. They would be in deep doo doo if these things were blowing up from dirty carbs and all the wood going though them. I’m guessing the average user doesn’t go through air filters too often. I think this is #5 I’ve put on this saw. Maybe I should just toss it on the shelf and put some panty hose over the hole.

You sound unhappy, perhaps even slightly bitter.
Well, the best medicine for that is to put the useless one on the shelf, lift some weight at the gym and go spend a few dollas at the competitors.

 

[rogue60]

Looks good for a saw that's actually been used I don't see a problem myself?..

Now this is what you call letting fines through lol

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Wtf is with the air filter on a 500i?
mine has sucked dirt since day one. I’ve tried some of the suggested “fixes” from members here. I’ve also tried to trade it and can’t get a new one. Can’t get a piston either.
this air filtration system is a failure in the real world. I’ve owned this saw a year. Somewhere around 300 cords on it (poor accounting I donno exactly) I’m shocked it still runs to be honest.
I need to order an aftermarket filter I guess, but would prefer to put a piston in at the same time.
I’ll admit I run saws like I stole them. But I’ve never seen a Stihl with this kinda issue. They would be in deep doo doo if these things were blowing up from dirty carbs and all the wood going though them. I’m guessing the average user doesn’t go through air filters too often. I think this is #5 I’ve put on this saw. Maybe I should just toss it on the shelf and put some panty hose over the hole.

Friend makes one you can run under your stock cover. Jason from ID. Here is his website. https://eganperformancesaws.com/products/air-filter-kit
Uni filters on his designed filter basket.

Back when it was torture tested. Tester said no fines got through. Think they suggest using Bel-ray filter oil.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Looks good for a saw that's actually been used I don't see a problem myself?..

Now this is what you call letting fines through lol
View attachment 959566

How about this one that was local to me at a Friends shop.

Guy ran the winter filter year round.

 

[cscltd]

Maybe when Stihl took Husqvarn’s ”Air Injection“ idea, the translation from Swedish to German got screwed up and thought it was suppose to be “Dirt Injection“

 

[imalogger]

A logger I know just put some blue silicone on the base of his filters and then installed them on the saw. Pretty sure he just blew them off from the outside til he was ready to replace them.