When do you quit throwing money at a 660??

[046]

he's correct ... there's a spark plug tester with a pump to test if coil is able to arc under pressure

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/22833.htm

 

[paccity]

back in the 80's when i was in the gaurd our shop for maint had a old champion machine that used compresed air that simulated a load . worked good to i.d. bad plugs.

 

[Justsaws]

Got our 660 back from Baileys and started the saw and idled great and sounded good at half throttle when the saw arrived. Fast forward two weeks and had a final cut on a stump. Whipped out the old 660 and ready to see it rock and roll and just started to cut. Did not even get in to the stump two inches and say bogged down and died. Started saw and still would not cut. Chain is sharp and is not binding on the bar. Took the 660 to a dealer and he checked fuel settings, pressured and vacumed checked and found the decompression valve leaked when wiggled. Changed out the valve and still have the same problem when saw gets into the wood. Paid him for four hours of work and he is puzzled. He thinks that it could be the coil but hates to put one on it just as a guess. Any other ideas? We have spent almost spent twice the amount on the saw than when we bought it. When does one cut his losses and moves on.

You do not need a tester to check for a failing coil but it will make things easier to see. If you do not have one then you will need a dark work area to be able to clearly see the spark on the plug.

Check spark on the saw when it is cold.

Warm saw up until it stalls and test spark.

After the saw has stalled pull the plug and test it in the dark, quickly because as the coil cools the spark may improve. If the coil is weak the spark will look different. I purchased the tester simply to save having to pull plugs to check for spark.

Using an inexpensive inline tester you will see a difference if it is a big enough difference to make the saw stop running. The inline tester that I use was around $10.00 at a auto parts store.

It gets used a lot.

If you have multiple saws that run good put the tester on a couple different ones to get a base line of what good spark looks like using the tester. The one that I am currently using will light anywhere from a dull dim orange on weak to a bright orange yellow on a stong coil.

If it fails to s[park warm, replace the spark plug with a know could plug. I tossed out quite a few new Bosch plugs and scored some good coils that were tossed out as bad because when the shop replaced the coil they put a new plug in as well.

Is this the saw that was eating P/Cs and now it is not running again?

It is probably time to stop paying the fellow that took 4 hours to test crap that was not wrong. Is the current P/C set on the saw damaged?

 

[GoldenStihls]

Man, that SUCKS!! But try and remember, all saw companies have good and bad eggs. Some buy a saw and have no troubles with it for 20 years. Some buy the same type of saw and have problems within the first few weeks. That is exactly why I never buy a work saw used. Always new with a warranty, that way if it does have problems They fix it free.
I like many other Stihl heads hope that you figure it out. Get that beast runnin' right. She'll put on Big ol' smile on your face. The 660 is the best saw I've ever pulled a chain through a log with.

Good luck, and Get R' Done.

 

[bushinspector]

You do not need a tester to check for a failing coil but it will make things easier to see. If you do not have one then you will need a dark work area to be able to clearly see the spark on the plug.

Check spark on the saw when it is cold.

Warm saw up until it stalls and test spark.

After the saw has stalled pull the plug and test it in the dark, quickly because as the coil cools the spark may improve. If the coil is weak the spark will look different. I purchased the tester simply to save having to pull plugs to check for spark.

Using an inexpensive inline tester you will see a difference if it is a big enough difference to make the saw stop running. The inline tester that I use was around $10.00 at a auto parts store.

It gets used a lot.


If you have multiple saws that run good put the tester on a couple different ones to get a base line of what good spark looks like using the tester. The one that I am currently using will light anywhere from a dull dim orange on weak to a bright orange yellow on a stong coil.

If it fails to s[park warm, replace the spark plug with a know could plug. I tossed out quite a few new Bosch plugs and scored some good coils that were tossed out as bad because when the shop replaced the coil they put a new plug in as well.

Is this the saw that was eating P/Cs and now it is not running again?

It is probably time to stop paying the fellow that took 4 hours to test crap that was not wrong. Is the current P/C set on the saw damaged?

Yep, same saw that is eating the top ends. This is after we got the saw back from Baileys. No this top end is still in great shape. Have not even ran this thing five minutes. It does seem strange that it did not have this problem before I sent it off, but sometime things just happens. I would love to send it back but since we have clients waiting to get their trees down we are being pressed to get the old big boy back up and cutting. We have promised to get to them right after the fourth so we are getting between a rock and a hard spot. We did check the carb screen and it was pretty clean.

The dealer is not jacking us around and was their the whole time he was working on it. It is just one of those difficult problems to find.

 

[046]

intermittent problems are the worst ... acts perfect, then fails later ...

 

[thomas72]

I believe you have a fuel delivery problem. Remove the welch plugs and clean the carb thoroughly. Then pressure check the fuel and impulse line and replace regardless if the lines are good or not. Do not forget your fuel filter. Furthermore, check your tank vent.

 

[imagineero]

When do you quit throwing money at a 660??

When you run out of money.

And then you go get some more work, so you can have some more money to throw at that 660.

Shaun

 

[Justsaws]

The typical reason to pressure/vac test is an air leak.

The typical symtoms of an air leak is the engine races not in reference to the throttle.

If the saw is "bogging" then that is almost never an air leak issue unless it gained enough rpm to lose power and eventually stall out.

SPARK, Plug, HT wire, boots, coil, switch, control wires,, control rod, ground contacts. Easy to check start there.
Impulse. Line.
Fuel, Carb, fuel line, filter. Actual fuel.

All of those things could have and should have been check and repaired in the 4 hours that a 1 hour P and V test was preformed. The carb could/should have been rebuilt and new lines and a filter could have been installed. Since the carb was removed to do the P/V test I hope it was checked out along with the lines.

The issue is not the saw. You seem to be dealing with some "interesting" mechanics and procedures. You need to stop throwing money at them.

However, if you burst threw the door and demanded imediate service or whined and cried because the only big saw you own was still not working correctly, well then, I hope you have a deep wallet.

Get a second large saw if you need it to conduct your business.

 

[Evan]

Ill take it. I have coils n plugs and tools. These saws realy sre bullit proof and simple to work. Probly could have it running like a top for lrss then ehat it cost to ship to baileys.

 

[stihl 440]

Ill take it. I have coils n plugs and tools. These saws realy sre bullit proof and simple to work. Probly could have it running like a top for lrss then ehat it cost to ship to baileys.

No real problems with mine other than it likes to eat tensioners....it shears them right off. I just tighten the bar nuts tighter and that has seemed to help keep it at bay. 066's and 660's are a powerhouse. Heavy if your bumping alot of limbs...but if you got it in the right timber you can really put it on the ground....and quick. I like my two.

 

[stihl86]

Got our 660 back from Baileys and started the saw and idled great and sounded good at half throttle when the saw arrived. Fast forward two weeks and had a final cut on a stump. Whipped out the old 660 and ready to see it rock and roll and just started to cut. Did not even get in to the stump two inches and say bogged down and died. Started saw and still would not cut. Chain is sharp and is not binding on the bar. Took the 660 to a dealer and he checked fuel settings, pressured and vacumed checked and found the decompression valve leaked when wiggled. Changed out the valve and still have the same problem when saw gets into the wood. Paid him for four hours of work and he is puzzled. He thinks that it could be the coil but hates to put one on it just as a guess. Any other ideas? We have spent almost spent twice the amount on the saw than when we bought it. When does one cut his losses and moves on.

That saw might have a 5 year warranty on the module (part only). And to all, it can show excellent spark at the tester and still be bad. Good lord, have I learned that lesson. All the debate is meaningless. Sometimes you have to replace a part to be sure. And shame on that Stihl dealer. If that saw came in to us, we would work night and day to prove we can fix it and they can't. It's a ego thing.:msp_tongue:

 

[NORMZILLA44]

I agree with what was said before, if you have buisness to do you can't just have one big saw. I would get another one know, go do your'e job, and let the gremlin's get chased on the other one, but get it fixed as well. It really pay's to get close to a dealer, not only can you learn thing's, but mine would let me walk out with a saw, and pay him when I could. We have that much trust, and deal that much together. But with your'e current problem that is why I have 2 big saw's, and two mid size. If one big one goe's down, I have the other if for some reason the 2101, and 660 both were down. I have the 372-044 they may not handle big wood as good, but could finish a big job. Good luck, and for sure get a back up:wink2:

 

[046]

backup saws are good!!!

one my buddies drilled into me... one is none and two is one

 

[bushinspector]

Ill take it. I have coils n plugs and tools. These saws realy sre bullit proof and simple to work. Probly could have it running like a top for lrss then ehat it cost to ship to baileys.

Oh you would have brought up the shipping issue again. After I got it boxed up and insured it throught the United States Postal Service the cost was $67.00 ....................................OUCH, THAT REALLY HURTS

You can bet next time I get ready to ship it will be through UPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Evan]

Holy 67 shees balls. Thats way to much. Tack thst yo the labor and parts snd im scsred to add it up

 

[bushinspector]

Any thoughts on this 660 that when the piston and jug was changed out that the wrong gasket was installed. Causing lower compression, but still enough to start but not enough to work under a load. Could this be a possibility??

 

[046]

if compression is a concern... why don't you slap a compression gauge on 660? then post the results. autozone will loan one for free. gauge needs to have a one way valve.
you should also take off the muffler then take pictures of scalding, if any.

we are assuming you've already installed a brand new plug.... you've done that already right? download a workshop manual for 660, someone will help.. go to the trouble shooting section and go down the list.

all this guessing is next to worthless without having the saw in front of you.
hell it could be simple as a clogged fuel filter ...

take it to a different mechanic ... problem is if you are not mechanically inclined.
someone could tell you just about anything and you don't have a way to know.
have always told my boys... mechanics have an advantage in life.

Any thoughts on this 660 that when the piston and jug was changed out that the wrong gasket was installed. Causing lower compression, but still enough to start but not enough to work under a load. Could this be a possibility??

 

[bushinspector]

Did place a compression check on it and it was at 100 lbs after five pulls. Did check the fuel filter and was not plugged. And I am mechanicaly inclined and they are times that you are better off taking to a dealer than just always throwing parts at it. After putting two top ends on this saw, it is just smart to take to a dealer. You would hope that Stihl would have some standards that the dealerships would have to abide by. I did bring it up in another post and their is no scalding of the piston or wall. Sometimes in life one needs to get get other ideas than just keep pressing on. This seems to be a new problem after coming back from Baileys.

 

[mtngun]

Did place a compression check on it and it was at 100 lbs after five pulls.

Assuming your gage is good, that could be a problem. If I remember correctly, you have a 54mm NWP top end which is not the best, if the one I examined is typical. You would have been better off with the BB. In any event, if it's really only blowing 100 psi and the cylinder is not scored, you should take that up with Grande Dog.

I don't have any further suggestions. It all gets back to the 3 essentials -- fuel, spark, and compression.