Chainsaws and rebuilding them.

[slim67 2,735]

How is this saw coming along?

 

[cschannuth 3,816]

2 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said:

The 272 is a great saw! It is the predecessor of the 372XP. For a firewood guy like me And you (272/372) it is in my opinion the do everything saw. It will last a lifetime a do everything from limbing to 50” diameter trees. For Stihl guys the 044/440 is in the same category. 

It’s been a great saw. It’s a real power house. I’ve never seen a saw cut through large trees so quickly and easily. 

[Digger 66 3,478]

Just to follow up , Carl brought his saw over . We tested compression ( 100 then 125 with oil ) . A leak-down test showed moderate cylinder leakage .

When his new rebuild kit ( jug / slug & rings  ) arrived  last fall , one ring showed up broken . A new single ring was shipped to him and installed without him checking end-gap .

My suspicions are that an incorrect ring was shipped and put in resulting in these circumstances as only about a tank and a half of fuel was run through this saw .

He is going to take it to an expert . 

I'm NO EXPERT . 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Digger 66

[racerjohnbf 130]

6 hours ago, Digger 66 said:

Just to follow up , Carl brought his saw over . We tested compression ( 100 then 125 with oil ) . A leak-down test showed moderate cylinder leakage .

When his new rebuild kit ( jug / slug & rings  ) arrived  last fall , one ring showed up broken . A new single ring was shipped to him and installed without him checking end-gap .

My suspicions are that an incorrect ring was shipped and put in resulting in these circumstances as only about a tank and a half of fuel was run through this saw .

He is going to take it to an expert . 

I'm NO EXPERT . 

 

 

 

If by "leak down test" you are talking about the same way you test a 4 cycle engine, that wont tell you much much about a 2 cycle. Usually you can pull the muffler off and see what the piston and cylinder look like through the exhaust port.

 

It is very possible the saw has an air leak, which will cause a lean condition. To test that you need to do a pressure and vacuum test.

Here is a pretty good video explaining it...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dt4DQSKj4FrM&ved=2ahUKEwidwPyYqaPuAhUr2FkKHR92AM8QFjABegQIBhAD&usg=AOvVaw2A1WpTpzjUl8t2qWt9OxxC

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by racerjohnbf

[racerjohnbf 130]

On 12/6/2020 at 2:43 PM, oliver2-44 said:

 I bought Stihl Ms180C for light duty trimming . I barely used it 2-3 tanks of fuel over 3 years and the lower polycarbonate case warped so it has an air leak.          

 

  At the time I bought my Stihl I didn't realize part of the case was polycarbonate plastic.  I guess that's one place they cut cost.  I'm keeping it with the though that some day I will do a full disassembly to repair that case air leak or use it for parts.  Then a neighbor gave me an identical Stihl that wouldn't run. I did a good deep carb cleaning and now it's been a great running saw.  I don't know if it matters, but I'm careful to not run it to long at a time so I don't over heat the polycarbonate case.        

 

Have you confirmed that you have an air leak by do a pressure and vacuum test? 

 

You may have fixed your problem with the carb cleaning. I believe those saws have a metal clamshell so I wouldn't worry about overheating it. I used to use one at work and we never gave that thing a break. Pretty though little saw for what it is. 

 

I have one that was given to me with the same symptoms. I put an adjustable carb on it and will test it out as soon as I pick up a new bar for it.

 

[Digger 66 3,478]

2 hours ago, racerjohnbf said:

If by "leak down test" you are talking about the same way you test a 4 cycle engine, that wont tell you much much about a 2 cycle. Usually you can pull the muffler off and see what the piston and cylinder look like through the exhaust port.

 

It is very possible the saw has an air leak, which will cause a lean condition. To test that you need to do a pressure and vacuum test.

Here is a pretty good video explaining it...

 

 

 

 

It will if the piston is @ TDC , but I get what you're saying .

He didn't want me to start taking stuff apart ( as much as I wanted to ) but looking down the bore in the sunlight , I could make out some light scuffing on the jug walls .

[racerjohnbf 130]

1 hour ago, Digger 66 said:

 

It will if the piston is @ TDC , but I get what you're saying .

He didn't want me to start taking stuff apart ( as much as I wanted to ) but looking down the bore in the sunlight , I could make out some light scuffing on the jug walls .

It will only give an idea of ring bypass, but the compression test already told you there is low compression. 

 

As I understand it the main reason for a leak down test is to determine where you are losing compression rings or valves. 

 

 

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

On 1/14/2021 at 7:42 PM, slim67 said:

How is this saw coming along?

 

If your asking me, I was going to do the complete assembly today and realized I forgot a part. Husky 372XP’s have a very tiny o-ring that goes on the crank against the inner race of the PTO bearing. Then a sleeve goes on that the actual oil seal rides on. No o-ring means air leak. So without that o-ring I’m dead in the water. Should have it mid week and then a couple hours of assembly and it will be done. 

[C-85 681]

Here's how I tuned up!   

 

All I've ever had was old used gas saws until now that may or may not start.  This things great, it always starts!

 

Santa was very good to me this year!

 

C-85

 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

On 1/15/2021 at 12:42 AM, WheelhorseBob said:

The 272 is a great saw! It is the predecessor of the 372XP. For a firewood guy like me And you (272/372) it is in my opinion the do everything saw. It will last a lifetime a do everything from limbing to 50” diameter trees. For Stihl guys the 044/440 is in the same category. 

 

The 372 is in my opinion the best modern saw. I had a jonsered 2172, the same saw as the husqvarna 372xp x-torq. i couldn't get that thing bogged down with a full house 28" bar

 

And those 262-266-272, except from the carb blocks tend to leak air, they are perfect!

[cschannuth 3,816]

2 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

 

The 372 is in my opinion the best modern saw. I had a jonsered 2172, the same saw as the husqvarna 372xp x-torq. i couldn't get that thing bogged down with a full house 28" bar

 

And those 262-266-272, except from the carb blocks tend to leak air, they are perfect!

My kids always used to look at me crazy when I told them that our chainsaw had a bigger engine than their 70 cc minibike, haha. 

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

2 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

 

The 372 is in my opinion the best modern saw. I had a jonsered 2172, the same saw as the husqvarna 372xp x-torq. i couldn't get that thing bogged down with a full house 28" bar

 

And those 262-266-272, except from the carb blocks tend to leak air, they are perfect!

Well said

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

3 hours ago, cschannuth said:

My kids always used to look at me crazy when I told them that our chainsaw had a bigger engine than their 70 cc minibike, haha. 

I had a MS880 hahaha, 121cc, that is the same cc's most motorcycles are around here are.

I sold it because the saw weight 25% of my own weight, the saw was playing with me instead of me with it.

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Maxwell-8

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

5 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

I had a MS880 hahaha, 121cc, that is the same cc's most motorcycles are around here are.

I sold it because the saw weight 25% of my own weight, the saw was playing with me instead of me with it.

 

Not sure who really needs a 880. Likely no one. My neighbor has a 660 and it is a beast! Still overkill for 99% of folks!

[ebinmaine 67,308]

45 minutes ago, WheelhorseBob said:

Not sure who really needs a 880. Likely no one. My neighbor has a 660 and it is a beast! Still overkill for 99% of folks!

I hear the 880s are good for clearing thin brush. 

 

I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding 

 

I do occasionally wish I'd kept the old Dolmar beast I had. 

 

 

[racerjohnbf 130]

3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I hear the 880s are good for clearing thin brush. 

 

I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding 

 

I do occasionally wish I'd kept the old Dolmar beast I had. 

 

 

All I can say is you are a heck of a man if you cut brush with an 880 lol.

 

But seriously, an ms460 is the biggest saw I have run and I'll tell you my arms were jello by the end of the day lol. Granted I don't run saws for a living. 

 

I'm partial to the ms360 myself.

 

[ebinmaine 67,308]

47 minutes ago, racerjohnbf said:

All I can say is you are a heck of a man if you cut brush with an 880 lol.

 

But seriously, an ms460 is the biggest saw I have run and I'll tell you my arms were jello by the end of the day lol. Granted I don't run saws for a living. 

 

I'm partial to the ms360 myself.

 

I'm a fair sized guy but not THAT big!!

 

The Dolmar I had was a 1987 60cc. 

MAN it was rugged. 

22 lbs dry weight and serious vibration. 

 

I could only run it for full tank of fuel then I'd have to take a break and switch to another saw...

[cschannuth 3,816]

I don’t recall how much my 272 weighs but once the tree is down all you have to do is lay it on the trunk and if it has a sharp chain it’s weight will pull it through a large tree in just a few seconds without any additional down pressure from the operator.  I was young and dumb when I bought it almost 30 years ago but I’m glad I did. 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

8 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I hear the 880s are good for clearing thin brush. 

 

I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding 

 

I do occasionally wish I'd kept the old Dolmar beast I had. 

 

 

I did, but it was way to heavy, every time i had used, i had back problems it weighed 35lbs, some of the weight was over 4 feet from you. 

 

My smallest saw is 62cc, and those saw, can pretty much do anything a no pro person needs it to do.

 

Does old Dolmars they where solid!

7 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

22 lbs dry weight and serious vibration. 

hahaha, my older saws, they can vibrate quite a bit too, With the MS880,on idle, every bang, the saw moves in your hands.

 

7 hours ago, cschannuth said:

I don’t recall how much my 272 weighs but once the tree is down all you have to do is lay it on the trunk and if it has a sharp chain it’s weight will pull it through a large tree in just a few seconds without any additional down pressure from the operator.  I was young and dumb when I bought it almost 30 years ago but I’m glad I did. 

 My favorite saw i have is an 266 (Jonsered version), and its just killer, they don't bother with a full house 28" bar.

 

 

 

The money from selling Stihl MS880 got me over the edge to buy my first Wheel Horses! I am glad i sold it!

Edited January 19, 2021 by Maxwell-8

[ebinmaine 67,308]

7 hours ago, cschannuth said:

don’t recall how much my 272 weighs but once the tree is down all you have to do is lay it on the trunk and if it has a sharp chain it’s weight will pull it through a large tree in just a few seconds without any additional down pressure from the operator

Yepp. 

Same with that old Dolmar. 

I do miss that for sure. 

 

We do occasionally fell a decent sized tree here. We choose based in several criteria. If a big'un isn't healthy it gets harvested. We layed over a beech that was 22" across the base. That Dolmar saw would have been handy there but the Echo CS-490 did quite well. 

 

[cschannuth 3,816]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Yepp. 

Same with that old Dolmar. 

I do miss that for sure. 

 

We do occasionally fell a decent sized tree here. We choose based in several criteria. If a big'un isn't healthy it gets harvested. We layed over a beech that was 22" across the base. That Dolmar saw would have been handy there but the Echo CS-490 did quite well. 

 

My in-laws heat with wood as well and in Missouri we’re fortunate to have a lot of old growth oak where we cut. We mark trees in the fall that are dead and usually begin cutting in October. 

[ebinmaine 67,308]

1 hour ago, cschannuth said:

My in-laws heat with wood as well and in Missouri we’re fortunate to have a lot of old growth oak where we cut. We mark trees in the fall that are dead and usually begin cutting in October. 

We'll be headed out in the next couple or three weeks to lay some trees over and then start collecting them in April or May whenever we can get out into the woods after the snow. 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Cover your eyes gentleman, I saw this saw a few years back for sale kind of cheap so I bought it for my brother. Started easy and was in nice shape. He still uses it. One of the best deals I ever had was buying the Stihl. I got it in a package deal.. 5000 watt generator, a brand new 12g shotgun, and the Stihl MS361 all for 300 bucks. I went there to buy the generator and the guy asked if I was interested anything else. Was one of those days where I wish I had more cash on me. Still have the generator, sold the saw and the shotgun. Got more for the saw then I spent for everything.

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

Finished saw waiting for above freezing weather for a proper tune. New piston, rings, cylinder, seals and oil pump + worm gear.

Edited February 15, 2021 by WheelhorseBob

[ebinmaine 67,308]

25 minutes ago, WheelhorseBob said:

Finished saw waiting for above freezing weather for a proper tune. New piston, rings, cylinder, seals and oil pump + worm gear.

 

63504273165__AF6445F2-54F2-4BC7-81BE-B928A425D3D8.MOV 3.29 MB · 0 downloads

Runs great!