Never buy a Stihl Chainsaw

[Jamie Jackson]

That is if you ever plan on purchasing another chainsaw...I simply can't wear mine out!

 

I bought this thing in 1983. I was living outside of Kansas City, MO at the time. I lived in a barn loft I renovated and the only heat source I had was a cast iron Franklin stove...for 5 cold winters.

I would go through 5-6 cords of a mixture of oak and iron-wood aka hedge or Osage Orange each winter. My little Trail Boss would do everything but stack the wood for me! Awesome little chainsaw. I've gone through 3 bars and countless chains over the past 3 decades.

I moved from the K.C. area to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area back in '87. This little sucker helped me out through several hurricanes.

 

But Hey! I'm a guy. I like to buy new "guy stuff" every now and again! But No!!! The darn thing just keeps running! :rant:

 

Granted, I have to take the filter off and spray a little carburetor cleaner in it for the first start of the year. But it cranks..and runs...and runs...and runs... Woe is me.  :surrender:

 

I think we can all agree that having a chainsaw, a reliable chainsaw, is a must from a preparedness perspective. I guess I shouldn't be complaining...

 

Stihl makes a awesome product and is a true value...at least they were over 30 years ago when I purchased mine... :cool:

 

 

 

 

So...Have any of you folks suffered with such a dilemma?

[Dolomite_supafly]

I had a friend who had a Stihl that belonged to his grandfather. His grandfather ran a sawmill and used the Stihl all day, every day. My friend took over the sawmill and used the same Stihl and as far as I know he still is using it. I know in his shop he has at least 20 saws and there might be two or three that aren't Stihl. I remember him saying his biggest Stihl, that had like a 5 foot bar, had 26 hp.

[Mike.357]

can't go wrong with any Stihl gas powered tool.

[peejman]

Dad's got two Stihl's.  Both are the Farm Boss, I think.  They're great saws but my only gripe is how much fuel they use.  Seems like you've gotta stop and fill it up every 15 minutes or so.  My little Homelite that Dad bought in about 1980 runs more than twice as long on a tank. 

[quietmike]

Got a Stihl 361 years ago and agree, you can't hurt em.

[enfield]

I got a Stihl that won't stop, to replace a Craftsman that wouldn't start.

[xd shooter]

Just bought my 3rd one this weekend.

 

I now have a:

024 Wood Boss w/ 16"

MS250 W/ 18"

& now a MS362c W/ 25"

 

I think I should be good for a little while.

 

I bought the 024 used & had to replace the clutch, other than that it has just bee a couple chains.

[PackinMama]

I bought an MS250 12 years ago and it still runs like new. My husband and I cleared a 3 acre section of thick woods in back of the house with it, and even used it to grind down all the stumps so they were level with the ground. We are hard on blades though.....probably went through 30 of them in the last 12 years.  That little saw has been through a lot of wood in 12 years, and just keeps on cutting. I also own two Stihl weedeaters (the big ones with the handlebars) and a backpack bug sprayer. All of my Stihl equipment is top notch and I wouldn't trade them for any other brand. Next on my want list is a Stihl backpack blower. Maybe Santa will put one under the tree this year........;)

[Jamie Jackson]

PackinMama...you guys are doing it right!

 

I have a little McCullough that fine for limb trimming and such...but

 

I was pretty darn happy to have that old Stihl after Katrina... :pleased:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course we do get a bit of wind up here in East TN as well...

 

 

 

 

[center][center]

[PackinMama]

Prag,

 

That looks like a mess for sure.......but no problem at all for a Stihl!

 

As far as your "dilemma" goes........I think that old saw of yours could use a buddy! Two is always better than one you know! ;)

[Jamie Jackson]

It truly made the job much easier.

 

 

LOL. It does need a companion...I just gotta convince the missus...kinda like needing another Glock. :pleased:

[Luke E.]

 We had 3 while running a business that I used to own and they were lucky when they actually got to cut trees. We built sea walls, piers, boardwalks, docks etc.. and all of the marine treated post we used were cut with these saws. These pine post were full of sand that got pulled in during quick growth so needless to say chains didn't last long. Also when we would construct a wooden see wall we would try to order whole bundles of the treated lumber needed but twice as long as needed. We'd then mark the middle and cut through the whole bundle from each side and call it good. Of some occasions we would have to cut stumps out of ponds and lakes in order to be able to get the work boats to where we needed them and my Uncle that I was in business with was generally all to eager to stick the longest bar we had down in the water, making sure to keep the air filter above grade, so that he could cut out the stumps.. To my knowledge all three are "Stil" running though they have a much more normal life since shutting down the business.

[45guy]

I love my Stihl saw, weed eater and blower. I will not buy anything else. I also use Stihl oil in all my 2 cycle stuff. If it will keep a Stihl saw running it will keep anything running.

[Oh Shoot]

Got a Stihl 361 years ago and agree, you can't hurt em.

 

Now, I agree they tend to be good saws, but Stihl was only founded in 1926 and I don't for a minute believe you're that old either. ;)

 

- OS

[blewbayou]

Not a stihl, but I've got a John Deere string trimmer with the same problem. My father got it as a gift back in the mid 80's. I had just been born...he managed to seize it up once due to forgetting to premix. Let it set overnight with oil in the top end. He finally decided to pass it on to me, that was 6 years ago and the sucker stills runs like a top.

[Tuffus]

I have a borrowed Stihl electric chainsaw that was made in the 60's. The power chord was rotted and it needed a new oil cap so I took it to one of the local repair shops that handled Stihl products. I laid it up on the counter and asked if it might still be under warranty. Got a few laughs but the guy I dealt with called everyone from the back just to see it. The saw was older than anyone working there! Still running great after all these years.

[Jonnin]

my dad had a McCullough yellow one from the 60s and he did finally wear it out but it lasted 40+ years and it still ran just not well.  I hated that heavy thing, it was easily 3x the weight of a modern one.    He replaced it with a stihl which my ex brother in law and/or my sister managed to ruin somehow.   Not stihl's fault though, the pair of them could tear up, in the words of my mother, an iron elephant. 

Edited September 3, 2014 by Jonnin

[Luke E.]

my dad had a McCullough yellow one from the 60s and he did finally wear it out but it lasted 40+ years and it still ran just not well.  I hated that heavy thing, it was easily 3x the weight of a modern one.    He replaced it with a stihl which my ex brother in law and/or my sister managed to ruin somehow.   Not stihl's fault though, the pair of them could tear up, in the words of my mother, an iron elephant. 

 

 A friend of mine has a massive yellow McCullogh, that he got from his grandfather, hanging from one of the trusses in his shop. I'm always cautious not to stand back in that corner of the shop for fear that heavy sucker may pull the truss down ;-) I'm assuming your dad's was an all metal machine as well huh. My buddy said to his knowledge the saw would still run and cut fine and that was still in use until his grandfather passed away a handful of years ago. 

[Ugly]

I'm glad this post was started. I need to get a new saw, I've got a shindawa 360 about 25 years old. It still runs but is tired. I'm not impressed with shindawa, picked up a trimmer, the resulting trim is nice, I do a lot of edging, but the saw is choked down by the cat convertor in the muffler.

I'll be adding a Stihl soon!

[chances R]

Got a Stihl 361 years ago and agree, you can't hurt em.

 

 

361 yrs ago.......helluva product   :rofl:

[Luke E.]

I'm glad this post was started. I need to get a new saw, I've got a shindawa 360 about 25 years old. It still runs but is tired. I'm not impressed with shindawa, picked up a trimmer, the resulting trim is nice, I do a lot of edging, but the saw is choked down by the cat convertor in the muffler.

I'll be adding a Stihl soon!

I used you have a Shindawa saw and have had 3 of their T27 weed eaters. I always immediately grabbed needle nose pliers and yanked the screen/spark arrester out of the muffler and this makes a big difference in how quickly the engine picks up. I know for sure all of the weed waters had them and I'm almost certain the saw did as well. Might try that. The motors are also supper easy to rebuild with new piston and rings.

[Jonnin]

 A friend of mine has a massive yellow McCullogh, that he got from his grandfather, hanging from one of the trusses in his shop. I'm always cautious not to stand back in that corner of the shop for fear that heavy sucker may pull the truss down ;-) I'm assuming your dad's was an all metal machine as well huh. My buddy said to his knowledge the saw would still run and cut fine and that was still in use until his grandfather passed away a handful of years ago. 

 

It was "mostly" metal.  The blade cover was yellow plastic.  There was a little black plastic; seems like the air filter cover maybe?  But the majority was all steel.  It was easily 10, maybe 15 pounds, maybe even more, its been a while now.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Jonnin

[Ugly]

I used you have a Shindawa saw and have had 3 of their T27 weed eaters. I always immediately grabbed needle nose pliers and yanked the screen/spark arrester out of the muffler and this makes a big difference in how quickly the engine picks up. I know for sure all of the weed waters had them and I'm almost certain the saw did as well. Might try that. The motors are also supper easy to rebuild with new piston and rings.

Thanks for the tip! I was thinking about selling it and it's only three months old. I'll give it a shot. It is light, that's the benefit over the stihl, after several hours of swinging it around I appreciate the weight. Edited September 3, 2014 by Ugly

[Hershmeister]

I love buying stihl products at the pawn shop!

[Luke E.]

Thanks for the tip! I was thinking about selling it and it's only three months old. I'll give it a shot. It is light, that's the benefit over the stihl, after several hours of swinging it around I appreciate the weight.

I guess I misread your post. Thought it was a saw you'd have for some time. Those screens are restrictive when brand new but oh man can they be restrictive when it gets caked in carbon.
Another thing that might be worth trying if you're comfortable doing it is adjusting the fuel mixture. You should have an adjustment screw or so protruding through the cover. Almost anything with an engine now days comes home in a fairly de-tuned state because of emissions requirements. Good luck, hope you are able to breath some life into it.