Stihl MS500i

[lehman live edge slab]

The way I always understood it was the fan spun the heavy dust out of the air before it got to the air filter, still think a lot of the air filter issues are due to dull chains and old dead wood

 

[Mastermind]

Always run it for a bit and then sell it if it isn't your flavor. You seeing noticable gains w the 572s?

Pretty good I think.

 

[dustinwilt68]

Fuel injection may be nice, but I just don't understand why Stihl did not incorporate the clean air filter technology into this saw.

Since I think the clean filter tech is more important than FI, and since I run a 20" bar the majority of the time, I'm happy I went with the 462.

Does it make sense to anyone else that they did not use the clean filter tech in the 500i???

Yeah since the 462 beat the 500 to market it doesn't make sense to me either Mike, clean air saves saws. I really liked them booth at the PA gtg, but price and air filter give the 462 a little edge to me, w a shorter bar.

 

[stihlman441]

500 I release this week in Australia $2000 AUD

 

[StephK87]

Fuel injection may be nice, but I just don't understand why Stihl did not incorporate the clean air filter technology into this saw.

Since I think the clean filter tech is more important than FI, and since I run a 20" bar the majority of the time, I'm happy I went with the 462.

Does it make sense to anyone else that they did not use the clean filter tech in the 500i???

According to my information, they did it to maximize the cooling, the whole air flows only around the cylinder. It also has to do with the construction of the saw, the basic design of the powerhead is oldschool stihl, centrifugal prefiltration/air injection only works when the carb/filter sit on the crankcase under an closed cover. But on the 500i the filter and intake are seperated from the crankcase on the tank housing, like on all the older stihl saws (and 661, 880). So, with that design it's not possible to use a pre-filtered airstream to feed the intake.

here is the way the air moves on the 462 and 500i



Interestingly, the Carbon Concept injection saw back then had a prefiltration like the 261, 441, 462 or the most husky's.

 

[MustangMike]

Thank you much for that detailed information.

Looks like if I had to fell or stump in the rain, the 500i is not the way to go! They should do like Doc Al and use Frog Skins!!!

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Wasn’t the carbon concept a modified ms441?

 

[HP Ultra]

Yes. Fuel injected MS 441 lightened by using GFRP and CFC

 

[StephK87]

And with a bit more displacement than the 441, 82,4cc for the carbon concept if I remember correctly

 

[rumatt]

So how much more expensive is the 500i over a 462? Would that price gap cover the cost of porting the 462?

And if so, would you still take the 500i?

 

[HP Ultra]

In the video below you can see the heat spreading from the hot engine to the fuel systems.
Basically the injection will have trouble, if there is blistering. Therefore, I assume, STIHL
uses all the air, which might be available, to cool the engine and the injection system.

The crankcase design and the black fin yield the following air flows (imho):
-The outer (and dirty) stream cools the most important parts of the jug.
-The inner (and clean) stream also does cool the jug, but is also flowing
around the injection area.

i.e. to avoid possible blistering issues STIHL uses the "clean" air for the most crucial part of this saw.

 

[Nutball]

Why did they keep pushing to 8 times, 4 showed 100% removal of vapor bubbles.

 

[HP Ultra]

If the primer bulb is empty, only 8 times of pushing will suffice to fill the fuel lines with fresh fuel

 

[huskihl]

So how much more expensive is the 500i over a 462? Would that price gap cover the cost of porting the 462?

And if so, would you still take the 500i?

Depends on what you want. 462 cuts faster with a 24” bar buried and good chain. But it’s peaky. Where the 500i doesn’t really care what bar is on it. Much flatter torque curve over a wider rpm range

 

[lehman live edge slab]

But if the chains aren’t perfect or anything else isn’t just right I bet the 500 is just as fast or faster would also think as the bars get longer it would do better to. Cut against a stock 462 with my 046 and yes the 462 is faster but not a ton and I feel with the longer bars a 046 might take it but maybe not.

 

[Mastermind]

I'm still cutting firewood with my Wild Thing. I don't see what all the fuss is about.

 

[rumatt]

Depends on what you want. 462 cuts faster with a 24” bar buried and good chain. But it’s peaky. Where the 500i doesn’t really care what bar is on it. Much flatter torque curve over a wider rpm range

Are you making that statement about a stock 462 or a ported one?

I vaguely recall seeing *stock* 462's match or beat a 500i in smaller wood. I'm wondering if a ported 462 should beat it by a good amount (in smaller wood) and not be much more (if at all) than a 500i.

 

[huskihl]

Are you making that statement about a stock 462 or a ported one?

I vaguely recall seeing *stock* 462's match or beat a 500i in smaller wood. I'm wondering if a ported 462 should beat it by a good amount (in smaller wood) and not by much more (if at all) than a 500i.

Both were stock at my gtg, other than the 462 having a muffler mod. With 24 inch bars in 20-22” maple, the 462 is faster

Porting throws everything out the window. There’s too many different styles to say which one beats the other.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Maybe Stihl should make up a bunch of carbon concept cylinders to sell for people to big bore their ms441’s

 

[VinceGU05]

couldnt help myself.. was sold once i saw the special plaque on it. No more in the country till January’s shipment. [emoji12]