Recent content by pwheel

... and tune according to the service manual if you're new to the wonderful world of chainsaws.

Thanks to Randy for his advice on the subject. Mix oil's now the least of my concerns. No engine failures in 5 saws over a decade even with Stihl Ultra, but I wasn't wild about the carbon buildup. Nowadays, I'm focused more on sharp chains, saw maintenance and not getting whacked by widow...

As MM suggested, a pressure/vac test is warranted .

My go-to Stihl shop has been circling the drain over the past six months. Three experienced staff have left, and the head of the shop, who has all the certifications from Stihl Virginia Beach and has been to the Stihl factory in Germany, will likely be retiring next March. Seems no one around...

I volunteer to be the 2-stroke oil crash test dummy :): Mobil E10 91 octane w/ Amsoil Saber @ 50:1 - stock Stihl manual carb 50-77 cc saws tuned with a tach. White oak & white pine up to 36" Ø. Over five years and counting - still nothing to report except that Stihl Ultra left too much carbon...

My local Stihl tech is old school and doesn't care for m-tronic or fuel-injected OPE. Says with a manual carb saw, you can fix just about everything with a screw driver. So in my case, I'm happy to run what the tech is happy to service and that means a manual carb. And a tachometer. And a...

Unless you need to operate in an environment where noise is a problem, why not get a tried & true gas-powered unit?

Good job. Hope the crankcase bearing pockets are ok.

While the tapping noise is concerning, you might double check by moving the rod up & down at different points of the crank rotation. I wonder about the rings tapping against the piston lands.

OEM cranks are expensive and generally tough to kill; are you absolutely positive that there is no vertical play in the bearing, just side/side? The video isn't clear enough.

I have a 4-saw plan, but 3 of them sit on the shelf with Motomix in them as backups. Mostly, I run a 20, 25, & 32" bar plan with a stock ms461 power head. No bending over while bucking & limbing, and my back is much happier for it. Fewer saws to keep track of maintenance. No issues with folks...

If it were me, I'd run the 500i with 25" & 32" light bars as the main saw; 261 with an 18" bar for everything else or if the 500i gets pinched. I don't climb. Skip the cost of a new saw plus the extra maintenance.

The new version is edgier and more recognizable for branding/business purposes. Plus more "character". That's my vote.

Donated my unopened bottles of Ultra to the local Stihl dealer. Thinking back now, I suspect that it's probably just fine mixed @ 50:1, tach tuned right to max rpm's unloaded, & run hard in the cut. Truth be told, I tended to mix & tune rich for the first dozen tankfuls, which is why the excess...

Root system on this poor guy got crushed by the skidder & the leaves went brown a couple of weeks later. Soil is clay with water table less than a 6" below surface now, so the skidder made ruts 18" deep. A danger tree in the middle of a walking trail, so it had to come down sooner than later.