044 project

[MattG]

I chickened out and just swapped in a cheap chinese knock off(8.95 delivered direct from China).

Well there's no way the Chinese would want to waste money on thu'e extra 3 holed plate of the original stihl item. I bet!

So I guess you've just got the inner baffle and the outlet to deal with on those ones right?

 

[wyksta]

No inner baffles at all. An empty shell. Not even the provision for a spark screen the US models had. I enlarged the exit a bit and slapped on the old dual port front end. Otherwise, my 044 is nearly bone stock and drags a 24" bar in oak with ease.


About the 8 pin VS 7. If you are gonna run 20" bars on it often, an 8 pin will work fine. Otherwise, stick to 7. A 7 lives on my 044.

 

[MustangMike]

There is no baffle or screen in the one I used on my MS440, and the exit hole is as large as the old 044s were.

It also came with a dp muffler cover, so it was basically good to go.

Some advice, the Chinese mufflers are thinner than stock, and seem to vibrate more. Use lock tite on the threads, and make sure they are really snug, or you will have trouble. I've even started using the high strength stuff on cylinders and muffler, the screws will still come out.

 

[MustangMike]

I prefer a 7 even on a 20" bar, if you want "more cut speed" just drop the rakers.

I like torque, and a saw that does not easily get caught in a pinch.

 

[wyksta]

There is not baffle or screen in the one I used on my MS440, and the exit hole is as large as the old 044s were.

It also came with a dp muffler cover, so it was basically good to go.

Some advice, the Chinese mufflers are thinner than stock, and seem to vibrate more. Use lock tite on the threads, and make sure they are really snug, or you will have trouble. I've even started using the high strength stuff on cylinders and muffler, the screws will still come out.

I was actually gonna mention that. I noticed the pitch of the exhaust went up a bit. I used loctite blue(I have a harley - that stuff is mandatory). Would you suggest I go with sumfin else?

 

[MattG]

No inner baffles at all. An empty shell. Not even the provision for a spark screen the US models had. I enlarged the exit a bit and slapped on the old dual port front end. Otherwise, my 044 is nearly bone stock and drags a 24" bar in oak with ease.


About the 8 pin VS 7. If you are gonna run 20" bars on it often, an 8 pin will work fine. Otherwise, stick to 7. A 7 lives on my 044.

Thanks for tip about 7T/8T. I'm looking forward to running mine this weekend coming.
BTW, that's a nice photo - thanks!

 

[MattG]

I have a harley - that stuff is mandatory

 

[MustangMike]

Bucked all this Oak + Hickory with less than one tank of fuel with the 044 and a 28" light bar. It pulls it well, but I like it better with a 20" bar. I put the 28"s on the 77 cc saws.

 

[MustangMike]

I was actually gonna mention that. I noticed the pitch of the exhaust went up a bit. I used loctite blue(I have a harley - that stuff is mandatory). Would you suggest I go with sumfin else?

The Blue is regular strength, good most of the time, but I have been using the Red on the more stubborn stuff. Not fun to have a muffler come loose in the middle of a project, and usually that means a screw or two is missing. I'd rather be safe.

 

[wyksta]

Bucked all this Oak + Hickory with less than one tank of fuel with the 044 and a 28" light bar. It pulls it well, but I like it better with a 20" bar. I put the 28"s on the 77 cc saws.

That photo is about as far as I got with the 044. Once the pieces started to get bigger than 30", we busted out the ported 281XP:

 

[wyksta]

I forgot the blue loctite once...ONCE.

 

[drf256]

Saw is looking great @MattG

 

[MattG]

Saw is looking great @MattG

Thanks Pal! Hopefully try to do some cutting with it this weekend

 

[wyksta]

Thanks Pal! Hopefully try to do some cutting with it this weekend

You do that. I'll be testing the loctite.

 

[MattG]

You do that. I'll be testing the loctite.

Ha ha!

Yeah, I had plenty of Jap bikes back in the day - they weren't immune to having stuff "loosen itself off" at inopportune moments!

 

[wyksta]

Looks + sounds great! Sorry for the misinformation regarding the baffle, but I had never seen or heard of one.

Here's a good breakdown of another 044 from Europe with the baffles:

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/new-to-me-044-a-few-questions.315229/#post-6404914

 

[MustangMike]

Wow, never seen anything like that! And here I thought the US had all the chocked up junk!

Seems like a lot of work to remove those baffles when replacement units are available at very reasonable prices.

 

[MattG]

Well guys, I managed to use the 044/460 a bit this weekend. Tried to take it pretty gentle as basically everything in the engine is new. To be honest almost all the wood at the top of the pile, is quite small stuff, which is much better dealt with the 200T !!

I did show the 044 some wood to actually cut, but nothing over about 14". Which it obviously cut through with both hands tied round it's back. The saw does seem very nice to use, and there's definitely oodles of power waiting to come out.

I would say that I think the engine will take quite a while to "loosen up", and being that it's been slightly ported, it certainly hates idling. Yesterday (first tank) it had the audacity to stall one or twice whilst idling, but today (second tank) it was much better so it's either starting to loosen up, or that I'm getting it dialled in better.

Hopefully try to get a video uploaded once I reach some better wood, and it's done a couple more tanks.

 

[BuckthornBonnie]

Check tune, let those rings seat, and the idle issues should go away.
Run that saw whenever ya can. All of our rebuilds get run first during cutting days. I like getting 5/6 tanks through ‘em as soon as I can.

 

[MattG]

Do any of you guys fit the heat shield between the jug and muffler on your hybrids?

I've just realised that there's one in the IPL I got, but mines not got one, and I'm damn sure that my initial saw, which was complete did not arrive which one fitted.

?