Stihl 064

[bretts]

Just spent a pleasant afternoon yesterday putting back together my new to me 064.
I bought this saw minus a tank but with most of the other bits still there, it still has the original c/p.
I will fire it up today.
What are peoples opinions on the 064?, I have some big trunks to cut up so was thinking a 24" bar, is this too small for the saw?.
The replacement tank came with red switchgear, I replaced it with the black swithgear that came with the saw, does the red switchgear indecate the tank is an early tank?.

 

[czar800]

Welcome to OPE, that's a nice looking saw they have a cult like following around here.

 

[trooney]

The early 064, 044, 066 came with a red master control. I luv my 064. The saw feels good in my hands and its got a surprising amount of power. Get it ported and it brings it to another level. 24" is what I've got on mine, but it can handle a bigger bar. I think you'll like it. If not, send it to me for proper disposal!! Lol

 

[BuckthornBonnie]

I have 2, and another one in parts. One has a 20"bar w an 8pin. I use it exclusively for noodling. Good power.
The other has a 28" bar on it right now. It's not too far off from my 660.

 

[CapitaineHaddoc]

Welcome to OPE.

The Stihl 064 was the first saw I bought in 2000. Even now, I think it's one of the best saw Stihl ever made. Trust me, you'll love it! It's not refined like the new plastic saws, and not nearly as smooth, but damn, it's strong for the weight!

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

If that was my saw I'd have a 36" on it.

 

[CapitaineHaddoc]

If that was my saw I'd have a 36" on it.

I never used this size of bar on mine. Will the oiler be enough?

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

I never used this size of bar on mine. Will the oiler be enough?

Without a doubt, stock ms460's can handle 36" bars.

 

[CapitaineHaddoc]

Without a doubt, stock ms460's can handle 36" bars.

Good to know. Here in France most of the loggers use too big saws for the wood. I had my certtificate in June 2001 with a 046 and a "18 bar. That's the "best" bar lenght on a 75cc saw for most people around here.
I was the only one who use a 60cc saw with a "20 bar. But because I put a lot more wood on the ground every day, the youngest loggers start to think just like me, that's a good thing.

 

[bretts]

I run the saw yesterday.
I can say I am very impressed, the saw is quite heavy but feels nice but will need a new bar and chain. I will be doing a muffler mod and am tempted to take the cylinder off and send it over to the states for jmssaws or Mastermind to port, shipping may be prohibitive though.
I am going to have to do something with the oiler as it seems not to be providing enough oil even though I have turned it up.
There are stihl odds and ends I need to do but I think this saw is a keeper, I like it.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I let an experienced logger start and run mine. He could not believe how much power it had. He's been running MS 660's for 10 years, and he said my "new" 064 would stay even or beat any of them.

Mine has so much compression that I wish there was a decomp valve. It's like pulling a tank when starting cold. On the other hand, my logger buddy is strong as an ape and never uses a decomp valve so that meant nothing to him. He drop started it with ease. I may eventually install an Elastostart pull cord and handle.

I've been told that the 064 breathes out the exhaust better than an MS 660. One thing for sure, I paid half of what a new MS 660 would cost today and I think I have the equivalent on board, fully operational and raring to go. I'll be running a 28" and a 32" bar on mine as needed. It's a keeper.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I run the saw yesterday.
... I am going to have to do something with the oiler as it seems not to be providing enough oil even though I have turned it up...
There are stihl odds and ends I need to do but I think this saw is a keeper, I like it.

To check the oiler, remove the bar and chain and the outer clutch cover. Now start the saw and while on fast idle, (1) see if bar oil starts coming through the oiling channel. If it does, then (2) make sure the channel lines up with the hole in the bar that accepts the oil.

Occasionally you run into a bar that does not line up with the channel:

As shown in the above case, only about half the oil through the channel could get to the bar's groove. So, the saw's bar and chain ran hotter than a $2 pistol.

 

[bretts]

Thanks Wood Doctor, I had a look at the oiler yesterday and what I found was the wire that engaged the clutch bell was snagging on the case, I took off the worm drive and bent the wire so it had more clearance from the case and it works well now.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Thanks Wood Doctor, I had a look at the oiler yesterday and what I found was the wire that engaged the clutch bell was snagging on the case, I took off the worm drive and bent the wire so it had more clearance from the case and it works well now.

Fabulous find. You have to wonder how the wire got that way. Then again, you have to wonder how the oiler channel in the case was off that far from the bar in the Pic that I show above. The bar was standard and worked OK with other Stihl saws. Somehow the day that saw's case was made, a whole production run was out of whack, just enough to cause trouble.

 

[jmssaws]

Without a doubt, stock ms460's can handle 36" bars.

A 460 with a 36" bar will last about as long as a fart in a whirlwind.
It will eat mounts until it pounds the pto bearing pocket out in the case.

also won't oil it or pull it worth a crap.

I guees if you had to you could but I wouldn't much.

The bigger saws are built to handle the long bar and not only because of more power but because the crank and bearings are much larger and the power head is heavy enough to balance it.

I'm not saying you can't but there's other saws made for that.

 

[mdavlee]

That's a normal setup on the left coast. 36" lightweight on a Ported 460/461. Sent several out there to those guys.

 

[jmssaws]

That's a normal setup on the left coast. 36" lightweight on a Ported 460/461. Sent several out there to those guys.

There wood is different from here.
I'm probably the only guy in my County that owns a bar longer than 24" .

 

[mdavlee]

There wood is different from here.
I'm probably the only guy in my County that owns a bar longer than 24" .

No doubt. I've run 34" on the one I've had almost it's whole life since rebuild except cookies.

 

[jmssaws]

No doubt. I've run 34" on the one I've had almost it's whole life since rebuild except cookies.

I'm not saying they won't run one I'm talking about that big pile of junk cases you and I both have.

 

[mdavlee]

I'm not saying they won't run one I'm talking about that big pile of junk cases you and I both have.

I know. Most people out there only expect a year in use and then a year as backup. So they don't mind that junk pile