The good ole 038 mag

[drf256]

Many have heard this before, my buddy bought an 038M new in 1989 for $1000+. He’s been through 5 bars since then and has yet to even turn a crab screw.

Just started his landscaping business at the time, and the dealer sold to him as a stumping saw. Even though it’s a shorter stroke than an 044, it’s known to have more low end torque. I’d borrow it for big jobs before the CAD set in.

He bought it to the Ct GTG and I tried it after running a few ported 044. The saw was so lack luster, no one wanted to run it.

To the OP, try a ported 044 one day. A pound or 2 lighter and much much more power AND torque. They can be built for more torque or more speed depending on what the user wants.

 

[smokey7]

My old man ran old homelites and 3400-5200 poulans. When he bought the husky 350 and ran it the first time he looked at me and said. "This fugger sounds like a dang model engine that going to come apart. He was so used to aggressive chains lugging torque he totally had to change his game to get any production out if the saw and not kill it. Then i build him a mean 630 with lower compression then the first one i did for him. He says that saw is exactly what he likes. Lots of torque and plenty of rpm. Ive since rebuilt his 350 with a kafar 346 kit i got on ebay for 40 bucks. Ported it with much lower numbers then most trying to regain some of the torque that he likes. He likes it much better this way then screaming its guts out to cut anything. I believe he wouldnt like very many ported saws for the high rpm behavior they have.

 

[CR888]

The 038 series saws were a very popular choice for farmers and firewood guys here in OZ. Tons of them around used. There big fat bottoms make for good firewood work where your constantly picking up & putting down the saw. The MS381/382 is still sold here & in countries with lower emission regs than the US. A strato spring AV MS382-mag with hd-2 is a saw I'd love to own just because. By today's standards the 038 is a dated heavy saw of times past. But the current model...

 

[Stump Shot]

Going with an 044/440 type saw is excellent advice or even the Husqvarna equivalent.
Had a fella just recently talk to me about fixing a couple saw's one a MS460 and the other a 038 Super that he just bought from a pawn shop. All the Gentleman knew was he likes Stihl's, so I explained to him that he would better off spending money on the 460 as I could never make the Super run near as good and he will still have to pack around that saw. He said he researched it after the fact and was grateful for my honesty and didn't want to stick a bunch of money into something hard to get back out of. So we're going to fix up the 460 as he wants a saw to do work with. IMHO, the 038 series of saws is best for collections of saws from the past that got us to today. There is no getting around the fact that the saws that replaced it are a better working tool.

 

[USMC615]

I've got a damn nice 038 AV MAG II sporting a new 25" Stihl ES bar...who wants to buy it?

 

[usmcbuckwild]

I've got a damn nice 038 AV MAG II sporting a new 25" Stihl ES bar...who wants to buy it?

Since they appear to be junk, i’ll give you $50 shipped

 

[beaglebriar]

Since they appear to be junk, i’ll give you $50 shipped

I think I can come up with one for you. I'll have to see if my buddy still has it.

Its all personal preference..Not everyone would care for some of the saws I have....that I'm certain of.

 

[USMC615]

Since they appear to be junk, i’ll give you $50 shipped

All in the eyes of the beerholder I suppose...let me put that offer on hold a bit and see if there are any $55 shipped takers...

 

[Stump Shot]

All in the eyes of the beerholder I suppose...let me put that offer on hold a bit and see if there are any $55 shipped takers...

Try the Navy. Lol

 

[USMC615]

Try the Navy. Lol

Lmao!

 

[Stump Shot]

I let a 038 Magnum in good working order go for $150.00 to a local firewood guy to get him out of his Walmart Poulan he was trying to cut wood with at that time. So it's not inconceivable that these aren't always a downgrade, depends on where that person is at. He was tickled pink to get that saw, almost as much as I was to see it go.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Yea, they barely cut wood. Better than a misery whip I guess?

 

[Wolverine]

Yea, they barely cut wood. Better than a misery whip I guess?

For the record, I am solely referring to stock 38’s. I ran that saw DW, as you know, and it cut good with fat torque.

Any chance you have a vid of the DD372 in the same wood, same b/c for comparison?

 

[Duane(Pa)]

For the record, I am solely referring to stock 38’s. I ran that saw DW, as you know, and it cut good with fat torque.

Any chance you have a vid of the DD372 in the same wood, same b/c for comparison?

Short answer is no, but the Stihl WILL hold a bigger boat lol I love’m all the same

 

[Al Smith]

Not trying to pizz in your Cheerios. The 038 mag is thee most disappointing chainsaw I’ve ever run.

It's obvious you never had a good one .I've got a German Mag that survived over twenty years of hard service for a tree company until it had a piston failure which I replaced that runs as good today as it did new .Another a Brazilian I souped up and it will run neck and neck with a stock 660 .No disappoints there .

 

[Fruecrue]

I’m a fan.
Mine is a noodle monster.
Put a 20” bar on, take an angle grinder to the rakers and go lean on it to cut some bedding for the chickens.

 

[drf256]

Talking all out power and weight, it’s an easy saw to beat.

In terms of strength and reliability, it’s a tough one to top.

It’s got bigger everything. Heavier because of more magnesium and steel in all the right places. I’ve never done one, but does it use 6202 or 6203 bearings?

It’s a very good saw, just overbuilt for what it is. And as StumpShot said above, one can’t deny that technology has advanced since its intro.

I’d love to know where the jug is timed? They have a huge factory exhaust, much bigger than a stock 044.

Saws with longer strokes will always (yes) make more power. They are so oversquare because of size limits, part of why husky layed the cylinders back on many models. A longer stroke gives one much more port timing.

 

[Al Smith]

Two weak links in an other words good design.First the air filter with a choke built inside it .Not real smart. Two the annular buffer,rear left side .It can become degrade just from age or the rubber torn loose from using the saw as a pry bar .This will cause the engine to over rotate within it's suspension system and tear the intake boot causing a lean run condition which will cook the piston in time .You can't tell if it's torn without removing it because the tear will be on the bottom side .

 

[USMC615]

Two weak links in an other words good design.First the air filter with a choke built inside it .Not real smart. Two the annular buffer,rear left side .It can become degrade just from age or the rubber torn loose from using the saw as a pry bar .This will cause the engine to over rotate within it's suspension system and tear the intake boot causing a lean run condition which will cook the piston in time .You can't tell if it's torn without removing it because the tear will be on the bottom side .

...interesting!

 

[Funky sawman]

Talking all out power and weight, it’s an easy saw to beat.

In terms of strength and reliability, it’s a tough one to top.

It’s got bigger everything. Heavier because of more magnesium and steel in all the right places. I’ve never done one, but does it use 6202 or 6203 bearings?

It’s a very good saw, just overbuilt for what it is. And as StumpShot said above, one can’t deny that technology has advanced since its intro.

I’d love to know where the jug is timed? They have a huge factory exhaust, much bigger than a stock 044.

Saws with longer strokes will always (yes) make more power. They are so oversquare because of size limits, part of why husky layed the cylinders back on many models. A longer stroke gives one much more port timing.

The 38 uses a standard 6202 on flywheel side and a stihl bearing on pto thats the same size as 6203. And the pto side of crank is huge!, if i can recall correctly, i used the same tool for pulling the crank into the case as i do for a 084 or 088