STIHL The Official Stihl Chainsaws Thread

[Maintenance Chief]

They always look better cleaned up.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Working on 30 year old saws isn't terrible, because at least parts exist!
They have their issues though, this 046 was run for a long time with loose bolts holding down the bumper spike. It wallered out the holes to 6mm cylinder bolt size.

Top hole was pretty easy and the am front muffler cover gave me plenty of room.
Luckily I had a small head allen 6mm that I snuck it from underneath and it trapped the bolt head down when tightened.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

OEM piston went back in with a new set of Caber rings.
One pin clip was mangled by me and so it was replaced also. But suprisingly for its age it is all stihl P/C and crank.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I did an MS460 recently also but that piston was smoked ,it ended up with a squish of .027 with the Dukes premium coated pop up. BGD on both saws.
This one ended up with .030 squish and I took about. 010 off the key for advance.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Cool. You're on quite the roll! All personal projects?

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Cool. You're on quite the roll! All personal projects?

Funny story, I told someone I had an itch to build my own 064 or flat top 066 since I just did one for a coworker.
He had 3 junkers which he thought could be something close . I graciously accepted the challenge.
I might get away with out changing the crank bearings in the ms440.

 

[heimannm]

Can someone identify this chain for me? Local (volunteer) fire department dropped the saw off for a tune up and want the chain sharpened or replaced. Those are carbide "overlays" that are brazed onto the saw teeth.





I am not opposed to buying a diamond plated wheel for my chain grinder if it will work for sharpening this chain. I think a spare chain would be in order as well...just in case.



Thanks in advance.

Mark

Oh, by the way, the saw.





72 DL, 3/8, .063 chain

 

[Catbuster]

36RDR72 is Stihl’s rescue chain with the carbide tips on the cutters. I don’t think they make standard loops of anything but 20”, as that’s the only bar Stihl sells on the 460/461/462 “rescue” saw. I sharpen ours with a diamond file, it takes a while but it’s just not worth getting a diamond wheel for most people. Also, if you rock that chain, it’s game over, the carbide cutters get knocked off and you’re out a $200 chain.

I wish more places would take that training wheel depth limiter off. I’ve seen it come loose and absolutely destroy some teeth.

Editing to add: Also, volunteer or not, they’re still doing the job of a fire department. No need to differentiate. If they’re well trained the only difference may be response time if they have to come from home to the station.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

There was a few things I needed to revisit with my MS460 build.

Tank wouldn't hold pressure, and the gas smell in the truck after using the saw was too strong for me.
I found this with some soapy solution.
I used the mighty vac to draw the Sure Seal into the crack while it was curing.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

This MS460 was literally "road hard and put away wet" or sat in water. Although it ran fine with the misshapen flywheel, I had to clearance the cylinder alittle to allow it to spin.
I starting thinking about it blowing apart? While running it and opted to replace it with a good used OEM.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I also took the opportunity to put a 394xp decomp valve in it. I already broke the original cord starting it and replaced it with true blue cord.
There's only a .003 difference in squish between the 046 and this saw but the Dukes pop up piston must be the difference between lackadaisical starting and pull it like you mean it!

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

I wish more places would take that training wheel depth limiter off.

Grind em down to just be a tie strap. And if one comes loose...? The chain has probably seen better days already and should be replaced since they are tie straps too.

I used the mighty vac to draw the Sure Seal into the crack while it was curing.

Good video on the 'welding' process. Yours will be easy when it starts leaking again.

 

[Loony661]

36RDR72 is Stihl’s rescue chain with the carbide tips on the cutters. I don’t think they make standard loops of anything but 20”, as that’s the only bar Stihl sells on the 460/461/462 “rescue” saw. I sharpen ours with a diamond file, it takes a while but it’s just not worth getting a diamond wheel for most people. Also, if you rock that chain, it’s game over, the carbide cutters get knocked off and you’re out a $200 chain.

I wish more places would take that training wheel depth limiter off. I’ve seen it come loose and absolutely destroy some teeth.

Editing to add: Also, volunteer or not, they’re still doing the job of a fire department. No need to differentiate. If they’re well trained the only difference may be response time if they have to come from home to the station.

We took ours depth gauge off right away..

@heimannm Have the dept buy a spare chain if they don’t already have one. As stated, those carbide teeth on that rescue chain are susceptible to chipping.. I’ve seen them cut through a lot of stuff before (steel building, wall studs/nails, and obviously roofs/nails) and survive, but once they chip it’s game over…

Note: In order to “break in” the saw I took the saw and ran a couple tanks through it in some wood - that carbide chain may be tough and capable of cutting through some metal, but it’s not efficient for cutting wood like a regular saw. It’s slow and doesn’t self feed like a good sharp chain would.

 

[Loony661]

Grind em down to just be a tie strap. And if one comes loose...? The chain has probably seen better days already and should be replaced since they are tie straps too.

I think you misunderstand - he’s talking about the guard/depth gauge covering the bar that limits the depth of cut. It’s designed to prevent the bar from cutting too deep while venting roofs at a structure fire - so that the user doesn’t cut all the way through the rafters and just the sheeting gets severed so it can be lifted away..

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Gotcha. May as well grind the bumpers down too while eliminating the intended safety features!

 

[Loony661]

Gotcha. May as well grind the bumpers down too while eliminating the intended safety features!

The saw can be ordered with or without the roof guard. It’s not necessary. Also, methods of cutting into and venting the roofs have evolved over the years and the roofs can safely be vented without risk of cutting through the rafters as previously thought.

I am picking up on your sarcasm, but also wanted to educate anyone else reading this. It may seem that removing the guard is “eliminating safety..” but as stated, it’s optional and up to dept preference and venting methods.

 

[heimannm]

Thanks Catbuster, with your guidance above I was able to find a spare chain on eBay for under $80. Last one in .063 or I'd have aded a couple more.

I've also put the diamond wheel on order so I can sharpen those chains when needed. Might as well be prepared.

Mark

 

[Catbuster]

The saw can be ordered with or without the roof guard. It’s not necessary. Also, methods of cutting into and venting the roofs have evolved over the years and the roofs can safely be vented without risk of cutting through the rafters as previously thought.

I am picking up on your sarcasm, but also wanted to educate anyone else reading this. It may seem that removing the guard is “eliminating safety..” but as stated, it’s optional and up to dept preference and venting methods.

Most guys that have some experience running a saw can feel rafters underneath and will roll the saw over them. That’s why I call the depth limiter training wheels. Ours still has it on, but it wasn’t my decision… It’s kind of a pain if you’re on a roof trying to do a trench cut or you get into something where someone has overlaid 8” of shingles and it doesn’t cut all the way through.

 

[Scott Kelsey]

Hi everyone. I have been reading for a bit as I am looking into purchasing a new saw (grandpas needs a rebuild and I am not set up to do it yet). Did the 462 come with a standard carburetor at all? I thought I read that was so but did not find anything concrete. Thanks for any help.

 

[Mastermind]

Hi everyone. I have been reading for a bit as I am looking into purchasing a new saw (grandpas needs a rebuild and I am not set up to do it yet). Did the 462 come with a standard carburetor at all? I thought I read that was so but did not find anything concrete. Thanks for any help.

Yes. You can get it either way. Why would you seek out a standard carb rather than an M-Tronic saw though?