Chainsaw with scored piston. How?

[Oldpath05]

If your not cutting much wood just go buy a Blue Max chainsaw>>>> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Blue-Ma...Iwpc-o-AiNjjCO8es68aAuSYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[RandyT]

2013 Stihl MS 362 with 18 inch bar; Cutting a holly stump about 16 inches, did not pinch. Saw died. Brought to dealer and was told it was scored piston. Initially dealer said it must be bad gas, which it isn't. Then he said must have overheated. $500 repair on a $725 saw. I'm pissed as ****, but don't know what to do.

Saw doesn't see a ton of work because I mostly use my smaller saw as I do mostly branch clean up on my property. Don't heat with wood. The big saw is for the occasional big tree down. So the saw is not beat up at all. Doesn't get used a lot, but when I need it, I need it.

Always used premixed gas in a can, chain always oiled and sharpened. Gets about q2 yr service at dealer, but only sees a few hours of work a year. Not only don't I lean into it when cutting, but I probably can't as I weigh 135 lbs. The dealer said cutting smaller trees with it than the blade is long (in other words not having the blade buried) allows it to spin too fast and overheat. Is this true?

Thoughts? I'm unsure about buying another/getting fixed when I don't know what I did wrong in the first place.

Have a customer that brought me his Stihl chainsaw and trimmer, along with an Echo blower, and decided to switch over to the premixed can fuel, and all three items are suddenly running lean. Saw wont run above idle, and currectly waiting on carb parts, To get trimmer to run correctly had to turn the adjustment screws out half a turn, Waiting on another part for the blower before getting into the run lean and had to start Echo.

 

[Jstpssng]

Buxus, Sorry to hear of your grief. I can't tell you what happen to your Stihl but I do think they are a quality built machine, but I can tell you what happen to an Echo* we have. It was about a year old and we were in the fielding doing trail work. We stopped for a break and after that, it wouldn't run worth a hoot. It wouldn't spool or rev up which was strange, since it ran perfectly just 15 minutes earlier. We took it back to the dealer who tested it and called Echo who suggested doing this and that to find out what happened. They eventually figured out the cylinder was scorn and they gave us a new unit since it was a year + old. Point is, they didn't know and couldn't figure out what happened, but that's an answer we can sometimes get. It can happen....

* We have several Echo's and use them for many, many hours each year.

When I bought an Echo it had a 5 year warrantee, which was 2 years longer than my previous Husky 346XP lasted before I lost the crank.
They make a good saw.

To the OP, I've heard similar to what the dealer told you except he was referring to cutting bushes; if you were cutting small bushes all day long with a big saw, he said that it's similar to standing there holding the throttle open.

 

[Stimw]

I tried repairing Stihl Masonry saws for a customer 15 years ago and it was a night mirror!
The saws were so abused and EVERYONE had scored cylinder.
New piston, cylinder and rings were $200. my cost. Just rings were $20. APIECE!
Their prices are stupid high.
My theory was with bad handling they were dropped/banged around and carbon broke loose at exhaust port ending up in the cylinder scoring it. ???
I only use premium gas in my 2 cycle engines, sta bil always. Makes them run up to 25% better.
I bought an ECHO Saw and dealer told me to only use ECHO oil because it has die in it and they will know if there is a failure.

 

[newbury]

<snip>Brought to dealer and was told it was scored piston. Initially dealer said it must be bad gas, which it isn't. Then he said must have overheated. $500 repair on a $725 saw. I'm pissed as ****, but don't know what to do.<snip>

How does he know it's a scored piston?
Did he pop the muffler and look?
I don't know how to check for a scored piston without looking at the piston.

He may just need a Christmas bill paid.

It might be worth "throwing" away some money on a battery operated chainsaw until you can find another dealer and afford to get the Stihl fixed or fix it yourself.

I've only got about 7 Stihl chainsaws so I may be biased But I do like my $160 40V Lynxx.

 

[YLee Kioti]

CS490-18" bar
Quite the work hoss.
I agree with many here about a DIY project, as winter is looming nice shop project. Seems like one can find videos to fix bout anything.
New jug, piston etc and you favorite music and hot chocolate and wrench away.
During my tune up got plug and AF for the saw, from the dealer I bought it from. Thought i'd get a better price on line; what a shocker, the best price as about 20 cents less on plugs from the Echo on line parts store.
So shop around for parts and don't over look Sthil either as a source. If wrenching is not what you do or care to do, get the parts anyway.
There are a lot of retired old farts that have small motor shops and taking them the parts you could probably get it done at a reasonable price.:thumbsup:

on edit: I cut way to much to afford the canned 'good stuff'.
But my dealer recommended to use sta-bil. Which I now add to every new fuel jug of pre-mix.

 

[Deere Dude]

I really doubt the OP abused the saw seeing it was a very expensive saw and I really doubt a little guy would use a monster like that cutting little bushes and saplings with it.If he did he would have arms like Arnold. My take has always been that canned gas is the really good stuff and I doubt it could be that old. I don't know anyone that uses canned gas all the time.

The only thing I could think of is it was running lean for a long period of time and reving the engine up with no load, continuously.

That 362 is a premo saw and would still like to have one, but like someone said, unless the cause for the scoring is figured out why rebuild it?

As oit stands for me, I was very seriously looking at a 362 two years ago but was uncomfortable with the fact they have a new carb system that is supposed to be the greatest, but there were quite a few glitches not worked out yet, so I got a CS 620P Echo, and couldn't be happier. One note though INHO, whenever a saw goes into a dealer for repair, it is always the customers fault.

 

[Buxus]

Thanks for all the great advice, and also for the commiseration. A few thoughts based on the above:
1. In retrospect, I think I bought too much saw for my needs. At the time I spoke with the dealer at length about my property which my wife and I had just purchased. It was my first saw, and I thought I'd get a single saw for all my needs. Two years later I added an MS - 185 and used it way more often than the big saw. But wow, the big saw was amazing on the downed cherry and cedar trunks. Went right thru like they were made of styrofoam.
2. I looked at the piston today, and it looks like ****. The dealer told me parts (piston and cylinder) were $285, labor $180, but he said it would take him an hour more than he was charging me to replace it.
3. It kills me to not fix it because it ran so beautifully and was a beast, but for now I think I am going to check with another dealer to be sure he has no ideas on what happened, and then hold on to it as a project for another day.
4. In the meantime, I am going to go with something a little smaller and cheaper. I like what I have heard about Echo, and probably will be happy with something smaller and cheaper that what I bought in 2013.
5. I'll report back once I hear the second opinion from the other dealer, and I make a decision on a new saw.

 

[ericm979]

I like my small saws (Echo 352, Stihl MS241cm and 025) but when there's larger wood to cut it's time for a larger saw. I had to cut up a 4.5' diameter Madrone that fell across one of my roads earlier this year and I was glad I'd picked up a used MS460. It cost less than what it'd have cost to have someone do it and now I have the saw so I can cut up the sister tree that fell the other direction. The M-tronic Stihls (I have an MS362CM too) never need tuning for ambient temperature or fuel. I can tune carbs just fine but I'm also fine with getting right to work too.

 

[hosspuller]

If you're up mechanic wise one can purchase a cylinder assembly for DIY $78 :thumbsup:

Shopping

 

[Diggin It]

4. In the meantime, I am going to go with something a little smaller and cheaper.

Somebody posted an HD link for the Blue Max, but that may have been the single bar model. This is what I got:

Blue Max 2 in 1 - 14"/2" Combination Gasoline Chainsaw - Two Bars, Two Chains 66432819397 | eBay


So far it's handled everything I've thrown at it including Oak, Locust, Hickory and Cherry.

Two things of note:

*It's an all metal case which makes it a bit heavier, but also makes it more solid.
*The chain seems to be unique somehow and aftermarket chains may not be as available, but replacements aren't all that bad.

(This site drops the '0' from links for some reason. That should be 14 and 20" bars and chains)

 

[CobyRupert]

Saw died. Brought to dealer and was told it was scored piston. Initially dealer said it must be bad gas, which it isn't. Then he said must have overheated. $500 repair on a $725 saw. I'm pissed as ****, but don't know what to do.

Saw doesn't see a ton of work because I mostly use my smaller saw as I do mostly branch clean up on my property. Don't heat with wood. The big saw is for the occasional big tree down. So the saw is not beat up at all. Doesn't get used a lot, but when I need it, I need it.

Always used premixed gas in a can, chain always oiled and sharpened. Gets about q2 yr service at dealer, but only sees a few hours of work a year. Not only don't I lean into it when cutting, but I probably can't as I weigh 135 lbs. The dealer said cutting smaller trees with it than the blade is long (in other words not having the blade buried) allows it to spin too fast and overheat. Is this true?

Thoughts? I'm unsure about buying another/getting fixed when I don't know what I did wrong in the first place.

Dealer is probably right on one account, it probably did overheat. The question is: Why?

Is this the same dealer that initially adjusted the high and low speed mixture screws on the carb?
I hope not, knowing what we know about the B.S. he told you, no way would I trust him to adjust the carb. There's the chance he could set the high speed too lean and you'd end up burning up your saw.....hmmm, didn't you burn up your saw?

 

[Coyote machine]

I get wanting to keep the big dog saw! It makes sense, BUT, I'd hate to see you spend big $ to fix it, if someone else does it or for you to try it yourself and not first find the cause of why the saw is broken.
So, have it looked at by someone who actually knows Stihl saws and has a good reputation; then decide what to do. If they can't find the reason why the saw is broken, then beware of the potential to burn it again.

And I have to disagree with the poster who said anytime a saw goes to the dealer it's the saw owner's fault. I've had brand new Stihl saw(s) not run well from day one, hard to start, harder to restart, and eventually brought to dealer, who found cracked impulse line and IIRC, also a torn fuel line. With those items replaced, the saw now runs like it should have from day one. Sometimes direct from the factory things are wrong- not often, but not never either.

If someone where you bought your big saw adjusted the carb, it's quite possible they did it wrong, especially given the diagnosis you were by them about what need to be done to fix it...

 

[Diggin It]

And I have to disagree with the poster who said anytime a saw goes to the dealer it's the saw owner's fault.

I may have read it wrong, but I saw it as the implication being that some Dealers would try to make it the customer's fault one way or another and try to charge for something that should be under warranty.

 

[ruffdog]

Waaaaayyyy back when I worked at a saw shop, we had plenty of wood out back to test saws on. How can you run a shop and not "test" them other than rev them?

 

[Coyote machine]

I may have read it wrong, but I saw it as the implication being that some Dealers would try to make it the customer's fault one way or another and try to charge for something that should be under warranty.

You're right- it is open to interpretation! If so, I was wrong- but try to prove it!:laughing:

Right now, one Stihl/Echo dealer who sold me my 1986 038 50th anniversary edition Stihl saw is holding both the product and $1,800+ of my money on the following: I went to him to buy a self propelled leaf blower, I can't take the shoulder ache from my back blower any more. I went to him to discuss what I needed, and if it would blow the stones off/out of my grass come springtime. I told him and showed him exactly what I wanted. I demoed the product but was not overly impressed, and he didn't have stone/gravel the size of mine on his lot. I went to him for his 'professional' opinion.

I bought the machine, tried it briefly in the fall, then stored it for winter. In spring, it was run for 45 minutes and the 'trans' broke. I took it back, told him I didn't want it, and wanted my money back because it would not do the job I bought it for, for several reasons. We've gone around about this since when I bought it Sept, '17.

I went in a few days ago and stated I wanted a check for price paid by end of week. He was out and one of his employees gave me the usual run around, and was belligerent too. I've previously bought the Stihl, 2 Echo combi tools and Echo hedge trimmer, and pole pruner and weed heads, tiller head, paddle broom, etc. from them, but I guess customer loyalty is only as good as one's last purchase these days!?

He had sold the machine with a new trans from the manufacturer to a pro landscape place, and told me he'd get me my money, LESS taxes, 8% including piss ant VT city tax, and the buyer would write me the check personally and send it to his shop. He sent me a bill for the under warranty trans, AND an hour's labor attached to his email to me. I replied and asked what the invoice was for since the manufacturer warranted the trans and he would have been paid to do the labor to replace it. No answer!

I'm waiting on the check, and I suppose the bookkeeper will have deducted the taxes and probably the trans and labor costs, and possibly charge a fee for keeping my money and having the machine to sell as new, less tax to a new 'customer'. Oh, and a check writing and depositing fee and surcharges for having to keep the money and machine forever, and 'commish' for selling it to the new guy too.

Whatever I retrieve from this will go to different saw/equipment dealers I also work with nearby dealers and in another VT 'city', not far away.

Sorry for the long post, but my point is trust only as far as one can throw, and don't buy into the dealer's BS, especially when they're in sale mode or in, 'we can fix it' for: $$$$$$, AND you used the wrong gas, and ran the saw during daylight hours! Etc.

 

[Doofy]

Fix it yourself, pitch it or you can go this route...

Amish chainsaw.

 

[Oldpath05]

Fix it yourself, pitch it or you can go this route...View attachment 581835

Amish chainsaw.

Oh boy a commercial break while we wait to see what saw the OP gets. Is that for $19.99 as seen on TV.............Looks like a 2 person saw, I'll hold the handle, wonder how many blonds it would take to run it.

 

[IH3444]

I also have a MS 262 saw. It is a stratto-fire saw. The functioning of the STIHL 2-MIX engine - YouTube
They also have a problem with "fines" damaging the engine due to the air cleaner allowing more "fine" through than normal.
Stihl upgraded the later ones with the professional HD-ll filters. I had mine done under warranty. Paid for labor only.
Stihl covered the parts. Contact Stihl USA to see if they will help you out with the rebuild.
I have read on the Arborist.com site if you love the EPA use the 50:1 mix, if you love your saw use the 32:1 mix.
Use a quality full synthetic premix oil. The MS262 is a great saw, very good on fuel, and a great flat torque curve for a 2 stroke.
I have also found Echo as Eddie said. Great equipment. Love them. Wish I had found them sooner.

 

[Texasmark]

I decided to overhaul a couple of 2 strokers, a chain saw and weedeater. Afterwards, I decided that the only reason I was experiencing engine damage was that I wasn't getting enough lubrication. So, in buying new replacements, I still use synthetic oil and rather than 40 or 50:1, per the mfgrs recommendations, I run more like 25-30 to 1 (rather than a bottle to a gallon, I use a bottle and a half per gallon) and being synthetic, smoking is seldom visible. We'll see how that works out as the machines age.