Need replacement for Stihl ms241

ericm979 · Nov 24, 2022

Gale Hawkins said:
Does it stop as in gets hard to turn by hand or locks up so tight you cannot turn it with a wrench?

Don't do that. It could do more damage. If the piston stops there is something keeping it from moving. Debris from a broken bearing, a piece of broken piston ring, piston ring hanging up in a port, etc. I'm assuming the spark plug has been removed so it's not running up against compression.

Did you take the muffler off and look in the exhaust port as you gently turn the crank? Pistons usually seize on the exhaust side because it's hotter.

frogpond · Nov 24, 2022

I did remove the spark plug, but it made no difference. I have not tried a wrench on it. I won't have a chance to pull the muffler and have a more careful look until Sunday or Monday. I still work in Seattle during Tuesday -Saturday, and my wife and I go up to our property in Snohomish, about an hour's drive, most Sundays and Mondays. That's where my saws live, along with the tractor, the chipper, the ztr, etc.
I truly appreciate all the advice and encouragement! I'll keep you posted.

dodge man · Nov 25, 2022

It should spin easily with the spark plug out. As I’m sure you are well aware something is wrong.

Rdrcr · Nov 26, 2022

frogpond said:
My 241 has seized up and apparently died, so I am thinking about what to get next. I also have a new 261cm with 20" bar (I sold off my 291 after buying it), and an older 211 with a 16" bar. The 211 is a little wimpy, and I dislike the toolless chain tightener. (It is wearing out, and is hard to use when it's dirty or I'm wearing gloves.) The 261 is a great saw, lighter and more powerful than the 291, and pretty much as big as I need.
I still want a better smaller saw in the 40cc range for limbing and pruning. The 241 has a compression release, which I like. The 250, which I'm thinking about, doesn't, and I see both good and bad reviews of it.
Any suggestions? I am used to Stihls, and I'd like to stay with them. We have 11 acres of mostly rainforest, some of it jungle, in western Washington.

I’m in the forests of western Washington too.

If you’re looking for a lightweight reasonably powerful saw, I’d recommend the MS 194 C.
It’s my favorite saw and I use it more than any of my other chainsaws.

Mike

stevem5215 · Nov 26, 2022

Directtools.com has chainsaws very light and refurbs are reasonable.

two_bit_score · Nov 27, 2022

Lot of people it seems are using top handle saws for limbing and small trees/brush on the ground. Might be a good time to consider one after you get the older saw patched up.

https://www.stihlusa.com/professional/in-tree-saws/

frogpond · Dec 3, 2022

Okay, so I am making some efforts on the 241. I've got the covers and the muffler and the sprocket off. Nothing wrong with the pull cord setup. I have tried the various strategies to get the flywheel off without a puller, but it's stubborn. Will order a puller. The piston does not appear scored.

The current state of affairs is that with the muffler off and the sparkplug out, I can rotate the flywheel by hand 180 °, and then it stops. I can rotate it backwards, but only the same 180°. I can see the piston go up and down with it. And I will probably be able to eventually get the flywheel off...but then what? I don't know what damage or problem I'm chasing.

In the meantime, i have gone back to my old ms211 with 16" bar for light work like limbing, plus the 261 with 20" bar for bigger stuff. I have looked up specs on the various suggestions you all have been kind enough to give, but I still hope that I can resurrect the 241, and therefore not have to buy something new.

dodge man · Dec 3, 2022

Funny, I have no recollection of how I got the flywheel off my MS 250 when I rebuilt it. It couldn’t have been to hard and I didn’t use a puller. I just watched a video, I think you just use a punch and hammer on the crank and the shock pops it loose.

Why it won’t turn freely is a mystery to me. It almost sounds like something on top of the piston. If you had a bad rod or crank I’d think you’d hear grinding sounds or something. I suppose something could also be in the crank case jamming it. Let us know what you find.

ericm979 · Dec 3, 2022

You can remove the cylinder and head (they're one piece on saws unlike motorcycles). Pro Stilhls usually take a long T25 bit for the cylinder bolts which you can access through holes or cutouts in the fins. With the cylinder off you can inspect the piston and cylinder fully. Before removing the cylinder look into the intake and especially exhaust ports. Check that the rings are intact.

Sometimes you can feel or hear the location where the blockage is and narrow it down. Does it feel like a solid stop or more of a crunch one?