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Post by whiteoak on Mar 9, 2011 3:27:14 GMT -5
Any of you chainsaw guys know if fixing up 2 older stihls is worth it? I have two AV031 saws. I had one running last year but can't get it running. Have not been too concerned about it since they came with the house. Figured there was a reason he left them! When I got the one running I was suprised. Figured between the two I should get enough parts to get one running with a few extras to spare in case it conks out again. Thanks, Ryan The 031's are good old saws as long as the ignition coil stays working. They are no longer available from Stihl and the is no after market coils available. They are not a high RPM saw, but do pack a lot of torque. They are very easy to work on one you know where the hidden screws are. To remove the recoil starter there is an allen head screw at the lower corner of the clutch cover that must come out and there's one inside the carb housing box and the three on the outside of the starter housing. Most of the time if an 031 does not have fire it will be a bad condenser causing it. They are still available at a Stihl dealer, but they will try and tell you the saw is not worth fixing and try to sell you a new saw. The first thing I would do is check both fuel lines and filter. They probably need replaced. Stihl used a foam insert inside the fuel filters on these saw and over time they fall apart and clog up the filter. Then I would take the carb apart and clean it real good with carb cleaner and then install a carb kit. While you this far I would check the impulse line and make sure it is OK. It is the line that is in the front that the lower barb on the carb connects to. The line runs down to a barb coming out of the crank case. A leaking impulse line will not let the carbs fuel pump work and no gas will be pulled up to the carb. Check your plug and blow the air filter out. After you have did all this I always put a little mixed gas in the carb. The saw will start much quicker with much less cranking on the starter. If you do rebuild the carb the jet setting for both high and low should be 1 turn out from lightly seated. This should get your saw started then you can go from there as far as fine tuning it, but be careful and don't set it to lean, or you will toast your piston and cylinder. If you do decide to buy a new saw I would be interested in buying your 2 031's
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Post by cambygsp on Mar 9, 2011 7:35:59 GMT -5
whiteoak, I agree. That Dolmar isn't a average homeowner saw. He would be better served by a smaller saw. Since he doesn't dive into the internals, having a good local dealer that he trusts is almost more important than the brand of saw. I needed a bigger saw because I use wood for my main heat source in the winter. The local tree service leaves anything over 18" for me to cut up and take home - I've had to buck up trees that were over 50" dia. and that little arborist echo wouldn't come close to cutting wood that big. I'd stay with one of the big saw companies, such as Stihl or Husky. I like the primer bulb on my Echo for east starting when it's been sitting a while. I believe its a CS360? I'd recommend looking at the operating RPM of the saw. More RPM = faster cuts. My little echo cuts quicker than Dad's Stihl because of the RPM, and the Dolmar bounces off of the 13,750 rpm rev limiter even with the bigger bar on it. That's my neighbor holding the saw. I was cutting, he was rolling the pieces on the trailer. We moved about 14,000# of wood that day, and regretted it the next day! We both use wood for heating. Thats a lot of wood for a single axel trailer !
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Post by dadfsr on Mar 9, 2011 9:12:02 GMT -5
We do alot of cutting here in the storm damage side of construction. I also heat with wood. Around here, stihl rules. 5 saws: 020T w/ 16", MS34 pro w/ 18", MS0362 w/ 18", telescoping pole saw w/ 12", & 066 w/ 36"(which is seldom needed). The first saw taken is usually the 020T. It's a one handed arborist saw and super light. Second, would b the new MS0362 I bought last summer. It's really nice, ton of power for the size. We us the RS chains on the 18" & 36" talk about throwing chunks. Cuts wood like a hot knife through butter. If I had to pick, I call the 020T my "baby" cuz it won't wear u out & it's nice to have one hand free at times. Not the fastest, but most convenient. Gets the job done without breaking ur back. Run that saw all day long and ur muscles won't b talking back the next couple days. Like anything in life, everyone has personal preferences. Agree with safety gear. We don't wear chaps, but leather gloves have save my hands a time or two. If ur cutting limbs over head, please wear a good, I mean GOOD hardhat. I got an X scar on the back of my head where a 2 ton limb hit me, sat me down on another log lying on the ground. Compression fractured my sternum. 20 staples(not stitches) and a sever concusion. I'm lucky to b able to tell this story, really. Stupidly, I wasn't wearing a hardhat! Put me out of work for 6 weeks. Btw I'm self employed so workers comp is exempted here Good luck & b safe! NO, NO and NO!!!! The 020T is NOT a one handed saw!!!!! It is a top handled saw that like every other chainsaw has a front handle with a chainbrake that should stop the saw from injurying someone from using it in an incorrect manner. NO where will you find any manufacturer recommendation or user guide or anything anywhere recommending that this saw should be used in an incorrect manner!! If your using this on the job and someone is injured while using it incorrectly Workman's Comp will NOT pay anything!!!!
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Post by whiteoak on Mar 9, 2011 20:02:52 GMT -5
We do alot of cutting here in the storm damage side of construction. I also heat with wood. Around here, stihl rules. 5 saws: 020T w/ 16", MS34 pro w/ 18", MS0362 w/ 18", telescoping pole saw w/ 12", & 066 w/ 36"(which is seldom needed). The first saw taken is usually the 020T. It's a one handed arborist saw and super light. Second, would b the new MS0362 I bought last summer. It's really nice, ton of power for the size. We us the RS chains on the 18" & 36" talk about throwing chunks. Cuts wood like a hot knife through butter. If I had to pick, I call the 020T my "baby" cuz it won't wear u out & it's nice to have one hand free at times. Not the fastest, but most convenient. Gets the job done without breaking ur back. Run that saw all day long and ur muscles won't b talking back the next couple days. Like anything in life, everyone has personal preferences. Agree with safety gear. We don't wear chaps, but leather gloves have save my hands a time or two. If ur cutting limbs over head, please wear a good, I mean GOOD hardhat. I got an X scar on the back of my head where a 2 ton limb hit me, sat me down on another log lying on the ground. Compression fractured my sternum. 20 staples(not stitches) and a sever concusion. I'm lucky to b able to tell this story, really. Stupidly, I wasn't wearing a hardhat! Put me out of work for 6 weeks. Btw I'm self employed so workers comp is exempted here Good luck & b safe! NO, NO and NO!!!! The 020T is NOT a one handed saw!!!!! It is a top handled saw that like every other chainsaw has a front handle with a chainbrake that should stop the saw from injurying someone from using it in an incorrect manner. NO where will you find any manufacturer recommendation or user guide or anything anywhere recommending that this saw should be used in an incorrect manner!! If your using this on the job and someone is injured while using it incorrectly Workman's Comp will NOT pay anything!!!! You are most certainly correct about the top handle saws,,,,,,but 95% of the professional arborist use them just that way , with one hand. They are very prone to an UNCONTROLLABLE kickback either , with one hand or both just by the short position the handles are in, but when climbing, or out of a bucket truck they can't be beat. I use my little MS200T probably more than any of the 100's of saws I own, unless of course I'm cutting firewood then I have these to choose from. 026, MS361, 044, and when I get serious I break out my 066 Red Light, but seldom do I get to serious anymore. I use the MS 200T the most because I do a little saw carving once in a while. If I had to choose one of the 4 just for general chainsaw use, it woulds be the MS361. It would suit my style of cutting the best. I have been buying, repairing, selling, and trading saws for the last 15 years as a part time hobby, money making venture and have sold close to 1500 saws on Ebay and here from my house and believe it or not I have only owned 1 new saw in my life. I sold it within 3 days of getting it.
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Post by 76chevy on Mar 10, 2011 9:52:42 GMT -5
stihls can be hard to start, I actually bought a cheapo nearly brand spanking new mculloch on cl a while back
It is an awesome saw considering the $50 bucks I paid for it!!
my next good one will be a husky though!
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Post by esshup on Mar 10, 2011 10:00:00 GMT -5
Thats a lot of wood for a single axel trailer ! And the car.... ;D The trailer is rated at 3500# Gross, and it weighs a bit over 700# empty (all aluminum). It has electric brakes and the car has the controller. I get the wood from about 4 miles away, and it's all back roads to the house. No need to go fast. The biggest round towards the rear of the trailer was over 700# all by itself (16" lengths) whiteoak, I heard that. I plan on taking care of the saw, and it should last as long as I will. Dad bought a Clinton to take care of the trees that were dropped during the Palm Sunday Tornado in 1965, and the difference between the 2 saws is amazing. They are both rated at roughly the same hp, but the 7900 is half the weight. (and less than 1/2 as loud!) That Clinton will flat wear you out if you use it all day long. I added the larger air filter to the Dolmar after these pics were taken. Bar length on both saws is the same at 24". For some reason the spark arrestor screen would never stay in the Clinton..... Back then PPE was unheard of. Earplugs? We were lucky to have gloves on!
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Post by whiteoak on Mar 10, 2011 10:53:42 GMT -5
I love how the old saws were crafted and the quality of material used, but hate running one any longer than showing someone that they will cut wood. Your old Clinton is in great condition. Most old metal housing saws are missing most of the paint and the stickers are gone. Yours looks nice, especially setting on a shelf. I would get more enjoyment from looking at it than running it LOL. It even has the original, either Remington made , or Oregon made roller nose bar and I am guessing that it runs a .404" pitch chain. Did you see much improvement with the better air filtration system on your Dolmar that you installed. The few that I have had experience with it seemed to help quite a bit, but the high rise air filter filter cover did nothing for me. It makes the saw look like you would sit on them and ride them instead of using your hands LOL.
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Post by parrothead on Mar 10, 2011 11:22:20 GMT -5
I bought a Stihl easy start about 2 years ago I think a 5 year old could start it.
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Post by hornharvester on Mar 10, 2011 12:14:03 GMT -5
I have two saws, both Stihls. One is a made in Germany 031 that my parents bought new back in early 60's. I would say it has less than 100 hours on it. The other is an 015 and much easier for me to use. The 031 takes a man to operated it and Im not that good of a man any more! h.h.
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Post by esshup on Mar 10, 2011 17:15:27 GMT -5
whiteoak, to be honest, I swapped the filter as soon as I got it and never ran it with the stock filter. It must be working, because I've never had an air supply problem,
The Dolmar is 50% lighter than the Clinton for the same hp. To my knowledge, that's the bar that came with the Clinton too.
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Post by jajwrigh on Mar 10, 2011 21:58:19 GMT -5
I own and endorse the Echo CS-400...my neighbors all use Stihl, also very good!
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Post by imnatree on Mar 10, 2011 23:05:04 GMT -5
NO, NO and NO!!!! The 020T is NOT a one handed saw!!!!! It is a top handled saw that like every other chainsaw has a front handle with a chainbrake that should stop the saw from injurying someone from using it in an incorrect manner. NO where will you find any manufacturer recommendation or user guide or anything anywhere recommending that this saw should be used in an incorrect manner!! If your using this on the job and someone is injured while using it incorrectly Workman's Comp will NOT pay anything!!!![/quote] Would like to state that I'm not writing an owners manual or compliance laws for OSHA. This is how I feel comfortable using the saw. I, personally, can hold this saw out with one hand and cut all day. Even if it were to kick back, it would have to break my wrist to even have a chance at cutting me. Even then the bar brake would hit my forearm stopping the chain before it got to my arm. Secondly, workers comp doesn't cover anyone who applies for exemption(like me) bcuz of self employment. So it wouldn't matter how I used the saw. If I injure myself, I have to comp myself So trust me, if I thought it would b unsafe, jeopardizing my income, to use this saw with one hand, I wouldn't. Then again, my line of work calls me to do things that would make most soil their trousers just thinking about it.
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Post by whiteoak on Mar 11, 2011 3:50:41 GMT -5
A lot of the times it ain't a kickback that gets you, but the follow through of a one handed off balance cut at the end of a 10 hour day that results in a screaming 200T into your knee while hanging 60 feet up. I'm as guilty as you because most of the time my 200T is running I have it in one hand, one day I may regret it and you could very well to. Until then I wish you the best of luck and hope that it never happens.
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Post by dadfsr on Mar 11, 2011 9:17:05 GMT -5
Quite simply as a certified arborist I have to do my best to always make sure that any chainsaw is used in the proper manner....as long as I can continue to point out the dangers, which can very easily be life threatening, of using any chainsaw improperly I will do so. If I'm up in a tree and can not use both hands on the TWO HANDED chainsaw to do a cut, then I reposition and do it properly....I take the time to work safely!!!! Maybe that's one reason why I'm getting old and fat and still have all my skin and limbs
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Post by danf on Mar 11, 2011 21:15:42 GMT -5
I doubt it would break your wrist before it broke your grip. Top-handled saws are inherently more dangerous than rear-handle saws due to a lack of leverage. Add in lighter weight and everyone prefers them because of the size and weight savings, but they have a false sense of security with them. Lighter weight means they get moving much faster, less leverage means harder to control when they do start moving.
Do yourself a favor, use both hands and stay out of the hospital. It could be a minor nick, it could be a career-ending amputation. How lucky do you feel playing Roulette?
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