Stihl 044 squish

[Burchie70]

Got a barn find 044 I’m rebuilding. Everything is in good shape but wondering about doing a gasket delete. I checked the squish with .032 rosin core solder and ended up with .011 up to .013. Think with it being this tight without a gasket it’d be worth using a beer can gasket ? Will i gain that much more compression from .030 to .020 ? What’s the thinnest you guys would run ? Thanks for any help

 

[pioneerguy600]

General consensus is .020 squish on these saws.

 

[bayard]

.020- .022, they run great.

 

[michpatriot]

Not a 44 but I've been running .016 squish on my 461 with no ill effects...ymmv I pull the muffler cover every now and then to brush the carbon off the piston with a small bronze brush..

 

[old guy]

I just did an 044-046 hybrid that was .015 without gasket, cut a pop can gasket and got .018, I went with that but would not go less.
Comp was 180 after 2 heat cycles.

 

[albert]

I would leave the gaskey or make a slightly thinner one. You will lower the exhaust and transfers, lowering the power band rpm slightly. What 044, 10 or 12mm?

 

[Burchie70]

Thanks guys, I didn’t measure the wrist pin but according to the serial number it’s a newer 044 so it’s be the 12mm

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Im running. 18 in my 044. Definitely went with the elasto start handle.

 

[Yotaismygame]

IMO base gasket deletes without porting are a toss up. You make the combustion chamber smaller which = more compression but at the same time you lower the cylinder decreasing the exhaust duration.

 

[Burchie70]

I can’t argue one way or the other whether a gasket delete makes the saw run any better or worse. I’ll leave that argument for more knowledgeable people. I did make a gasket with a beer can and still only getting .014-.016 for a squish. With the oem base gasket I’m getting .031. I’ll have to look for something a little thicker I guess.

 

[Yotaismygame]

I can’t argue one way or the other whether a gasket delete makes the saw run any better or worse. I’ll leave that argument for more knowledgeable people. I did make a gasket with a beer can and still only getting .014-.016 for a squish. With the oem base gasket I’m getting .031. I’ll have to look for something a little thicker I guess.

Thin cardboard and copper spray.

I suppose you could sand the piston down .004. It would help with the exhaust duration. Good port timing trumps compression every day. Especially with bigger saws.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Cutting the piston down is one option, but a good trick to taking a little off the bottom of the cylinder is a perfectly flat surface like glass or polished marble ,then apply a high quality piece of sand paper( I like 3M) then figure 8 the cylinder on the sand paper and DO NOT rock the cylinder.
For taking anything more than .005-.010 I'd have lathe work done. I've done it on an AM 066 cylinder with good results. Then you can use your gasket.

 

[Yotaismygame]

Cutting the piston down is one option, but a good trick to taking a little off the bottom of the cylinder is a perfectly flat surface like glass or polished marble ,then apply a high quality piece of sand paper( I like 3M) then figure 8 the cylinder on the sand paper and DO NOT rock the cylinder.
For taking anything more than .005-.010 I'd have lathe work done. I've done it on an AM 066 cylinder with good results. Then you can use your gasket.

Yes that would work. But then you're really lowering the exhaust port which is the opposite of what should be happening if more power is the end goal. That's why I mentioned just a touch off the piston. Really you should just toss the gasket back in there and be done with it. This whole gasket delete thing IMO is myth that a saw will make more power without one. Pending on the situation of course.