First Stihl chainsaw, a well used 026.

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
That slug is shot, I think you will need more than a piston. That saw looks pretty old, riveted name tags were on the first ones I believe. There may be a year on the green tag attached to the chain brake, but it could have been replaced also. Tree spike is on upside down. Looks good for the $$$, complete anyway.

The info on the green tag is dated 1985, there is also another number starting with 000096 etc which looks like it might be a weird date system like year, day, month, etc. Looks like it might have been made in 1996? Regardless of date all the rubber parts are in great shape including the carb boot and the fuel and impulse line.

BTW, I think the spike is set up for inverted cutting.... LOL. I noticed that right off too.

I'm stihl hoping for someone to come along and assign a date to this saw..... Anyone, anyone, Buhler?
 
You could flush it out with mix but dirt/sawdust will eat rod/crank bearings up. After confirming the cylinder will clean up nice, I would inspect the bearings carefully. While it's down would be a good time for a pressure and vac test also, to check the seals.....
 
That thing looks really rough man. Here's a flickr set of mine when I first got it. It arrived in that condition from a reputable guy on flea-bay and I have cleaned it up more than that.

Matt's Baby - Stihl 026

Starts on the 3rd pull (when I hear the pop on choke. haha) most times. Great running little due. I don't even know that I would have the guts to tackle that project. :)

Mine must be an older 026 too. It still has the rivets on the tag. Anyone know the best way to 'date' one?

Thanks,
 
Last edited:
That thing looks really rough man. Here's a flickr set of mine when I first got it. It arrived in that condition from a reputable guy on flea-bay and I have cleaned it up more than that.

Matt's Baby - Stihl 026

Starts on the 3rd pull (when I hear the pop on choke. haha) most times. Great running little due. I don't even know that I would have the guts to tackle that project. :)

Mine must be an older 026 too. It still has the rivets on the tag. Anyone know the best way to 'date' one?

Thanks,

Naww, this thing isn't rough!

THIS is what rough looks like.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=66935

By comparison this 026 will be a real easy project.
 
I've got a new oem piston from Brad on the way soon, thanks to those who suggested I contact him.

I'm going to bite the bullet and split the cases to clean out the crankcase, I found the case half gasket is less than $4 and I can have one by the weekend so I'm going to do it.

Also, I'm getting some more stuff coming from Bailey's. Before I order it I thought I might get some opinions on this b&c combo they have.

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=BCC+17+SS63&catID=691

I was thinking of running this B&C along with a new 8 pin .325 drive sprocket and drum, also from Baileys. That should be a good combo, right?

Looks like this thing will be back in action in a week or so at a cost of about $100.00 for everything I need to make it all back to spec. I love the way this saw is built. I've never owned a saw that was built this well, I've owned a few Stihl tools over the years but I never had to work on any of them so this is new to me. Compared to my other stuff this thing is not necessarily built from better materials but the engineering is SO much better its crazy.
 
I am not sure why you would want to go from the 7 tooth sprocket that was on the saw to an 8 tooth sprocket? Without modifications and pumping the horsepower up.....are you sure your saw will run a 14% increase in chainspeed? I suppose that in soft wood with a short bar/chain it might work - but my stock 260 with a 16" bar runs great with a 7 tooth sprocket.
 
I am not sure why you would want to go from the 7 tooth sprocket that was on the saw to an 8 tooth sprocket? Without modifications and pumping the horsepower up.....are you sure your saw will run a 14% increase in chainspeed? I suppose that in soft wood with a short bar/chain it might work - but my stock 260 with a 16" bar runs great with a 7 tooth sprocket.

I don't know how will it will run with a 8t rim on it which is why I'm asking, it will have a muffler mod when I'm done so I expect it could pull it. Is yours running 7t .325 or 7t 3/8?
 
The stock saw runs a 7t - 0.325 chain. A muffler mod makes the saw run and cut faster with the stock chain. Based on the way my saw runs.....I don't think it would pull a 8t - 0.325 or a 3/8" chain without more modifications and power. If you adjust the squish, do some porting and a muffler mod.....then maybe you can start running the chain faster or use a 3/8" chain.

Since you already have a 7 tooth on the saw.....unless it is worn out run it and see how it works.

Hopefully someone can post a comment that has run an 8 tooth on a stock or muffler modded 026.....but based on my stock 260 I think it works really well with a 16" bar and 7 tooth sprocket using 0.325 chain.
 
funny you brought it up.
I just tried 8T rim on my older 026 (fairly fresh but totally stock) last week. It's set up for limbing only, 20 inch bar. wanted to see if I could get more speed out of it for say 4 inch and less stuff. Either faster cut, or not have to run WFO so much.

Based on 10 minutes, I'd say not so good. cuts well on razor sharp chain, but takes a real light touch to keep from bogging a bit and losing rpm. I think it is also harder on the clutch, pinched and stalled a lot easier. So the lost rpm balances out the increased ratio.

maybe later, mod the muffler, might pull it better, but noise is an issue where I usually cut.
So it's better for me to stay on the 20 bar but I'll go back to the 7 tooth.

hey, it was worth $6 to try it.

k
 
pics.

Here are the cases all cleaned up.
2657685994_9ebb315d1c_o.jpg


And the cylinder turned out great! There was a lot of aluminum in there but between the 320 grit paper and some acid it is all cleaned out now. There are no scratches or gouges I can feel.

2657665838_9978390eb5_b.jpg

2656834417_c324b7225c_b.jpg

2657660930_1b0c207fa6_b.jpg

2657660850_f32a46099a_b.jpg

2657660754_aef13aef3c_o.jpg
 
Maybe it's the pic but your 320 paper scratchess are very horizontal.... Try for a 45 degree cross-hatch - much easier on the rings as they break in.


By having a 45 hatch, the rings are supported on the high spots instead of crashing into the ridges. You get the desired effect by rotating the abrasive while moving vertically in a proporational speed. If you don't want to use a ball hone (or even a brake hone), use 320 flap wheel.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for the tip Andy, I have corrected it as best as I can by hand. I don't have a ball hone so I did that by hand.

BTW, did you clean out your PM box? I tried to send you a message last night.

Thanks,
Brian
 
More pics.

I'm only waiting on an order from Bailey's to finish out this project. I still need a new bar & chain, sprocket, and one anti vibe mount and then we are all done...

2668505611_215f8a4fa4_o.jpg

2668505385_d6f1dfba98_o.jpg

2669326040_96fb23c8e9_o.jpg
 
Its is back together and it runs like, well, a scalded raped tarred and feathered hyperactive gorilla.

New bar and chain are on order, but I just found out than I need a new master control lever. The tab that holds the throttle open is broken off :(

2672225604_5ec2f4fc73_o.jpg

2672225558_3df7bb904d_o.jpg

2671402133_838985996c_o.jpg

2672225710_083bce6dea_b.jpg
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top