I’ve had a couple people ask me to post some more information on this saw. This saw actually had some pictures posted on here years ago while it was owned by the previous collector. If there are any further pictures anyone would like to see, just ask.
I’ve heard multiple stories regarding the legendary 10 cube in the couple years I’ve owned and researched it. I will post the stories I’ve heard and I’m open to hearing stories others have heard. I will start with the very limited facts that I have regarding this saw and follow with the stories I have heard, lastly some pictures.
Facts:
1. The Mahle cylinder is 72mm bore, single “dyke” style ring on a Mahle piston.
2. OEM standard 090 cases do not have the required clearance in the cases for the 72mm piston traveling below the mounting flange of the cylinder. This particular saws cases have been machined or bored on a machine.
3. The cylinder is coated with a type of black coating.
4. The cylinder on this saw has finger ports that also have this coating.
5. This saw has the standard 090 crankshaft.
6. The saw has 4 tapered studs that the cylinder slides over, then the head on top of that, the removable cylinder head has 4 additional bolts connecting the head to the cylinder for a total of 8 fasteners for the cylinder head.
7. This saw has had the exhaust louvre and choke flapped removed.
8. I have researched this particular saw back far enough to know it has a racing history, rather that was Stihls intention or not.
9. The saw at Madsens has the original decomp hole plugged in the top cover identical to this saw in my collection.
10. This saw does not have a typical Stihl serial number in the typical serial number location, it is instead an alphanumeric “number”
Story 1…. Stihl, the corporation, had nothing to do with the 10 cube. They were a creation by a distributor that had some topends made to install on 090s, an early version of a “big bore” kit.
Story 2….. Stihl manufactured between 10 and 24 (I’ve heard both) of the complete 10 cube 090s as well as a number of topend kits to be retrofitted onto other 090s. Half were sent to New Zealand and half were sent to the US. Speaking with a race saw builder that has been inside a handful of 10 cubes, he has confirmed to me that all of the ones he has been in have had the cases obviously hacked out with some sort of burr bit and grinder to clear the 72mm piston.
Story 3…… Stihl decided to use some Kart engine topends in some of their 090s in a time when Mac was doing 101s in 125s. I do not particularly agree with this story as I also have 3 Stihl kart engines in my collection, they are all 55mm bore and none of them share port, cylinder, nor head design concepts with the 10 cube saw.
Story 4….. The 10 cube saws were a “test” platform as Stihl was considering building a larger saw. The saws ended up in the hands of guys that raced on the weekends, Stihl never received any test data and killed the program. Also with this story is a story where Stihl recalled all the 10 cubes to be destroyed.
I’ve heard multiple stories regarding the legendary 10 cube in the couple years I’ve owned and researched it. I will post the stories I’ve heard and I’m open to hearing stories others have heard. I will start with the very limited facts that I have regarding this saw and follow with the stories I have heard, lastly some pictures.
Facts:
1. The Mahle cylinder is 72mm bore, single “dyke” style ring on a Mahle piston.
2. OEM standard 090 cases do not have the required clearance in the cases for the 72mm piston traveling below the mounting flange of the cylinder. This particular saws cases have been machined or bored on a machine.
3. The cylinder is coated with a type of black coating.
4. The cylinder on this saw has finger ports that also have this coating.
5. This saw has the standard 090 crankshaft.
6. The saw has 4 tapered studs that the cylinder slides over, then the head on top of that, the removable cylinder head has 4 additional bolts connecting the head to the cylinder for a total of 8 fasteners for the cylinder head.
7. This saw has had the exhaust louvre and choke flapped removed.
8. I have researched this particular saw back far enough to know it has a racing history, rather that was Stihls intention or not.
9. The saw at Madsens has the original decomp hole plugged in the top cover identical to this saw in my collection.
10. This saw does not have a typical Stihl serial number in the typical serial number location, it is instead an alphanumeric “number”
Story 1…. Stihl, the corporation, had nothing to do with the 10 cube. They were a creation by a distributor that had some topends made to install on 090s, an early version of a “big bore” kit.
Story 2….. Stihl manufactured between 10 and 24 (I’ve heard both) of the complete 10 cube 090s as well as a number of topend kits to be retrofitted onto other 090s. Half were sent to New Zealand and half were sent to the US. Speaking with a race saw builder that has been inside a handful of 10 cubes, he has confirmed to me that all of the ones he has been in have had the cases obviously hacked out with some sort of burr bit and grinder to clear the 72mm piston.
Story 3…… Stihl decided to use some Kart engine topends in some of their 090s in a time when Mac was doing 101s in 125s. I do not particularly agree with this story as I also have 3 Stihl kart engines in my collection, they are all 55mm bore and none of them share port, cylinder, nor head design concepts with the 10 cube saw.
Story 4….. The 10 cube saws were a “test” platform as Stihl was considering building a larger saw. The saws ended up in the hands of guys that raced on the weekends, Stihl never received any test data and killed the program. Also with this story is a story where Stihl recalled all the 10 cubes to be destroyed.