045/056 part interchangeability

blsnelling · May 24, 2007

I've been intrieged lately with Lakesides 056 rebuild. I believe it was a 045 that my Dad ran when I was younger. I wouldn't mind rebuilding one for nostalgia as well as to just have a big old school Stihl. Are the bottom end of these saws all the same? In other words can you swap the jug from a 056 Mag to a 045? They all have a 38mm stroke. The 045 came with either a 50mm or 54mm bore. The 056 came with 52mm, 54mm, or 56mm bore depending on the model.

Lakeside53 · May 24, 2007

yes and no...

The bottom ends are not the same, but will work up to 54mm bores...

The big difference in the bottom end is the the bearing on the clutch side on the 045 is secured by a clip on the bearing, and on the 056, the clip is in the crankcase. Early 045 had a nasty habit of spinning bearings and spitting out seals...

The 056 magnum series have a 56mm bore and a different cylinder hole pattern. You can mess around with the cylinder and get it to line up, but..
..

fishhuntcutwood · May 25, 2007

Andy hit the main differences that I was going to mention, but the bottom line I've found that is, for as much as these saws share, they differ just as much. Some parts are the same across the board. But others, like cylinders are completely interchangeable....until you go to mount the muffler and the fins don't leave room for the muffler. Stuff like that.

All in all, tremendous series of saw. I love 'em.

blsnelling · May 25, 2007

Lakeside53 said:
Early 045 had a nasty habit of spinning bearings.....

That's exactly what happened to my Dad's. He had a friend, who was a machinist, relocate the centerline of the bearing, then bore and install a steel sleeve. He put it back together and it ran like a scalded dog for a few minutes and then siezed the piston. Knowing what I know now, he either had an air leak of the carb was set lean. That saw ended up in the land fill. I sure wish I had it now. It might have only needed seals and a piston. Regaurdless, I'm sure it could have been fixed.

Lakeside53 · May 25, 2007

I was processing tech notes from the early 80's last night.. seems like the very eary 056 did have the same crankcase bearings as the 045...

Also found a tech note showing how to cut the obstructing cylinder fins off if you used the "new" muffler!