056 AV rebuild

[Paraord]

Hi All,

They say idle hands are the devils workshop, and its suffice to say thats never the case in my neck of the woods. If its not one thing its another. I recently dropped a monster hickory tree which prompted me to get back into wood burning and put a stove in my house. Always had some degree of wood heat all my life until I got married and purchased a different house. Ive known my way around sawing to a respectable degree, my father used to climb trees for residential treework and I would be relegated to bucking and cleanup work.

Anyways yesterday I saw a Stihl 056 pop up on craigslist. Fella got it to fire with a touch of gas down the plug hole, had a good spark, and looked very clean with the exception of the gas tank (internally). Compression felt OK, not great, but the rest looked real clean and I figured 150 bucks wasnt too awful. So I got it home and took it down to change the usual suspects. Fuel line, fuel filter, impulse line, I also got a NOS gas cap and oil cap. Filled it up and got it running for a few minutes and realized that fuel tank wasnt long for the world as it was graciously flushing itself out the bottom. Looks like I can get one of those without much trouble. Figured while I am doing this I should go get my Dad's compression gauge and its about 130lbs. Seems a little low, and I am kinda thinking while I am in there might as well right? Kinda finding trouble locasting a top end kit, the whole shebang-jug and all. Are these available?

This wont be a daily saw, just a monster bucking saw when I get into some big trees on the property. Should I do a top end while I am in this deep anyways? Dont know what the cylinder and piston look like aside from what I see down the plug hole (some carbon) and the exhaust hole (doesnt look that bad).

 

[Ted Jenkins]

In most cases replace rings, seals and carb kit. If the crank feels tight and nothing else shows up. I have two and they are not monster, but they run pretty smooth. I think you can find piston and rings easy, but have not looked lately. Some times you can find a magnum set, but not essential. Thanks

 

[Paraord]

Ill be hosing her down with cleaner since its all broke down. I wonder if I should do piston and rings or just rings? I mean a piston and rings set are like 25 bucks on ebay it looks like. Only way to really tell is pull the jug and get to getting. Here's a few pictures at any rate and all before the scrub down. You can see the location of the hole in the 4th picture, and a close up on the last picture.

Im going to clean the hole up using my parts washer, maybe give it a little light sanding, and try some quik steel in the meantime while I wait. Farmer friend of mine swears by it and has patched a few spots in his old diesel tanks with it, the oldest of which are 10-15 year old patches. If I am tossing that tank part anyways whats the worst that'll happen.

 

[Paraord]

And here we see why it wouldnt run for very long. Screen Door on a submarine syndrome.

Gonna give it a good goobering of Quik Steel. See if that holds fuel. If it does Ill eventually get to getting a new tank but in the mean time if this works Ill be fine with it for the time being.

 

[Paraord]

Applied some Quick Steel, ordered a 36" bar and chain from my local shop, ordered a top end kit from Lil' Red barn. Today after getting the tank all goobered up I decided I would take off the cylinder. Cylinder walls look good and I will probably keep them as is, piston is ehhhhh. Also is this a OEM cylinder? Look at the markings on the casting. Not that I care one way or the other really just curious.

 

[Paraord]

Hey guys whats the consensus on cylinder prep. This had 130psi of compression, cylinder looks ok, not mirror finish or anything, and not really crosshatched. you guys just slap and go or do the muriatic acid route, slight swirls with a red scotchbrite pad?

 

[Paraord]

Kinda quiet in here. Anyone have any thoughts on the cylinder?

 

[hotshot]

Can’t see the exhaust port, but the cylinder looks fine & it’s not a Mahle, but a Gilardoni brand.

The piston looks good too, measure the skirt to make sure it’s over 2.043” to be still useable. Clean up the carbon scores from the sides & then clean the top off & the ring grooves with a broken piston ring. Assume it’s a 52mmbore.

I’d buy Caber rings & the updated OEM Stihl circlips & not fool with the China piston & rings. You’re very liable to end up with less compression with the crap aftermarket piston.

Ditch the OEM base gasket & cut one from a thick paper sack. Expect 140-150 compression after it’s broke in.

 

[Paraord]

Thanks hotshot for the info on the cylinder. I didnt measure the piston skirt but got bored today and put it all back together this evening because I was bored waiting. Not sure how I got 130psi at first (maybe oil in the cylinder from previous owner?) Cause it was under 100 psi today after the reassemble with no new parts. So I broke it back down again which is no big deal. Its good to get familiar with the saw I think, and this is surely one way to do it. Glass half full right?

I have a top end kit coming from Lil' Red Barn, ordered that before your post hotshot, but Ill hit my local shop for some circlips. And probably order some Caber rings too if the piston measures OK. Keep that around for the next top end.

 

[Paraord]

Well that piston measures over 2.043 thats for sure. The piston and rings will be here on Tuesday but with the piston measuring with life left I might cut it by a day and get a set of rings from the shop. Cant imagine 52mm rings would be hard to get or that expensive. I have 2 shops to choose from (one near work and one near home)

 

[texican65]

Good on ya for fixing that old girl up! Great saws....as long as the ignition module holds up....those can be tricky to find. Any updates on yours?

Dow

 

[Paraord]

Sorry for the late update! Been fiddling with an 064 and 046 which are both now up to snuff.

So I got it running but it kept flooding. Scratching my head for like a week with that. Until it clicked today. Check the float system you dummy. I had the diaphragm not slid into the float lever.......fixed that put it back together and now it idles and runs like a top.

And now I'm putting the old girl for sale. I have that 064 which will fit my big saw needs.