066 Red light Good or bad

[blackoak]

Couple of weeks ago I was forced into some quality time with the wife. She wanted to go to a antique furniture auction, I myself would have rather been at the dentist office getting a root canal. We get there and setting with all the fine furniture is a greasy Stihl 066 Red light. Needless to say I got it very cheap. I think I was the only person there that knew what it was. The saw ,after I cleaned it up was in great condition. I had to replace the cylinder gasket because the cylinder bolts had backed out. It runs great . From my search on AS it seems like you either loved the Red litghts or hated them. If you liked them, why? If you hated them , why? Also was the 066 the only model that had the red light system ?

 

[Diesel JD]

How is the red light any different from any other Stihl saw. Edumacate me!

 

[TimberPig]

It had a rev limiting ignition on it that had a red light that lit up when it kicked in. Supposed to be really easy to adjust for max revs (turn it up til it lights, then back off a hair and you're set) and prevented lean seizures by limiting excessive revs. Some had a few issues with the ignition, but most were strong saws.

 

[sawn_penn]

.... We get there and setting with all the fine furniture is a greasy Stihl 066 Red light. Needless to say I got it very cheap. I think I was the only person there that knew what it was....

OK, you've baited the hook and I can't help but bite. How much was "very cheap" ?

I'm sure we're all going to be green with envy (other than the husky guys, of course)

 

[blackoak]

No hook baitin here, I was just ashamed to say it was $76.00 I kept thinking that the law would pull me over on my way home for stealing. I did buy the wifes dinner that day. It turned out to be real quality time.

 

[blackoak]

I don't think it's a rev limiter from what I have found. It's more like a built in tach. It has a red LED light built into the top cover that lights up when it gets to a certian RPM. You can make it go off or on by adjusting the high side of the carb. I don't know why Stihl quit using them. I think it a good idea and it should have kept someone from leaning their saw out to much and toasting it. This one doesn't have a compression release and can be rather painful to start sometimes.

 

[sawn_penn]

No hook baitin here, I was just ashamed to say it was $76.00 I kept thinking that the law would pull me over on my way home for stealing. I did buy the wifes dinner that day. It turned out to be real quality time.

Man, you got ripped right off. Sucker.

I think a new 660 was AUS$2395 at the Stihl dealer when I stopped to get some new wedges today....

I'm sure the price of a 660 in your part of the world is better, but $76 is a total steal.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I think a new 660 was AUS$2395 at the Stihl dealer when I stopped to get some new wedges today....

That's insane. That's almost $1800 US! I just payed $900 for a brand new 660 full wrap with 36". I've bought and shipped two saws for a friend of mine in Brisbane for just that reason.

Jeff

 

[sawn_penn]

Ah yes, the prices are insane. MS180 = AUS$499 = US$375. Ouch.

MS880 = AUS$2895 = US$2175. Ughh.

Just for laughs, the local hardware store sells a Poulan (2050?) for AUS$401 = US$300.

Your Brisbane buddy owes you big time.

 

[Stihldoc]

I recently replaced the cylinder assembly on my 066 due to major scoring from lean running. I have had the saw since new and HAD always liked the CDIC-A (red light) ignition system. Easy to adjust, saw always ran great. Last fall, unknown to me, the magneto side crankshaft seal failed and the saw had a serious air leak. I never noticed an increase in idle RPM or any change in the high speed operation of the saw. That is, until I shut it off and it wouldn't restart. The scored cylinder was obvious and a pressure/vac test showed the cause. I can't help but wonder that if with the conventional ignition a lean run/too high RPM condition may have been noticable. When I rebuilt the saw, off came the CDIC-A unit, and on went a conventional module. My saw was a factory dual port muffler type and it now sports 2 extra exhaust outlets and no cylinder gasket. It runs great and I can now set the high RPM where I want it- 13,200 RPM. Did the CDIC-A ignition contribute to this failure, I can't say, but the doubt in my mind made me get rid of it.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I don't believe the Red Light is a rev limiter, it's just a tach.
The saw is from about 1991. I have one, and one from the following year without the red light and the red light just has noticeably more grunt.
I have heard of the ignitions failing, that's why they discontinued them from my understanding, but if they work they work great.

 

[klickitatsacket]

my favorite thing about the red lights is that fact they have a metal flywheel. I find that the rotational mass is better for a wider torque band.

 

[blackoak]

I have a hand held tach on order from my Stihl dealer. I should get it this week. What should the RPM's be set at on a Red Light for the best and safest preformance? I would like to see if there is a differance in what the tach says and what the red led light is telling me. Also the muffler on this saw is stock. Should it be opened up for better performance?

 

[Erik D. Schmid]

I have one of those as well. Very strong. Just get the factory dual port cover for the muffler and your set.

 

[Bill G]

I have about 4 of the red light 066 saws left as I have sold several. I have not noticed a difference in their performance over the 1992 and newer saws.

Bill

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I have one of those as well. Very strong. Just get the factory dual port cover for the muffler and your set.

You have an 066 Red Light, without a dual port muffler cover??
It didn't come that way!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I have a hand held tach on order from my Stihl dealer. I should get it this week. What should the RPM's be set at on a Red Light for the best and safest preformance? I would like to see if there is a differance in what the tach says and what the red led light is telling me. Also the muffler on this saw is stock. Should it be opened up for better performance?

The tach light stays red at a point where a 1/2 turn leaner of the High speed jet will set the RPMs at 12,500.

 

[Erik D. Schmid]

Mine had the dual port cover when I got it. I was referring to blackoak's post. However, that said, I did not know they came that way. Also, it did have an inner baffle that I removed.