Air filters

[sand sock]

I have had a few Stihl saws . My first one that died was from a bad air filter . That I ran for a few years and sucked dust, made of felt. Some how along the way I got hold of a Stihl winter air filter, now most of my cutting seams to be in the damp months, not the dry season. But when i ran felt filters on Stihl s. I remember having to scrape the 290s filter all the time. So it would breathe through the damp saw dust. Now when I'm cutting with the winter filters. I just blow off the saw occasionally. Pluck the filter and gently blow the filter inside out. What's been your guys experience s on filters? My next saw maybe a husky and don't know if that's even a need or neccesity?

 

[johnsayen]

It’s a good idea to clean your air filter as part of regular maintenance - a lot of people use a compressor and blow them from the inside.

 

[holeycow]

I prefer mesh filters overwhelmingly.

 

[Mad Professor]

I have had a few Stihl saws . My first one that died was from a bad air filter . That I ran for a few years and sucked dust, made of felt. Some how along the way I got hold of a Stihl winter air filter, now most of my cutting seams to be in the damp months, not the dry season. But when i ran felt filters on Stihl s. I remember having to scrape the 290s filter all the time. So it would breathe through the damp saw dust. Now when I'm cutting with the winter filters. I just blow off the saw occasionally. Pluck the filter and gently blow the filter inside out. What's been your guys experience s on filters? My next saw maybe a husky and don't know if that's even a need or neccesity?

Scraping felt filters ruins them. High pressure air can too.

Use warm water and dish detergent. Put on some rubbers gloves and all the crap will come out with your fingers and a gentle stream of warm water. Rinse well, soap is bad in cylinders, and dry well.

I don't like winter filters, they let a lot of fines through. Might not be too bad if they are just wood fines, but abrasive dust will eat up the piston skirt.

Even with old saws you need to do a lot of cutting to clog a felt filter. If you do that much in a day, have two filters and change them out when you sharpen the chain. Clean out both when you get home as well as the carb/filter housing

 

[holeycow]

You can get fine mesh filters. No piston damage in my world. And they last forever.

 

[Mad Professor]

I prefer mesh filters overwhelmingly.

And thin skirts!

 

[holeycow]

yes!

 

[Mad Professor]

You can get fine mesh filters. No piston damage in my world. And they last forever.

When I first brought my sawmill, it came with a new 066 w/OEM mesh filter.

My first project was to mill some ash into 4 X 10" too build some ramps to load logs on. This went well and the saw ran great, my first experience milling. New chain throwing nice chips not dust.

New to the 066, I wanted to check it all out. I looked inside the airbox and some dust in there. I'd never ran a a mesh filter so took it off and looked inside carb, already it had fines inside. This is after 2-3 tank fulls of fuel. And yes installed properly.

I ordered a new Stihl HD filter and the mesh filter has sat in a box ever since. It will last forever........

 

[sand sock]

i am pretty sure the 361, i am running now actually came with the winter filter, new from stihl. i was watching a vidio from tinman. he was trying to diagnose a carb issue where the airfilter was getting wet from fuel and the fuel/air mix was changing. my saws always had a little moisture from fuel inside the filter box. what ever silt, might actually make it in. sticks to the fuel. i stihl change out teh winter filter every year. and when i am conditioning teh bar and greasing the needle bearings. i clean up the inside of the air box. when i pulled my muffler recently, iit looked like near new and thats been since 2008. 30 to 50 cords a year.

nnow i havent changed the cold air setting yet and cant remember if the filter cruds up more or differently. but my old 029 and 290s , those things plugged filters and flooded out, if you werent living life right.

 

[president]

i am pretty sure the 361, i am running now actually came with the winter filter, new from stihl. i was watching a vidio from tinman. he was trying to diagnose a carb issue where the airfilter was getting wet from fuel and the fuel/air mix was changing. my saws always had a little moisture from fuel inside the filter box. what ever silt, might actually make it in. sticks to the fuel. i stihl change out teh winter filter every year. and when i am conditioning teh bar and greasing the needle bearings. i clean up the inside of the air box. when i pulled my muffler recently, iit looked like near new and thats been since 2008. 30 to 50 cords a year.

nnow i havent changed the cold air setting yet and cant remember if the filter cruds up more or differently. but my old 029 and 290s , those things plugged filters and flooded out, if you werent living life right.

T1

 

[cookies]

I just get felt filters 3-5 at a time, throw away as needed. when cutting i just gently rub with a finger and blow off with my mouth. washing kinda works but can push material deeper into the filter. IMO nylons belong on women's legs and pre filters are the kitty's titties.

 

[HarleyT]

And thin skirts!

 

[Wow]

I have had a few Stihl saws . My first one that died was from a bad air filter . That I ran for a few years and sucked dust, made of felt. Some how along the way I got hold of a Stihl winter air filter, now most of my cutting seams to be in the damp months, not the dry season. But when i ran felt filters on Stihl s. I remember having to scrape the 290s filter all the time. So it would breathe through the damp saw dust. Now when I'm cutting with the winter filters. I just blow off the saw occasionally. Pluck the filter and gently blow the filter inside out. What's been your guys experience s on filters? My next saw maybe a husky and don't know if that's even a need or neccesity?

Sthil air filters on my 024/026/029 are not much good in my opinion compared to my Echo 352/490/590.. Echo has a system that blows a LOT of saw dust away from the filter..I hardly ever use my Sthils anymore..

 

[JRM]

When I first brought my sawmill, it came with a new 066 w/OEM mesh filter.

My first project was to mill some ash into 4 X 10" too build some ramps to load logs on. This went well and the saw ran great, my first experience milling. New chain throwing nice chips not dust.

New to the 066, I wanted to check it all out. I looked inside the airbox and some dust in there. I'd never ran a a mesh filter so took it off and looked inside carb, already it had fines inside. This is after 2-3 tank fulls of fuel. And yes installed properly.

I ordered a new Stihl HD filter and the mesh filter has sat in a box ever since. It will last forever........

I am glad this post came up.

By HD are you referring to the filter on the right?


That is the filter I have been running for years. I bought a few at the time so it has been a while. Tried picking a new one up recently and this is what they gave me (filter on the left)
I'm not sure these filters are equal?

 

[Woodslasher]

I am glad this post came up.

By HD are you referring to the filter on the right?
View attachment 956746

That is the filter I have been running for years. I bought a few at the time so it has been a while. Tried picking a new one up recently and this is what they gave me (filter on the left)
I'm not sure these filters are equal?

The left one is nylon and is meant for winter conditions. I had one on a 440, that thing sucked stuff in like it wasn't even wearing a filter. I personally run Maxflow filters on all the Stihl saws I can, but if you prefer the oem setup you'll want to find a filter like the one shown below:

 

[JRM]

I would have preferred oem simply because my dealer is close but they don't seem to be much help. I will look for the Maxflow brand, thanks.

 

[Woodslasher]

I order straight from them, they have better than saw shop pricing and they are great to deal with. I ordered a 440 cover (not kit) because I already had a few filters and they sent me a generic cage/cover kit, when I contacted them they told me it was a mistake on their part and they told me I could keep the cage kit free of charge since it would work on my 440.
https://maxflowfilters.com/

 

[JRM]

The cover is needed because the filter is bigger? How does it look aesthetically? Is the fit and finish on par with the OE cover? Kinda hard to tell from the close up

 

[bwalker]

Plastic and wire mesh filters don't filter very well at all. I avoid them like the plague and dont even run them in snowy conditions.

 

[JRM]

Plastic and wire mesh filters don't filter very well at all. I avoid them like the plague and dont even run them in snowy conditions.

Which is even more alarming that my dealer sold me what they did. Kinda makes me lose a little faith. I think I will take my old filter in with the new one they supplied me and ask for a refund if they can not get me a suitable replacement.