Current Consensus on Aftermarket Jugs

[Freudianfloyd]

I have been looking around for parts to either fix my MS290 or convert it to an MS390. I dont need the saw, it's just for fun, so instead of spending big money on oem parts, I'm looking at aftermarket parts.

Well in my research it seems that in the older threads I'm finding, the aftermarket jugs are hit or miss, but then see things have been improving.

So with that said, what is the current consensus on aftermarket cylinders. I planned on using a meteor piston either way.

Are Hyway still recommended? Is there a better aftermarket one out there worth the extra cost?

 

[mkinslow]

I've been running a Tecomec p/c on a 365 for over a year now and it's been ported for the last several months with no issues, but there's not many tecomec p/c out there, they are no longer in production from what I've read and heard.
Meteor and hyway are pretty good from what I've been reading, all of them even OEM will be hit or miss
Just grab one and see would be may opinion for you

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[frank_]

i,ve fitted 25+ chinese $30 p+c kits with only a couple of busted ring problems so far (ts400 x 2) tho those belong to a paving company so get a hard life.
prolly fit oem rings next time, but thats another $20 tho

 

[big hank]

I knew a gal with aftermarket jugs. I prefer OEM

 

[Freudianfloyd]

I knew a gal with aftermarket jugs. I prefer OEM

I was wondering how many posts until that was mentioned.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Mainly rebuild 362/365/371/372 series and have given up on Hyway, exhaust port plating peels. Now just try to find good used oem or purchase new oem cylinders. Meteor price is so close to oem, just use oem. In the end it's your cash and time.

 

[Gypo Logger]

I knew a gal with aftermarket jugs. I prefer OEM

And there’s no return on the milk jugs.

 

[grizz55chev]

I knew a gal with aftermarket jugs. I prefer OEM

In the final analysis, either will do in a pinch, just sayin!

 

[HarleyT]

bad aftermarket quality....

 

[HarleyT]

Modified and ported... ....

 

[SuperDuty04]

I knew a gal with aftermarket jugs. I prefer OEM

My wife's got aftermarket jugs and they're much preferred by me. They never go saggy lol

 

[cuinrearview]

It's just a Stihl, who cares?

IMO, a used OEM 290 jug with Meteor or OEM piston is better than ANY aftermarket setup. Especially if you'll be selling eventually.

If you're going to keep it and want to experiment, I'd go as cheap as ****** possible and work your way up. You may get lucky along the way and it's just time tearing down and re-building right?

 

[Andyshine77]

To play around with they're alright, sometimes still unusable without some work on the ports. I would never use one in anything I actually wanted to last. You get what you pay for, occasionally not even that.

 

[Ketchup]

If you go aftermarket go cheap. You have just as good of a chance of getting a workable cylinder for way less money. Meteor Pistons are much better than most aftermarket options. I would do a $25 jug with a $40 meteor and caber rings. Other than plating and porting issues, I think most of the problems with AM kits are the sloppy piston and rings. Port timing can also be a real issue, but is usually good enough.

Edit: Squish can really suck too. That’s a major risk with a clamshell.

 

[Freudianfloyd]

If you go aftermarket go cheap. You have just as good of a chance of getting a workable cylinder for way less money. Meteor Pistons are much better than most aftermarket options. I would do a $25 jug with a $40 meteor and caber rings. Other than plating and porting issues, I think most of the problems with AM kits are the sloppy piston and rings. Port timing can also be a real issue, but is usually good enough.

Edit: Squish can really suck too. That’s a major risk with a clamshell.

Well I decided I am going to clean up the cylinder. It's not too bad, and will put a meteor piston with caber rings in it.

 

[Cliff R]

Since I have to stand behind my work here we have NEVER once for any reason used an aftermarket P/C. I'll even hunt down a smashed older saw with a good P/C in it or a good one from a parts saw if the saw I'm working on ends up with the factory parts NLA. We're running into that deal more and more with older saws, nothing available. Just had to scrap a really nice Partner cut off saw as nothing was available for it OEM or aftermarket.......Cliff

 

[motorhead99999]

i,ve fitted 25+ chinese $30 p+c kits with only a couple of busted ring problems so far (ts400 x 2) tho those belong to a paving company so get a hard life.
prolly fit oem rings next time, but thats another $20 tho

I also have used some Chinese p and c kits. Only problem iv really has was casting flash and some high squish tolerances some have been together for 4-5 years with zero issues. Lately iv been using hyway jugs and cross pop up pistons which have been coming with caber rings. Also have had good luck with the hyway kitsc

 

[Mad Professor]

Modified and ported...View attachment 776244 ....

If you go aftermarket go cheap. You have just as good of a chance of getting a workable cylinder for way less money. Meteor Pistons are much better than most aftermarket options. I would do a $25 jug with a $40 meteor and caber rings. Other than plating and porting issues, I think most of the problems with AM kits are the sloppy piston and rings. Port timing can also be a real issue, but is usually good enough.

Edit: Squish can really suck too. That’s a major risk with a clamshell.

What kind of P/C tolerances are you going to get mixing a Chinesium cylinder with a Meteor piston?

Meteor still sizes Stihl pistons A, B, A/B, like Stihl does............<0.002" is too tight, >0.003" is getting sloppy

 

[Ketchup]

What kind of P/C tolerances are you going to get mixing a Chinesium cylinder with a Meteor piston?

Meteor still sizes Stihl pistons A, B, A/B, like Stihl does............<0.002" is too tight, >0.003" is getting sloppy

That’s completely dependent on the jug I have in my hand. Usually AB, but best to measure the specific jug and piston.

Using an AM jug is a crap shoot. I almost never buy one, though they seem to be around the shop. The biggest issues I see with the AM pistons aren’t the bore sizing though. It’s balance, slop at the wrist pin and poor ring quality.

 

[StihlSolo]

Have built 2 user 039's with earlier ITALIAN Meteor kits, Caber rings. Other than cleaning up the cobbly casting in the intake & exhaust, transfer port entries, they went on well and have stayed reliable.