Dolmar 111i, surprised me

[joe25DA]

I recently finished this saw. The tank/handle was smashed, broken isolator, and half inch of dust and bar oil. I replaced the tank and isolator and a couple hours cleaning. The oily dust is great. The dirtiest saws always come out the cleanest as that layer offers great protection against moisture and corrosion. I gave the “new” tank a quick rinse and put it back together. I did replace the fuel filter but nothing else. The bar (18”) is beat. The sprocket was rusted up, and rails worn. I dressed the bar and dieseled the sprocket got it rolling but real gritty. Chain looked ok (Stihl 3/8”RSC). No test fire just headed out to cut up a beech limb that came down.
Fired in three pulls. Ran yucky at first (had some flat fuel in it still) but once the good stuff got to the carb it cleaned right up. I have owned a 540 since new and it’s been a great saw. This feels stronger. The rakers are filed pretty aggressive and the saw bug right in. Very fast. Looking forward to using it more

 

[pioneerguy600]

Nice saw, the SD`s were solid cutting machines.

 

[joe25DA]

Yeah. First new saw I bought 16 years ago was a 540, at that time was a huge amount of money for me. But it’s made it back many times over and aside from 2 bars and chains it’s cost nothing to own, super reliable. I have an NOS 540 on display with an NOS PP 330 too.

 

[pioneerguy600]

The SD`s I was mostly involved with were the 120s, 120i, 116, 116i and a few 115`s used mostly for production pulp cutting along with the saw logs off large clear cuts and power line right of way clearing. Dead nuts reliable chainsaws, day in day out through winters of very cold stretches and almost always deep snow.

 

[joe25DA]

The SD`s I was mostly involved with were the 120s, 120i, 116, 116i and a few 115`s used mostly for production pulp cutting along with the saw logs off large clear cuts and power line right of way clearing. Dead nuts reliable chainsaws, day in day out through winters of very cold stretches and almost always deep snow.

The “I” saws really do start and run well in any condition. Significantly better than choke butterfly carbs. My 6800i could sit in the diamond plate bed of my truck freezing cold over night still fire on 2 pulls.

 

[pioneerguy600]

They start really well here in any temperature, better than plate type chokes no matter how cold it gets. When we were cutting in -15F cold streaks that often lasted 2 weeks at a time the SD`s would start reliably, many conventional choke saws needed to be warmed in the truck cab to get them started first thing in the morning.

 

[joe25DA]

They start really well here in any temperature, better than plate type chokes no matter how cold it gets. When we were cutting in -15F cold streaks that often lasted 2 weeks at a time the SD`s would start reliably, many conventional choke saws needed to be warmed in the truck cab to get them started first thing in the morning.

We’ve done that. All their older power equip was solid. I have a string trimmer, a year newer than the saw, has well over a thousand hours on it, bounced in a truck or trailer, used hard. I’ve tried to replace it twice with new stihls and I’ve never been happy with them. Sold both and kept my beat dolmar. No problem with my Stihl saws (034, 036, 044) but never been fond of their blowers (the newer 500 and up ones older square ones I liked) whackers or hedge trimmers.

 

[Bret4207]

Sachs made some great saws!

 

[joe25DA]

Used it more today on some maple. Nothing too hard. Ran real good considering I haven’t touched the carb or even cracked the spark plug. Took it home tonight and out of curiosity did a compression check. I don’t usually when a saw pops like this one but motor heads need to know. Just over 160psi. Not a shock, I think I’ll check the other 3 next. While the hood was open I treated it to a new NGK plug, old one wasn’t terrible had some carbon could have been original to the saw.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I looked at eight of mine today sitting on the top shelf, thinking they would like to be taken out and run a bit. Been 5 - 6 years since they last saw fuel in them.

 

[pioneerguy600]

My favorite small SD.

 

[joe25DA]

My favorite small SD.


View attachment 878680View attachment 878681

Very clean, one of the nicest looking saws too up there with Poulan 3450 3750 and Stihl 044 046. I have an ‘88 not near as clean. Needs the injector pull, fuel line and maybe some chain brake parts

 

[pioneerguy600]

I have several more that are much more worn looking, they have dropped and CTL mountains of wood, one of the best saw makes of their time span.

 

[Bret4207]

I've got the standard 115. Picked it up at auction and hunted up some missing parts. Snotty little devil! Needs AV mounts at the moment. Great saws though. I hope Dolmar continues on, maybe someone back in Germany will get the company back from Makita.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I've got the standard 115. Picked it up at auction and hunted up some missing parts. Snotty little devil! Needs AV mounts at the moment. Great saws though. I hope Dolmar continues on, maybe someone back in Germany will get the company back from Makita.

Those hollow AV mounts were the weak link for the 115 , best to keep several spares in the reserve box when running them any amount. Otherwise the rest of the saw is solid.

 

[joe25DA]

I have a parts drawer with a half dozen isolators. Some new, some salvaged. They are easy to service, just like the rest of the saw.

 

[billyboy]

Picked up a makita 520i at auction in pristine condition for $15 . Then I did a dumb ass and ruined the clutch to fix the oiler gear. Lesson learned. Has an 18” with .50, 3/8 lo pro, fully gassed and oiled, it’s a lb. lighter than my 028S with 18” hard nose, .063, .325, gassed and oiled. That 520i is like a light stick. Tried to sell it on the Craigslist for $200. Not one inquiry. Gonna keep it. Mighty fine saw

 

[pioneerguy600]

They are not well enough known among the masses to be an easy sell but to those that do know them they actually hoard them. I have picked them up rather cheap just to have them for spares, problem with that so far is I never needed spares other than the common wear bits that go on any saw.

 

[joe25DA]

Some guys used to scare from them for lack of dealers. The 540 I’ve owned for 16 years has required nothing. I had a dealer close, aside from purchasing the saw and a bar and one air filter never even thought about it. I can’t speak on the new saws.

 

[joe25DA]

I got them all together and did a compression check on each. My original 540 shows about 170 psi, the ‘88 115 showed just over 150psi. Also found all the paperwork on my 540. Guess I bought it in 06 for $366