Filters

[Spotted Owl]

Anyone using anything other than max-flow filters? What can you tell me about what you are using? I have used max-flow for a stretch and was wondering if there is anything better out there or if the old stand-by is still the best thing going.


Thanks guys



Owl

 

[Gologit]

I'll ask around but just about every thing I see is MaxFlo.

 

[056kid]

I noticed a fault in the cage with the max flow, it involves clearance with the cage and spit back thing. I could tighten the screw but still wiggle the filter so it wasn't seating on the sealing area but the spit back thing.,So I ground down the aluminum thing and now the spit back thing allows the filter to seat properly. Any one else herd of such thing? Seems funny that it would be like that.. Sorry for using the word thing so many times

 

[Spotted Owl]

I'll ask around but just about every thing I see is MaxFlo.

Same thing here also. Was just curious and wondering mostly. It would be hard to walk away from a good thing that works well. I suppose it doesn't hurt to look for ways to better either yourself or your equipment.

I haven't noticed any trouble with those that I run at this time but I will look into it when it's time for a new set-up.



Owl

 

[Jacob J.]

There's been a bunch of threads in the chainsaw forum about the Max-Flow kits. A lot of guys complain about the cage being too weak, or the filter cover weathers and fades real fast, etc. However, if you take a look at the guys who complain about them, by and large it's the typical "weekend warrior" type that really only cuts hard a handful of times a year. One guy with access to a flow bench even did a somewhat controlled study about the stock Stihl HD filter flowing as much air as the Max-Flow system. However, his study didn't take into account the fact that a Max-Flow can go several shifts between cleanings if it's properly set-up, where as the stock HD filter has to be changed out once and sometimes twice daily.

Now all being said, the guys I know still cutting full time that run Stihls exclusively run the Max-Flow kits, and I ran them myself for nine years with no problems. In fact, I still have some of my old set-ups that have made it through several saws. One kit I have here dates back to '96. I think it has at least 2,000 hours on it. I've swapped out the foam a few times though.

 

[Rounder]

I've always run them and always been very happy happy with them. I'm pretty meticulous about my equipment, clean and oil the foam element every Saturday. No issues, can't beat them in my book - Sam

 

[2dogs]

Just Max Flow for me. At work we had those Stihl oiled HD filters that worked well but clogged up fast. A friend runs a K&N but I have never asked him about it.

 

[madhatte]

K&N are OK as filters but they're fragile and cumbersome. The standard Stihl HD filters are pretty OK, I think, but I'm really having a hard time wrapping my head around the new HD2 ones... they're a pain to clean because -- le gasp! -- they don't have the felt pre-filter which made the HD filter work in the first place! My guess is that the new style probably DOES keep more and finer particulate material out of the carb, but at the expense of a shorter service life. Since I don't cut Aussie redgum or other such nasty fine-dusty wood, I think I might just stick with the old-style HD filters for now. They may not be perfect, but they're good enough. I haven't run Max-Flow filters yet, but I also haven't lost a topend to sawdust poisoning.

 

[Gologit]

Anyone using anything other than max-flow filters? What can you tell me about what you are using? I have used max-flow for a stretch and was wondering if there is anything better out there or if the old stand-by is still the best thing going.


Thanks guys



Owl

There were quite a few guys at the saw shop yesterday (and a pretty good tailgate choir practice going on out back ) so I asked around. Everybody I talked to is running either stock Stihl or MaxFlo. A couple of guys had tried off brand stuff but switched back.
There were enough experienced guys there to make the opinions valid.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

Saw filter

I run Vstacks on my big saws. Tried a max flo and it was a joke, setup how the factory tells you and I still had dust inside the carb throat.

 

[2dogs]

I run Vstacks on my big saws. Tried a max flo and it was a joke, setup how the factory tells you and I still had dust inside the carb throat.

What "big saws" are you running a velocity stack on? Do you have a pic of your set up? Max Flow works well for me, better than stock.

BTW the Max Flow looks like it gets dirty easy because of the tacky oil but it runs for days that way. I scape it now and then with a knife blade to remove the heavy crud. I am cutting mostly redwood so it may not look so bad with fir etc.

 

[mdavlee]

Jesse said he was running a K&N on his 660. I don't know the part number but he was going to try it out. I haven't asked him about it in a few months so it may not be worth 2 cents.

 

[madhatte]

K&N filters seem to be an excellent bang-for-the-buck mod for cars, but on saws they load up pretty quickly unless they have a pre-filter to keep the big junk out. They're a must with a velocity stack, though, unless you want to go with the green weenies, which are perhaps a less effective filter but are way easier to maintain. Hmm, stretch a green weenie, condom-like, over a K&N as a pre-filter? That might be a good set-up, if you could figure out how to not bust it off in the brush.

 

[2dogs]

K&N filters seem to be an excellent bang-for-the-buck mod for cars, but on saws they load up pretty quickly unless they have a pre-filter to keep the big junk out. They're a must with a velocity stack, though, unless you want to go with the green weenies, which are perhaps a less effective filter but are way easier to maintain. Hmm, stretch a green weenie, condom-like, over a K&N as a pre-filter? That might be a good set-up, if you could figure out how to not bust it off in the brush.

A couple of layers of nylon stocking as a pre-filter?

 

[madhatte]

Seen that done. Best to use something that can be oiled, though, without dissolving. Not sure L'Eggs are up to that task.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

dang o' lumberjacks can't talk about saws without the subject always turning to nylons or panties... :msp_rolleyes:

[montypython] I'm a lumberjack and I"m ok... [/montypython]




j/k :msp_biggrin:

 

[hammerlogging]

Seen that done. Best to use something that can be oiled, though, without dissolving. Not sure L'Eggs are up to that task.

I run max flo without any problems, same as Sam, pretty meticulous, I have to say I can tell I should switch filters every 2-3 days rather than cleaning once a week, but I don't, yet.

I always ran the white thinking I must qualify as dirty conditions, or thinking the green was more for race saws or something, but Madsen's recently told me otherwise. Green or white, I've never had #### under the filter, and I'm definately sold over stock

 

[Rounder]

I run max flo without any problems, same as Sam, pretty meticulous, I have to say I can tell I should switch filters every 2-3 days rather than cleaning once a week, but I don't, yet.

I always ran the white thinking I must qualify as dirty conditions, or thinking the green was more for race saws or something, but Madsen's recently told me otherwise. Green or white, I've never had #### under the filter, and I'm definately sold over stock

I've always run the green with no issues Joe. Only time I use the white is when cutting burnt timber. Give the green a shot, you'll like it. As an aside, I just switched over to Klotz foam filter oil. I'm pretty impressed with it. Nothing gets through and it's about a buck less than the other stuff at the local shop. It's pretty hard for #### to get through when your chips have bark on both ends though.... - Sam

 

[hammerlogging]

I've been running green for a month or so, ever since I tore my last white one, with no problems.

At a cap full per week I have enough of the blue stuff to last a good while, but I'll keep it in mind.

Bark on both sides, does tha mean, uh, mediocre timber?
Hope you're well.

 

[056kid]

So no one has experienced the problem I had?

Take a paper clip or a feeler gauge and see if there is space between the filter and the saw. The foam covers the gap thus no saw dust can go through,(I guess) but there was indeed a gap on my set up..