Fixen saws... it's about what you paid for it, not how much it costs to fix it!

[watsonr]

We are all here for the same reason... I bought a saw that was broken or you broke the saw... but definitely something like that gets you here!

We see a lot of how much does it cost, how much do I pay.. Your going to decide to fix or part it out, there is no in between these, you do it or don't... period and it really comes down to the cost of the saw purchase. Parts are all pretty close in over-all cost for most saw fixes.

Cylinder and piston are trash; Cylinder kit, fuel system service, seals, and a few odds and ends... $200-$400 depending if you go aftermarket or OEM, maybe even a little more.

Cleaned up cylinder; Piston kit, fuel system service, seals and odds and ends $75-$150

Doesn't start but the cylinder and piston are good; Fuel system service, seals, odds and ends.... <$100. These are the best value for the money, but if something is wrong you didn't see or VERIFY with your eyes, could bite you!

Any of the homeowner versions, the under $400 saws as a new purchase, you need to get for under $100 and then it's pushing it on a saw that needs everything. $50 is more like it and then your going to make $50 profit for 5-10 hours of labor. If your like me, these are beer fixing saws or probably fixing it for a buddy and he provided the beer. They are just not worth messing with unless you pull the muffler and look at the piston and cylinder! If a seller won't let you look by removing two screws or compression testing on the spot and/or running the saw.. you need to walk away.

If he won't let you test it, look inside or run it and your still buying, buy cheap, assume everything is broken and when you get it home to discover it's trash, you won't be crushed.

Pro saws, obviously cost more and the repair is definitely more. $300-500 for the entire repair bill on a saw that would have cost $600-1200 on the shelf is about right. Here it's not just the piston and cylinder, but bearings as well. Rotate everything by pulling the cord. Listen for anything unusual, dragging, hard to roll.. and not compression hard. Push the decomp and pull the cord over slow to feel the saw so it doesn't fire the cylinder. If the decomp closes, you pulled to fast or maybe even had the kill switch to run, leave it off. Don't pull it to many times or it'll flood. Feel for sticky spots, roughness, anything making noise. Next, pull the decomp so it closes and lift the saw by the cord. It will drop but slowly and it will probably drop in a jerky motion. As it hits TDC it stops, then it leaks a little compression and rolls again to the next TDC. If it falls straight down.. it's toast. Verify you closed the decomp and do it again just to be sure.

Ask if they're is anything special you need to do to start the saw. The seller will be happy to tell you how it miss-behaves, like you need to stand on one leg, hold your breath and on the third pull with one eye closed it will fire.... that's the saw you don't want. Feel the saw to see if it's warm already before you start it. On a cold saw, it should start like this; it should pop on the 2-6th pull, push the choke in and in a few pulls, it should be running.... anything but that is a problem. Something will need fixed or adjusted. Do what I mentioned above at this point... ask to see the piston, test with a gauge. Never let the man start the saw for you, if it doesn't start for you, its a problem.

A used saw in running condition sells for about 1/2 of new price, could be more or less depending on the cosmetics, but 1/2 is a good thumb rule... know that going in. Do your homework before committing to the sale, research worst case (total rebuild) and best deal (needs fuel service) before you get there. Emotions will take over while there. You will talk saws, he'll say it's been a great saw and just recently wouldn't start. You have something in common already.. the saw and a seller will play you for that.

A new saw sells for $400, I need a runner for $200 or less in good running condition.
New saw sells for $400, a broke saw needs $200 to fix, I need to score this for $100 to make a $100= $400 or a perfect saw. $50 for the saw, $200 to fix = $250 or about 1/2 of new.

Be smart, be educated and above all....... buy cheap!!!

 

[Definitive Dave]

that right there is a perfect write up
and I will add it doesn't hurt to lay out the same info when negotiating a sale in person, especially if you are walking away from a deal
I always try to shake hands and wish them luck with the sale even if it isn't a saw for me, they may have something better in the future and remember you.
DDave

 

[Guido Salvage]

Very good info, I find my best deals are when I buy a bunch at one time. Keep the ones you want and flip the others for cheap.

 

[watsonr]

I carry a saw shopping kit in the truck always.

T-27 long handled
3-6mm long allen heads
spark plug wrench
Tuning screwdriver
squirt bottle of mix (like a katsup/mustard bottle from the local dinner)
A spark plug
compression tester

 

[thinkrtinker]

Excellent post!!!!
Your principles for buying used will
work for saws, equipment and vehicles.
Works for pretty much for anything used.
Thanks for the writeup.

 

[Ironworker]

Good read, thanks.

 

[LowVolt]

Very good write up.



Will there be a quiz?

 

[Landmark]

spot on. thanks for taking time to post this.

 

[pioneerguy600]

All I carry with me when going to a saw for sale is what is already between my ears. Two to three slow pulls over tells me all I need to know before starting the saw, start the saw and listen,look and feel how it runs/acts. Bad idle, surging, slow spool up, noises like squealing,knocking, slapping all tell me something. I usually buy broken saws cheap, real cheap and fix them myself. Seldom have more than 200 - 250 in a totally rebuilt PRO saw.

 

[groundup]

I always ask the seller over the phone to not start the saw before I get there. I also put my hand over the muffler to make sure it's cold. Some saws fire better when they have been warmed up. I want to know how it starts cold

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

 

[svk]

Thats great advice. I got a free saw but now I'm 60 bucks into it to get it running on a saw thats worth at best $100. Could have found a pawn shop cheapie for less than that. But it's a good looking old bird anyhow.

 

[Mattyo]

to the OP.... THANK YOU.... very nice writeup.

to everyone else, don't forget to have a little fun. even the saw that cost too much at the outset, and a fortune in the end is still a learning experience and WAY cheaper than many other mistakes in life. learning how to fix a saw is something that most of general populus (at least around here) doesn't know.... and frankly is invaluable.

thanks to this site and all that have helped me!

 

[295 tramp]

Enjoying what you do and having fun is the key to every hobby. When you make a living doing this it becomes work, and work isn't fun it's business.

 

[groundup]

This thread is driving me crazy because I'm home off work because of the weather and am trying to get in touch with a guy who has a 290 for $40. The top end has some issues but it starts. Cosmetically it looks great. I want to put a 390 top end in it.

This brings up another question, how hard do you badger someone who has a good item to sell?

 

[Weesa20]

To the OP- great post and good advice. The only other piece that I will add is to know your market- no one near me wants to drop 500$ on a used pro Stihl but they'll drop $3-320 on a good running 1127 series. There seems to be a high limit in my area so I actually seek out the 1127 series to flip and keep the pro saws for myself. I like to go into a sale knowing what I will likely end up doing with the piece of equipment before I buy- fix and flip, part out, or throw up on the auction as a parts unit.

 

[lwhaples]

All good advice.Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Honest John]

I think the other thing to consider is the availability of aftermarket parts. I've got two smaller saws on the bench right now, a husky 136 and an echo cs 310. The echo is just not penciling out for parts cost, so despite the fact that it runs well it will sit on the shelf and wait for another cheap parts saw to come along. Whereas the husky, I can buy all the AM parts I need from china and put together a really good runner for somebody and still make a little bit of coin.

 

[groundup]

290 is gone, one guy called before me

 

[Weesa20]

I think the other thing to consider is the availability of aftermarket parts. I've got two smaller saws on the bench right now, a husky 136 and an echo cs 310. The echo is just not penciling out for parts cost, so despite the fact that it runs well it will sit on the shelf and wait for another cheap parts saw to come along. Whereas the husky, I can buy all the AM parts I need from china and put together a really good runner for somebody and still make a little bit of coin.

Agreed. Early on I bought a MS291 fairly cheap thinking I'd clean up the cylinder and put a meteor piston in and flip for a good return...well, no decent AM piston and then I ended up ruining the cyl with acid anyway...so it is going away slowly piece by piece (an no more acid, just MM cleanup method).