Found a decent deal on an 044

[USMC0802]

Oil seal on the clutch side won't hold pressure. Bummer. Still safe to hose the case down to clean it up a bit?

 

[Brian13]

I personally dont recommend using water to clean a saw. Its possible to get water in the bearings. I use compressed air, brush, pic, and a rag to clean saws.And try not to blow into seals. Just my .02. Looks like you are moving right along. Keep it up.

 

[oscar4883]

I personally dont recommend using water to clean a saw. Its possible to get water in the bearings. I use compressed air, brush, pic, and a rag to clean saws.And try not to blow into seals. Just my .02. Looks like you are moving right along. Keep it up.

I understand your concern about using water. I just hit it with purple cleaner and the gentle setting on the hose trying not to get the seals, etc., with a lot of direct water. Plus with the cylinder coming off and seals coming out the bearings will have more than enough of a chance to get cleaned and re-lubed. AHHH, the wonders of PB Blaster!

 

[USMC0802]

I hosed it, lighty, and not directly on the seals. I figure the seals are getting replaced and at this point I'm half expecting to need to split the cases. Everything that could need to be replaced has needed it so far. Why would I get a break on the bearings?

 

[USMC0802]

Cylinder is off. Pictures will be up eventually. My wife is using the computer for a but for a baby picture book project. Cylinder seems pretty rough and the piston is horrendous. Knowing the oil seals are no good, is it safe to assume this was the cause and it ran lean?

 

[USMC0802]

Piston snap rings are out. However, I don't have the assembly drift used in the manual. What are you guys using to remove the piston pin?

Here are some pictures where it's at now:

Everything good here with how the two halves are lined up??

Brutal.

Heinous:

Some of the paint in the crankcase, specifically where the two halves meet at the gasket, seems to be bubbling a little. Leave it or try to scrape it out?

 

[NUTNDUN]

If you are not worried about repainting the saw I would use a scotchbrite pad or some finer grit sand paper and try to remove the bubbling paint and see if you can find a white to match and touch it up. If you want to repaint it I have a sandblaster or we can put it in an electrolysis tank.

 

[USMC0802]

If you are not worried about repainting the saw I would use a scotchbrite pad or some finer grit sand paper and try to remove the bubbling paint and see if you can find a white to match and touch it up. If you want to repaint it I have a sandblaster or we can put it in an electrolysis tank.

I'd have to split the case halves to be able to get to the paint bubbling. I think the bearings are alright, but if I need to split them, I guess why not paint it.

 

[NUTNDUN]

Well I guess decide what you want to do or decide if you need to split the cases and tomorrow bring it with and when we bring the first load home we can hit it with the sandblaster. I have fine grit blasting media and what doesn't need to be touched we can tape up.

 

[USMC0802]

Do you have tools to split the cases?

 

[USMC0802]

Bearings are good says the Stihl tech.

 

[USMC0802]

So, just a quick sanity check. I have all the replacement parts ordered and most are in my possession. A few things (inner side plate and screws) won't be here until Tuesday, but the bearings are good, case is clean, I just need to get the wrist pin off to remove the piston. Oil seals need pulled and replaced. After that, I'm good to start reassembly, right?

 

[Brian13]

Sounds like you are good to go. For the piston pin, once the clips are out I just use what ever I have that has a smooth surface to push the pin. You just dont want to rough up the pin. It shouldnt be too hard to remove. And be very careful putting the seals back in, especially if you are not using a press. Make sure they start nice and even and go nice and slow. And if you have any concern about debris being in the case before you put the new seals in take some fresh fuel mix and slosh it around in the case to clean it out.

 

[USMC0802]

Sounds like you are good to go. For the piston pin, once the clips are out I just use what ever I have that has a smooth surface to push the pin. You just dont want to rough up the pin. It shouldnt be too hard to remove. And be very careful putting the seals back in, especially if you are not using a press. Make sure they start nice and even and go nice and slow. And if you have any concern about debris being in the case before you put the new seals in take some fresh fuel mix and slosh it around in the case to clean it out.

Piston is off. New P&C kit came with a new pin, but not a new needle cage, so I have to save that. I'm going to wash the case out with some fuel as I think there is a bit of the guts from the old P&C in there in the form of a fine silvery powder.

I'm going to wait until I pick up the Lisle shaft seal puller tomorrow to yank the seal out of the flywheel side. I'm going to get some bags and get things a little more organize for the rebuild to make sure I remember where everything goes. Shouldn't be too bad. I typically put the bolts back in their holes after removing whatever it was they were holding in place.

 

[Brian13]

The 044 is pretty straight forward. I had mine apart for a couple of weeks before I put it back together, and had no problems. While you have it apart might not be a bad idea to pull out the oiler and clean it out real well. They are kind of tricky to get back in, but as long as you pay attention to how it came out its not so bad. It may not even need cleaning, but it would suck to get it back together and find it is not oiling properly. Just my .02.

 

[USMC0802]

The 044 is pretty straight forward. I had mine apart for a couple of weeks before I put it back together, and had no problems. While you have it apart might not be a bad idea to pull out the oiler and clean it out real well. They are kind of tricky to get back in, but as long as you pay attention to how it came out its not so bad. It may not even need cleaning, but it would suck to get it back together and find it is not oiling properly. Just my .02.

Already out and wiped down. I'm going to be grilling some steaks shortly and I'll look at it some more after I eat. All the parts that go together are in ziploc bags. I don't think I'll have problems putting it back together.

I put a little 50:1 mix in the crankcase and spun the crank around a bunch of times to slosh the mix around. Still a bit of the silvery stuff coating everything in there. Not sure how to clean it all out other than Q-tips.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

More pics, more pics, more pics! (Especially if you're adding the thread link to your sig.)

So how much do you have into this project so far -- as in $$$?

Poge

 

[USMC0802]

More pics, more pics, more pics! (Especially if you're adding the thread link to your sig.)

So how much do you have into this project so far -- as in $$$?

Poge

What else do you want pics of? The only thing new today is the piston is off the rod, oil pump is out, one of the seals is out, and I cleaned a bunch of crud off the flywheel.

After the saw, parts, and some tools, maybe $400...but there was a $70 Mityvac kit and $30 compression tester in there.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Not sure how to clean it all out other than Q-tips.

I've had good luck with kerosene and lots of air. And yeah, some guys will use water and a mild detergent as a final rinse -- and lots more air, then swish with mix to displace moisture, then lots more air.

You don't want those particles in there.

Poge

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

What else do you want pics of?

Right about now, how 'bout a couple nice ones of those steaks? I'm gettin' hungry!

Nice work, man. It's just cool to watch the details of these projects unfold -- sometimes right down to the seals gettin' pulled. We (or someone) will all hopefully learn something during the process.

Poge