Inside the Stihl MS500i - SNELLERIZED Style

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

I love this saw, this thread about modifying/improving it and I love modified saws...but none of my saws are modified. Today I used 5 different saws to complete the job; if I used one or two saws day in day out I might get them modified but the money, time and hassle involved with getting them to someone that can do the work means I do not bother. Maybe though if I was in the US and I had a saw modder down the road that would be different. I myself can just about gut an exhaust, nothing more.

Great thread and thank you for taking the time to share it all with us

There is other things you can do like base gasket delete maybe a little timing advance and pull the limiter caps

 

[Rick Stephens]

There is other things you can do like base gasket delete maybe a little timing advance and pull the limiter caps

And consider learning to mod them yourself. There are a number of places to start out that are reasonably safe ventures with some care and research - like muffler mods and carb tune ups. Then moving to checking squish and possibly doing a base gasket delete comes very naturally and safe. It doesn't take all that fancy of tooling to start opening up ports for better flow. Next thing you know, your saws become much less a mystery and more fun to operate.

I walked into the local Stihl shop today. First words out of his mouth: 'what are you hopping up today?'. I laughed and told him I was fixing a friends 031AV. He says he's sorry for me, he stopped doing those years back but has plenty of parts. Point is, in no time your local dealer will be making fun of you and helping you find parts

 

[catbuster]

There is other things you can do like base gasket delete maybe a little timing advance and pull the limiter caps

+1. All the company 461s had their mufflers opened up some, and the carb limiters pulled. It’s not hard, it’s better for the saw and it improves the performance some.

Mine have that and an 046 coil. These are little things, mild hop ups but mostly for longevity and adjustability. I may be cutting at sea level one day where I can’t fatten the saw enough with the limiter and the next day I’m at 7000 where I have to lean it way back out. Better muffler flow... Well, there is an optimal amount of back pressure but any reasonable hole with a screen will not make a saw too free flowing. It mostly just lets the saw run cooler, which in some environments is a really big deal.

 

[Skeans]

I can't think of any other fallers that run stock saws. No sense in packing anything that's not at it's full potential.

Thanks for sharing Brad.

Depends on where you are and how strict stuff is.


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[catbuster]

Depends on where you are and how strict stuff is.


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This is right, too. On federal/state ground or on certain blocks you’ll get sent home and/or fined if your saw is found to be modified. CARB is very strict about it.

 

[Skeans]

This is right, too. On federal/state ground or on certain blocks you’ll get sent home and/or fined if your saw is found to be modified. CARB is very strict about it.

Most companies won’t allow it either, some will not allow you to come back on any of their grounds if you’re found to run modified equipment.


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[bfrazier]

Quite possibly the most expert, detailed, and well photographed thread on the forum - video even.

Thanks Brad!

 

[catbuster]

Most companies won’t allow it either, some will not allow you to come back on any of their grounds if you’re found to run modified equipment.


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That’s what I meant by some blocks, probably should have said most. The days of run what ya brung mostly are over.

 

[blsnelling]

Well, there is an optimal amount of back pressure

Not really. The only thing you might run into is degraded idle. As far as performance is concerned, no, you don't need any back pressure.

Quite possibly the most expert, detailed, and well photographed thread on the forum - video even.

Thanks Brad!

I used to do a lot of these of you look back through my old posts. I hosted most of my own pictures, so they should still be there.

 

[Westboastfaller]

Quite possibly the most expert, detailed, and well photographed thread on the forum - video even.

Thanks Brad!

Secret is to just give the right detail and not enough for a 'debate' or we would be on page 25 of crap. I like to geek out on numbers but not on saw demonstrations or physically running the saw. In 'the wild', my time piece is the number of gas tanks I run in a day if it's up to me. People made me hang a watch of my shirt if I had a scheduled pick up time.
What releases the brain chemicals is the saw attitude in the sound and response and how smooth it revs up 'back & fro'
What makes production in a professional? Sustainment! Were does that come from after all those years ?
Believe it or not..Instant gratification ...EVERY TIME YOU HIT THE TRIGGER. (with the right saw)

I remember what saw Porter Randy (Mastermind) said a few years back as I recall and that was :
-Some of the saws I have been building lately don't have as much torque but they are a lot more fun to run.

^^^That is what I call the ability to go forward. In other words "learning" "improving" "diversifying" "excelling" ect.
------
Brad's saws always have had the 'it' factor going on. "Different strokes for different folks".. different activities too but I have done few jobs that didn't involve multi activities. It is NEVER EVER about the cut through the log....It is ALL ABOUT the logs cut.

 

[blsnelling]

 

[Huskybill]

I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of the fact that Stihl spends millions on R&D before settling on a new design, and then even more to take it to production.
Sure, more power is possible on most any production saw, but at the cost of fuel economy, durability, and increased emissions.
But then again, people jump out of perfectly good airplanes too....lol

Back in the mid to late 80’s my dealer offered me a piston and cylinder kit to field test the new design, on one of my husky 2100’s. It ran great better on gas mileage. But I had to send it back.

There looking for gas mileage it’s less pollution. I think the transfer port design needs a lot more testing design wise. First I would change the design angle in the transfer ports.

Now today it’s the weight of the saw and bar combination, then the horse power to spin that chain just as fast as the bigger cc saws. There testing the waters with the 62cc/72cc saws but I think they need to modify the saws in the 80cc group. It’s were the real cutting begins.

Sorry but after running a 2100 for many decades I’m still hooked on big bore saws. It’s a natural beast. In my younger days I drag raced big block Chevys, tuning is the key, I’m one of the very few who ran my bb 396/375hp at 50 degrees total advance at 2,000 rpm. Ported, and tuned by me. Only a few tuners know this in this country. Think out of the box, go we’re no tuner has ever gone. Port the snots out of it, make those radious’s smooth.

 

[SCHallenger]

WOW!! That thing is amazing! Looks like Stihl has hit a grand slam with the 462 & 500I!

 

[epicklein22]

Nice thread! Looks like a well thought out machine.

I’m gonna skip the ms462, but it doesn’t look i’ll be able to resist a 500i. Should have a 572xp here soon from my dealer. He’s selling me his personal demo at cost. We’ll see if it can keep up with the 500i when it comes out.

 

[blsnelling]

Does anyone know the PNs for dual dawgs on the 500i?

 

[rupedoggy]

That's not enough or sharp enough chain in your video.

 

[Be Stihl]

Does anyone know the PNs for dual dawgs on the 500i?

Is that clutch cover the same as the one on a 261? If so I ordered a set from Stihl, and can find the number.


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[DND 9000]

Is that clutch cover the same as the one on a 261?

The clutch cover is the same as on the MS 462.

Does anyone know the PNs for dual dawgs on the 500i?

The bumber spikes from the MS 462 are used there too
Inner spike: 1142 664 0500
Outer spike: 1142 664 0501 (or set of outer spike with screw and lock nut 0000 660 0801)

 

[blsnelling]

That's not enough or sharp enough chain in your video.

It has a good chain here, at least in the beginning of the video.

 

[blsnelling]

The clutch cover is the same as on the MS 462.




The bumber spikes from the MS 462 are used there too
Inner spike: 1142 664 0500
Outer spike: 1142 664 0501 (or set of outer spike with screw and lock nut 0000 660 0801)

Thank you.