Is a stihl 038 a good saw and what's it worth?

[Mad Professor]

Yeah that

Makes sense. What's the usual numbers.
Saws running. I had a bit of a problem with the choke flap inside of the air filters I just removed it warm the saw starts first pull

038 chokes can be a PITA (028 too). Make sure spring is O.K. and it opens/shuts properly. AM airfilters are worse.

Even had a NOS OEM AF I put on a 028, started like manure. Old filter 1-2 pulls even after sitting. The newer filter just did not engage the the throttle linkage properly, put the old back in, it starts fine.

 

[August76]

Looks pretty grimy in there. Are those the new seals?

Here's a 038 before taking apart

View attachment 668699

Stihl gasket set comes w/seals $17. What did you use?

150 psi is good if rings are not fully seated. Is this with or without base gasket? If without not so good.

Original seals. Base gasket. My guage is bad so might be closer to 180. My other saws all read 120 on this p.os. tester and I know they aren't that low.
How long does it usually take for the Rings to seat? I felt like the saw was getting pretty hot. So I stopped everything and proceeded to try and tear it down again I realized all I had to do is grab my impact gun to remove the bolt on the clutch that I wasn't able to get off before as far as the flywheel I can't get it off because I don't have the tool to remove it and none of my pullers fit. I guess if there was some threaded bolt holes I probably could use my steering wheel puller thing but I wanted to check these gaskets to make sure they weren't bad it doesn't look bad to me and I don't want to get in there and start screwing around and remove a good gasket with a Chinese one

 

[August76]

The oiler sucks too. The saw is ok. I maybe expected more but more low end than my other saws. I ran it for 30 mins or less

 

[Mad Professor]

Oiler when working is fine w/25" bar buried in hardwoods.

038M is not a rever but really had to bog when buried in wood and running right. It shines when other saws the same size see big wood.

I already told you about flywheel puller.

How is the tune? Hot? not oil/crap burning off on 1st run? What does plug look like after WOT run in wood?

 

[August76]

Oiler when working is fine w/25" bar buried in hardwoods.

038M is not a rever but really had to bog when buried in wood and running right. It shines when other saws the same size see big wood.

I already told you about flywheel puller.

How is the tune? Hot? not oil/crap burning off on 1st run? What does plug look like after WOT run in wood?

I had some liquid wrench lube when assembly was done. May have fouled plug some. It definitely grunts. Hot no oil crap. cut a log long ways ...it shines then.
My birthday is the 17th so cool to make this run before then. Also might end up with a ms391 tomorrow lol. The dolkita saw is on par with this saw power wise

 

[MustangMike]

The seals look OK, but the test is if they hold pressure.

However, if they are that old, and you are down to them, I would change them. Rubber just does not last forever, it gets brittle.

 

[August76]

I spent about a hour sharpening the chain it was that bad. The guy i got the saw from or whoever had the saw last probably neglected it and straight gassed it . The rakers were so high it wouldn't do much but make powder. This poor saw has had a ruff life.
I figured out what they did to the air filter choke. The spring wasn't hooked. I washed and cleaned the filter and got it back together. This saw is very hard to start without a choke. But with that fixed it's easy . The holes on the bar for oil we're plugged up so it should oil now. This saw is still a project.

 

[Mad Professor]

I think you will come to like it when it gets running right. It is heavier than same size newer saws, but real lots of torque and chugs through big wood without bogging.

Set your rakers according to hard or softwood and how big the rounds are.

 

[August76]

I think you will come to like it when it gets running right. It is heavier than same size newer saws, but real lots of torque and chugs through big wood without bogging.

Set your rakers according to hard or softwood and how big the rounds are.

The chain looked kinda like it was cover in sap. It was just really neglected. Lots of sharpening but it is a full chisel. So it works awesome now. With a 25 inch bar it weighs the same as the Makita with a 20

 

[teacherman]

Stihl is stihl making them. But not for USA, re-badged and spruced up as MS380/381. The 038M was made right up until they changed to MS/XXX, but NLA in USA. I think USA discontinued when 044 came out (1993?).

Brad may not have a high opinion of them as he has too many newer saws, others denigrate them as they have only encountered used/abused 038s as > 30 year old saws.

If you get the 038M running properly they will run with a 044, but a bit heavier and not as good AF. But I think for the LONG RUN they were built better. I have enough old german stihl saws that I'll NEVER need a new one, with chi-com stuff.

The 038 is tough enough to mill with. Precursor to the 044, sturdy stout unit, I have several, and I paid more than $200 for them. The engine design was for durability rather than fuel economy, and it is an older saw. I wouldn't worry too much about a switched cover; a $200 saw doesn't really yield enough return to bother with scamming like that, imo. But maybe I misjudge the human nature a bit. I'd say just get the saw. Some parts are available from Stihl, at least a dealer in Lenexa KS was able to get some seals and such last year.

 

[August76]

The 038 is tough enough to mill with. Precursor to the 044, sturdy stout unit, I have several, and I paid more than $200 for them. The engine design was for durability rather than fuel economy, and it is an older saw. I wouldn't worry too much about a switched cover; a $200 saw doesn't really yield enough return to bother with scamming like that, imo. But maybe I misjudge the human nature a bit. I'd say just get the saw. Some parts are available from Stihl, at least a dealer in Lenexa KS was able to get some seals and such last year.

Haha you missed the whole story. I got it for 125. Replaced piston and rings. Yeah it a good saw

 

[teacherman]

Haha you missed the whole story. I got it for 125. Replaced piston and rings. Yeah it a good saw

That's a steal on a good old Stihl!

 

[August76]

That's a steal on a good old Stihl!

Well it's been used pretty hard so it's still a project

 

[August76]

This thing's got so much compression it'll damn near rip your hand off the stupid starter handle ripped my hand up on recoil

 

[August76]

 

[srb08]

Looking at stihl 038 looks clean he wants 200
Opinions?

I bought an 038M new in the 80's. Still have it and still use it.
The most dependable saw I own.

 

[Mad Professor]

I think the chain on the 038M still needs some work.

Is that some sort of pine?

 

[August76]

I think the chain on the 038M still needs some work.

Is that some sort of pine?

Yeah it's some type of pine. I think we have some other crap out here called pinion
the chain probably does need alot more work. It's a square chisel. I thought I had it pretty good but maybe not.
The chain on the dolmar Makita is a safety chain. Its brand new. it sucks really bad but apparently not as bad as the one on the 038 .and the 52cc dolmar 111 just can't keep up with any of them

 

[August76]

I bought an 038M new in the 80's. Still have it and still use it.
The most dependable saw I own.

Have you ever had to replace anything on it or re ring it?

 

[August76]

I think they filed this thing with a smaller file than they should have been there was like double circles in the gullet but I spent a while trying to clean it up. The other saw has a low kick safety chain. Whatever Home Depot rents out I guess apparently they take all the really good chains off of those saws when they get them new and throw them away. I believe they come stock with a Oregon chain. It seems like my Oregon chains stay sharper longer
Anyone know what this weird rubber pieces that looks like it was a chain catcher catcher on my side cover