Max Flow

[stihltech]

Customer brought MS500i to shop. Complaint is starts hard hot.
Started hard cold also in shop. Upon starting, idles high. States runs good otherwise.
Max flow air filter, bark box, west coast dogs..


Put on MDG. All sensors read within parameters, a bit lean on idle.
Time to forget MDG and diagnose.
Decided to vacuum and pressure test. Fail-held less that 5 seconds.
Found bad crank seal under clutch. Also back side of seal full of oily sawdust (FINES!). Bearing full also. Piston all scratched up, both sides. No lean seize.
Cleaned what was visible. replaced seal. Vacuum and pressure test held indefinitely.
Upon starting, better idle and noisy bearings (wonder why?)

Just a note-filter has never been oiled. Cover does not lock down and stay.

I get the Stihl air filter is considered junk (not by me from experience).

BUT if you are going to use a better filter and NOT MAINTAIN IT, this is what happens.
For those of you that use these mods and MAINTAIN them, I have now doubt you have good results, more power to ya.
But for those who don't, you are better off with the original air filter. Never seen that much junk in the bearings on a saw with a good stock air filter. It will plug first and run lousy to the point the operator wants it repaired (serviced).
Just saying what I see in the shop.

 

[StihlsawuserMS361]

Thanks, Good advice Stihltech. Contrary to many, I still feel OEM R&D is the best. They put countless hours into putting a product on to the market. Obviously they want longevity as opposed to warranty repairs and customer dissatisfaction.
FWIW, my 361 and 500I are stock. I really think the secondary market favors stock when it's time to resell.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Just one of many oem pics owners shared over the years.

Why lot of folks using that Egan 500 air filter Uni set up with stock cover. Even comes pre-oiled for the folks that dont know any better. SMH. https://eganperformancesaws.com/products/air-filter-kit

I seen this crap on guy MS440 when it comes in too.

 

[bwalker]

Stihl really has always had crap filter setups. A oil foam filter is a better mousetrap, but they have to be oiled and with the right filter oil.

 

[StihlsawuserMS361]

Nasty indeed. Circles back to maintenance I suppose. From reading here and elsewhere, it does get confusing to the non-pro - homeowner guy like myself on changing filter and mufflers etc.... to non OEM offerings. Which snake oil is the best today?
On my 500, after a day of hard cutting, I always clean and vacuum the filter, or replace with a spare that has been serviced. Then clean the entire saw with indirect compressed air. So far, I haven't noticed any fines getting past the OEM filter. I've gone as far as e mailing Stihl, inquiring about an OEM updated filter, which Stihl says there isn't any.
I did purchase an outer filter OEM, installed on the OEM original which does seem to help?
Your mileage may vary.

 

[snobdds]

Blow off your saws and filters after working them and all this becomes moot...

It's a chainsaw, not a rocket ship.

 

[NSEric]

The knock off Max flow came on my 660 clone.
When oiled up it stops all the fines but they're a pain to clean and re oil.
I also have bikes with oiled foam filters so I have everything to clean and oil them on hand and I still prefer paper filters on saws lol.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Just from observation a pretty good chunk of the operators out there never clean or blow off anything.

Tell tale when you get a concrete saw and the torx heads have to be cleaned with an ice pick to get the filter off.

 

[StihlsawuserMS361]

True Zero. Probably if it isn't their money on equipment, they just gas and go

 

[Mad Professor]

I tap out my filters every few chain sharpenings..When I dress the bar I clean out the housing real well and wash the flocked filters with dish detergent.

Depending on use I'll pull the clutch/flywheel and clean behind those and cyl fins.

 

[stihltech]

Again, to you operators that try to maintain your filter, kudos. BUT this is not what we see when they come in the shop. In this case, the OEM filter is better.
Anything that requires more maintenance is a detriment to those who don't maintain anyways.
Again Kudos!. But you are a minority.

 

[Mad Professor]

One other tip. I use starting fluid to rinse out the housing after pre-cleaning it with air. Rinses out all the oily sawdust residue.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Heck I use belray on my prefilters on riding mowers. Should see how much more they stop.

All I can say for running dry.