MS 180 C-BE Replacement Advice Needed

[Zaxxon]

My girlfriend bought a chainsaw for us, a Stihl MS 180 C-BE. We've had it for about two years.

It's seen pretty light use, we only use a couple of cords a year to heat our small cottage.

A little after a year in, the clutch throwout bearing went, which I got fixed. A few weeks ago the engine blew. The folks at the repair shop thought it might be better buying a new saw instead of paying the $180 they would charge to fix it.

So now we are looking for a new chainsaw. We want something around the same size, something we are both comfortable using. And we want something reliable; although we don't use much wood, it's our sole source of heat. Some of the questions on my mind are:

Was the bad chainsaw a fluke? Is the MS 180 C-BE just a crappy model? Aren't Stihls supposed to be reliable? What should we get to replace it? Should we actually get another MS 180 C-BE so we'll have the old one to use for spare parts? I read on these forums people saying not to get the EZ start and quick chain adjuster, should we look for something without them? Why?

If anyone has any advice they can give, I'd really appreciate it!

 

[tickhound93]

What is your budget? Also how big of wood do you cut? If wood is your sole source of heat, I would suggest getting the best saw you can afford. Now, I don't mind the little 170s and 180s, but they are definitely a home owner grade saw. Stop by all your local dealers all brands and see who is the mist helpful, and I would but from them. But first off budget and wood size. Hope that helps for now

 

[MrGiggles]

The small Stihls in that class are nothing to write home about. Not bad, but not great either. The engine probably died from improper tuning and carb problems. During storage, run it dry. If you do store it with gas in the tank, fill it with Tru-fuel or equivalent, definitely nothing with ethanol in it.

Again, a budget would help. The Poulan 5020 is a tremendous value for what you get. It's a big step up from the 180. The Echo CS400 is another to consider, with the best warranty out there.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Dolmar 421 has a magnesium split case and is built like a tank. It also has a easy to start feature but its not like the Stihl EZ start, its spring assisted. $329 shipped to your door.

 

[backhoelover]

i would also go with the dolamr 421

 

[Zaxxon]

Thanks, everyone, this is great. I'd no idea of these other saw's existence. The Poulan's price is very attractive. On the other hand "built like a tank," about the Dolmar, is what we are looking for. My girlfriend is buying; I think she wanted to spend around the same price as the Stihl. But she might be OK with adding another $329 if it was worth it, seeing as how the Stihl was just $250 down the drain.

Most of the wood we cut is around 10"-12" in diameter, sometimes up to around 20".

 

[Zaxxon]

"The small Stihls in that class are nothing to write home about. Not bad, but not great either. The engine probably died from improper tuning and carb problems. During storage, run it dry. If you do store it with gas in the tank, fill it with Tru-fuel or equivalent, definitely nothing with ethanol in it."

We stored the saw when it would sit for long periods of time without fuel in it. But if it sits a couple weeks or so, should it be empty? Regarding the tuning, should I take a chainsaw to a shop every so often for that? Is there a regimen I should be learning how to do? I'm up for learning how to work on the saws, are there any chainsaw maintenance books anyone can recommend? Youtube videos are fine too, but I usually prefer having a book handy over messing with the computer.