MS361 Airfilter problem !!! IMPORTANT

[Rooshooter]

MS880 sucking dust

A previous thread mentioned dust getting inside the airfilter housing.

I checked my 361 accordingly and found a lot of sawdust.

THIS LOOKS AS AN OEM DESIGN FLAW SO ALL 361 SHOULD BE AFFECTED CHECK YOURS ACCORDING MY PICTURES!!!

It would appear that not only the 361 but quite a few model Stihl saws have air filtration ( or lack of it ) problems.
I have seen problems on the MS460, 660, & 880 and have an 880 myself which has had major problems with dust bypassing the airfilter at the filter base - my saw has a filter with the felt pre filter and no dust gets through the filter itself.
It would appear that a change of airfilter by the Stihl factory which seems to have an excessively hard base combined with a hard plastic plate the filter mounts against is is the cause of the problem.
I have spoken to the warranty & service manager at Stihl Australia and he admitted that Stihl were aware problem, but tried to tell me that it was more noticeable during the last few years whilst we were in one of the worst droughts on record and conditions were drier, What a load of bulls**t !
In any case when I started using the saw the problem was noticed almost immediately and the log I was blocking up had a 30 - 32% moisture content so it certainly was not dry.

When my saw was pulled down scoring was noticed on the cylinder bore and polishing on the piston skirt. The saw had only been operated for 15 hours at this stage, I would also imagine that a good quantity of sawdust got into the crank case & bearings. The saw was also sent to Stihl Aust and the service manager told me it was normal wear - What a load of crap.

I have not finished with this as yet and will go to consumer affairs about it as the local dealer that inspected it prior to being sent to Stihl said it would need a piston & cylinder replacement which has not been done.
Stihl have supplied a severe service filter kit for the saw however the rear cover can not be used when fitted.

In my opinion a p*ss poor effort by Stihl on the largest commercial chain saw now available AND ONE UNHAPPY CUSTOMER

 

[SawTroll]

The filters on my 361 are 'felt' covered and nothing gets past them; but, the one you show in the pics looks like a 'nylon screen' filter. I've never liked that type of filter on any saw. Before screwing up the saw; go get a felt filter and put an end to your problems.

I have allways used the mesh filter on my 361, no problems at all!


...but then I mostly cut reasonably fresh birch - no oak and no old building material, and never across end grain....

One probably needs to fit the air filter to the application.......

 

[pgg]

Roo, all the chainsaw outfits are the same, they'll deny black and blue any responsibility, they'll always have an excuse and they'll always say it's the operators fault he-he

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Brush a light film of oil or something on the filter base then a small bead of silicone on the mating surface of the filter. Press the filter onto the base but don't crank it down. Let the silicone set up. Now attach the back cover and crank it down. The silicone shouldn't stick to the oily base so the filter will be removable for cleaning.

Just an idea that I came up with pre-coffee on Sunday morning. It might work or it might not.

Ian

 

[SawTroll]

..... here the fin of the fuel tank prevents the filter to go flush against the filterframe

.....

I don't really get what that pic is showing (don't have my 361 here )

 

[volks-man]

...but then I mostly cut reasonably fresh birch - no oak and no old building material, and never across end grain....

?
isn't bucking a tree cutting across the end grain?

or maybe you mean 'splitting' the logs from the end grain with the saw?

 

[Lakeside53]

Roo: it's your cutting conditions.. not a general issue. I can cut all day with my 088 (2004 model) even milling, and not see any significant amount of dust inside my filter. None of this helps you though.


That special filter assembly was brought out quite some time ago just for the Australian market. I can get the inner portion (-1601) out here, but not the prefiler or clamp plate. We use the -1654 filter, which is the same material used on almost all other stihl fleece filters. When I see dirt packed into a customers filter, it's usually because they have a wrinkled or incorrect prefilter. The 1124 (088) prefilter does not fit the -1654 filter, and vice versa.

If you think the dirt is getting in underneath the filter, do what one of your countryman recent suggested and put some soft rubber beneath the filter and see what happens.

 

[SawTroll]

?
isn't bucking a tree cutting across the end grain?

or maybe you mean 'splitting' the logs from the end grain with the saw?

No, and yes! :greenchainsaw:

 

[dustytools]

Does the 361 typically come with a pre-filter and filter? Mine came with a single filter is why I am asking. Thanks.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Mine only came with a flock filter.

Ian

 

[spacemule]

Roo: it's your cutting conditions.. not a general issue. I can cut all day with my 088 (2004 model) even milling, and not see any significant amount of dust inside my filter. None of this helps you though.


That special filter assembly was brought out quite some time ago just for the Australian market. I can get the inner portion (-1601) out here, but not the prefiler or clamp plate. We use the -1654 filter, which is the same material used on almost all other stihl fleece filters. When I see dirt packed into a customers filter, it's usually because they have a wrinkled or incorrect prefilter. The 1124 (088) prefilter does not fit the -1654 filter, and vice versa.

If you think the dirt is getting in underneath the filter, do what one of your countryman recent suggested and put some soft rubber beneath the filter and see what happens.

If this is the case, why is Stihl selling saws in Austrailia that are inadequate for normal usage? Looking at his pictures, there is no acceptable excuse for that much crud behind a filter. That's simply ridiculous. Air filter design should be one of the simplest aspects of designing a saw. Stihl should be embarrassed.

 

[tatra805]

@ SawTroll

Turn the picture 90 anticlockwise, the black wedge is the trigger. It is a sideview of bottom side of filter.




@ all

Thanks for the replies. Although I dont agree with the principle of a DIY solution I hope at least someone checks his 361 and can avoid prolonged exposure.

This mesh filter is a standard thing here and in belgium. never had a saw with a felt filter. never saw one stock equipped with it.

My advise-cure:

cut of 1 - 2mm of the plate where the dust is collected in the middle of the picture. this will allow the closure screw to put more pressure on the complete filter and thus the seal area. Tried it today and it worked.




@ STIHL
if anybody is here..... your :censored: [email protected] email address is not working and returning all mails sent. kundenservice my *ss.

Ill give them a call on monday.

now i was cutting up old pine construction wood all day and had to stop as the nails won from my chains...:censored:

 

[Andyshine77]

The air filtration on my 361 leaves room to be desired, no matter what I do there's always dust in the carb box after a days cutting. The thing I don't understand is, the engineers at Stihl can design a wonderful engine, but somehow they can't design a simple automotive type air filter system.

 

[outdoortype]

That air filter looks like the lint filter in my wife's clothes dryer.

 

[Lakeside53]

An airfilter has to pass air... and at some point particles of a size less than the mesh. Same with your car...

 

[spacemule]

An airfilter has to pass air... and at some point particles of a size less than the mesh. Same with your car...

An arse has to pass some air too, but we all appreciate it when it's done in an appropriate place. Hopefully not in your car.

 

[Lakeside53]

If this is the case, why is Stihl selling saws in Austrailia that are inadequate for normal usage? Looking at his pictures, there is no acceptable excuse for that much crud behind a filter. That's simply ridiculous. Air filter design should be one of the simplest aspects of designing a saw. Stihl should be embarrassed.

sigh....

If that was "normal" there would be a problem. One or two guys with a problem doesn't make "normal". Likewise, ambulance-chasing isn't normal for lawyers:greenchainsaw:

 

[tatra805]

@ spacemule

Thanks for confirming my and others as it looks like, suspection this dust is a no-no.


@ Lakeside

That only a few do have a problem does not take away the problem or the potential of a general problem that might only show up after some time.

I know very well that my dealer will do anything to please me and keep his customer. If i go to him he will open up the saw, clean everything and probably do the DIY fix himself. He does not want a customer to complain at stihl because 1 of the first things they will ask is: who is your dealer. Meaning: which idiot was not able to solve it so you have to bother me with your 1 saw.

I nevertheless believe that Stihl has some common sense and knows a bit about R&D and customer feedback. SO i do believe that anybody having a problem should report.

I am running a company manufacturing products for a worldwide distributing firm. Most of the questions and complaints that come that far that they reach me turn out to be something different than what the salesguy reports. thats why I am enabled to take direct contact with the customer to just cut out a couple of links in the communication chain. AND that saves big on wasted time for both companies.

By the time a small but potential lethal defect reaches the manufacturer it is so widespread that it has the potential to be lethal for the manufacterer and not only for his product.

In this case, imagine all your pro 361 customers to have a 1000h life out of their 361 because of this filter and imagine stihl (unaware of the potential danger at time of introduction) keeps producing all its new saws with this airfilter assembly. By the time the first 361's start to die prematurely you will notice how many customers swap brand as they see the same airfilterbox on the other saws too.
But then .... too late.

 

[Lakeside53]

I can't disagree with what you say.. but... there are a lot of 361 saws over 2000 hours in my neck of the woods. Even the 200T with the mesh filter last many 1000's over here... and that filter is not great (IMO).

Email Stihl and ask them about the use of the mesh filter in Europe, and why it's only a "winter" filter over here. Last time I asked I was told it was because in Europe "most" cutting is in the winter

I do know that Stihl watches the "little things" very carefully.. and they obviously don't think its an issue where you live, but thought it was in the USA (so they use fleece).

 

[volks-man]

I do know that Stihl watches the "little things" very carefully.. and they obviously don't think its an issue where you live, but thought it was in the USA (so they use fleece).

did i read that right?
lakeside says that stihl is fleecing the u.s.?:jawdrop: