RunIt
ArboristSite Lurker
New member here and thanks for the info gleaned so far (great forum).
I'll try and condense my story as to how my BR600 got to where it is and get back with you later tonight with the rest of the story when I pick it up from the dealer.
The unit is probably 3 or so years old, always ran Stihl oil and has never not started or ran well besides the fact that it has lost some power over time (both with the old wand tip and newer style presently installed). Because I move snow with it this original out-of-the-box power was important to me and I ended up taking it to another dealer when my original shop insisted that it was up to specs (rpm-wise). After $250 worth of parts/labor (bad trigger, first valve adjustment and minor misc.) I was back to the pressure/volume that I remember yet not necessarily reliable initial start idling especially when it turned cold. I would basically have to grab on to the choke so that it didn't stall or tend to run away with itself when adjusted back...yet it warmed up quickly and didn't seem to be an issue. It never really sounded much different after the overhaul than what it ever did at full throttle when new...just performed a bit more noticeably which I was obviously happy with.
I was moving snow and water (more of the latter this freakishly warm year) like nobody's business for maybe 10 jobs until I went to start it the last time and...no compression. Took it to the dealer and no good news over the phone but something about "somebody's been into it before.." "hole in the cranckcase.." "$200 piston..." ....and basically a feeling of regret on my part that I ever screwed with getting more out of it in the first place (nobody had touched this machine besides rpm checks/adjustments before they adjusted the valves).
One thing I remember when buying this (and I'm not knocking the product) is that my serial number was not necessarily included in some big 'change' that Stihl made with these blower motors but that it was old enough to obviously not be included among those evidently grenading on a regular basis (which obviously was the case since it lasted this long on not a commercial use level but from seeing heavy home use being my favorite tool by far).
Is there anything that I should ask about in regards to what they saw in there when they had it apart? I'm halfway thinking about simply picking up another if you guys feel that this is still the best volume/pressure/per weight producing machine on the market today or that I will be happier with the next one (I don't like losing volume/pressure long term when blowing snow or dealing with what seems like a very cheaply made throttle/trigger assy. with plastic screw adjustment).
Back with more tonight and I sincerely appreciate your input as I always thought that this product would last me much longer after I got through the original "yeah, we improved that later..." initial scare.
I'll try and condense my story as to how my BR600 got to where it is and get back with you later tonight with the rest of the story when I pick it up from the dealer.
The unit is probably 3 or so years old, always ran Stihl oil and has never not started or ran well besides the fact that it has lost some power over time (both with the old wand tip and newer style presently installed). Because I move snow with it this original out-of-the-box power was important to me and I ended up taking it to another dealer when my original shop insisted that it was up to specs (rpm-wise). After $250 worth of parts/labor (bad trigger, first valve adjustment and minor misc.) I was back to the pressure/volume that I remember yet not necessarily reliable initial start idling especially when it turned cold. I would basically have to grab on to the choke so that it didn't stall or tend to run away with itself when adjusted back...yet it warmed up quickly and didn't seem to be an issue. It never really sounded much different after the overhaul than what it ever did at full throttle when new...just performed a bit more noticeably which I was obviously happy with.
I was moving snow and water (more of the latter this freakishly warm year) like nobody's business for maybe 10 jobs until I went to start it the last time and...no compression. Took it to the dealer and no good news over the phone but something about "somebody's been into it before.." "hole in the cranckcase.." "$200 piston..." ....and basically a feeling of regret on my part that I ever screwed with getting more out of it in the first place (nobody had touched this machine besides rpm checks/adjustments before they adjusted the valves).
One thing I remember when buying this (and I'm not knocking the product) is that my serial number was not necessarily included in some big 'change' that Stihl made with these blower motors but that it was old enough to obviously not be included among those evidently grenading on a regular basis (which obviously was the case since it lasted this long on not a commercial use level but from seeing heavy home use being my favorite tool by far).
Is there anything that I should ask about in regards to what they saw in there when they had it apart? I'm halfway thinking about simply picking up another if you guys feel that this is still the best volume/pressure/per weight producing machine on the market today or that I will be happier with the next one (I don't like losing volume/pressure long term when blowing snow or dealing with what seems like a very cheaply made throttle/trigger assy. with plastic screw adjustment).
Back with more tonight and I sincerely appreciate your input as I always thought that this product would last me much longer after I got through the original "yeah, we improved that later..." initial scare.
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...I think the problem with you guys (and the manner in which you've obviously built up this forum)...is that when the rest of the world comes across engine related posts in here that are obviously from folks who know what in the heck they are talking about...good people are hard to find. 
