New to me Stihl 038AV Super, photos and a few questions

[LondonNeil]

wow, that makes mine look battered! Nice saw.

wood nazi, i assume you mean the carb screws? will do. i will find out soon enough but think the low might be at the lean stop. The screw felt fairly tight when i tried to adjusted it yesterday.

 

[MustangMike]

Let me know if the replacement chain solves the problem, I think it will.

If you run a .050 chain in a .063 bar, oil will be everywhere!

 

[JustJeff]

I find the Stihl oilers stingy. I get that they are designed to use less oil and get the oil to where it's needed, but I'm used to the "snot rocket" saws of old thatfling a noticeable amount. I have the oiler wide open on my ms 460 with a 20" bar. It uses pretty much a tank for a tank.
LondonNeil, listen to Mikes advice, he knows his Stihls. I have my saw running pretty sweet following his instructions.

 

[LondonNeil]

I feel in good hands

 

[Wood Doctor]

Let me know if the replacement chain solves the problem, I think it will. If you run a .050 chain in a .063 bar, oil will be everywhere!

Exactly. I've given the same advise to many customers with 3-foot bars who bring in 114 DL narrow-gauge chain for sharpening. I always ask them to show me the bar they use. It's always a Stihl 063 bar. They buy narrow gauge chain loops on sale anywhere they can find them and mount them on the same bar. I tell them that it's not a good idea to do that, but they shrug their shoulders and walk away. I suppose they say to themselves, "It's my money. I'll spend it as I see fit."

 

[Mad Professor]

I find the Stihl oilers stingy. I get that they are designed to use less oil and get the oil to where it's needed, but I'm used to the "snot rocket" saws of old thatfling a noticeable amount. I have the oiler wide open on my ms 460 with a 20" bar. It uses pretty much a tank for a tank.
LondonNeil, listen to Mikes advice, he knows his Stihls. I have my saw running pretty sweet following his instructions.

You can upgrade the oiler with OEM HD oiler parts

 

[JustJeff]

You can upgrade the oiler with OEM HD oiler parts

Thanks, and I may if I ever decide to put a longer bar on it. It seems to oil just fine for the 20" just doesn't oil the heck out of it like some other saws I've had.

 

[LondonNeil]

Ok, I'm currently feeling both embarrassed I didn't spot these problems instantly, and pleased I've spotted them quite quickly. In my defence my 'saw experience is limited to 2 years and about 2 gallons with a new ms180, this 038 is the first time I've had to delve under the hood of a saw. Although being an engineering graduate I kinda know where to look.

problem #1, the weird chain rocking over and not cutting thing

bar rials straight, both sides the same

ah....top one is the spare stihl chain, in box, 1.6mm gauge the same as the bar. bottom from the saw one looks a bit different....oregon and...

oh dear. The spare chain I checked, it is 1.6mm and it feels like it fits the bar (unsurprisingly!) So I have a pointless 1/2" x 1.3mm 72 drivelink oregon chain. errr how hard are they to shorten? (1.3mm is picco isn't it? my ms180 runs 14" picco) Think I'll not bother mucking about with it tbh.

Feeling pleased to solve that problem, yet

 

[LondonNeil]

back to checking the bar

7mm at its worst point, 7.5 to 8mm mainly. Life left there then

 

[LondonNeil]

problem #2, the stalling
Now I know I said the filter was clean but I hadn't pulled it....well....I should of pulled it

More embarrassment.

After plugging the carb carefully with a bit of kitchen paper, and some careful scrapping and digging with a screw driver plus some toothbrush work and some LondonLungs (no air line, so puff hard) it looks cleaner and I can see a Tillaston made in USA carb under there. Filter looks like this now

I'm guessing it may run better now. I'll pull the plug out later, check and clean. Over the weekend I'll get some fresh fuel and make some mix up and see how it goes. Oh and I think I need a new one of these....

 

[LondonNeil]

Shopping list so far:
1. drive sprocket
2. A spare chain, 72 link 1/2" pitch by 1.6mm gauge!!
3. Air filter ok I think
4. Plug still to check

 

[LondonNeil]

Clean enough and better than I expected but not heard of 'RocwooD' so I'll swap for a Bosch or NGK. It was gapped at 18 thou so a bit tight. I gave it a quick clean, gapped it at 20 thou and popped it back for now. It was also a bit loose (left hand side of the squash washer looks dirty, so I guess it wasn't sealing), it isn't now.

couldn't see much inside the chamber, what i saw looked ok.

So I've not yet played with the carb but after cleaning the air filter I'll see how it runs before I get into that. shopping list (so far) is one 7 tooth drive sprocket, at least one spare chain of the right size, and one spark plug.

 

[MustangMike]

Can't see any of the pics, but glad you are working the problems out. Unless I missed it, replace the fuel filter and air filter, just good practice.

They don't last forever, even if you clean them.

 

[LondonNeil]

Oh FFS! they were copied from the same shared folder in google photos as the last lot! I'll have another go.

ok, edited, and now visible from a device not logged into google so....fingers crossed.

Yeah I think you are right Mike, I'll add filters to the shopping list

 

[texican65]

Can't help with your questions Neil...but I can tell you that the 038 is a great saw. I've got an early 80s 038 and it's been my go-to reliable saw for the last 15 years...bullet proof and able to handle any task around the home and surrounding woods. Maybe a bit heavy by today's generations standards...but still a very worthy saw to me.

Dow

 

[LondonNeil]

None of you spotted my [cough] 'deliberate'[/cough] mistake then? Thankfully I realised its 3/8" pitch chain I need, before i ordered a spare just now.

Are cheap chinese drive sprockets any good or made of cheese? i.e. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLUTCH-DR...377536?hash=item4b06c8e9c0:g:PhEAAOSwH6lXRBra or shoud i look for something else/a particular brand?

similarly with fiilters, 99 pence fuel filter ok? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FUEL-TANK...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
air filter for £2.25 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Filte...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649 I understand the exrasmall hole means its for a different (compensating) carb, but I just need to block the hole with a blob of silicon sealant.

 

[MustangMike]

I would block it with a piece of cloth (or I used a gun cleaning patch) and a rubber band. Don't want that silicon to come undone and get sucked into your carb.

I know you need 3/8, but there are either .050 or .063 thick drive links. The sprocket handle either size, but the bar must match the chain.

Saws in the Eastern US generally have .050, out in the Western US .063. Don't ask how I know this, but a .050 chain on a .063 bar makes a mess real fast!

 

[LondonNeil]

I've not had a chance to get some mix and run the saw again yet but after realising I needed to determine if i need a clutch drum and drive sprocket or just a rim sprocket I did manage to strip it and remove the worn part, a stihl part numbered clutch drum. Once I found my torx bits that job was very smooth (someone has changed virtually every cap screw on the saw to torx it seems, I assume those aren't Stihl OEM screws). Doing that job and having the saw on its side for 10 minutes made me confirm what I was considering, the need for new oil and fuel filler caps, as I had a puddle of fuel and a puddle of oil on my patio table, oops. So long as chinese replacements are ok I only need to invest £11.50 for a pair of filler caps, air filter, fuel filter and a clutch drum. Anybody got good or bad experiences of Chinese AM parts for those parts?

Found a bargain on a chain on ebay. A brand new genuine stihl (supposedly) chain, for £13, that's a good tenner less than they should be.

As for a plug, I think I'll get that from a reputable source....I'm not convince an NGK plug on ebay for £1 is genuine and don't want to risk a fake-fall-apart plug.

 

[MustangMike]

Stihl OEM s/b T-27. I've had AM caps that worked, and not, usually it is the gasket, and that can be replaced. The old OEM caps generally leak from the center section. I have purchased perfectly good NGK plugs on ebay for very little (in volume).

 

[LondonNeil]

so the torx are OEM, ooo. Didn't expect that on an old saw. T27 you say, what about the screws for the felling dogs? they are slightly bigger and I didn't have a torx to fit (not that I expect to take the dogs off for any reason)

current caps are OEM I think but rather mangled, someone has been screnching them on tight to get them to seal, and I've learnt that they only seal if done tight. New items will be best, I'll check my local dealer for OEM prices then make a decision on the caps and filters, OEM vs chinese.