Stihl 038 Woes

[Hermio]

Oh $hit! I'm not up to that level of repair yet. Hope it's something more simple in my case.

It was not repairable, as the 44C did not have a sleeved cylinder. The dealer said I would need a new block as well as new piston and rings. Quoted price was $1100. I bought a new 500i for $1180 instead. Sold the 441C for $100 to a mechanic for salvageable parts.

 

[djg james]

Did a preliminary exam of the saw today. The saw had been multiple people over the years and I'm not completely sure what has been changed. And remember, I'm a greenhorn at chainsaw repair.

1) Gas line was not squishy but could be compressed with a pair of needle nose pliers. Seemed as good as new.

2) Removed air filter and started saw. Revved it several times and then it died.

3) Removed spark plug. Bosch R10. I'm told by a reliable source gap should be 0.020". Post was not square with sides so I'm going to replace. Advise if better choice and gap.


4) Started to pull carb. It was a "Made in China" carb put in by a guy I had worked on it. He had it for 6 months before I told him to just order another carb. He charged me $75 for the part so I thought it was an OEM. It did work fine, so no complaints (Other than the price for an AM carb).


The original, which I still have, was a Tillison and not Stihl. I don't under stand that.


5) This is the gas tank vent. I had cracked the original tank and had to put on an AM plastic one.


6) Do all carbs have impulse lines? I couldn't find one on this carb (see photos).

 

[stihltech]

You need a vacuum tester to check that vent. I think the chinese parts will be the downfall of this unit.

I ask my customers up front if it has chinese parts and if they have the originals. Fixing more and more saws that way.

 

[djg james]

one thing I do right off the bat is check the color of your spark plug- if absolutly white then then usually means you have problems like air leak or fuel starvation- a coil can work when cold and when it gets hot it acts up

Didn't see your response until now. Spark plug is dark (see photo below).

 

[djg james]

fuel vent is just gasline with 2 screws. get real gasline proper size, PUSH the screws in not screw them, or it won't vent right

This is a plastic replacement tank and has a push in vent (see photo below).

 

[djg james]

Ordered some parts today (I've got two saws I'm currently working on). Won't get until Wednesday. Broke the gas tank vent taking it out, so I'll be putting a new one in. As well as spark plug. That leaves coil and carb.

As I said before, I couldn't find an impulse line (see photo). How does the carb work without an impulse line?

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Ordered some parts today (I've got two saws I'm currently working on). Won't get until Wednesday. Broke the gas tank vent taking it out, so I'll be putting a new one in. As well as spark plug. That leaves coil and carb.

As I said before, I couldn't find an impulse line (see photo). How does the carb work without an impulse line?

Pulse hose is between fuel tank and engine case. Hose connects from barb on back side of case below the cylinder to a barb on back side of tank where the carb is mounted.

 

[djg james]

Pulse hose is between fuel tank and engine case. Hose connects from barb on back side of case below the cylinder to a barb on back side of tank where the carb is mounted.

Thanks, I'll pull the carb and check the hose.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Thanks, I'll pull the carb and check the hose.

Don’t have to pull the carb. If you look between the cylinder and fuel tank (on clutch side) you’ll see it. Definitely gonna need a flashlight.

 

[farmer steve]

Thanks, I'll pull the carb and check the hose.

Do you have a repair manual for it? That will give you some insight on the impulse line .

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Pulse hose connections.

 

[djg james]

Do you have a repair manual for it? That will give you some insight on the impulse line .

I do have an IPL. That's all.

 

[djg james]

Do you have a repair manual for it? That will give you some insight on the impulse line .

I actually did have a SM mis-filed on my computer. Studying it now.

 

[djg james]

Pulse hose connections.
View attachment 1145862

Thanks, I did find the impulse hose. I gently pulled around on it with a screwdriver and it seemed OK. If I check out everything else and I DO need to change the impulse line, what's the best way to get to it? Remove the gas tank? I'd rather not remove the cylinder if I don't have to.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Thanks, I did find the impulse hose. I gently pulled around on it with a screwdriver and it seemed OK. If I check out everything else and I DO need to change the impulse line, what's the best way to get to it? Remove the gas tank? I'd rather not remove the cylinder if I don't have to.

Remove air filter cover, top cover, get a long curved hemostat and put on your surgeon hat. That’s what I do anyway. Otherwise your gonna have to do some disassembly.

 

[djg james]

Do you have a repair manual for it? That will give you some insight on the impulse line .

Thanks, I did find the impulse hose. I gently pulled around on it with a screwdriver and it seemed OK. If I check out everything else and I DO need to change the impulse line, what's the best way to get to it? Remove the gas tank? I'd rather not remove the cylinder if I don't have to.

The IPL lists two part #29 numbers (0000 930 2803 and 0712 923 8004) and when I look them up it calls them "gas line". Is the impulse line simply made up from a length of 3.1 mm x 5.7 mm hose?

On another saw I'll be working on, I will have to pull the cylinder. The SM calls for a screwdriver #0812 542 2104 (1-5 x 150 ... for splined screws). Is that just a thin T25 screwdriver?

 

[djg james]

I've mentioned this before. Can anyone give me a ball park figure on a Meteor piston/rings for an Stihl 038 AV? While I'm trying to resurrect my current 038, I'm considering buy a used one ($325) from a local guy who deals in buying/selling saws. I'm assuming there has to be scoring because o the low? price and the cylinder can be salvaged. Ad says the saw runs well.

P.S. Where would I buy a Meteor piston? I normally get parts from ebay/Amazon.

 

[djg james]

Window shopping for a replacement piston for a 038. Found this NOS Stihl. Shouldn't the finish be shiny? Also, it looks like the rings are preinstalled. Any way to check on damage?


Or does only the cynlinder need to be smooth?

 

[Gord404]

Meteor about 55$ depending on who you buy it from and oem pistons are not always shiny- bought a 390xp oem piston( 180$) a while back because I ran out of metiors and it wasn't shiny but the rings usually are not put on

 

[djg james]

Meteor about 55$ depending on who you buy it from and oem pistons are not always shiny- bought a 390xp oem piston a while back because I ran out of metiors and it wasn't shiny but the rings usually are not put on

Where do you buy P&Cs. I've only looked on ebay. Better source?