Stihl 038

[Saw Dr.]

038 Mag will pull 25" just fine. I have run a 25" on a decent 038 Super before, and it did okay. Watch out for cracked tank/handles on those. They're not terribly easy to find these days. My understanding is that only the western versions of the 038 MAG had the 3 port muffler. None of the ones around here have it. (except mine...) Also, have a look at the upper LH A/V mount, as I have seen plenty of those torn. If the oiler leaks, it can probably be rebuilt. I did one a while back and it didn't leak a drop after. Sure could pump it on to the bar though.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I had an 038 Magnum passed along to me, it was diagnosed with next to no compression so I picked it up as a parts or project saw. After a few weeks I pulled the cylinder to find that the rings were stuck in the piston badly, no scoring at all and the cylinder pristine. I had a new OEM piston and rings so it got put back together and left out the base gasket, with .021 squish and a muffler mod its a real nice cutting saw. Might make a good candidate for a full port job and lower the cylinder to .017 squish, bet it would roar then.
Pioneerguy600

 

[wigglesworth]

Might make a good candidate for a full port job and lower the cylinder to .017 squish, bet it would roar then.
Pioneerguy600

The one StihlyinEly has is a ripper. I machined the base, and opened the lower transfers up and added a 3 port muffler. That saw came alive. Gobs of torque. Had it not been for my 044 obsession, it would still be in my stable. Gotta feed the need though....

 

[pioneerguy600]

The one StihlyinEly has is a ripper. I machined the base, and opened the lower transfers up and added a 3 port muffler. That saw came alive. Gobs of torque. Had it not been for my 044 obsession, it would still be in my stable. Gotta feed the need though....

I know that StihlinEly is plenty pleased with that saw and I will most likely pull mine down and do a good port job on it also with a turned piston and machined base then raise the ports the same amount the cylinder gets dropped.
Pioneerguy600

 

[StihlyinEly]

The one StihlyinEly has is a ripper. I machined the base, and opened the lower transfers up and added a 3 port muffler. That saw came alive. Gobs of torque. Had it not been for my 044 obsession, it would still be in my stable. Gotta feed the need though....

I can testify!

Feels kinda dumb to put an 8-pin and a 20-inch B&C on that monster 038M. But I've got a 32 full comp on the ported/milled 660 and a 25-inch full comp on the ported 460 (ported by Wiggs, BTW).

The 038M is noted for grunt, not speed. The one from Wiggs was a contemporary of Arnold in his bodybuilding prime (and is just as muscular, not to mention they have the same Germanic accent), but it really rips through hardwood fast with its current setup, so I don't feel quite so bad. I'd put a 28-inch full comp B&C with 7-pin on it and feel perfectly happy burying it in hardwood. Well, in fact I have done that, and the setup gets full marks.

And, to repeat, it has the edge on all the other saws in my sig as to which feels best in my hands out in the woods or out doing arborist felling/bucking. I gotta say, though, that Jasha's 660 is creeping up. Wish I had some really hard wood to work the 038M in.

Hmmmmm, maybe I should ship it down to Oz and see what some of those Husky losers down there would make of it. Their wood is way harder than my wood.

 

[FSburt]

Here's some pics of my 038 Mag II. It runs a 28" bar just fine. As you can see from my pics I modified the air filter a bit. Runs like a champ though. :chainsawguy:

 

[madhatte]

Ooo, new-style sorta-transparent fuel tank. Me likey.

 

[FSburt]

That is the fuel tank I got from Baileys and that is nice about the transparency part.

 

[blsnelling]

The 038 Mag is a very nice saw. Here's mine. I had peeled but not yet replaced the Magnum sticker, but it is a Magnum.

 

[Nardoo]

Well yes, they are good on Aussie hardwood, though they have their limits. Here is a pic of a lovely early 038 with 48mm bore I used to have. I have three 038 mags and a super and do you know what - that old 038 was not that far behind them.
And the best thing is they are still available new in Australia. They are called MS 381 now and have flippy caps but are just the same. A buddy of mine runs one with a 20" bar on very hard boxwood in preference to his 051. They really do have some grunt for a little saw.

My 038 mags are different but all have big ports in their mufflers from new. I love them.

 

[Cliff R]

I'd grab the 038. I owned one for years, built like a tank, and that saw would sit for weeks, months, or years and fire right up and run flawlessly.

Not overly powerful anyplace, or really fast, just a good solid firewood saw. Mine was a "beater", looked like it spent most of it's life being pulled behind a truck on a chain! One TOUGH unit. They will pull a 25" bar if you aren't in a big hurry, but are much better suited to a 20" bar, IMHO.

They say the Magnum/Super versions are quite a bit stronger, but I've never ran either of those, just the standard 038.

I sold mine a few years ago, since I'm much fonder of lighter/faster saws in my older years, and cut mostly tops after logging operations, etc. I just keep my larger saws around for blowdowns, but big trees are getting scarce in these parts......Cliff