Stihl 041AV Test Run

[JohnO]

I've had an old 041AV for a while and it never ran right. After finding this site, I decided to fix it up. From searching the archives, it seemed to be a bad condenser. With a new condenser and flywheel removal tool, it runs like a champ. I went with a 24/25" bar on this one (I have another 041AV with a 20" that is my primary saw) because I had a project in mind. And old willow tree in my yard has been slowly dying, and it was time to finish it off. The trunk is in the 40-50" range, so I the 20" bar wasn't going to cut it. Although no speed demon, the ole' 041 did the job. Here are the results:

This is the first section of the trunk after I lopped it off:


And the remaining section of trunk:


And this is about as close to the ground as it's going to get until things thaw out a bit and I can clean around the base:


So now that I've got one old saw fixed, it's time to work on a pair of 031's that don't run.

-John

 

[Trigger-Time]

SWEET!

Good Post & Pics

 

[THALL10326]

Hey hey hey good job on that 041 there. I got one of those and just like you say, its not a speed demon but its torquey and keeps on pulling chips. I like the 041 alot. Yours is prettier than mine which makes me mad at ya but I'll let ya slide,hehe. Good job, nice looking saw..

 

[JohnO]

Yea, my saws have been used very little compared to most. They have spent most of their lives tucked away in my father-in-law's garage until I bought my property. Here's the fleet (before I put the longer bar on). The third is my Father-in-law's that I was using while fixing up the other two. Now they are all running great.

-John

 

[Lakeside53]

A great looking set of saws!

 

[ciscoguy01]

yep

is all I can say. 041 kicks a55 dude...!!!!

 

[Mold Mechanic]

those saws are much prettier than my 041AV, I like the saw as well, not nearly as fast as my 361, but very torquey and i like the nostalgia.

 

[Eccentric]

Yea, my saws have been used very little compared to most. They have spent most of their lives tucked away in my father-in-law's garage until I bought my property. Here's the fleet (before I put the longer bar on). The third is my Father-in-law's that I was using while fixing up the other two. Now they are all running great.

-John

Wow. I wish my 031AV was as cherry as those 041AVs. For that matter, I'd like to have an 041 (and an 056) like that as well. I passed up a nice looking (but tired) 041AV for $50.00 in a junk shop years ago. It had low compression, but was complete and unabused. In any case it was much nicer than my 031 (which I've spent the $$$ for an NOS P/C for).

D'Oh! :bang:

 

[turnkey4099]

MIne is tha 041 AVE. Cherry? It hasn't seen that in 40 years near as I can tell. I have had it about 10 years and the rubber stuff on the handle is falling off. The stuff you are cutting is just about the same stuff and size as what I have been working and heating my house with for 20 years or more.

Nothing like firing it up and hearing that sound. It just says "work me".

Harry K

 

[JohnO]

those saws are much prettier than my 041AV, I like the saw as well, not nearly as fast as my 361, but very torquey and i like the nostalgia.

I've never used anything but the 041's (and a few junky homelites that never really wanted to run), so I don't know what I'm missing. Ignorance is bliss. And cheaper too.

-John

 

[Eccentric]

Not Ignorance. Perspective...

I've never used anything but the 041's (and a few junky homelites that never really wanted to run), so I don't know what I'm missing. Ignorance is bliss. And cheaper too.

-John

That's the truth. Most of the saws that I've owned and used over the years haven't even been AV! My 031AV is the 'modern' saw in my stable (at least amoung the runners). For a lot of us, these older saws are the norm. I love working these old beasts. Having to replace aging crank seals, fuel lines, points, etc at inopertune times wears on me more than the 'limitations' of their older designs. Oh for new production 032AV, 041AV, and 056AVmag (or Super XL, Super XL925, and 1050 Auto) saws to appear in my garage!

The only 'realy modern' saw I've ran in recent memory is an MS200T. Neat, powerful little saw, but I still don't mind my Poulan 20 (at least not enough to spend $500.00+). Maybe $300.00 sometime on an MS192T...

Having said that, I am contemplating purchasing a new Stihl for my firewood cutting. I laugh when I read the threads bashing the MS290/310/390 saws. "It's too heavy, the power, AV and air filtration isn't as good as an MS361". Let's see, compared to my 031AV (my primary firewood saw for a number of years) the 290/310/390 family is lighter, more powerfull, has better AV, and better air filtration...

The main thing that is still steering me towards the MS361 is that it's built like my 031AV with the verticaly split mag crankcase. It's built like a 'real saw'. If not for that detail then I'd have already ran out and bought an MS310. A $200.00 difference does buy chain loops, new files, mix oil, bar oil, a case, wedges, and a new splittin' maul for this non-pro though. Maybe I can grind down my dealer and get him to discount that lonely MS390 that's been collecting dust on the shelf for a couple of years. I do have to say that for a 'horizontal case' saw it's priced too close to the MS361 when at full retail. In any case, for those of us that don't pay our bills with our saws it's hard to justify spending $600.00 or more per saw when there's so much old mag in the garage and on the market.

:monkey: Oh crap, I've gone and done it. There's something about this site that infects a man's brain and makes him turn a perfectly good thread about some beautiful 041AVs into another "Buy the MS361" thread!!! :bang:

Those 041AVs of yours are nice saws though. Since that one I passed up I haven't seen a decent one for sale in this area for a decent price. Theres a guy in my area that has a sweet looking Echo 750EVL (in pics anyways...) for sale for two much $$$. I'm hoping to get him down to reasonable levels as he's had it on the block for a month at least. It would handle the upper end of my cutting needs and would give me two AV saws in my stable (and one with electronic ignition.). I'd be hip then!!! :rockn: