Stihl 500i fast idle and overheating bar and chain

Rugged made
Wesspur
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I didn't want to cut firewood today, so instead I just cut cookies in the wilderness. About 5 miles in, I knew of a 22" log off the road down about 10'.

About 1/2 a tank of gas, 20 cookies, running the saw Hard, and it behaved perfectly with the 24" B&C.

Conclusion: Saw is fine. Nothing at all wrong with it.

Now I'm scratching my head. I checked out the 32" B&C and could find nothing wrong with either. Next time out I will mount another brand new Tsumura 32" bar and a new Oregon chain and see if the saw likes that combo. If not then perhaps the saw is runing at its limit while wearing 32s. It cuts fine with the 32s, but there are side affects, maybe.

I'm just pleased that the expensive and new saw is Okay. :yes:

I'm also happy that I didn't take the saw into the dealer. I'm positive that saved me a $100. Maybe I'll buy a 28" Tsumura light weight bar with the money I did not piss away at the dealer. :)
 
Today, I got the 500i out with the 32" B&C. New chain, same bar and the idle is fine. Chain was running a bit hot again. I am concluding that the 32 is a bit long for the saw. With my complaints above, I ran the saw a bit differently. I mark about 10 or fifteen cuts, do my cuts, let the saw cool while I mark another 10 or 15, and cut some more. Between cuts I rev the saw and let the chain get saturated with oil, and that seemed to be the answer. Just don't over work the saw with the longer bar and chain.
 
sean donato said:
I'd bet it's the stingy on oil stihl thing.... any upgrades foe the oil pump?
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the same thing. Need to find a good dealer that knows the saw. Or maybe Stihl shows an oiler upgrade in their parts diagrams. I can live with this as is, but if I can remember I'll quiz the dealer and get a look at their computer screen.
 
PV Hiker said:
Mine the pin is punched and seems to oil fine with Stihl 36" light bar.

Is your bar have the same size oil hole as Stihl and in same place?
Click to expand...
That pin has got to be one of the most stupidest things I’ve ever seen on a saw….it's right up there with hose stupid long raker links on the safety homeowner chains…lol
 
The 500i does well with a 28” bar anything bigger is pushing it (IMO) from a oiling standpoint even with the pin punched. Of course this is going to vary somewhat depending on use but in general saws these days just don’t oil like they use to. You can thank the EPA for that. I’ll have to look at the IPL but I’m not aware of any kind of oil pump upgrade for the 500i.
 
ballisticdoughnut said:
The 500i does well with a 28” bar anything bigger is pushing it (IMO) from a oiling standpoint even with the pin punched. Of course this is going to vary somewhat depending on use but in general saws these days just don’t oil like they use to. You can thank the EPA for that. I’ll have to look at the IPL but I’m not aware of any kind of oil pump upgrade for the 500i.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yeah, if they do have an upgrade, let us know. I'm pretty happy with how the saw ran today, and I do have a 28" B&C for it also. I'm really liking the 32. Can about tackle anything I come across here in the wilderness.
 
MontanaResident said:
Thanks. Yeah, if they do have an upgrade, let us know. I'm pretty happy with how the saw ran today, and I do have a 28" B&C for it also. I'm really liking the 32. Can about tackle anything I come across here in the wilderness.
Click to expand...
Took a look at the IPL for the 500i today, didn’t see any kind of upgrade for the oil pump.
 
Out again this morning. A giant fir was laying on the side of the Mountain road, buck of all branches, over 24" in diameter. It was a good 40 feet or more, 17 bucked logs and my trailer was full. Another 10 or more for the neighbors trailer that wasn't quite full from an earlier cutting spot.

After about 10 cuts I put my hand on the chain and it was only warm. Perfect.

It does get a bit jerky in the cut especially when I am leaning on the saw. I'm thinking this is the reason West Coast Saws is making the new AV kit. Doesn't really bother me, but just another thing I am learning about the saw.

One more thing that does bother me a bit. Starting it warm. I shut it off and let it sit for 2, 3, 4 minutes and the primer bulb sometimes and sometimes not needs to be pressed a couple or a few times. Carburetor and M-Tronic saws I've owned, after full operating temperature, never needed choke or the quick idle position. Just something I am figuring out -- how much time can go by before I can start the saw simply with only a pull on the starter rope?

BTW, I'd say I'm at the 15 tanks of fuel for break-in, finally.
 
MontanaResident said:
Out again this morning. A giant fir was laying on the side of the Mountain road, buck of all branches, over 24" in diameter. It was a good 40 feet or more, 17 bucked logs and my trailer was full. Another 10 or more for the neighbors trailer that wasn't quite full from an earlier cutting spot.

After about 10 cuts I put my hand on the chain and it was only warm. Perfect.

It does get a bit jerky in the cut especially when I am leaning on the saw. I'm thinking this is the reason West Coast Saws is making the new AV kit. Doesn't really bother me, but just another thing I am learning about the saw.

One more thing that does bother me a bit. Starting it warm. I shut it off and let it sit for 2, 3, 4 minutes and the primer bulb sometimes and sometimes not needs to be pressed a couple or a few times. Carburetor and M-Tronic saws after full operating temperature, I've own never needed choke or the quick idle position. Just something I am figuring out -- how much time can go by before I can start the saw simply with only a pull on the starter rope?

BTW, I'd say I'm at the 15 tanks of fuel for break-in, finally.
Click to expand...
It’s not a primer bulb on the 500i.
 
My 500 has been a 1 pull warm Saw from day 1. I don't know if you noticed after a cut it will hi idle for a few second then idle down I always let it idle down.before I shut it off. I run 32 inch stihl lite bar on a regular basis 063 have never had these issues. I would think montana softwood would be somewhat comparable. I have cut in Montana near Kalispell once the firs did seam I bit harder
 
Cedarkerf said:
My 500 has been a 1 pull warm Saw from day 1. I don't know if you noticed after a cut it will hi idle for a few second then idle down I always let it idle down.before I shut it off. I run 32 inch stihl lite bar on a regular basis 063 have never had these issues. I would think montana softwood would be somewhat comparable. I have cut in Montana near Kalispell once the firs did seam I bit harder
Click to expand...
Mine is also a one pull start when warm. But as it cools down 3,4,5 minutes I need to prime it and it is a one pull start.

The idle situation is gone. I do let it idle for a bit before shutting it down. 0.050 gauge might be at fault, but I'm not changing it.
 
MontanaResident said:
Mine is also a one pull start when warm. But as it cools down 3,4,5 minutes I need to prime it and it is a one pull start.

The idle situation is gone. I do let it idle for a bit before shutting it down. 0.050 gauge might be at fault, but I'm not changing it.
Click to expand...
How does one prime a 500i?
 

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