Stihl 500i First Impressions

[vision976]

500i Update:

We've had the first snows of winter in the mountains and there are a lot of trees that came down in the autumn storms, which are blocking the soon-to-be-groomed for snowmobiles, Forest Service Roads. The hunters and 4x4'ers typically only cut the downed trees enough to get their machines through, but that isn't wide enough for a grooming machine to pass. I'd been going out in my 4 seater Talon SxS so that I could carry a 60" Peavey, a pick axe, the 500i and the MS201T along with fuel, oil and tools to sharpen and adjust the chains. And have been removing the fully-blocking deadfalls and the partially blocking ones, too. The snow became too deep for the Talon to negotiate, when the grade became steep enough. So I knew I'd have to use a snowmobile to continue the log removal effort.

I built a small, wooden rack of OSB strand board with 1x2 clear fir pieces screwed to it in just the right places to act as stops to keep the 500i, the 60" Logrite Peavey with log jack, fuel and bar oil containers, positioned precisely on the OSB panel. I used bungie cords hooked to strategically located eye bolts, which were screwed into the 1x2" stops.

The OSB panel is bolted to a 3/16" aluminum plate which has six bolts which pick up the Polaris tunnel accessory attachment rails. Polaris recommends no more weight than 15 lbs. be placed on the tunnel. So I mounted everything as far forward on the tunnel as possible, where the tunnel's verticle sides, which act as stiffners, have a goodly amount of material. Most of the weight is actually forward of the rear mounting point of the running boards. The The running boards are designed to handle the full weight of a 300 lbs. person, standing with both feet on the same running board, while the machine carves a turn in deep snow, so I think Polaris's 15 lbs. tunnel restriction to be conservative. I'm sure the saw, Peavey, fuel and oil weigh 40+ lbs, and I can feel the sled handles differently when it is loaded with the items. I can sense the center of gravity is higher and it feels tippier, like it will roll over easier in a high-speed turn on a groomed trail. So I slow down.

The 500i has worked flawlessy in the cold temperatures, I've been using the blue bottle Stihl winter bar oil. Temperatures have been as low as 15 F, but the saw fires up easily. No icing problems encountered. I use a 20 inch bar as it is rare to encounter something larger in diameter than the 20 inch will handle. And it balances so nicely with the short bar. I am careful to let it come up to operating temperature by letting it idle for a while, and then operating it lower RPM while starting the initial cut. It does cut so quickly, being such a powerhouse, that is just doesn't take long to buck up any tree or for that matter, any number of trees, as many are blown down together around these parts, since they all burned in the fires of 2012; it's the domino effect in action.

The peavey with log stand, is a chainsaver of course, but it is useful too, in prying up trees stuck in the snow. My prior experiences when I had it along in the Talon, had proved its value, so I just had to build the rack to bring the Peavey (cant hook style) along on the sled.

I do have about 12 tanks of gas through the saw now and it does seem to cut a little better than when it was brand new. Of course a lot of that just comes from having a really sharp chain. I use the Stihl 2-1 tool to sharpen and dress the teeth between cutting sessions. The amount of sawdust chips produced by the saw is a sight to behold. The ten-year old dead tamarack trees are a softwood, which cut very easily. Makes great firewood, burns with little ash, but more quickly than doug fir.

I have no "fines" getting by the air filter, so apparently I don't have the filter problem that some 500i owners have reported.

The last picture was taken after sunset, when I finally quit cutting for the day. That's Mt. Rainier in the distance.

 

[user 122190]

I have no "fines" getting by the air filter, so apparently I don't have the filter problem that some 500i owners have reported.

There is a trick to putting the air filter on that solves the "filter problem". For those that haven't figured it out yet. Very lightly push the air filter onto its mount. Only enough to hold it in place. The filter cover is used to push the filter into place, and in doing so makes for a good seal between the filter/cover/locking device.

 

[huskihl]

There is a trick to putting the air filter on that solves the "filter problem". For those that haven't figured it out yet. Very lightly push the air filter onto its mount. Only enough to hold it in place. The filter cover is used to push the filter into place, and in doing so makes for a good seal between the filter/cover/locking device.

It’s a terrible seal after 100 hours of use. Vibration loosens up the air filter mount and locking mechanism

 

[lone wolf]

It’s a terrible seal after 100 hours of use. Vibration loosens up the air filter mount and locking mechanism

And what should be done about this?

 

[huskihl]

And what should be done about this?

The Egan or Max Flow foam filters are what I’ve used if the customer wanted one. Can also use a foam washer between the stock filter and cover to seal up the back hole.

 

[huskihl]

Hard to beat Egan’s that fits under the stock hood for $70

 

[lone wolf]

Hard to beat Egan’s that fits under the stock hood for $70

This?
https://eganperformancesaws.com/products/air-filter-kit

 

[huskihl]

This?
https://eganperformancesaws.com/products/air-filter-kit

Yes

 

[singinwoodwackr]

And what should be done about this?

Before I got a Maxflo I had tried a thin O ring that fit into the depression on the top of the filter which added a little more pressure, tightening up the slop once the cover was snapped in place. It seemed to work but I had to be careful not to lose that ring,

 

[Swanman]

Before I got a Maxflo I had tried a thin O ring that fit into the depression on the top of the filter which added a little more pressure, tightening up the slop once the cover was snapped in place. It seemed to work but I had to be careful not to lose that ring,

That is the method that I am currently using. I trimmed down a rubber grommet to fit between the filter and the housing. It seems to help. I am also running an Outerwears pre filter which does help to keep the pleats in the filter from packing with chips. I bought an extra factory filter to rotate in, but I haven’t used it yet. Now the Egan foam filter is looking like the best choice. Speaking of Egan Performance, are any of you running his straight shot muffler on your 500i? Is it worth it? Do you feel that the add on deflector is or would be necessary?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

That is the method that I am currently using. I trimmed down a rubber grommet to fit between the filter and the housing. It seems to help. I am also running an Outerwears pre filter which does help to keep the pleats in the filter from packing with chips. I bought an extra factory filter to rotate in, but I haven’t used it yet. Now the Egan foam filter is looking like the best choice. Speaking of Egan Performance, are any of you running his straight shot muffler on your 500i? Is it worth it? Do you feel that the add on deflector is or would be necessary?

I looked at it but had already done my own mod...and a couple others for a tree service friend.
But, for that price the Egan is probably the most cost effective MM for this saw, imo.

 

[lone wolf]

I looked at it but had already done my own mod...and a couple others for a tree service friend.
But, for that price the Egan is probably the most cost effective MM for this saw, imo.

I tell you what that saw is loud enough stock I wouldnt want it any louder ,who cares about being able to hear anything right. I been running saws since 74 and I dont think louder is cooler anymore like I did as a kid.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I tell you what that saw is loud enough stock I wouldnt want it any louder ,who cares about being able to hear anything right. I been running saws since 74 and I dont think louder is cooler anymore like I did as a kid.

I recommend hearing protection with any chainsaw use
loud? O hell no. Now, my Dozer Dan 346xp? O yea…that’s loud.

 

[woodfarmer]

I havn‘t had any issues with the filter. the majority of what I cut is Ash, Maple and Beech. I have 2 500’s but I don’t know when I’ll hit 100 hours as I also like to run my ported Jonsered’s too a lot.

 

[user 122190]

I havn‘t had any issues with the filter. the majority of what I cut is Ash, Maple and Beech. I have 2 500’s but I don’t know when I’ll hit 100 hours as I also like to run my ported Jonsered’s too a lot.

You'll know when you hit 100, or more likely the second after. It will literally blow up, and if you are still alive it will strangle you to death. I seen it happen 1000s of times. I recommend selling at 99 Hours.

 

[woodfarmer]

You’ll be my first call Montana. BTW, do you know John Dutton
I put an Exile double barrel muffler cover on one, it is louder.

 

[user 122190]

You’ll be my first call Montana. BTW, do you know John Dutton
I put an Exile double barrel muffler cover on one, it is louder.

John is okay. I use Rip as a punching bag for fun.

 

[Eraser]

So I bought the 500i last December, after having had to search a bit to locate it, due to supply chain issues. It came with a 32" ES light bar on it, but in that configuration, it is "nose heavy", meaning the tip of the bar hangs much lower than the saw, when suspended from the top handle. I have 20 and 25 inch ES light bars for it as well. Either of the shorter bars mitigate the nose heavy trait.

We have a lot of hiking trails, forest service roads and 4x4 trails in the mountains near Blewett Pass in the state of Washington. I live 17minutes from that pass and regularly snowmobile up there in winter and hike/hunt/dirtbike/4x4 in a SxS Talon, during all the other seasons up there. The highest elevations are 7000 feet.

There have been significant forest fires within recent years (2012) and the burned timber has become weakened from rot over the ensuing years. Some dead, barkless trees come down due to gravity, but many come down due to the high winds from the storms of winter and fall. So the hiking trails, roads and 4x4 off-road trails invariably have many deadfalls blocking the routes. I typically use an ancient McCulloch Mini-Mac 35 with a 14 inch bar to clear hiking trails and single track motorcycle trails. And an old Stihl 041 Super with a 25" bar for the bigger stuff which blocks roads. I clear the forest service roads after elk hunting season has come and gone and the storms of Autumn have brought down the rotten trees. Often I ride my snowmobile in the early part of the winter, before the Forest Service commences grooming of their roads, which become groomed snowmobile trails, those give us high-speed access to the deep powder off in the trees and the steeper slopes. I carry the Mini-Mac in a large day pack with a quart of premix and a pint of bar oil and the tools needed to sharpen the chain, adjust the chain and the carburator. ( I can't believe how sensitive to altitude changes the little minimacs are.) I remove a lot of blocking deadfalls to help the mechanical groomer machine make faster progress, when they begin their work, at the start of the season. In fact, the road/trail groomers in the area, request the "user groups" (Snowmobilers) to cut the deadfalls out. They ask that we make at least one cut in the middle of the log and then one at either side of the road, so they can push the sawn logs out of the way with their front blades, as they groom, instead of having to get out and saw/remove the deadfalls themselves.

Last November, before the winter snows arrived, there was a mid-autumn storm with very high winds that brought down stands of fire-burned timber. One of the Forest Service roads was blocked by literally hundreds of dead larch and fir trees, in the space of a mile and one half. I had begun to remove many of them with my old 041 Super when two families in 3/4 ton 4x4 pickups came up to cut loads of firewood. The fathers introduced me to their Stihl 462 and 500i models. It was quite an education. The 500i was clearly more powerful and lighter in weight than the 462, so I had to have one. My 041 Super quit working due to a failed SEM ignition system at that time and because I'd had the 041 for more than 40 years, I thought I should upgrade to something new and more powerful. Hence the purchase of the 500i.

Well, I hadn't had a chance to use the 500i until today, when one of our favorite hiking trails had become blocked by a huge Ponderosa Pine. The pine was about 27 inches across, where I began to cut it in to rounds to roll out of the way. So I packed the 500i with it's 32" bar lashed to my elk meat packframe to get it to the downed Ponderosa.

First impressions of the saw. Reading everything I had, on the Arborsite.com forum, I had expected the saw to be like Luke Skywalker's Light Saber and speedily cut through any wood fed to it. But it did not! Oh, it cut very fast, with the clear authority of a powerful saw, but it was still possible to bog it down when leveraging the bar downward into the wood using the bucking teeth as the fulcrum. I thought from the reviews I'd read, it would have phenominal power, and it does, but it will still bog when fed too much wood to chew through. Admittedly, it was a 32 inch bar buried in a 27 inch pine, but, still, I was a little surprised it bogged, after having read such glowing reviews on this forum. I guess every saw can be bogged, given the right conditions.

I should mention it makes beaucoup woodchip piles very quickly! The wood chips just stream out of it.

Was it easy to start? Yes, prime it, hit the decompression button, pull the starter handle/cord briskly a couple of times, and it caught and came to life. When it was warmed up, I could start it on the first pull without hitting the decompression button. Starts first time, every time, after it has been warmed up. I love the kill switch button, compared to the manual toggle switch on my 041 or the slide switch on the older mini-macs.

The exhaust note: I usually bring earplugs or muffs to use, this time I did not. I ran the 500i gently at first, allowing it to warm up and then began to feed it wood at a greater rate. I'd say the exhaust note upto about 3/4 throttle or 80 percent was tolerable and not at a hearing damaging level. But the 500i has an RPM range above the 3/4 throttle point that develops the exhaust note into a sort of scream which is definitely at a hearing damaging decibel level. At least to this man's ears. So wear ear protection! I will in the future.

The 500i even with the 32 inch bar, is several pounds lighter than my 041 super with a 25 inch bar.

So... For first impressions: it is a powerful saw, easy to start, and will handle the longer bars, but it is not an 880.
I have no comment on fuel consumption, haven't used it enough. Bar oiling appeared to be sufficient, even with the 32 inch bar.

I like the captive bar nuts, one less thing to keep track of in the forest. I like the push button kill switch. I like the primer button. I like the decompression button. It is easy to start. I like the bar/chain tension adjustment screw, as it is perpendicular to the bar, rather than aligned with the bar and close to it, as on the older saws. Easier to adjust the chain. The 500i is a keeper for sure. If it lasts as long as my 041 super, I'll be dead before it is worn out. Haven't checked my air filter yet, to see if there are any fines gettng past the filter, but I doubt I'll have that problem because the fit of the filter is very snug around the venturi opening and the rubber sealing surfaces are flat and mate properly to the adjacent surfaces. I will report back if I find anything made it past the filter.

Hi, I have just bought the 500i, love it, the only problem with it that others have stated, (not yet my problem) is dust getting past the filter. the filter fits snug on the venturi but there is a foam washer/gasket on the cover mount which, if the filter is not pushed down firmly enough, would let fines into the venturi, Just something to look out for. I intend to buy a bunch of spares as soon as I can.

 

[woodfarmer]

I just bought my 3rd the other day. Guy watched all the videos and had to mod it like Donny Walker. Another foam washer and a fancy chip deflector with stronger av mount. I asked him how he liked it and he said he never ran it. He’s keeping his 461, oh well good deal for me.
Now cutting here in southern Ontario its all hardwood, maple, beech and ash. So I’m not sure these upgrades are necessary, time will tell.

 

[Eraser]

So I bought the 500i last December, after having had to search a bit to locate it, due to supply chain issues. It came with a 32" ES light bar on it, but in that configuration, it is "nose heavy", meaning the tip of the bar hangs much lower than the saw, when suspended from the top handle. I have 20 and 25 inch ES light bars for it as well. Either of the shorter bars mitigate the nose heavy trait.

We have a lot of hiking trails, forest service roads and 4x4 trails in the mountains near Blewett Pass in the state of Washington. I live 17minutes from that pass and regularly snowmobile up there in winter and hike/hunt/dirtbike/4x4 in a SxS Talon, during all the other seasons up there. The highest elevations are 7000 feet.

There have been significant forest fires within recent years (2012) and the burned timber has become weakened from rot over the ensuing years. Some dead, barkless trees come down due to gravity, but many come down due to the high winds from the storms of winter and fall. So the hiking trails, roads and 4x4 off-road trails invariably have many deadfalls blocking the routes. I typically use an ancient McCulloch Mini-Mac 35 with a 14 inch bar to clear hiking trails and single track motorcycle trails. And an old Stihl 041 Super with a 25" bar for the bigger stuff which blocks roads. I clear the forest service roads after elk hunting season has come and gone and the storms of Autumn have brought down the rotten trees. Often I ride my snowmobile in the early part of the winter, before the Forest Service commences grooming of their roads, which become groomed snowmobile trails, those give us high-speed access to the deep powder off in the trees and the steeper slopes. I carry the Mini-Mac in a large day pack with a quart of premix and a pint of bar oil and the tools needed to sharpen the chain, adjust the chain and the carburator. ( I can't believe how sensitive to altitude changes the little minimacs are.) I remove a lot of blocking deadfalls to help the mechanical groomer machine make faster progress, when they begin their work, at the start of the season. In fact, the road/trail groomers in the area, request the "user groups" (Snowmobilers) to cut the deadfalls out. They ask that we make at least one cut in the middle of the log and then one at either side of the road, so they can push the sawn logs out of the way with their front blades, as they groom, instead of having to get out and saw/remove the deadfalls themselves.

Last November, before the winter snows arrived, there was a mid-autumn storm with very high winds that brought down stands of fire-burned timber. One of the Forest Service roads was blocked by literally hundreds of dead larch and fir trees, in the space of a mile and one half. I had begun to remove many of them with my old 041 Super when two families in 3/4 ton 4x4 pickups came up to cut loads of firewood. The fathers introduced me to their Stihl 462 and 500i models. It was quite an education. The 500i was clearly more powerful and lighter in weight than the 462, so I had to have one. My 041 Super quit working due to a failed SEM ignition system at that time and because I'd had the 041 for more than 40 years, I thought I should upgrade to something new and more powerful. Hence the purchase of the 500i.

Well, I hadn't had a chance to use the 500i until today, when one of our favorite hiking trails had become blocked by a huge Ponderosa Pine. The pine was about 27 inches across, where I began to cut it in to rounds to roll out of the way. So I packed the 500i with it's 32" bar lashed to my elk meat packframe to get it to the downed Ponderosa.

First impressions of the saw. Reading everything I had, on the Arborsite.com forum, I had expected the saw to be like Luke Skywalker's Light Saber and speedily cut through any wood fed to it. But it did not! Oh, it cut very fast, with the clear authority of a powerful saw, but it was still possible to bog it down when leveraging the bar downward into the wood using the bucking teeth as the fulcrum. I thought from the reviews I'd read, it would have phenominal power, and it does, but it will still bog when fed too much wood to chew through. Admittedly, it was a 32 inch bar buried in a 27 inch pine, but, still, I was a little surprised it bogged, after having read such glowing reviews on this forum. I guess every saw can be bogged, given the right conditions.

I should mention it makes beaucoup woodchip piles very quickly! The wood chips just stream out of it.

Was it easy to start? Yes, prime it, hit the decompression button, pull the starter handle/cord briskly a couple of times, and it caught and came to life. When it was warmed up, I could start it on the first pull without hitting the decompression button. Starts first time, every time, after it has been warmed up. I love the kill switch button, compared to the manual toggle switch on my 041 or the slide switch on the older mini-macs.

The exhaust note: I usually bring earplugs or muffs to use, this time I did not. I ran the 500i gently at first, allowing it to warm up and then began to feed it wood at a greater rate. I'd say the exhaust note upto about 3/4 throttle or 80 percent was tolerable and not at a hearing damaging level. But the 500i has an RPM range above the 3/4 throttle point that develops the exhaust note into a sort of scream which is definitely at a hearing damaging decibel level. At least to this man's ears. So wear ear protection! I will in the future.

The 500i even with the 32 inch bar, is several pounds lighter than my 041 super with a 25 inch bar.

So... For first impressions: it is a powerful saw, easy to start, and will handle the longer bars, but it is not an 880.
I have no comment on fuel consumption, haven't used it enough. Bar oiling appeared to be sufficient, even with the 32 inch bar.

I like the captive bar nuts, one less thing to keep track of in the forest. I like the push button kill switch. I like the primer button. I like the decompression button. It is easy to start. I like the bar/chain tension adjustment screw, as it is perpendicular to the bar, rather than aligned with the bar and close to it, as on the older saws. Easier to adjust the chain. The 500i is a keeper for sure. If it lasts as long as my 041 super, I'll be dead before it is worn out. Haven't checked my air filter yet, to see if there are any fines gettng past the filter, but I doubt I'll have that problem because the fit of the filter is very snug around the venturi opening and the rubber sealing surfaces are flat and mate properly to the adjacent surfaces. I will report back if I find anything made it past the filter.

Just bought the 500i, you need to take care that the air filter is pushed securely on, there is a foam washer where the rod for securing the air cleaner cover goes through. it is the only place I can see for any fines getting past the filter, I have read on other sites where they placed two washers/gaskets on top of each other to seal this area. I would like to know what you think of this, I have only put 3 tanks of fuel through mine and to date nothing getting past the filter.