Stihl MS 170 / 180 Chainsaw - Adjustable Carburetor Swap Tutorial

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I hope it helps yours run better. Before the mod, even with essentially new condition parts (filter, fuel line, diaphragms), it was bogging badly off idle and max rpm was between 15,000-15,500 rpm. When the diaphragms get a bit stiff and people run 50:1 a dull chain and hot weather you’re asking for trouble

 

[stihltech]

Sold a thousand and never needed to change to an adjustable carb. Works just fine.

 

[DND 9000]

Stihltech is right, works fine like they come from the factory. Everything can be modified, but if it is "better" after it, is another question. Some guys want to promote theirself and their youtube channel. It can be done, why not, but... not really neccessary.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Hate to guestimate how many carbs I have replaced on those. Taking the ground wire off and the side of the handle off is not necessary. You can get the control lever plenty out of the way with the wire attached. Not sure why he needed to take the side of the handle off. Beats me.

I replace them with what came off. The owner will use it for some project and them let it set for a couple of years and get stopped up again.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Sold a thousand and never needed to change to an adjustable carb. Works just fine.

Glad they run good for your conditions. Here they bog badly off idle at sea level and run over 15k rpm. A mates ran at 17k. When the diaphragms get a bit stiff, slightly blocked filters, it’s hot, dull chains and 50:1 you’re asking for trouble.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Hate to guestimate how many carbs I have replaced on those. Taking the ground wire off and the side of the handle off is not necessary. You can get the control lever plenty out of the way with the wire attached. Not sure why he needed to take the side of the handle off. Beats me.

I replace them with what came off. The owner will use it for some project and them let it set for a couple of years and get stopped up again.

Needs to come off to fit wt215 linkage

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Stihltech is right, works fine like they come from the factory. Everything can be modified, but if it is "better" after it, is another question. Some guys want to promote theirself and their youtube channel. It can be done, why not, but... not really neccessary.

Every one I’ve had here at sea level bogs off idle and runs over 15-15.5k. A mates ran at 17k You can run what you like, my preference is to change them. This saw was a good opportunity to make a video on changing them for those having issues. Re YouTube, absolutely I want to promote my channel. I enjoy it, it’s great income, fun to see it grow, connect with others who like engine repair and it’s good to be able to help people out.

 

[epo]

connect with others who like engine repair and it’s good to be able to help people out.

So it is strange that deleting comments is a feature that distinguishes your channel. Including ones that might help someone not to make a mistake and try this hack on equipment where it cannot be used.
Are those affiliate links worth it?

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

So it is strange that deleting comments is a feature that distinguishes your channel. Including ones that might help someone not to make a mistake and try this hack on equipment where it cannot be used.
Are those affiliate links worth it?

Hmm, the only 2 comments I’ve deleted so far were both relating to newer versions stihl now makes with strato charging.

There have been lots of later variations of this saw 171/181/182/162 and they come standard with adjustable carbs anyway not the fixed jet ones, which I presume one was yours.

The comment said this doesn’t work on the newer versions of this model. My response was that no it won’t work on them because this video is for the older 170 and 180 chainsaws, not the ms171 and ms181 that are stratocharged.

You (someone?) said that the 170 and 180 are strato charged too and have been for years, you said you’d send an IPL, but I have it - and they’re not.

At this point it was going off topic to the video and I can’t keep going back and forth.

I try to keep up with, respond to and manage hundreds of comments a day while trying my best to keep comments relevant.

Instead of joining a forum and attacking me, why not just send me an email? It’s on my channel for anyone.

 

[epo]

Hmm, the only 2 comments I’ve deleted so far were both relating to newer versions stihl now makes with strato charging.

There have been lots of later variations of this saw 171/181/182/162 and they come standard with adjustable carbs anyway not the fixed jet ones, which I presume one was yours.

The comment said this doesn’t work on the newer versions of this model. My response was that no it won’t work on them because this video is for the older 170 and 180 chainsaws, not the ms171 and ms181 that are stratocharged.

You (someone?) said that the 170 and 180 are strato charged too and have been for years, you said you’d send an IPL, but I have it - and they’re not.

At this point it was going off topic to the video and I can’t keep going back and forth.

I try to keep up with, respond to and manage hundreds of comments a day while trying my best to keep comments relevant.

Instead of joining a forum and attacking me, why not just send me an email? It’s on my channel for anyone.

View attachment 1176013

I asked whether to send you an IPL. You didn't answer that you wanted it and didn't give an address.
I replied to your message with information on the part number (cylinder) you requested, although you were convinced that surely "in England" nothing like that existed. And I'm not "attacking" you...

 

[ZeroJunk]

Needs to come off to fit wt215 linkage

The linkage is the same. I think he is saying that the OEM linkage does not completely open the butterfly.
Could be. You could look in there and see before you took the original carb off.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

View attachment 1176016
View attachment 1176017

I asked whether to send you an IPL. You didn't answer that you wanted it and didn't give an address.
I replied to your message with information on the part number (cylinder) you requested, although you were convinced that surely "in England" nothing like that existed. And I'm not "attacking" you...

Well firstly, I’m sorry, I apologise and will admit I’m wrong…

In the 5 years I’ve been on here, all the posts I’ve seen on the 170 and 180 as well as the IPL’s I have on the 017, 018 170 and 180 and all the saws I’ve come across myself aren’t strato charged.

The only ones I’ve seen that are strato charged are the later models that have recently come out in Australia - the 171 and 181’s.

I didn’t see any part numbers in a post you shared otherwise I would have googled them rather than re-checking the 4 IPL’s I have first.

I have no problem admitting I’m wrong and apologising where necessary. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

The linkage is the same. I think he is saying that the OEM linkage does not completely open the butterfly.
Could be. You could look in there and see before you took the original carb off.

That’s the one mate, the rod itself is the same, the part where it attaches to the butterfly shaft is closed like an o rather than a u. You have to take off the trigger to get the two together.

 

[Brushwacker]

Stihltech is right, works fine like they come from the factory. Everything can be modified, but if it is "better" after it, is another question. Some guys want to promote theirself and their youtube channel. It can be done, why not, but... not really neccessary.

There is a point and time the adjustable carb is well suited to be an upgrade. I have used several 180,s and 170,s over the years . Having 2 180,s in my lineup, bout a month ago 1 started running lean which led to me changing it to an new adjustable after market carb. This also allowed me to adjust it to modifying the muffler, which did at the same time. The end of the story is this 180 s performance has increased about 20 percent in power and pep. Non adjustable is a pain when u need adjustment, when you don't it works but limits you from fine tuning to a healthy muffler mod .