Stihl MS 440 Lemon

[oldsaw]

I'd have to disagree, Who knows what else could be wrong. Better safe than sorry, make them hook you up with a new saw

Only if the carb doesn't fix it. Listen to Thall and Lake, it makes the buyer look like a nice cooperative guy willing to bend to get it fixed, but wanting it fixed. If the carb doesn't work, then he has even more leverage with the dealer and with the regional that makes the call. The chances of something else wrong with the saw is pretty dang slim. Remember, Stihl didn't make the carb.

Mark

 

[Schultzz]

Should have bought a 441 Mag

 

[Wismer]

Only if the carb doesn't fix it. Listen to Thall and Lake, it makes the buyer look like a nice cooperative guy willing to bend to get it fixed, but wanting it fixed. If the carb doesn't work, then he has even more leverage with the dealer and with the regional that makes the call. The chances of something else wrong with the saw is pretty dang slim. Remember, Stihl didn't make the carb.

Mark

good call!

go stihl or go home

 

[oldsaw]

good call!

go stihl or go home

I just went through that mess with my Stihl weed whacker...bad carb, a month or two out of warranty. Good whacker, bad carb.

Mark

 

[sawinredneck]

It didn't happen

Or the robot had a hangover?

It's Zama's fault

The dog ate my homework......plotz

Pest could you explain the point of that post of yours. I kinda like to know if your being a smart azz or a dumb azz though I'd lay my money on both.

I am with Tom on this one!!

Do you even think before you type PEST?

My Dad has a saying in his garage, think about this a bit: "Please engage brain, before putting mouth in gear!"

Any manufacture could have made a dud!! The Husky 346 I got was so jacked up when I got it it's a wonder it cut anything!! I worked it out AND retracted my statements badmouthing that saw!!! Jeez dude, you are something I tell ya, and it ain't a good thing!

 

[Former Saw Builder]

A lot of good feedback here thanks to all... I'm going to let my dealer do what ever they want to try to make it work before I call it quits on the saw, But I have to admit it sucks putting this kind of money out and having to wait to cut wood... I'm sure glad we have dozens of other saws in our business to use. I've never had any major problems with our Stihls. I want to get a MS 440 modified and a MS 660 modified from Washing Hot Saws, Dean does nice work. He is the main reason I went with the MS 440 instead of the MS 441 in the first place he says they are awesome with his stage 3 t mod. I think BostonBull has one of Deans 044s modified and I heard he really likes it. Time will tell.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

It didn't happen

Or the robot had a hangover?

It's Zama's fault

The dog ate my homework......plotz

Hey PEST..........nobodys hungover!!!

Except for maybe the saws you run!!!:bang:

Stop hanging on coattails and offer up something of interest!!!

 

[Lakeside53]

The problem is declaring it a "lemon" befere its even been diagnosed. It likely has one simple problem, and can be easily fixed. The dealer may have missed it the first time simply because it may be intermittant. It happens, but rarely with new stihl saws. I can count on two finger the total units sold this past year (a lot) that failed in the first few weeks; one was serious (exchanged the saw immediately) and the other kinked fuel line.

That's what "warranty" is all about. If not, they'd call it "exchange". Work with your dealer. You'll get satisfaction, one way or the other.

 

[XJWoody]

...Any manufacture could have made a dud!!...

Much as that sucks, it's true.

My first new bike was a KTM 350 from my local dealer (local to home, I was 1000 mi away in the Army) came home on a short Thanksgiving leave, took delivery, and broke it in exactly as the shop advised. Put maybe 50 miles on it then stored it for the winter... again, exactly as advised.

Flash forward to 6 months later: Took a month off, flew in, and limbered the bike up for what could have been a LOT of trail miles... Repeated the recommended break in drill for a few sessions, threw the gear on, and went for a real ride... A few miles from the house, as I'm nearing 5th gear WOT on a commuter rail ROW roadbed, it seized up!!! :bang: "Bummed out" just hints at the feeling. My 30 day leave was down to day 28 and I was back to being a pedestrian, sort of. (Kid bro had a 100cc trail bike that I whipped like a rented mule)

Anyway the dealer was a good guy, put my junk at the front of the line and went to bat to get me a new p/c kit from KTM. (race bikes tend to have NO warranty) He had on hand (and offered) a 250cc P/C that would have bolted right on, but I wanted the "350" top end, as it was +23cc as well as having a rebuildable iron sleeve - The 250 had Nikasil coating. Well after a long wait, the p/c arrived, and the clearances were way too tight from the factory. (That's why it seized in the first place) so a few trips through the jug with a hone and all was well. Three weeks of vacation shot to hell over a few thousandths of metal... but everything was resolved to my satisfaction in the end.

Moral of the story is that even the most premium products can suffer from a glitch or defect that slips through. When that happens, it's often the selling dealer that has the best chance to make it right... and that's also where the opportunity to solidify (or destroy) customer relations exists. I had a few occasions to go 'way beyond' the warranty when I sold Snap-on Tools. I knew the company was only as good as I was when dealing with an unsatisfied customer. Thankfully those situations were pretty rare.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

He had on hand (and offered) a 250cc P/C that would have bolted right on, but I wanted the "350" top end, as it was +23cc as well as having a rebuildable iron sleeve -

So you are saying that the "350" top-end is only 273 cc's?

 

[XJWoody]

So you are saying that the "350" top-end is only 273 cc's?

In that particular year-model (1985, maybe '86-'88 too) it was just a big-bore 250 with an iron (vs nickel) cylinder liner. The '89 "350" was a 344cc. The new ones are 300s

edit: looks like they called it a 300 GS Enduro Sport in Europe... over here it was called a 350 MXC...

 

[PES+]

I speak from personal experience

Hey PEST..........nobodys hungover!!!

Except for maybe the saws you run!!!:bang:

Stop hanging on coattails and offer up something of interest!!!

I have no idea who's coat tails I would be hanging on...strange comment

ALL chainsaw manufacturers have made the claim that every unit was run before shipment and all others have dropped the claim.

I am jaded yes and I think well before I post.

As I have stated already you can believe what you want.

I have been standing right next to techs un boxing products from all manufacturers and personally witnessed no starts with little if any chance of the unit running at all prior to shipment for a variety of reasons.

I have seen carbs misassembled...missing diaphrams....missing flywheel keys.....I have seen more weird stuff than you can shake a stick at.

And I am not picking on one manufacturer but rather stating what I have personally observed and kindly ask for proof.

Now with this instance he may be able to get a new carb and problem will be solved. He has other saws to take up the slack......and there is time involved for the ordering and installation of the part.

I won't enter a discussion on why he picked up the saw in the condition it is now.

It seems he has a decent relationship with the dealer and I would think he would calmly explain the wider situation and stress he depends on his units working.

This attempt at corporate de-programming has now ended

 

[THALL10326]

I have no idea who's coat tails I would be hanging on...strange comment

ALL chainsaw manufacturers have made the claim that every unit was run before shipment and all others have dropped the claim.

I am jaded yes and I think well before I post.

As I have stated already you can believe what you want.

I have been standing right next to techs un boxing products from all manufacturers and personally witnessed no starts with little if any chance of the unit running at all prior to shipment for a variety of reasons.

I have seen carbs misassembled...missing diaphrams....missing flywheel keys.....I have seen more weird stuff than you can shake a stick at.

And I am not picking on one manufacturer but rather stating what I have personally observed and kindly ask for proof.

Now with this instance he may be able to get a new carb and problem will be solved. He has other saws to take up the slack......and there is time involved for the ordering and installation of the part.

I won't enter a discussion on why he picked up the saw in the condition it is now.

It seems he has a decent relationship with the dealer and I would think he would calmly explain the wider situation and stress he depends on his units working.

This attempt at corporate de-programming has now ended

Awwwwwwwwwwwww so there it is, your attempting to de-program everyone from believing what manufactures tell us. Your wasting your time. I guess when Husky or Stihl or Dolmar claim one such model has 5.5 horsepower we are not to beleive it. We should go buy a dynometer and check it ourselves because the manufacture may not be telling the truth. However with your way of thinking should we believe what the dynometer says, it could be off, not accurate or plain wrong. When the electric meter on your house shows how much power you have used for a month do you pay the bill or instead debate whether the meter is correct and not pay your bill. You sound like the type that would sit in the dark waiting for the accuracy results on the meter. Do you believe the gas gauge in your car when its on E or do you wait till your walking instead of riding.

Fact of the matter is you and everyone else really have no choice but to believe the maker of the product. I sincerely think Stihl, Husky or Dolmar have a helluva lot more knowledge about their products than you. I haven't seen any saws on the market with PEST stamped on the nameplate. Is that because Pest is not a manufacture, maybe the Pest company doesn't know how to produce anything, hmmmm. If the Pest company doesn't know how to produce anything why should I beleive the Pest company who makes nothing over the manufactures that do and have so for many years,hmmm. Now with all that mind give me one good reason why I or anyone else should beleive you over the manufactures, just one reason. Tell me where your word is better than theirs. If you can't come up with one then you need to give it a rest.

 

[PES+]

That will change in the future

Now just a heads up...and I am not battling with any dealers I am stating position.

1 million units produced last year and to my knowledge there was no shortage of product if dealers wanted them to sell ( I could be wrong there but I speak with people all over the country)

So now this year they are slated to produce 4 million units.

I have seen this exact pattern in the past and history does repeat.

Perhaps the new mall districts will add another in the repeating line up every block or 2

McDonalds....Pizza Hut.....Kentucky Fried Chicken....Stihl......

 

[THALL10326]

That will change in the future

Now just a heads up...and I am not battling with any dealers I am stating position.

1 million units produced last year and to my knowledge there was no shortage of product if dealers wanted them to sell ( I could be wrong there but I speak with people all over the country)

So now this year they are slated to produce 4 million units.

I have seen this exact pattern in the past and history does repeat.

Perhaps the new mall districts will add another in the repeating line up every block or 2

McDonalds....Pizza Hut.....Kentucky Fried Chicken....Stihl......

Once again you show you don't know what your talking about. I assume your referring to Stihl about the million and 4 million units. They produced 1 million in 1997, they will put out 4 million this year, 10 years later or 10 years of constant growth. So now try again and show me whatcha got, I'm trying hard to beleive you but so far your blowing smoke and talking out your hiny, try again please. While your at it where do you get your info from, here say or the manufactures, who ya gonna beleive, hmmmmmmmm

 

[PES+]

Time will tell all

Thall I have no beef with you whatsoever.....I do find it a bit offensive sometimes that big corporations feel they are entitlted to free sponsership in places such as these but that is my view.

I am also not calling an dealers stupid...I have been in numerous negotiations with all manners of suppliers in many markets and know full well the promises and relationships. My main issue is the devolving pro saw products that still are touted as the best thing since sliced bread when they are sometimes barely capable of performing their intended market.

Call me full of crap if you must..you do not offend me in the least

I calls em likes I sees em

And I will offer how to fix an 042 if asked but that will be PM only as there is no arguing what I do to them......and it works..I have three locally on their 4th 6th and 10th year of commercial use.

 

[THALL10326]

Thall I have no beef with you whatsoever.....I do find it a bit offensive sometimes that big corporations feel they are entitlted to free sponsership in places such as these but that is my view.

I am also not calling an dealers stupid...I have been in numerous negotiations with all manners of suppliers in many markets and know full well the promises and relationships. My main issue is the devolving pro saw products that still are touted as the best thing since sliced bread when they are sometimes barely capable of performing their intended market.

Call me full of crap if you must..you do not offend me in the least

I calls em likes I sees em

And I will offer how to fix an 042 if asked but that will be PM only as there is no arguing what I do to them......and it works..I have three locally on their 4th 6th and 10th year of commercial use.

Pest I have no beef will you either but you go on and on about manufactures yet you don't seem to realize without them there is nothing to talk about. As far as pro saws today verses saws made 40 years ago yes they are 100 times better. No question about it. Saws have come along way Pest and you got to know that. Saws used to weigh 120 lbs and had 4 hp in the 30's. Now a 4hp saw weighs 13lbs, which one would you want to use. I'm not trying to offend you , merely trying to show you need to let the manufactures build the products and go from there. In this thread the man has a carb issue, plain and simple. You choose not to help but instead slam the manufacture, is that helping out the man, no. If you wanna argue about manufactures thats all fine and dandy but do it with them, the buying public has no choice but to buy from somewhere and that would be from the outfits you keep slamming. No sense in it, serves no purpose because there's no choice in the matter. Thats all I'm trying to point out to you.

 

[Former Saw Builder]

Well just picked up the saw today from the dealer it needed to have the carb replaced but it is running like you would expect a saw of this size to run now and it idles great too... It was a wait as I've owned it for several weeks but was not able to cut wood with it till now, I'll give it a run for my money tomorrow. Thall you and Lake were right. I hope to get a fews good years out of her now.