Stihl should be ashamed of themselves.

[user 122190]

Then why won't you try putting some DOW-Corning

Silicone-Based High Vacuum Grease around the back side. I use it and get ZERO fines around it.​

What then would he got to complain about?

 

[PV Hiker]

@SamT1 If you have used up the workability of the 500i I would think Stihl should get it from you and analyze it. A saw with that many hours would surly help them. Maybe contact a Still rep in your area and have a discussion. Maybe they will trade you for it.

 

[SamT1]

What then would he got to complain about?

I’ve tried various types of greace around it and they all make it worse. The only improvement is adding a washer to the stem above the filter to add down pressure to the filter. But it’s so tight it won’t last forever.

 

[SamT1]

@SamT1 If you have used up the workability of the 500i I would think Stihl should get it from you and analyze it. A saw with that many hours would surly help them. Maybe contact a Still rep in your area and have a discussion. Maybe they will trade you for it.

Doubt it. Apparently 95%of their customers are weekend warriors who think I’m an idiot.
Kinda like Chevrolet, we can’t buy a durable pickup anymore because they are engineered for the city guy who pulls a trailer now and then.

 

[Huntaholic]

Doubt it. Apparently 95%of their customers are weekend warriors who think I’m an idiot.
Kinda like Chevrolet, we can’t buy a durable pickup anymore because they are engineered for the city guy who pulls a trailer now and then.

LOL ok, weekend warrior here too then I guess. Next time Im in Texas, which should be this November, Im going to cut some of this mesquite crap yall call firewood. Looks like scrub brush to me, the **** you push out of the way to get to the real firewood honestly. In any case, I give you my word I will put a saw in some of it just to see what all the fuss is about. Theres no way its any harder than seasoned locust, seasoned black walnut or let alone osage orange. Whatever it is, Ive got to cut some of it, I want to see what kind of wood can wear out 150 ft of chain, 3 bars, and 6 sprockets in less than a year!

 

[SamT1]

LOL ok, weekend warrior here too then I guess. Next time Im in Texas, which should be this November, Im going to cut some of this mesquite crap yall call firewood. Looks like scrub brush to me, the **** you push out of the way to get to the real firewood honestly. In any case, I give you my word I will put a saw in some of it just to see what all the fuss is about. Theres no way its any harder than seasoned locust, seasoned black walnut or let alone osage orange. Whatever it is, Ive got to cut some of it, I want to see what kind of wood can wear out 150 ft of chain, 3 bars, and 6 sprockets in less than a year!

Believe me if I had anything else to cut I’d be cutting it. I’m fortunate enough to live in an area with mesquite as big as they get.
I have customers that drive from as far as Florida to buy wood. Takes 4 trees to make a cord average, there’s a good few cord trees around and I’ve had some make as much as 2 cords. They only get big in sandy soil with a shallow water table. There’s an area about 60 miles wide from San Angelo to Vernon where they get big for the most part. The wood is sold before I ever cut it, so we cut mostly dead stuff.
place I’m cutting in now, pretty average for what I cut.

 

[Huntaholic]

Believe me if I had anything else to cut I’d be cutting it. I’m fortunate enough to live in an area with mesquite as big as they get.
I have customers that drive from as far as Florida to buy wood. Takes 4 trees to make a cord average, there’s a good few cord trees around and I’ve had some make as much as 2 cords. They only get big in sandy soil with a shallow water table. There’s an area about 60 miles wide from San Angelo to Vernon where they get big for the most part. The wood is sold before I ever cut it, so we cut mostly dead stuff.
place I’m cutting in now, pretty average for what I cut.

We buy groceries every year for deer camp at the walmart on Sherwood way in San Angelo then head south to Ozona. Deer camp is on the north side of the Pecos river just north of Langtry. LOL Yeah, Ive seen PLENTY of mesquite, just never bothered to cut any while we are there.

 

[bwalker]

Believe me if I had anything else to cut I’d be cutting it. I’m fortunate enough to live in an area with mesquite as big as they get.
I have customers that drive from as far as Florida to buy wood. Takes 4 trees to make a cord average, there’s a good few cord trees around and I’ve had some make as much as 2 cords. They only get big in sandy soil with a shallow water table. There’s an area about 60 miles wide from San Angelo to Vernon where they get big for the most part. The wood is sold before I ever cut it, so we cut mostly dead stuff.
place I’m cutting in now, pretty average for what I cut.

I've never seen mesquite that n
Big!

 

[MaxFlow Flters]

We are making a very good filter kit for the 500i and it is available now. The cost is a reasonable $89.95 including 2 washable elements, the cage and the high flow form fitting all season cover. A small modification to the cylinder shroud is necessary to insure clearance when the AV mounts are at the limits of their travel. This 500i filter kit has extensive testing on it, much more than we have ever done on previous kits. This new 500i filter kit has been utilized worldwide, in deplorable conditions, and far outperforms a stock filter on almost every level. The Stihl MS500i is a great chainsaw, and the potential of it is increased dramatically with the MaxFlow 500i filter kit. It will perform better than with a new stock filter, for multiple tanks of fuel, and keep pure air flowing into the engine for far longer between cleanings. Plus you get that awesome MaxFlow sound! Thank you for the continued support and patience of our loyal customers. Without your help and feedback this kit would never have reached its current high level of quality. Visit your Stihl dealer or buy them direct from us. Made in Oregon and available to answer your questions.
https://maxflowfilters.com/shop-all/ols/products/maxflow-air-filter-for-stihl-ms-500i-chainsaws

 

[Logger nate]

Another option
https://eganperformancesaws.com/products/air-filter-kitEdit-guess this has already been mentioned in the thread, sorry for the repeat.

 

[sawfarmer]

The next time I see one in a "pro" environment will be the first time...I'll give it a close "once over" then...

7310 has the best air filtration system on any saw i have ever seen. The 590 / 620 leak fines in to the carb so i have put a redbeard saws air filter kit on my 620pw, no more problems .As far as the 500i i use maxflow kits on all my stihls my new 500i ,ms400 and ms462 all have them installed before first use!

 

[user 122190]

I was at the HW store looking for a new gas can spout, and came across this SOLUTION. $2 for a 4' tube, a clean cut with an old bread knife, some rubber cement, and about 2 minutes of effort. I sure hope the small gap doesn't destroy the saw while I wait a day and cut out a small wedge and fill the GIANT wood chip sucking gap.

 

[dstrick]

There’s a design defect with the 462? Can someone explain what it is so I can check my saw for it?

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I was at the HW store looking for a new gas can spout, and came across this SOLUTION. $2 for a 4' tube, a clean cut with an old bread knife, some rubber cement, and about 2 minutes of effort. I sure hope the small gap doesn't destroy the saw while I wait a day and cut out a small wedge and fill the GIANT wood chip sucking gap.

View attachment 986001

Could have stuck that on with double sided tape.

 

[Karrl]

I was at the HW store looking for a new gas can spout, and came across this SOLUTION. $2 for a 4' tube, a clean cut with an old bread knife, some rubber cement, and about 2 minutes of effort. I sure hope the small gap doesn't destroy the saw while I wait a day and cut out a small wedge and fill the GIANT wood chip sucking gap.

View attachment 986001

More power to you it, but weren’t you raggin on T1 in another thread for trying to shore up his air seal? If it’s not a problem then why bother?

 

[sawfarmer]

But everyone was saying the 500 was the best thing since sliced bread!

It is just the air filtration is lacking .Put a MAXFLOW on it and use it!

 

[user 122190]

Could have stuck that on with double sided tape.

We are talking about the incredible and powerful intake of the 500i. Anything less then cement could suck in the foam SOLUTION. I lost a button last time I was out. I think the 500i sucked the button right off my new shirt. I feel lucky it didn't take the whole shirt.

 

[user 122190]

More power to you it, but weren’t you raggin on T1 in another thread for trying to shore up his air seal? If it’s not a problem then why bother?

Lets us not forget that SamT1 started this thread, and in another thread was cutting metal with the same 500i. No doubt that causes other problems that Stihl should be ashamed of too.

 

[Karrl]

Last September I was visiting CO for a wedding and saw a 3/4 wrap 500i for 1350 at a big R. Very tempted but that’s a lot and was able to talk myself down on it without too much disappointment. Looking back I’m 50:50 on the deal but now but I’m waiting on something else good so I’ll be just fine. Oth If I had bought the 500 I’d have no guilt selling a few other saws to pay for it.

I also have a Echo 7310 which for 720 bucks, has a air filter seal like a dolphins blowhole. If I had bought bought both and the half price saw had a better air filter I might be making a new post myself…

Although if anyone’s interested I’ll let them trade their 500i up to my 7310. They’ll have to pay shipping though

 

[SamT1]

Lets us not forget that SamT1 started this thread, and in another thread was cutting metal with the same 500i. No doubt that causes other problems that Stihl should be ashamed of too.

The aluminum shavings are big enough I don’t need an aftermarket air filter to prevent them from entering under the bottom of the filter.

Not many items you can cut with a saw and make more cash than the saw is worth in a half tank of fuel. But I would advise against the 500i for aluminum. I ruined like 5 old chains, due to the horsepower breaking them. We used to cut it with 036’s and never broke a chain. I showed a friend of mine and his farm boss cut more than me on one chain! Not that the chains are an expense, they are scrap chain, but the time to swap them is a pain.