The MS 200T died...

[pdqdl]

One of my climbers just scored/melted down the cylinder on one of our Stihl MS 200t's. It only had 1 1/2 years of light use, and we are not very happy about that.

Unfortunately, we love the power & weight of this little saw, we just hate the price, and we have been having problems with the others as well. (they are much older, and pretty damn touchy about low speed idle)

I have no special Stihl loyalties, and I am rather fond of Husq'ies as well. I hear Husqvarna has a new climbing saw with more power than the old one... Shindaiwa 357 sucks: no power, and too heavy, but it bounces very well.

Does anybody have any side-by-side experience with some of the other top rated climbing saws ?

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

Someone's monkeying with the carb. ajst. or poor fuel mix. Maybe bio-fuels that don't mix w/ 2 cycle oil. Maybe someone's buying 2 cycle oil formulated for outboard/water cooled engines. Just some thoughts !!!!

 

[Dadatwins]

That is way to short a life for that saw, either poor maintainence, bad fuel/mix or someone tinkering with the carb helped it to demise that quickly. The 200t is the top of the line for tree users as far as power. If you want to give up a little power and save some $$ take a look at the dolmar 3410t. I would look at my maintainence and possible fuel mix situation and get it resolved before buying anything new.

 

[Tim Krause]

the only problems i've had in the past 4 years using the 200's is the wire going to the kill switch breaking a couple times on 3 different saws. before them i used the husky 335 and the 338, and had problems a lot more, carb always needed adjustment, oiler gear broken twice $$, and that damn spark plug cover coming off all the time. the stihl has more power and is much more reliable than the husky. all my other saws are husky though. how carefull are you with mixing your gas?

 

[pdqdl]

It's not the gas...

I used to run a small engine clinic, so I am not new to the carburation issues. Gas and oil are excellent, and we NEVER adjust a carb for more power. Lean burn melts down the pistons, I know.

My climber stated that because he had been having problems keeping it running (damn the carb's !), that he was running it very hard and not letting it idle between cuts. Furthermore, he is one hell of a fast climber, and he was working VERY fast, even for him. No doubt that is why it galled on the piston.

I am pretty sure I know why it died, I was just wanting to know if anybody liked any top handled saws better than the '200T.

Thanks for ANY opinions on the topic.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

Husky 338xp w/ 14" bar/chain 338xpt good, air filter quick to plug, but ok otherwise.

 

[hornett224]

i hear the new 338xpt is much better.

the air filter setup looks better than the last one i had.i may try another one.

i had crank seal issues with my ms200t but it was older than that i think.once i fixed them it runs excellent again.it had other issues as well but that was my idle issue.i notice the air filters get dirty quick on the 200t.i still like the 192t.if you open the muffler and richen the carb a tad,it really performs well.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I think your looking for something that generally doesnt exist. Its costs more here in NZ for a piston and barrel for an MS200 than it costs you guys in the US for the whole saw, and I wouldnt go back to echo's, huskys, shindawas. The MS200 are the best. Thats why they are so popular.

 

[clearance]

One of my climbers just scored/melted down the cylinder on one of our Stihl MS 200t's. It only had 1 1/2 years of light use, and we are not very happy about that.

Unfortunately, we love the power & weight of this little saw, we just hate the price, and we have been having problems with the others as well. (they are much older, and pretty damn touchy about low speed idle)

I have no special Stihl loyalties, and I am rather fond of Husq'ies as well. I hear Husqvarna has a new climbing saw with more power than the old one... Shindaiwa 357 sucks: no power, and too heavy, but it bounces very well.

Does anybody have any side-by-side experience with some of the other top rated climbing saws ?

Quit crying about it and buy a new one, it will pay for itself in no time. I have ran them for years, little things go wrong from time to time, no biggie, probably the best saw Stihl has ever made, certainly the best climbing saw ever made.

 

[treeclimber jul]

Depends on what carb the saw has, I think Stihl made the 200t with 7 or so differant carbs. my first one had lots of idle problems too. Replaced the ignition and the problems went away. hope this helps

 

[StihlRockin']

...I am pretty sure I know why it died...

Ok, spit it out... Why did it die? Since I'll be getting one very soon, I'd like to know too.

StihlRockin'

 

[gr8scott72]

Ok, spit it out... Why did it die? Since I'll be getting one very soon, I'd like to know too.

StihlRockin'

Read the rest of the post of his that you quoted. He told the problem they were having.

 

[LTREES]

DOLMAR :greenchainsaw:

 

[newb]

Wow, not letting it idle between cuts. If it was running bogged down and he just ran it harder I would be kicking his butt around. I wonder if the air filter was plugged. Another thought is when ever we fill a saw, everyone is trained to shake the gas container to mix the oil. I used to have an excellent climber that I swore by. After I let him go, I realized I wasn't't fixing or replacing things near as often. Sorry but the saw sounds like operator error. Pete

 

[Dadatwins]

I used to run a small engine clinic, so I am not new to the carburation issues. Gas and oil are excellent, and we NEVER adjust a carb for more power. Lean burn melts down the pistons, I know.

My climber stated that because he had been having problems keeping it running (damn the carb's !), that he was running it very hard and not letting it idle between cuts. Furthermore, he is one hell of a fast climber, and he was working VERY fast, even for him. No doubt that is why it galled on the piston.

I am pretty sure I know why it died, I was just wanting to know if anybody liked any top handled saws better than the '200T.

Thanks for ANY opinions on the topic.

I am still confused on this, having climbed for over 20 years I don't understand keeping the saw running fast between cuts If the chain brake is on and the trigger locked the saw will be a ball of smoke and fire quickly. If the brake is off and the chain spinning something worse could happen. I can maybe understand keeping a saw at high idle on the ground or maybe in a bucket but climbing? This is not adding up to me. There is an old thread around saying the 200t were rated at a few thousand hours, just can't see that happen on one tree job.

 

[sharkfin12us]

Air filter

One of my climbers just scored/melted down the cylinder on one of our Stihl MS 200t's. It only had 1 1/2 years of light use, and we are not very happy about that.

Unfortunately, we love the power & weight of this little saw, we just hate the price, and we have been having problems with the others as well. (they are much older, and pretty damn touchy about low speed idle)

I have no special Stihl loyalties, and I am rather fond of Husq'ies as well. I hear Husqvarna has a new climbing saw with more power than the old one... Shindaiwa 357 sucks: no power, and too heavy, but it bounces very well.

Does anybody have any side-by-side experience with some of the other top rated climbing saws ?

I had saw got scored and i was told dont clean filters with tooth brush or air gun.I was using soft too brush.I was told to just bang it clean not too hard not on filter part just plastic.You can get microscopic pin holes you cant see with your eye and get dirt and score pistons.Just relaying what i was told so now im careful with filters.I dont like any one touching them i just clean it.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Husky 339.

 

[Gerasimek]

Possible solution for you

We have several 200t's and we've learned that keeping them clean is the key to longevity.
When they first came out we burned 2 up in just over a year. We've learned that tons of fine sawdust builds up inside causing them to overheat. To properly clean them, we take them all apart and blast out all the caked on dust with an air compressor. I mean everything has to be cleaned out-like new.
Since we started this practice we haven't lost a 200T since '05.
Excellent saws. They just need a little more maintenance.
Gerasimek

 

[rmihalek]

I had saw got scored and i was told dont clean filters with tooth brush or air gun.I was using soft too brush.I was told to just bang it clean not too hard not on filter part just plastic.You can get microscopic pin holes you cant see with your eye and get dirt and score pistons.Just relaying what i was told so now im careful with filters.I dont like any one touching them i just clean it.

People can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think dirt getting in through small holes in the air filter will cause a seize. The dirt will eventually ruin the bearings, but not seize the piston. Lean (i.e. hot) conditions are what melts the aluminum piston, causes the rings to lock and seize to the cylinder.

 

[lumberjack333]

People can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think dirt getting in through small holes in the air filter will cause a seize.

I agree rmi, air filters are already full of microscopic holes, I think compressed air from the back of the filter is the best way to clean them, just don't hold the nozzle any closer than 6" - 8" and you'll be fine, if you blow a hole replace it. Just be careful about it. As long as the filters intact nothing big enough will get in to cease the motor.