Thread: Bit dissapointed

How clapped out is clapped out? If the bore is still ok might be just a new set of rings and a head gasket while your at it.

Never had a 90, but I had a couple of 076's. One had something like 4 rebuilds before I finally gave it to another guy who's still using it.

ODDBALL THOUGHT: Does your small engines guy know BIG chainsaws, beçause most of them don't!!! It has a decompression switch... and if thats in, or possibly stuck... there won't be any compression.

I did enquire as to how clapped out it was and the reply was that it had no power under load, certainly not enough to run a 36" bar and possibly cutting a 75tk slab at approx. 800 wide.
They are a stihl dealership and the mechanic has 30 years experience working on small engines but I guess I can always get a second opinion.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by cqvillas

I did enquire as to how clapped out it was and the reply was that it had no power under load, certainly not enough to run a 36" bar and possibly cutting a 75tk slab at approx. 800 wide.
They are a stihl dealership and the mechanic has 30 years experience working on small engines but I guess I can always get a second opinion.

Cheers,

A few things I would want to know are the cylinder compression when cold and when hot and the results of a crankcase vacuum test (hi and low).
Stihl dealerships won't deal with 3rd part spares so are unlikely to be able to offer the best deal on repairs.
They also have a vested interest in selling you a new saw.

If its dead make sure to take it home with you: someone will be able to use it for parts and you'll get a few dollars. And I'm pretty sceptical when someone tells me that a saw that was running okay when parked up (when your friend stopped using it years back) is dead... particularly if its an 090. They're old, heavy, and hard to live with... but everyone wants one.

Sounds like a second opinion may be a good idea. Lack of compression doesnt necessarily mean the saw is shot. 090's are almost unkillable. Mine has had 3 rebuilds and continues to give good service.

Hi CQvillas
sad to hear such a tale about a 090.
Have a 880 with 30 inch bar you can have a look at if you like. strapped to a granberg mk 3 at present, did a good Kauri log recently for practice but not sure my back would enjoy a large hardwood eucalypt. I'm down Lakes Ck way, like messing with logs but not much of carpenter once they're cut up. You'll find me in the yellow pages if you need to. Not sure on permissions here as yet, only just joined. Useful site.
Cheow RM

I believe this saw will have a chrome bore so as long as its still bright and shiny and there are no pieces flaked off , a new piston and rings should have it up and running like new.
Pull it down , check the big end for play and if it all seems ok get onto EBay where i'm sure you will find what you need. If you have no real experience with small engine repairs
I reckon a "clapped out" chainsaw is a good place to gain some . By the way , if you need help it's not just small engine mechanics who understand 2 stroke motors , most blokes who
had a misspent youth riding dirt bikes could pull it down, replace the parts and reassemble it in about the same time as it takes to get him a beer out of the fridge.

Thanks for the comments,

You have given me some hope that maybe I can get this saw back up to the power needed for what I want it to do.
More investigation needed down the track.

Cheers,

I wish I had a dollar for every "clapped out, unviable to repair", (according to the dealer), saw that I have fixed and is still running strong to this day.
I believe many dealers are either ill informed or possess the attitude of selling a new saw rather than repairing.
Your old 090 would be a cheap saw to rebuild using aftermarket parts as required and they are about as high tech as a flint axe so should be a straight forward rebuild at worst.

A (I did initially write 'quick', but after writing first three lines realised it ain't gonna be so quick) story, I think might be pertinent.

I bought a 372XP, with 24" bar... sent it back to the same dealer for the free 5 hour service. My wife (at the time) went to pick it up as I was in the paddock getting free logs Anyway, she was told the saw wasn't ready as it needed a full rebuild - apparently, the thought was I had ran it without oil in the fuel - wife at the time said "I don't think he would have done that - he's the kind of guy who has individual fuel cans for each piece of equipment" anyway came home, told me what had happened. I went down the next day.

Was told the same thing, no oil in fuel. I reply, no way!, they then get fuel out of the saw, shake it in a tub and say "without oil in the fuel, the bubbles will disperse really quick"...bubbles didn't disperse...their response "well obviously you didn't use enough oil, how much did you use?" I told them what I mixed up at the time (old age has clouded my memory of the specific amount of oil used - apologies) reply "that's a lot more oil than you should have used, that is your problem" I reply, "No the manual said with Husqvarna oil, mix X amount of oil, with other brand/generic oil mix 2X, I didn't use Husqvarna oil, so mixed at double ratio" then it was a case of you didn't use Husky oil so that's how you farked it. I argued the point, but anyway got 'em to put it back together and I took the saw home. Two days later after feeling totally bummed out that my brand spanking new $1,300 chainsaw was stuffed after 6 hours use, I run into the guy who had recommended (I had absolutely no idea about chainsaws back then) the saw/bar combo and the shop to go buy it from - tree lopper mate who ran a fleet of 14 husky's. We have a chat about the saw, he runs it, listens to it by ear and tells me she's running a little low on revs, does a bit of a tune, uses a full tank of fuel to slice up some firewood billets and almost throws the saw back at me, telling me there is nothing wrong with it....

The saw never got that rebuild and 10 years later, it will be the first saw I pick up tomorrow morning when I need to trim/dock a log and be the last saw I put back in the ute when i finish the days work.

Good story Allan, thanks for posting.

I guess it's a case where we should never settle on one persons diagnosis, same goes for medical issues etc.
My next step will be to take it to a retired small motor mechanic that my uncle knows and see what he thinks.

Cheers,

I have a similar story to Al...
was once told that I had seized a 2 month old 660.. Turns out that in early autumn my fuel had water in it from a condensating metal fuel can...Thank god for having several 2 stroke salesmen in my area.

Originally Posted by nifty

I have a similar story to Al...
was once told that I had seized a 2 month old 660.. Turns out that in early autumn my fuel had water in it from a condensating metal fuel can...Thank god for having several 2 stroke salesmen in my area.

Nifty, I went off metal fuel can's for exactly the same reason mate, seems chainsaws the most finiky 2 stroke machines I've ever used, if the fuel was oldish, it used to go into the mower and brushcutter. Got a nice 4 stroke honda mower from the divorce (thank the lord her brother never saw it when he came to move her out or I reckon I would have lost it) so now old 2 stroke feeds the brushcutter, not much older than 2 weeks for the chainsaw