Stihl chainsaw ?

Looking at getting a ms 191t. Very good condition with a 12" bar and new chain, no case.

Looks like new.

Buying from a dealer who I have done a lot of business with.

Opinions on that model saw and what it should cost are welcome.

Thanks.

I have a 019T, which is the predecessor to that saw. I bought it in 1999 for use on the trapline, and I'm still using it. Probably cut 5 or 6 cords of wood with it along the way too. I don't know the value of the current model.

I have several Stihls, a MS270, 026, 036. I've taken them in for tune ups occasionally. Over the years I've cut many cords of wood. Every winter I burn 8 cords of wood in my outside wood boiler.

Have 3 Stihls had one of them for 40 years had the jug polished and rings put in a few years ago and it's still running strong.

We have 066, 029, 028 super,021 and a ms210. Just like other equipment these days. The newer ones are made cheaper and don’t hold up well. The ms210 just sits on the shelve here. I’d look in to buying 021 on eBay.

Loved my Stihls but after talking with a friend who does small engine repairs, am a bit sceptical about buying a new one. Guess some of the components on the new ones have cheaply made parts and don't hold out as well as the older ones. Not my personal experience mind you, just passing along what I've been told.

If u don’t need a screwdriver to open the gas and chain oil tanks, I wouldn’t buy it

193t which i think is the new comparable model is running $330 new, locally.

Don't know about the new models.
I have an 024 and love it. Had it for 33 years. Personally I'd look for an 024 or 028.

Marty I have a 250 which I do like. I bought it new.

I just bought a ms210 yesterday that looked new and had 3 extra chains and a case and a gallon of bar oil that came with.

Older gentleman owned it and didn't use it much. I got the whole works for 100. Which I think is cheap.

They change model numbers between Europe and the US so I can't tell you from here. I'd say if you have a good relationship with your dealer, pay what he wants, ask for an extra chain, shake hands and smile. That way if something goes wrong you'll have a place to go without getting beat up.

Pete

I have a ms250 that a modded the muffler and adjusted the jets on the carb. It runs strong. I have a Husqavarna 350 I run also. I Like the Stihl a little better though.
I would agree the older saws are made stronger, just might be heavier.

What do you plan to use it for Marty?

My advice is get a bigger saw than you think you'll need. If you don't you'll end up wishing you had bought a bigger saw later on.

Mike

I have a ms 290 which I am happy with and is a mid-large size.
the 191t is a top control/topping saw, 2.84 cu in. 9# power head. 12-14" bar.

Basically almost 5# lighter than my 290 and only 2/3 cu in less power.

I have a 20" bar on the 290.

My stihl was made in 1958, no plastic it will start and run on 2 pulls I have cut a few hundred cord with it. The only work I’ve done to it is replace points and condenser one time.

Not familiar with your specific model, however I have three Stihl chainsaws, starting with a "041 Super" I bought in 1978. Added an 026 Pro and then a 441 Magnum.
The 441 Magnum pretty much replaced my 41 Super because I can't get parts for "the old 41" anymore.

Stihls make a better boat anchor than chainsaw. Too heavy for my likings.

I have the predecessor to that saw. The 009 top handle saw. Oh my that was expensive way back when. It still purrs like new.

Be careful with the top handle saw. The handle geometry is much different and kickback is faster. Please don’t use it one handed like I do - dangerous. Keep the bar short - 12” is plenty!

Buy the saw and try your best to wear out the saw and get plenty of exercise.

Best wishes.

I got a new 250 last year and it runs strong.
also like Stihl chains. Best thing I've tried.

Try tap dancing.

I also have the 290, but only run an 18" bar.

Mike

As do I, absolutely trouble free.

Osky

I dont have a stihl chainsaw but i did buy a new stihl weedeater just a couple years ago. Its a cold natured thing but its a beast and i havent had to do any work to it yet, knock on wood. I have used it pretty hardcore even with the sawblade attachment. It should have died by now, but i just got got done using it this afternoon. SO even though the newer stuff aint made like the old stuff, i still like stihl. I have a new jonsered chainsaw and I absolutely love it. Its a fine saw.

I have an 015 and an 028 that I bought new in the 70s. Do not know about the newer ones but the 2 I have are tough as nails. Chain, bar, spark plug and starter rope is all I have changed over the years. I do not run ethanol gas in them though.

I have wanted a top handle saw for a while....I will try to be careful.

Appreciate the advice.

I have eight stitches on my middle finger from a one handle ms200t! Still like that saw LOL. Don't like the side exhaust, but it is a trim saw after all. Oh nicked the tendon, got lucky! Snagged a canvas back leather glove. Also have a ms441 that eats wood fast! And a 032av I believe had that saw for 40 years still runs good.

A local firewood guy started a big stihl up while holding it with one hand....almost cut his foot in half.

They have the boot he cut in half on display at the local stihl dealer...

I have a 009 that i have had for almost 20 years

I have a cheap little 181 that is used for brushing at deer camp. It gets used and abused every year now for 4 years running. I love it. It’s so light and easy to use. The only problem was the screen in the muffler carboning up. Easy to fix.

Stihl chainsaw and weed eater here...........no problems

Normally I would agree with this, but I don't feel offensive tonight.




The stihl top handles are decent saws. So are the smaller home owners saws, (up to the 251) after that they just make a lot of noise. My apologies to some of you who use a 660 with a 16 inch bar for cutting firewood.

I like and have Stihl chainsaws, but they seem overly heavy to me to.

Keith

Have a 019 for 15 yrs. It's been a hard starter, floods and often difficult to get to run full power sometimes in winter(power cuts out when needed). Got a Husq 445(similar size) and it cuts at twice the speed with a sharpen blade(they seem to dull faster as they are micro toothed) and starts and runs even. Just my experience. Had a Poulan (big box store model) burned up in two years.

I got a new 261 model last year and have ran about 5 tanks of gas through it. No issues so far. It has electronic choke system that takes a few seconds to idle out and self adjust. It can also be plugged in and diagnostics run on it....seriously.

That's crazy. You mean we have come so far to take a simple chainsaw and complicated it enough it needs a built in diagnostic system.

Somethings I don't understand. Lol

I worked at a Stihl dealer for years selling and servicing saws when Stihl made CHAINSAWS, not the eco saws they make today. The older saws are easy to work on, need very little maintenance speaking only of the saw it self, bar and chain must be maintained regularly of course.

I still buy them from time to time and rebuild them to sell. The new Stihl's I've seen did not impress me at all. If I was going to buy a brand new saw for cutting firewood on a regular basis I would buy a Husqvarna. If buying a new saw my advise would be to pick out the size of saw you want and then buy the next size bigger, you will not be sorry you did.

JMO
B

I run a 441mag, an old 026, and an old 290 Farm Boss. Anybody who says they would be better served as a boat anchor has never cut many trees.

Zim

Is the wrap around handle aluminum or plastic (or fiber something)? I broke one of the plastic handles just pulling a pinched bar out of a tree a few years back.

If you had a pair of 029 Farm Boss saws the only worry you would have is keeping the chains sharpened. 028, 029 and 034 was some the best saws Stihl ever made.


B

My 028AV came with a 20" bar but I had it swapped out for an 18". Have cut a bunch of wood with it and it still cranks easy and runs great.

I have an older 026 that won't idle, takes fifty pulls to start and won't run again after running...occasionally.

I sent it off to a respected chainsaw service shop and it idled a bit better. For a while. Still takes ages to start if at all and still won't start if you shut it off. If you get it running though it cuts and runs fine...because my Husqvarna 45 runs like a top it gets used. I can clean carbs and replace filters but doesn't make a difference to the stihl...spending another 150 bucks on a 180 dollar saw doesn't do it for me.

Hutchy,

Wish you lived closer I'd look at that saw for you. I have a couple ideas that could be the problem.



B

Shell premium and some sea foam

I got the similar issues with the ole 026 too. It is not the fuel filter or line, the impulse line, carb boot, the diaphragm in the carburetor, blown crank seals, plugged spark arrester, or compression. Nothing, pouring a little gas in the sparky hole don't fix each morning.

I'm gonna try the sea foam for giggles. Thanks!

For cutting up your firewood, they are fine. When you are lugging then all day through 3-4 feet of snow trying to keep ahead of cable skidders, every ounce matters. When you’re tired, you make mistakes. Not many guys walk away from mistakes in the logging profession.

Alex

What saw are ya lugging through the 3 or 4 feet of snow that puts a spring in yer step? I am a tall guy but 4 feet of snow I would need a shovel to find the bottom of the tree.

Zim

Husqvarna 562xp’s and 372xp’s. Kick with your feet, or maybe the Skidder man will be nice enough to clean out the butts for you with the blade of the Skidder. But usually it’s with your feet.

Alex

I ran a few Huskys back when and they are a great saw, I think they were 61 and 62 models. They seem like they had more rpm's than a Stihl but cannot say if there was a noticeable weight difference. I will say the 61 had a pee poor muffler placement design as in if you did not wear a heavy leather glove on your left hand you would have blisters on it at the end of the day.

Zim

Compared to most here I feel a bit over gunned. My brother and I cut together most of the time. I drop the trees and and cut the log, he cuts the branches and top. I use a stihl o64 and a Husqvarna 576xp. I don't mind cutting fire wood but I wont to get as much done in the time I have or I wont to get it done as fast as I can. My brother keeps the smaller stihl saws but does have an o64 for some bigger stuff he may get into. We cut 6-8 cords or hard wood and atleast that in slab wood a year. I like the o64 with the 3' bar for the slab wood.

We do have a top handle husky, that is the only saw that has come close to hurting one of us (for his sake I will not mention who it was). Be very mindful of were the tip is or will be in contact with.

Jerry Jr.

Thanks for the offer! I hope I figure it out one day.

And I use premium all the time and sea foam the crap out of it

Stihl bought the computer carb setup (auto tune) from husqvarna. I work on both brands. I hated the setup originally till I started working on them, and have access to the computer. They are amazing. I can plug in and tell you all kinds of amazing things. How many starts, hours, idel time, high rpms, test the carb, there is touble codes, misfires, and more. The read out tells saw model, serial, owner name. It's amazing.

I have a poulan 505 that is a beast of a saw! The old McCullough's are decent also

Picked it up today..

I bought a new MS180 a month ago . Main use is cutting shooting lanes and wood for my smoker. Haven’t even used it except to crank it when I got it home. Looked at it a few days ago and it is leaking bar oil.

OK I know we have a Stihl dealer/mechanic on here.

I have an 032AV vintage 1986. I love the thing ! I have probably cut 200 cords of wood with it. But.......the darn thing is getting hard to start because it is flooding itself.

Took the carb apart and cleaned everything out. Can't find anything wrong or worn. What kind of equipment doesn't last more than 32 years ??? Every part is original OEM. Never even changed the original mixture settings.

Any ideas why it is flooding ???

I'm no saw mechanic, but had the same issue with a saw like yours.

Took it to the saw guy and he knew right away that some hot glue they used to plug a passage in the carb came loose. Said the new gas eats at the glue. Couple minutes later, he said lookie here, there was the hot glue hanging loose.

He put me a new carb on that had lead plugging the passage instead of glue.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm... None of my gas has ethanol but that is interesting for sure !!

Might not be your problem then.

Funny thing. Not more than a couple months later, my weed eater of the same vintage, when i went to start it flooded. lol
Went walking in with it and asked him if he had another carb because this $%^&^$# is acting the same way. He laughed and fixed me up again.

Hmmmmmmmmm..... I might try a new carb if the cleaning doesn't work.

Good cleaning never hurts.

This glue was under a square cover on the side of the carb that is held on by 4 screws. I believe it's the fuel pump?

the diaphragm pump is on the top on this carb

put a carb kit in it... it may be leaking air since you had it apart.

If you have a pressure tester you should be able to put about 10 psi on the needle and it will hold it. you can cheat a little - strech the spring that holds the needle (not very much) just a bit to add a little more tension

the glue is in some newer carbs, his saw is way to old to have glued welch plugs

White17, if you ever need parts for the 032, I may have some. A friend removed a bunch of Stihl bodies out of the dumpster of a survey company a few years back and gave them to me. I was able to make a an 032 for me and an 031 for him. I should have some 032 parts left?

I wonder how far back Stihl carries parts for old saws?

Thanks Dirt ! I'd like to keep this one running as long as I do !

Good to know Pat.

I bought my saw in the late 80's when i worked in Harrisburg.

OK I disassembled the carb and soaked the body in acetone. Blew it out with compressed air and reassembled it. Put it back on the saw and it runs perfectly.

Maybe a tiny piece of sawdust under the needle valve ???

Are there any substitutes for a tachometer when adjusting high speed mixture screw ??

On older saws no. Newer saws have rev limiters built in to the ignition coils.

Thanks !!

I've always set by ear on the high, and by sight on the chain not moving for the low. I've recently started using a tach to get it more exact.

To be safe when setting by ear - adjust it till it's reving to the moon (lean), then richen it up just enough to hear it burbing a bit. It will be just fine when under a load with a richer setting.

That's what I figured ! Thanks Pat !!

Just remember it is hard to tell the difference between 12,500 rpm and 14,000 rpm by ear. Better to be on the low end if you are not sure.

I agree . According to the manual, 13,000 is max revs

I have an old one at home. Tried to start it. During that process I had rotated the chain by hand. I ran out of time to play wit it so I put it back. Went out a few days later and all the bar chain oil leaked everywhere. I asked our local dealer about it and he said the oiler is activated by the rotation of the chain. By rotating the chain I started the flow of oil. So my next question was this, if I run the saw and turn it off will all the oil leak out every time? He said it shouldn't. If it does bring it in.

Nice saw. How you liking it?

Its real nice. Nothing but like for that saw. $150 with two chains.