Stihl chainsaws are the cream of the crop when it comes to guys cutting trees for a living, i see them all over in my area, they really all love stihl, from the blowers to the saws, they just love them. Ill be buying my dad a stihl 18 inch chainsaw from the local dealership within the next month or so, i want to take him don to make sure its the one he wants and then we will get it.
I love stihl saws, all of my logging friends use stihl saws and my family uses them as well, also see some husqy mixed in there occasionally but stihl takes the cake.
I have repaired several of these and the most common issue i ran into was the intake boot that runs from back of carb to back of cylinder, if they get stiff they develope cracks in the rubber which causes air leaks, when i do repair one i get a full carb kit off ebay which comes with carb, gaskets, the molded fuel line, spark plug, air filter and a new intake boot and i install it. I have not had one return to me as of yet. I am not a stihl fan but money is money.
I empty the tank, and run it until it runs out of ga every times I run it, because it could be a year before I run it again, you have no way of telling, so I do that as a precaution just in case I don't need it for along while
Well, I got it used, someone blew the clutch up in it, so I put a new housing on it, and while I was there, I did the lines and the carb. It didn't really need it, but I figured it would be easier to do while it was apart rather than waiting for something to fail. It has never had a single issue since.
You touched on it, but the issue is with patenting. Despite what many people think, the primary source of of income for these companies is in the parts, not the machines. Aftermarket companies have destroyed that profit center for the equipment manufacturers, so the equipment manufacturers are now pivoting to specific designs that they can patent, so that aftermarket companies cannot reproduce the parts, therefore protecting their profit margins. For instance, a basic adjustable carb for a riding mower may cost $170, but an aftermarket company can reproduce that non patented design for $20, therefore no one has any incentive to purchase the OEM carb. If that same manufacturer uses a plastic carb with a unique design that they can patent, then they take the aftermarket companies out of the equation, and everyone has to purchase the OEM carb, therefor maintaining their profits.
interesting you bring that up because I don't think copyright does not translate well, nor is there any culpability once it leaves someones else country.
Happy to hear "a viewer suggested swapping a different carb" I have really met no problem with stihls ms 170/180 chainsaws. I want to say that ms 180 starts on 2-3 pulls ( drop starting ). If its 32 deg. Fahrenheit i would put it on choke for 3 pulls and then on run to just start it with another pull. What i mean is that they are made to never need an adjustment other than idle. Buuut that is never really true and its always good to have a fully adjustable carb.
Thank you, very informative video. No more than I use a chainsaw this would not be a deterrent for me. I use my Husqy 350 plenty but not every weekend around the farm or cutting wood for a living.
Yes, I’d still buy something that required special tools or skills because I’m just wired that way, at least for smaller things like chainsaws. If it came to something like a BMW, never! 😉 Coincidentally, I had a friend ask for a chainsaw a couple weeks ago and they mentioned the Stihl 170! I happen to have a free 180 I was going to keep for myself but decided to work on for them. I actually just did the disassembly and cleaning yesterday and a replacement clutch drum bearing is due today. I’m extremely impressed with the design and features of this machine. I was very surprised to see there is only a unique Idle adjustment screw but no H and L screws. That led me to assume that the user is required to be very strict about only using non-ethanol fuel and keeping the fuel tank and air filter immaculate at all times. Since I’m now well versed in carbs I’d have no issues keeping it clean so factory tuning will work fine.
Depending on the issue l would work around it. I am currently working on a 4 stroke troybilt and one of the pawl springs was of course broke. Going to try to get some for a stihl/echo and see if they would work.
Thank you Ethan Miller, not sure you'll be able to use those springs. They might be "too" much for the TroyBilt. The spring on them are some of the "thinest" springs I've ever seen!
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGEJust went to my stihl dealer in town and they had one that might work. I got it, but l think its a loss cause. I agree they are the smallest springs l have seen too!
Just yesterday I had just finished replacing sompthing on my toro push mower and I went to start the engine and when I pulled the rope the engine kicked and broke the recoil this made me vary frustrated I took the assembly off and both the pals broke as they were made of plastic along with everything else. I agree that manufacturers will do anything to save a few dollars.
You can do so many modifications to 170 and 180 series saws. Ie you hate the “easy to adjust chain” on “c” models, so if/when it fails it’s a easy and pretty cheap conversion to a regular side chain tension screw. Don’t like the carb? Swap it for a wt-215. They may be small but they are mighty and somewhat modular to keep getting your money’s worth.
It's unfortunate, but consumers are more and more buying into this obsolescence, and manufacturers happily comply. Sadly, many of those consumers would never consider "fixing" their failed piece of gear, and just buy another. Rinse and repeat, sigh...
The makers do this junk because they CAN. I've dealt with this mess for years. I Ebayed an adjustable jet carb for the opposed because the lean jetted factory job was a joke and the engine was to be warmed up WIDE OPEN and kept running by the choke. The 'mulching holes' in the deck on the rider just trapped grass and helped the deck rust out faster. The 3 legs on the blade spindles wrung off because of being so flimsy and lockered to death. And all that's on an older mower, not a new one that you'd expect more of this garbage with. The wood splitter that had the engine directly under where the split wood fell. The hi-speed adjustment that had no effect on mixture adjustment on the 440. There's no end to it. THAT'S why we can make improvements to our stuff. It just takes some thought and a little money for parts and a problem is GONE! Thanks and Blessings!.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE I'm 72. I worked construction straight out of high school till the Army got me the following year and then went back at it right after I got out. I learned to run a crane while in there too. And I still get stuff that can use some help. BUT I can STILL learn from YOU, and DO!
Nice cleaning! There is a reason why the ms 170 and ms180 don’t have an adjustable carb! It’s entry level high quality low cost! Targeting the market for somebody’s first saw! An adjustable carb will create more confusion and potential problem to the amateur user! I have this saw since 2011 long with other stihl saws and never had an issue with the ms170! Allways starts and runs good! Ms 171 and 181 tends to have issues with carbs and seals! They have adjustable carb but if you don’t know how to adjust it you can easily damage the engine!
I think its a legal issue more than anything. Remember how Dollar Tree got sued because people were putting 10W-30 oil in their cars that used lighter-weight oil? Its stuff like that that companies have to deal with. Also, consumers aren't very honest about modifications they make when they're trying to get things warrantied. This creates an issue where people will buy something, modify it, break it, demand a replacement and maybe even sue the company for letting them do something that would break the equipment. If you let entry-level buyers have adjustable carbs, then some of them will mess with the adjustments and run it too lean and burn out the engines. However, its those kinds of people who are the ones who shout the loudest and go to lawyers the quickest. Another issue, related to regulations, is that if consumers can modify equipment to boost performance while raising emissions, then the government might be tempted to fine the company for making it easy to modify their equipment. If there's something about a consumer-grade piece of equipment that you really don't like, you can thank fellow customers more than anyone for it. Companies don't like their products getting a bad reputation for being cheap but they also have to factor in that the people buying their stuff will break things and most will NEVER take responsibility. Making weak links in machinery is a good thing especially if brought to court, because it proves that your company intended for the product to be serviced by a professional(who might see other potential safety issues) before dangers could arrive. You wouldn't want to make a perfect lawn mower only to get sued by customers who never serviced the blades only for the blades to fly off after 20 years and hit someone.
I like the way you put, although if they make a machine that's ran lean already and the next season it starts to have issues with fuel, that it breaks, without any consumer input, the same problems will still come up for the company. But you do make a good point about consumers making changes though.
I have an ms 250, bought it new in 2003, it has an issue not wanting to restart after using. I had the dealer check it out, and couldn’t find any fault? That was about 8 years ago. Lately it won’t stay running, so I bought a new carb, filter and fuel line. We’ll see if this cures the problem.
As a self taught small engine mechanic, I prefer working on equipment with non adjustable carbs. In most cases, the carbs are very simple and cheap to work on and replace. I recently repaired a Husqvarna mower with a Honda engine for a customer. He was not using ethanol free gas, and the entire fuel system was in very poor shape, despite the mower being only a couple of years old. I was initially going to service the carb, until I found out that the OEM carb was only $13. I just replaced the carb instead of servicing it. I replaced every single part and gasket in the fuel system for less than $30, and it only took about an hour total. It was much easier and more convenient than disassembling, cleaning, and tuning the carb.
My custom push mower that I got running has 35 PSI compression, yet the engine still runs and my compression tester gauge is brand new, I've never seen an engine with low compression run😂
oh, I see what you mean now, no I have no idea on a time interval, but if I had to give you a number, I would say one a year. it's not hard to check it on this model.
it's a paint sprayer I use to help wash equipment. The spray pattern and light pressure allows me to touch it, without getting hurt. Although it still stings, if I get super close to my skin.
My first thing I would check is the gasket that is with the diaphragm . Should be able to get the rebuild kit pretty cheap. Fuel leaking can easily become a fuel feed fire. Be safe my friend. Gasoline flashes with no warning signs. Even if you have to put some money into it that is alot better than possibly having a fire and getting burned.
Well if you want a chainsaw for small tree cutting and simmilar the ms 171 is the best one. If you want to do some more heavy cutting or a more intensive and regular use the ms 181 it is. It has more power and also an adjustable carb. I would totally get the ms 171 if we had it in storage in my country :D.
If a product is not serviceable by the owner or the parts are expensive, I would look for alternatives. I use to work in a big name automobile factory & they fairly often cross threaded the windshield wiper motor. This company does not produce near as good a quality as it once did years ago.
Welcome to 2023, where throwing away a machine with an easily repairable issue is deemed more environmentally friendly than repairing it. It's crazy when most pollution in the life of a tool like a mower is caused by making new ones and shipping them from overseas. Small engine repairers are much better for the planet!
Stihl chainsaws are the cream of the crop when it comes to guys cutting trees for a living, i see them all over in my area, they really all love stihl, from the blowers to the saws, they just love them. Ill be buying my dad a stihl 18 inch chainsaw from the local dealership within the next month or so, i want to take him don to make sure its the one he wants and then we will get it.
very nice! Hopefully he picks the MS 171. That's the one would pick.
I love stihl saws, all of my logging friends use stihl saws and my family uses them as well, also see some husqy mixed in there occasionally but stihl takes the cake.
I have repaired several of these and the most common issue i ran into was the intake boot that runs from back of carb to back of cylinder, if they get stiff they develope cracks in the rubber which causes air leaks, when i do repair one i get a full carb kit off ebay which comes with carb, gaskets, the molded fuel line, spark plug, air filter and a new intake boot and i install it. I have not had one return to me as of yet. I am not a stihl fan but money is money.
very true Matthew Piper, I prefer anything that I can get parts for and can get to work for little money.
These are great saws, I've rebuilt my 2012 ms170, and been running it for 3 years, never had a running issue
wow, you're doing a great job of maintaining it!
I empty the tank, and run it until it runs out of ga every times I run it, because it could be a year before I run it again, you have no way of telling, so I do that as a precaution just in case I don't need it for along while
Unless you run it everyday ,if it needed a rebuild already I would not consider it a great saw.
Well, I got it used, someone blew the clutch up in it, so I put a new housing on it, and while I was there, I did the lines and the carb. It didn't really need it, but I figured it would be easier to do while it was apart rather than waiting for something to fail. It has never had a single issue since.
You touched on it, but the issue is with patenting. Despite what many people think, the primary source of of income for these companies is in the parts, not the machines. Aftermarket companies have destroyed that profit center for the equipment manufacturers, so the equipment manufacturers are now pivoting to specific designs that they can patent, so that aftermarket companies cannot reproduce the parts, therefore protecting their profit margins. For instance, a basic adjustable carb for a riding mower may cost $170, but an aftermarket company can reproduce that non patented design for $20, therefore no one has any incentive to purchase the OEM carb. If that same manufacturer uses a plastic carb with a unique design that they can patent, then they take the aftermarket companies out of the equation, and everyone has to purchase the OEM carb, therefor maintaining their profits.
interesting you bring that up because I don't think copyright does not translate well, nor is there any culpability once it leaves someones else country.
Happy to hear "a viewer suggested swapping a different carb" I have really met no problem with stihls ms 170/180 chainsaws. I want to say that ms 180 starts on 2-3 pulls ( drop starting ). If its 32 deg. Fahrenheit i would put it on choke for 3 pulls and then on run to just start it with another pull. What i mean is that they are made to never need an adjustment other than idle. Buuut that is never really true and its always good to have a fully adjustable carb.
very nice saw you got there!
Thank you, very informative video. No more than I use a chainsaw this would not be a deterrent for me. I use my Husqy 350 plenty but not every weekend around the farm or cutting wood for a living.
nothing wrong with that kind of use, Thank you Eddie England!
The 170 is a homeowner model. It's an El cheapo but is much better than modern plastic Poulans.
you got that right
Yes, I’d still buy something that required special tools or skills because I’m just wired that way, at least for smaller things like chainsaws. If it came to something like a BMW, never! 😉
Coincidentally, I had a friend ask for a chainsaw a couple weeks ago and they mentioned the Stihl 170! I happen to have a free 180 I was going to keep for myself but decided to work on for them. I actually just did the disassembly and cleaning yesterday and a replacement clutch drum bearing is due today. I’m extremely impressed with the design and features of this machine. I was very surprised to see there is only a unique Idle adjustment screw but no H and L screws. That led me to assume that the user is required to be very strict about only using non-ethanol fuel and keeping the fuel tank and air filter immaculate at all times. Since I’m now well versed in carbs I’d have no issues keeping it clean so factory tuning will work fine.
very good advice! You're doing your friend a great service!
I like to watch these videos when repairs are being carried out !
thank you Russell Booth
Depending on the issue l would work around it. I am currently working on a 4 stroke troybilt and one of the pawl springs was of course broke. Going to try to get some for a stihl/echo and see if they would work.
Thank you Ethan Miller, not sure you'll be able to use those springs. They might be "too" much for the TroyBilt. The spring on them are some of the "thinest" springs I've ever seen!
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGEJust went to my stihl dealer in town and they had one that might work. I got it, but l think its a loss cause. I agree they are the smallest springs l have seen too!
Just yesterday I had just finished replacing sompthing on my toro push mower and I went to start the engine and when I pulled the rope the engine kicked and broke the recoil this made me vary frustrated I took the assembly off and both the pals broke as they were made of plastic along with everything else. I agree that manufacturers will do anything to save a few dollars.
you got that right, thank @ThatRBX.
You can do so many modifications to 170 and 180 series saws. Ie you hate the “easy to adjust chain” on “c” models, so if/when it fails it’s a easy and pretty cheap conversion to a regular side chain tension screw. Don’t like the carb? Swap it for a wt-215. They may be small but they are mighty and somewhat modular to keep getting your money’s worth.
thank you Steven Loy
It's unfortunate, but consumers are more and more buying into this obsolescence, and manufacturers happily comply. Sadly, many of those consumers would never consider "fixing" their failed piece of gear, and just buy another. Rinse and repeat, sigh...
Absolutely true and well put!
What is the spray cleaner you use? Thanks.
The link was in the description but it's the only degreaser Harbor Freight sells, and it's the best one I've used
in the last few years.
The makers do this junk because they CAN. I've dealt with this mess for years. I Ebayed an adjustable jet carb for the opposed because the lean jetted factory job was a joke and the engine was to be warmed up WIDE OPEN and kept running by the choke. The 'mulching holes' in the deck on the rider just trapped grass and helped the deck rust out faster. The 3 legs on the blade spindles wrung off because of being so flimsy and lockered to death. And all that's on an older mower, not a new one that you'd expect more of this garbage with. The wood splitter that had the engine directly under where the split wood fell. The hi-speed adjustment that had no effect on mixture adjustment on the 440. There's no end to it. THAT'S why we can make improvements to our stuff. It just takes some thought and a little money for parts and a problem is GONE! Thanks and Blessings!.
wow , you're experience with this issue is unprecedented!
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE I'm 72. I worked construction straight out of high school till the Army got me the following year and then went back at it right after I got out. I learned to run a crane while in there too. And I still get stuff that can use some help. BUT I can STILL learn from YOU, and DO!
I have a ms180 for 4 years and has no issue and I used a lot
very nice!
Nice cleaning! There is a reason why the ms 170 and ms180 don’t have an adjustable carb! It’s entry level high quality low cost! Targeting the market for somebody’s first saw! An adjustable carb will create more confusion and potential problem to the amateur user! I have this saw since 2011 long with other stihl saws and never had an issue with the ms170! Allways starts and runs good! Ms 171 and 181 tends to have issues with carbs and seals! They have adjustable carb but if you don’t know how to adjust it you can easily damage the engine!
you are absolutely correct!
I think its a legal issue more than anything. Remember how Dollar Tree got sued because people were putting 10W-30 oil in their cars that used lighter-weight oil? Its stuff like that that companies have to deal with. Also, consumers aren't very honest about modifications they make when they're trying to get things warrantied. This creates an issue where people will buy something, modify it, break it, demand a replacement and maybe even sue the company for letting them do something that would break the equipment. If you let entry-level buyers have adjustable carbs, then some of them will mess with the adjustments and run it too lean and burn out the engines. However, its those kinds of people who are the ones who shout the loudest and go to lawyers the quickest. Another issue, related to regulations, is that if consumers can modify equipment to boost performance while raising emissions, then the government might be tempted to fine the company for making it easy to modify their equipment.
If there's something about a consumer-grade piece of equipment that you really don't like, you can thank fellow customers more than anyone for it. Companies don't like their products getting a bad reputation for being cheap but they also have to factor in that the people buying their stuff will break things and most will NEVER take responsibility. Making weak links in machinery is a good thing especially if brought to court, because it proves that your company intended for the product to be serviced by a professional(who might see other potential safety issues) before dangers could arrive. You wouldn't want to make a perfect lawn mower only to get sued by customers who never serviced the blades only for the blades to fly off after 20 years and hit someone.
I like the way you put, although if they make a machine that's ran lean already and the next season it starts to have issues with fuel, that it breaks, without any consumer input, the same problems will still come up for the company. But you do make a good point about consumers making changes though.
Looks good as new when nice and clean👍🙏👍🙏
Yes it does! Thank you RayFpv for your time!
I have an ms 250, bought it new in 2003, it has an issue not wanting to restart after using. I had the dealer check it out, and couldn’t find any fault? That was about 8 years ago. Lately it won’t stay running, so I bought a new carb, filter and fuel line. We’ll see if this cures the problem.
hopefully that helps
Where can I get a spray nozzle like that for a garden hose? Looks heavy duty!
that's actually the nozzle for a paint sprayer.
As a self taught small engine mechanic, I prefer working on equipment with non adjustable carbs. In most cases, the carbs are very simple and cheap to work on and replace. I recently repaired a Husqvarna mower with a Honda engine for a customer. He was not using ethanol free gas, and the entire fuel system was in very poor shape, despite the mower being only a couple of years old. I was initially going to service the carb, until I found out that the OEM carb was only $13. I just replaced the carb instead of servicing it. I replaced every single part and gasket in the fuel system for less than $30, and it only took about an hour total. It was much easier and more convenient than disassembling, cleaning, and tuning the carb.
simple is nice
My custom push mower that I got running has 35 PSI compression, yet the engine still runs and my compression tester gauge is brand new, I've never seen an engine with low compression run😂
that's pretty interesting.
hi
Excellent video!
Thank you very much!
Hi "cleaning man" ! do you have a hours range to remove n maintain spark arester ?
Tnx!
for this one, less than half an hour.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE I meant: the frequency we should check it (sorry if question was not clear !)
oh, I see what you mean now, no I have no idea on a time interval, but if I had to give you a number, I would say one a year. it's not hard to check it on this model.
I would still buy it. I always like a challenge when trying to fix something
I hear you there.
What is that water hose nozzle?
it's a paint sprayer I use to help wash equipment. The spray pattern and light pressure allows me to touch it, without getting hurt. Although it still stings, if I get super close to my skin.
@INSIDE HOUSE GARAGE that's a cool idea, seems good for less noise and less water for more careful cleaning.
Dose anyone know why your carb is leaking near the miteran difram
My first thing I would check is the gasket that is with the diaphragm . Should be able to get the rebuild kit pretty cheap. Fuel leaking can easily become a fuel feed fire. Be safe my friend. Gasoline flashes with no warning signs. Even if you have to put some money into it that is alot better than possibly having a fire and getting burned.
Just use ethanol free fuel and red armor oil. Last but not least keep fresh fuel in it.
both great advice!
for me yep i,d grab it for sure no problem etc.
I knew you would! Thank you Patrick Stapleton!
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE yes for sure and better than ending up in the crap heap which is bad for our eco system etc.
I like my ms 170
nothing wrong with them.
Well if you want a chainsaw for small tree cutting and simmilar the ms 171 is the best one. If you want to do some more heavy cutting or a more intensive and regular use the ms 181 it is. It has more power and also an adjustable carb. I would totally get the ms 171 if we had it in storage in my country :D.
Agreed!
If a product is not serviceable by the owner or the parts are expensive, I would look for alternatives. I use to work in a big name automobile factory & they fairly often cross threaded the windshield wiper motor. This company does not produce near as good a quality as it once did years ago.
that's a shame to know.
A non adjustmentable carb on this saw 😮
I know right!
Welcome to 2023, where throwing away a machine with an easily repairable issue is deemed more environmentally friendly than repairing it.
It's crazy when most pollution in the life of a tool like a mower is caused by making new ones and shipping them from overseas.
Small engine repairers are much better for the planet!
yes welcome indeed.