200T no one can fix local

[Magnus]

Is there anything published of this purchase of Zama?

 

[Al Smith]

Pics

The crack is just beside where I'm pointing the screwdriver and visable with the naked eye .

Now I got a wild idea that might work .Soak the carb body ,minus the soft parts in a can of acetone for a day and let it dry for a day . Take some fingernail polish and seal the crack .Might work .If not, it doesn't work anyway and you aren't out anything .

 

[BostonBull]

The purchase was a few months ago, and they will be making the brand better and still selling to others.

Think of this. If they can make the best carbs in the world, and still sell to their competitors they will be making money off everyone of their sales as well. They will also be privy to new ideas coming out such as electronic fuel assistance technology. Zama makes some units for other manufacturers like Husky, and now Stihl will know about these ideas LONG before us, they will be R&Ding the units to the other manufacturers specs.

I think it is a very wise purchase by Stihl!

 

[BostonBull]

Here ya go!

Google is your best friend, typical lazy americans!

http://www.stihl.com/isapi/default.asp?contenturl=/unternehmen/presse/tagespresse/575.htm

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Stephen, have you removed the screen baffle out of the muffler yet? They clog up and will cause the symptoms you describe. Look at the muffler outlet and remove the hex screw there near the bottom right. It's holding down a little tab that you can grab using needlenose pliers or a small screwdriver. Pull that baffle out and throw it away. Then start the saw and see how it runs.

Think one of the shops said they made sure the exhaust was all clean spark arrestor and such... but I will give it a look

 

[SkwerI]

The shops are required to put the spark arrestor back in, but if you 'lose' it the saw will run better. And if you're too paranoid to run the saw without it then I can't help you. It's a stupid, unenforcable rule that should not apply to a top handle climbing saw but Government doesn't make that distinction. They throw everything under the same broad classification with no consideration to the actual application.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

If they bought out the carb mfgr that may solve all problems in the carb situation I have been experiencing in more than a few stihl products... now if I only knew when I could buy the new carbs under their ownership.....lol Seriously,,, my fs 250's I am fixing and selling at half price to change my brusher line up. Both one year old and need new carbs... 2 for 500.00 once I have the new carbs on them and in working order.. I am fed up..... German engineering better not go the route of fix or repair daily like other german products I know of.. Let alone flying them in to fix the dang things.. LOL

 

[CurSedVoyce]

The shops are required to put the spark arrestor back in, but if you 'lose' it the saw will run better. And if you're too paranoid to run the saw without it then I can't help you. It's a stupid, unenforcable rule that should not apply to a top handle climbing saw but Government doesn't make that distinction. They throw everything under the same broad classification with no consideration to the actual application.

I have been resistant to removing it for fire conditions here.... However I may try it and only allow the saw up high and never near the ground running... If I get caught with a saw with out the arrestor.. you don't even want to know the fine... would take more than a few Good tree jobs to pay it.... The rules have got more strict here with the drought and fire season... Every year I have restrictions in that I have to have fire fighting equip on location of the saw etc.. now I can only run them certain hours of the day (we cheat a bit on that one).
When you hike (cause you cant drive with out a proper road due to new restrictions) you carry a McCloud, Fire extinguisher, water, water hose if possible and the saw. Then proceed to cut the tree down... I think the fine for no arrestor and/or no fire fighting equip is about 5000.00 now. If you start a fire.... kiss your lifestyle away.......They can sue you for all fire costs... BTW the one we just had here was over 30,000,000.00 and still adding up.
I will try what you suggest and see how it feels... Thanks

 

[SkwerI]

If you're having that many fuel related problems, might I guess that you're running regular gas for your mix? Switching to premium can eliminate a lot of problems. Not due to the higher octane, but rather the lack of ethanol in premium gas. Ethanol is highly corrosive and destroys rubber carb components as well as fuel lines. That's why your Stihl gas caps stick and won't go on easily.

If you're working in a fire zone and actually have people inspecting your saws for spark arrestors (I've never seen or heard of such a thing in my state), then I can modify the 200T spark arrestor baffle so it is still in place but not plugging up the muffler.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I have been using medium grade, been advised the premium is too high an octane for the equipment and will burn it up. So I stayed with med. I dont run regular in my equip. If you can modify the arrestor and still keep keep it from plugging... I would think this is the better option cause they do inspect here. They pull up from hearing the saws, and have book in hand. Welcome to California and the wild land areas... They don't screw around up here.
Also switched to synthetic mix for cooler running. Not the Echo mix though.. Makes fiber glass with certain fuels. I use Stihl mix only.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Switching to premium can eliminate a lot of problems. Not due to the higher octane, but rather the lack of ethanol in premium gas. Ethanol is highly corrosive and destroys rubber carb components as well as fuel lines.

No shit? Thanks for the education, Brian. Did the rest of ya'll know this?

 

[Frans]

I have been using medium grade, been advised the premium is too high an octane for the equipment and will burn it up.

Always used premium. Over 20 years now and counting, never a problem.

Sthil, Echo, Poulan, I bet they are all the same mixes. For sure, Echo, Husky and Stihl premium mixes are all fine to use.

I don't use 'synthetic' for anything. Lots of guys swear by synthetic oils, but I really don't see a profound difference in longevity between the two.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I will check our premium here especially now that I am running synthetic mix. Far as I know up here all gas has ethanol. But I will check. If you guys have not had problems, I shouldn't pending on hours I run equip I imagine. Brushers might be an issue though as they 8 hours a day 5 months a year. 5-6 day weeks.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

No shit? Thanks for the education, Brian. Did the rest of ya'll know this?

Very aware of the ethanol issues.... Hate the stuff.

 

[Ax-Man]

Hey Boston, You would probaly know more about this than the info that is on Sthils website.

This might be old news but what is up with this Andrea Sthil getting in bed with John Deere. Is Sthil going to sell their stuff in Deere stores???

If this is true I bet there are alot of Sthil dealers up in arms over this.

I know I am guilty of thread derailing but it would be interesting to hear the inside story behind this. If we can talk about Sthil buying Zama why not this along with trying to solve the carb problem.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Hey axe.. that aint no thread derail in my book...
All things that any mfgrs do that effect us in the repair and buying our equipment is HIGHLY wanted here. These kind of transitions can make our lives great or highly miserable. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Addendum... yes it is a marketing move... since John Deere has dealers that already sell and service Stihl. They are just going to make an agreement out of it and both promote each other. This will make Stihl products and service more widely available through John Deere. John Deere has a great service record and Stihl seems to be trying to pull on that. Might make more service shops available for Stihl which will be good I think in more rural areas such as mine where service for Stihl lacks support.

 

[BostonBull]

Yes it IS true, Stihl and Deere are in bed. We got a notificstion via email and letter last month. It basically said the same thing CursedVoyce said. It wont be a big box store type sell. If the Deere dealer does NOT service the equipment ON SITE there will be no Stihl being sold at that dealership.

 

[Al Smith]

Well ,you can talk premium gas and you can argue taking the screen out . Fact is the saw breaths better with the screen out ,runs better also .Premium only costs about a dime higher than regular 20 cents tops .

It isn't like you are shoving gasoline through a 460 Ford or something ,ya know .

 

[Frans]

Brushers might be an issue though as they 8 hours a day 5 months a year. 5-6 day weeks.

Uhh, I disagree. I run fs250s & fs550s, not to mention hedge trimmers, gas drills, power pruners, etc. etc. For years on premium gas.

How did you get that silly notion in your head anyway? I bet someone told you who is too cheap to buy premium so used that as an excuse.

Of the literally thousands of tree guys I have spoken to over the years, and hundreds of dealers, not one has ever said this. EXCEPT for guys wanting to save a penny here and there.

The expression is called: 'stepping over dollars to pick up cents'.

 

[sawinredneck]

I ONLY run premium in my two strokes now. I am also sold on synthetic, but thats my choice.
With the crap gas we are getting now days, it's a fool hardy decision not to!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Uhh, I disagree. I run fs250s & fs550s, not to mention hedge trimmers, gas drills, power pruners, etc. etc. For years on premium gas.

How did you get that silly notion in your head anyway? I bet someone told you who is too cheap to buy premium so used that as an excuse.

Of the literally thousands of tree guys I have spoken to over the years, and hundreds of dealers, not one has ever said this. EXCEPT for guys wanting to save a penny here and there.

The expression is called: 'stepping over dollars to pick up cents'.

No Frans.. It was actually a Authorized Stihl service center. And... I would imagine they are going by the recommended book listing of medium grade octane gas as suggested by the manufacturer. They also did point out less additive and less contaminate in the med fuel. However they also said the high octane may burn too hot for the engine.. I would imagine they are told this by their equipment rep from stihl or whomever as the manufacturers even put it in the manual. The Owner of the shop is far from a penny pincher and will do anything to keep his rentals from being high in maintenance to turn more profit.

 

[JIML]

I used to get a few 200t's that the pulse passage on the back of the carb did not seal well against the intake boot. My fix was to block it off completely, tap the carb for a small elbow and extend the pulse hose directly to the carb. Alot of work for such a simply problem but they ran like a shit house dream after that.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I would have to investigate that further Jim ... I do believe I have seen that fix in another thread..... but yes it is definitely worth looking into ... The saw does lose power and idle once it is raised to vertical position for a cut. hmmmmmm

Frans.... I also want to add that I bought 1 fs 250 two years ago and two more last year... It was not the fuel that messed them up but literally the carbs metal componants that failed resulting in three replacements and of carbs and one dead 250 (two year old) from leaning out due to carb componant failure. The metal in the thing literally gave out. Not the rubber...
I have two five year old still running just fine..... go figure.
About the best I can acess.... is that certain parts were cheapened to hold the prices down on the Stihls to compete in the market.... Seems to have happened when gas prices went over 3.00 per gallon. Even certain plastic components were falling apart from vibration that have not in the older units....
Best I can figure... Funny how Stihl was the last to raise their prices on certain equipment when others already had...

 

[Magnus]

Here ya go!

Google is your best friend, typical lazy americans!

http://www.stihl.com/isapi/default.asp?contenturl=/unternehmen/presse/tagespresse/575.htm

This Press release was dated in November 2007 and it shows intent to bye.

I looked on Zama's site and found nothing on this earlyer!

Today it was there and comfirm the intent to be bought by Stihl.

This is nothing unusual and happends all over. It is complicating and not easy to do for the company's, but pretty normal...
Elux has done this many times as has other in the passed.

It creates a bit of confusion at times and is not really a good thing IMO.

They all interact if you look hard enugh on this coperate mess that is created.

Oregon owns Carlton too now.
EM is Part of Elux.
EM is also part Of Oregon.
Jenn Feng industrial is owned by Investor, that also owns HVA among other things. Jenn Feng makes Kina saws.

All this is just corperate poletic's. It is natural and complicated stuff to wade thru. It say's very little of what happends to products or company's in most cases.

You should also know that Husqvarna use parts in saws in USA that is requested by HVA in USA.
It is not sure that we have same carb's here as you do there.
There are model's we never get to see here at all and vice versa.
Not saying that there are no Zama's, of curse there is, but perhaps not the same.

I never liked Zama it is of less qualety than Tillotsson and Valbro.