Stihl 500i

[Nutball]

I've seen pins on Stihl oilers, and I assumed they simply held in the screw from falling out. Is it this same one that allows more screw travel or is there another pin? I saw no such pin on a 661 that would obviously suggest it limits the adjustment screw, so maybe the 462 oiler is different?

 

[Stumpshot]

Well, you can guess that the Swedes aren't sitting still on this front; they've known of the fuel injected saws being in the pipeline for at least 18 months now, so I would expect a return salvo from the orange H once this hits Stateside.

 

[Frankie]

I've seen pins on Stihl oilers, and I assumed they simply held in the screw from falling out. Is it this same one that allows more screw travel or is there another pin? I saw no such pin on a 661 that would obviously suggest it limits the adjustment screw, so maybe the 462 oiler is different?

Yes ... on the 462c the pin limits the screw , you need to knock it in flush with a “suitable tool” to allow for full adjustment of the Oiler

 

[Gypo]

Aye Stump, I would assume so also, although it seems strange that we haven't heard some news from husqvarna.

Dealer here has had a 572 I've been wanting to demo for a couple months now. Husqvarna shipped it with half wraps and hasn't seen fit to get the local dealer some real handle bars for it. Why they would bother to send a saw over here with farmer bars is beyond me, full wraps are standard in the woods here.

 

[flushcut]

Long live Husqvarna! It's good having some Husqy runners around here.

 

[Nutball]

I've gotta admit as much as I hate it, I'm starting to favor Stihl a lot more unless Husqvarna can take their 300 series (65cc and larger) make them lighter, stronger and scale them down to smaller sizes, and get their QC in top shape.

I'm glad there's the alternative of Echo with their increasingly better pro lineup, cheaper prices good warranty, and longer strokes which make them good for hardwoods and possibly run longer on a tank.

 

[Gypo]

Just what I got started with, dad cut timber with em before me.

Lotsa stihls in the woods here too.

 

[flushcut]

"Say it ain't so, Joe!"

 

[Frankie]

Ain’t nothin wrong with the 572xp ... it’s just imho the 462c is a game-changer ; 13.2 lb and RRRips with a 20” b/c , especially when on steroids!

 

[Stumpshot]

Time will tell if any of these saws nail it in the first generation, engineering-wise (572XP, 462C, 500i) -- or if there are unforeseen challenges or problems that will be revealed in the field with hard running real-world usage. So we're going to sign up on the 572 field trial, Stig is in for the 500i and 462 (as well as Rich and others). Eager to watch it all play out and hear real world anecdotal reports -- not just from a "first impression" or a honeymooner's POV, but 6 months or a year down the road. How favorably will they fare with the test of time and some hard-running hours!

 

[Frankie]

Yah , my prediction is that the days of grandpa handing his grandson a saw are long gone ... The only way these new offerings are going to last is meticulous maintenance by the operator and fresh fuel and superior mix-oil ... The new “controlled air-leak “ saws run hotter ; leaner and the tolerances are loose as compared to previous offerings ... Time will tell

 

[Mick!]

When did grandpa ever hand his grandson a chainsaw? If he did it would be a heavy gutless pos.

 

[stig]

Yes ... on the 462c the pin limits the screw , you need to knock it in flush with a “suitable tool” to allow for full adjustment of the Oiler

The 500i has it as well.

Actually, if one bothered to read the manual, it is in there.

 

[Nutball]

20 inch bar. Still some oil left in but just seems to be running really hot. Cleaned the bar groove more than once to check. Wondered if anyone else had noticed it too

I've been noticing lately a lot of chainsaw bars tend to run hot. I used to think it was engine heat transferring to the bar, just one cut with a sharp chain can generate significant heat on the cutting side of the bar and the sprocket tip.

The extra power of this saw will let you get away with leaning harder on it which will generate more heat. You could easily put another 400 watts of heat into the bar.

 

[stig]

Time will tell if any of these saws nail it in the first generation, engineering-wise (572XP, 462C, 500i) -- or if there are unforeseen challenges or problems that will be revealed in the field with hard running real-world usage. So we're going to sign up on the 572 field trial, Stig is in for the 500i and 462 (as well as Rich and others). Eager to watch it all play out and hear real world anecdotal reports -- not just from a "first impression" or a honeymooner's POV, but 6 months or a year down the road. How favorably will they fare with the test of time and some hard-running hours!

I'm looking forwards to that as well.
The 462 has pretty much proved itself to be durable, we have about 1000 hours on the 5 , we have.

The 500i is another thing.
With no carburator membranes to go bad, my guess is, it'll run true for a long time.

I bought it today, but logging season ended yesterday.
So it'll not be till after harvest that I'll really get to put hours on it.

 

[Frankie]

When did grandpa ever hand his grandson a chainsaw? If he did it would be a heavy gutless pos.

Yah , while an 056av IS heavy I would hardly consider it “gutless” even by today’s standards with all due respect

 

[Nutball]

I'm looking forwards to that as well.
The 462 has pretty much proved itself to be durable, we have about 1000 hours on the 5 , we have.

The 500i is another thing.
With no carburator membranes to go bad, my guess is, it'll run true for a long time.

I bought it today, but logging season ended yesterday.
So it'll not be till after harvest that I'll really get to put hours on it.

How do you count hours: by estimated run time, or by work hours in a day? I don't know the % duty cycle of a chainsaw over the total hours a pro logger works.

 

[Mick!]

Yah , while an 056av IS heavy I would hardly consider it “gutless” even by today’s standards with all due respect

Fun for hobbyists, but don’t see any in the back of trucks.

Besides, the 056 came out in 1980, so if you bought the first model aged 18 and you had a son when aged 25 who had a son when aged 25 the kid would be 7 years old now.


I suppose he could have bought it aged 40, but that ruins the maths

 

[Frankie]

Yah 056 was introduced in 1980 , you are correct ! And they are STIHL running today ... will the new “controlled air leak” stratified saws be running 39 years later ? Hmm .... let me know in 2058 hahaha! Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid !

 

[stig]

How do you count hours: by estimated run time, or by work hours in a day? I don't know the % duty cycle of a chainsaw over the total hours a pro logger works.

If I'm logging, the saw is running.
So I count logging days as 7½ hours of saw time.
Had 7 months of those last year.

Frankie, you know as well as I do, that the 056 saws that run today, have spent most of their life hibernating on a shelf.
Show me an 056 that has been logging flat out since it was born

 

[Frankie]

Yah , ALL saws will “wear out” given enough run time ... they most certainly CAN be rebuilt over and over but the time comes when it’s more cost effective to “retire” the Saw and upgrade to a new model ... I do not have 5 462c ‘s with 1000hrs each on them ... Are they STIHL on the original pistons/rings ? If so kudos to you sir , you must take excellent care of the equipment! 1000hrs of run time should pay the initial cost of the 462c many,many,many times over ! In fact I paid the cost of mine on one tree/Processing job and had enough coin left over to almost cover the cost of a new one !

 

[stig]

We usually get about 2000 hours out of our 70 cc saws.

Sometimes with a carburator rebuild and having the bearing sels switched out.
I'vfe never had do have the rings switched.
Is that unusual?

We run alkylate fuel only, that may help on the longevity.

 

[Mick!]

I have an 076, it does cut well and sound nice, but would I use it by choice instead of my other big saws? Absolutely not.

 

[Frankie]

We usually get about 2000 hours out of our 70 cc saws.

Sometimes with a carburator rebuild and having the bearing sels switched out.
I'vfe never had do have the rings switched.
Is that unusual?

We run alkylate fuel only, that may help on the longevity.

Alkylate fuel is superior to pump gas no doubt ! Usually (not always) the top end needs refresh way before bottom end ... Again is all comes down to maintenance habits of operator - sharp chain , clean filter and fresh fuel with high quality mix-oil and Saw run long time !

I have an 076, it does cut well and sound nice, but would I use it by choice instead of my other big saws? Absolutely not.

I agree ... new saws are lighter and have better AV / ergonomics - cut with McCulloch 125 super Pro recently ... gobs of power but heavy and will rattle the fillings out of your teeth ! For me on East Coast of USA most ash tree we fell/process are 20” and under on stump so 241-461 takes care of 95% of jobs ... in BC or in PNW tree is larger so bigger saw 32” b/c are necessary at times ... I like hot-woods port 241 with 16” bar , 10lb and cut faster than stock 362 !

 

[Magnus]

Any IPL of this 500i so we can see how she looks inside?

Well, you can guess that the Swedes aren't sitting still on this front; they've known of the fuel injected saws being in the pipeline for at least 18 months now, so I would expect a return salvo from the orange H once this hits Stateside.

I am afraid HVA had their shot and passed.

Injection has been a debated for years... I am convinced its the way to go, just like Jonsered was a long time ago.