Non OEM Stihl parts ?

[waterworks]

I have a spare worn out MS200t that isnt worth rebuilding with expensive Stihl parts for a saw i dont use much, non OEM cylinder and piston can be got for less than £20 , I'm aware that you get what you pay for and they are made in Pakistani sweatshops from recycled scrap metal , has anyone used these parts and what the problems were ? 

[pleasant]

£20 is a couple of coffees and a couple of sandwiches at costa nowadays, and the coffees will last longer than a £20 pot and piston. As you say, you do get what you pay for, so for that end of the price range you are just going to buy a paperweight for that money. If you are going to spend a few hours of your life repairing anything, then you want to ensure that precious time isnt wasted. Being a stihl dealer, then oem is the way to go, but there are others on here who have more experience than i do of pattern parts...particularly pistons and cylinders. Quality varies wildly, as do machining tolerances....someone will be on here soon with an aftermarket recommendation.....but will be a lot more than the £20 paperweights you have seen. 

[peatff]

I think Stihl discontinued parts for the MS200T so OEM is going to be hard to get anyway. Meteor is a good alternative but still going to cost north of £100 but if a saw's worth doing it's the best choice.

Edited December 6, 2023 by peatff

[Dan Maynard]

Put the £20 towards a new silky, will cut faster.

[Bob The Dog]

I’ve rebuilt a couple of Husqvarna saws following seizures. My 346xp had a meteor pot and piston and has done a lot of work in the 2 years since, with no issue. The second was a mates 435 which he put neat fuel through. He was about to scrap it as he’d bought another, but allowed me to try a cheapo £27 Chinese pot and piston from Amazon. More than a year on and it’s still running well, having done a fair bit of work. I will admit that the feel and quality isn’t what the meteor was, but for the money, and if it was a saw to be thrown out anyway, why spend loads, and just have it as a back up saw?