Stihl 038 not starting mystery

[Trailoftears]

The bearing seating looks decent to me.As you mention,the centering of the crankshaft is critical,and may be the culprit here?I have seen a stihl wooden block part (not expensive) to ensure the crankshaft is perfectly positioned.Basically a piece of wood with an inner split.

[Trailoftears]

This sort of thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175777995611?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=mAhs6pLxQsi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=ddOCF9S7QRK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, Olddevonstihls said:

That piston is not just scored, its gouged

It looks like the sort of damage you get when an aftermarket gudgeon pin circlip has shed its tang.

[Olddevonstihls]

1 minute ago, openspaceman said:

It looks like the sort of damage you get when an aftermarket gudgeon pin circlip has shed its tang.

10 out of 10.  Just inspected the circlips and what do I see?  
 

 

[Olddevonstihls]

45 minutes ago, Trailoftears said:

I can only refer you to donny walkers series of excellent vids on YouTube re:tips and tricks/tools with assembly/case splitting/bearing seatings etc.Starts to look a v.expensive rebuild job now sadly.Unless you can find a decent for spares/repair saw on Ebay?Even then shop wisely!

If I do it with aftermarket cylinder kit and crankshaft etc it’s about £150.  That is worth it as it is a good powerful saw (when not wrecked) and is a fraction of what it would cost to replace.  But if those aftermarket circlips wreck it everytime it doesn’t look like such a sensible thing to be doing.

[openspaceman]

2 minutes ago, Olddevonstihls said:

 But if those aftermarket circlips wreck it everytime it doesn’t look like such a sensible thing to be doing

Reuse the Stihl ones or buy genuine circlips for the aftermarket pistons

[Trailoftears]

Yep,its a saw worth cherising and its replacement ms 362? Would be what?upper £800's territory.Buy the best bits poss-meteor?Hyway stuff seems to have poor reviews.I sold my somewhat tatty looking but completely original/ working perfectly 038 a month odd ago for £275 via ebay and felt like I was giving it away!

[Olddevonstihls]

I suppose the wear on the crank web/counterweight might have been caused by part of the circlip or other parts of metal once the damage occurred rather than being out of centre.  The question remains therefore is whether such wear would imbalance the shaft so much that it needs to be replaced (I will replace the bearings anyway).
 

I bought the last piston from L&S Engineers as aftermarket but they have previously been reliable.  I’m currently looking at the stuff on the German site Saegenspezi.

 

I really like the saw.

[Trailoftears]

Agreed,l&s are a valuable resource.Dimly aware of the German site you mention and they seem good,but unsure of the brexit 'dividend' re: import taxes/duty tho?

[Olddevonstihls]

The German site has stuff that l&s or other Uk suppliers often don’t. Brexit doesn’t seem to have affected them and delivery is free once you get to 150 euro which, unfortunately, I will.  Otherwise it’s 10 euro delivery.