Dating/buying stihl chainsaws ?

[predator]

Just trying to find out if the chainbrake sticker is missing been replace etc how could i date the year of a saw i was say buying from ebay s/h etc do they have other markings on as i bought a 038 saw a while ago and was told 1993 then found out it was 1982 SO SOLD IT ON NOW it was very greedy on fuel and heavy so got a 341 to replace it

[agg221]

You can date them from the serial number, but I'm not sure it would help you very much. The characteristics of most models change very little throughout the production run - your 038 would still have been heavy and thirsty whether it was built in 1982, 1992 or 2002 - it would still essentially be based on 1970s technology.

 

There are three factors I think you're trying to assess in secondhand saws. Design era, which will tell you a bit about performance vs. weight, and complexity as well as factors like efficiency, noise emissions and vibration levels; model spec. which will give theoretical performance (mainly .cc, HP and chain speed) so is it a racer or a slogger (design era plays a role here too) and also, by reputation, reliability and parts availability; and finally condition- how does it measure up to it's original spec.

 

In my view, at first and even second pass, none of these are significantly affected by serial number.

 

Alec

[Megatron]

Their is no date information directly put into a Stihl serial number. A dealer you may have some luck if the saw was registered but even that may be restricted to the country it was bought in.

However, there is indirect date information and if you really know your stuff (like me ) it is possible in most cases to be able to get a pretty good estimate of the year of manufacture from a serial number.

 

You can date them from the serial number, but I'm not sure it would help you very much. The characteristics of most models change very little throughout the production run - your 038 would still have been heavy and thirsty whether it was built in 1982, 1992 or 2002 - it would still essentially be based on 1970s technology.

 

There are three factors I think you're trying to assess in secondhand saws. Design era, which will tell you a bit about performance vs. weight, and complexity as well as factors like efficiency, noise emissions and vibration levels; model spec. which will give theoretical performance (mainly .cc, HP and chain speed) so is it a racer or a slogger (design era plays a role here too) and also, by reputation, reliability and parts availability; and finally condition- how does it measure up to it's original spec.

 

In my view, at first and even second pass, none of these are significantly affected by serial number.

 

Alec

 

There are often quite big changes that have occurred through a saws production run that influence parts availability (OEM and aftermarket), reliability and performance.

A few examples;

-10mm vs 12mm wristpin on 044

-aluminium vs polymer flywheel on 066

-44mm vs 44.7mm piston/cylinder on MS260

etc.

The changes are outlined in service bulletins and a serial number is given up to which the "old" parts will be used. (/from when the new parts will be installed)

[predator]

CHEERS AS CLEAR AS FOG LOL

i just wanted to know if the was an easy way incase a s/h saw is what the seller says it is so to speak and could relate to numbers/dates which inturn would give saw specs year of build cc etc

ALL INFO WOULD SAFEGUARD ME WHEN I BID/BUY A SAW AND KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN I PICK UP

[agg221]

Hi, sorry it didn't make it clearer!

 

Megatron's comments are correct specific examples, but don't address your main point, which is about what you're getting for your money. The point I was trying to make was that I don't think your original question will tell you what you really want to know either - a knackered 1992 saw is worse than a little used 1982 saw for example.

 

The closest I can get to answering your actual question, which relates to my original point, is to suggest looking at Chain Saw Collectors Corner - Gasoline Chain Saws by Manufacturer, which is, whilst uncorroberated and containing a few minor errors, about the most comprehensive list of saws there is. This gives, in many cases, a year introduced and sometimes a year discontinued. This might at least tell you if the quoted date is credible, and will indicate whether the design is old and hence likely to 'feel' like a 1970s saw or a 1990s saw etc.

 

Alec

[agg221]

Sorry it didn't help!

 

The point I was trying to make was that I don't think the question you're asking will help arm you with anything useful in future relative to avoiding future issues like the one you experienced. The 038 you had didn't behave as it did because it was manufactured in a particular year - it behaved like an 038, minus some for condition, irrespective of which particular year it was made. A little-used 1982 saw would out-perform a hard worked 1992 saw, so even if it had been a 1992 model that wouldn't have made things any better. In other words, whilst you were 'had' over the year of the saw, if you hadn't been it wouldn't have made the saw behave any better!

 

The question I think you're trying to address is, before experiencing using a particular model, how do you work out roughly what it should be like, and then seeing whether the particular one you're looking at is a good or bad example.

 

Whilst Megatron's comments are technically correct, I don't think they help answer the question. Yes, you could dismantle an 044 to establish whether it's the 10mm or 12mm wrist pin, and armed with that information you could establish whether the date on the sticker matches the model type, but realistically it doesn't make any tangible difference to how it performs in real-world use, and that was my original point, whilst I acknowledge that changes were made during production runs that can last decades, most of the changes don't make a lot of difference to the user.

 

As such, in answer to your specific question:

 

No, you can't get the absolute year

Yes, you can get a good approximation if you know how Stihl serial numbers work

No, this won't help you in judging a particular saw on fleabay.

 

Probably the best you can realistically do is get credible dates for introduction and sometimes discontinuation of models. The most comprehensive list I know of is at:

 

Chain Saw Collectors Corner - Gasoline Chain Saws by Manufacturer

 

The dates aren't perfect, but they're a good indication and give an idea as to whether the date on a sticker is even possible. It will, specifically, tell you whether it's a 1970s, 80s or later design, which I think gives you more useful information as to what it will be like, as per my original post.

 

Alec

 

Alec

[NFG]

Hi,

 

I would consider that selling something thats 10 years older than stated constitutes fraud and you could have easily recovered your money - although I dont know the full facts of the case - my learned friend!

 

Anyway, Im posting to say thanks to Alec for the info regarding models & so on,

 

One suggestion though, would it be useful to have a "how to spot chainsaw fake or fraud" sticky thread with some typical pics and examples?

 

As members report them to Ebay, the items get pulled before the rest of us get a glimpse of what to look out for although the phrases such as "new last year & only cut a few trees" or "stopped working and been in my shed every since" spring to mind, a rogues gallery of pics would help the rest of us mere mortals, no so eloquently versed in chainsaw identification avoid them.

 

Just a thought and hope your 341 goes well, I wouldn't mind one also.

 

N

[Megatron]

A lot of Stihl saws won't even have a sticker with a date on! Before the early 1990s you're out of luck, they will just have a safety warning sticker, no date.

Besides I wouldn't trust a sticker anyway, easy to swap chain brakes and often the sticker is missing. Lots of frankensaws on ebay.

 

Often lots of port dimension/timing changes occur throughout a saws production which have a noticable influence on performance. Along with ignition changes, intake tract changes, exhaust changes etc.

 

A 10mm 044 is a completley different animal to a 12mm one.

[elfinwood saws]

look at the date wheels on the inside of the plastics.

[Wolfie]

Probably stating the obvious but:

- model number on a metal plaque with rivets = very old.

- 0** models on sticker = old.

- MS*** models = newer.

 

As already said, it all depends on how hard a life the saw has had.

 

Just keep in mind when looking on ebay for saws that sellers can make them look a tidy saw by steam cleaning and/or putting newer bars/brakes/side covers on.

 

I would try and zoom in on the parts that are less likely to be replaced like the side/top handle. Any saw thats had hard use will have plenty of nicks out of the rubber.

 

As soon as you can afford to, buy new, it often costs less in the end.