Muddy42

For me another benefit of Aspen over motomix is the bottles pour better. I used to spill motomix everywhere so I now decant it into aspen bottles using a funnel.

It depends how healthy or dead the battery is. If its just a little low, I find pretty much any 12v car battery or booster pack will do it. I've started all kinds of cars and a tractor with the help of my £50 400amp booster before. If its really dead you need a strong car battery and to run the engine for a bit. Also at this stage you need a proper old fashioned power car battery charger - the modern auto ones wont work on a dead battery

For small one-handed work Id also consider the tiny pruning saws. I have the makita one and its great. I really only chose it because I have the batteries already. But I have used the similar Stihl and Husqvarna ones and they are pretty similar. You can use all of its 6 inch bar in a cut. I've taken the guard off to allow undercuts.

As above, check the tuning. Keep that old hayter going, I have one and its built well and the only issues have been fuel / carb related and easily solved.

I'm going to search for that youtube video. Having used both, I am very sceptical of that claim or it wasn't a fair test, my MS261 feels night and day faster than the MSA 300.

Glad you got it sorted. I just read the thread and was about to say this is bound to be carb related. This is all Ive ever had to do on older B&S engines.

I have kept two of those homeowner stihl saws going from new for 5 years each. That seems like quite good value to me. yup cutting with dull chains will kill most saws pretty quick. I cant comment on Parkside and Im kind of stuck with stihl now because i can work on them and the amount of spare bars and parts I have built up !

https://www.worldofpower.co.uk/stihl-ms162-12-petrol-chainsaw.html?gad_source=1

Do you have any existing batteries - makita / stihl etc? That is a large part of the cost and would affect my decision. As said you can get a 16 inch petrol stihl chainsaw for £150 which is a way better price for power ratio than any electric battery chainsaw.

I've had a small pot of that stuff and agree its not as good. My advice is to avoid anything with derivations of the real name - 'creacote' 'creoseal' etc. I just checked and the label has come off the barrel I have so can't help you, but I'm sure it was something like "original 100% coal tar creosote" - professional farm use only and lots of health warnings. In my view as long as you won't come into contact with the wood, you want something toxic. If it harms humans it will harm bacteria and fungus! Its the same with lead paint for exterior use - that stuff lasted for 70 years between coats. You are lucky to get 5 years out of modern paint.

I still see some 100% coal tar creasote for sale online.

I come across this problem quite frequently on second hand saws and all over the place - bar nuts, saw dogs, vibration mounts etc. I blame the bell ends who use impact drivers to scrunch in the screws - its fine to undo screws with an impact driver and maybe get the screw started on the way back in, but its best to tighten the last bit by hand. Also as said, often you get two sizes of screw that are the same thread. Its easy to mix the long and short ones up.

- Does either the male or the female thread look stripped or worn after cleaning? Is there any way a screw has been used that is M5, but too long? I've seen this cause damage before. - You could try the stronger more permanent Locktite red. which can be removed with a bit of heat. - or try epoxy if you think the screw is a bit loose. You could try to repair the thread with a tap or drill it out to M6 and re tap. Note ideally for blind holes you need a square/flat ended tap. Or if that fails use a helicoil. I have done all three of these techniques in sequence to various Stihl saws (not MS500i) - I think the hole is blind so you cannot get a nut in behind, but have a look.

Sorry its a bit hard to tell from the video which line you are applying pressure/vacuum to? Personally I test the fuel inlet, the purpose being to test the needle seats properly and then pops off with a certain amount of pressure. Ive never had reason to test the purge line, but I think all that would tell you is whether the check valve in the fuel pump diaphragm is working. Even then I think the carb would work. Just be careful, some of your testing looks pretty forceful and that may have caused further damage.

I get this. I stretch and lie on a foam roller under the offending body part. The foam roller hurts like hell if you havn't used it for a while, but it does make a difference.