How to spot a fake STIHL chainsaw

About the first

So I had a chainsaw. It was proudly called “Energomash”, cost in its time (2010), 5300, and went down in history as the first in my hands such a machine.

What can I say about it?? In principle, it worked for its money. But it was China, even though the Russian name was on the body. That’s what I fell for. And then, having looked through the forums, it turned out that the only thing Russian in it is the name, and the rest is “padrobka”, as our neighbors from Belarus say.

Time of life it was defined almost 20 refills of the tank, although mine worked much more. And then a ridiculous death without the possibility of recovery. That’s almost how it happened. Only I do not know that it would have died, or even worked, if it had not stuck his naughty hands in it the local master, the conditional uncle Vasya. And he did it while I was still in the army, and when I arrived the fact was obvious. the saw does not work. Dead is dead. The more so, the thought in my head that it has worked two or even three lifetimes was a little warming. But Uncle Vasya had a desire to beat off his hands too, every now and then. Especially when you had to cut something and didn’t have any tools to do it with.

By the fall I have matured to the idea that in the village without a saw is tight. So I had to make a choice. This time I went for two brands, STIHL and Husqvarna. We have a lot of construction stores, perhaps too many. There are a couple of pure tool dealers, but they sell junk like everywhere else. There’s no Husqvarna store. But how pleasantly surprised I was to find the Stihl department. At this point the problem of choice fell away.

À propos propos du fabricant

The head office is in Germany. For a long time, the country of production was the U.S., but later it became impossible. The saws are now produced in the STIHL factory in China. The build quality has not deteriorated, which confirms the great popularity among not only amateurs but also professionals. You can still sometimes find American-made tools.

Area de aplicação

The STIHL product line includes chainsaws for simple to more demanding woodworking jobs. Tasks that are solved with the help of power tools:

• Pruning limbs of trees, bushes.
• Cutting through small bushes.
• Harvesting firewood.
• Construction and installation work.
• Sawing ice and bark with additional attachments.

Extensive range of applications results in high consumer demand.

How to tell the difference between a Chinese STIHL 180 and an original

The MS-180 sawmill is a common model not only among avid craftsmen and gardeners, but also amateurs to produce “pal. The technical capabilities of the knockoff STIHL 180 leave a lot to be desired, although the price is no different.

How to tell the difference between a genuine and a faked STIHL 180:

• The size of the original bar in the MS-180 is 30-35 cm. The fakes are made with large tire sizes. from 40 cm.
• The “garage” made body has some roughness and irregularities. Who at least once ordered from Aliexpress, will surely recognize such a defect.
• Air filter is “punctured” with serial number and company logo.
• The tire should have a STIHL laser engraving, while the Chinese have none or the engraving is blurry.
• The rivets of the Chinese creation are painted completely in the same color as the tire.
• The MS-180 does not have a separate hole on the bar for the lubrication of the sprocket.

To summarize

Identifying a fake chain saw on the example of the STIHL 180 is not difficult. The same recommendations apply for the STIHL 170.

This is a good tool with decent features as well as high quality build. Scammers take advantage of this. They pass off cheap, cheaper tools as originals. Customers suffer because of this, as does the manufacturer.

Learning to distinguish fake is not difficult. You’ve seen for yourself. We wish you good luck with your purchases.

Have you bought a counterfeit STIHL 180?? Where did you buy it?? Why buy? For which purpose?

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There is no China either

It is a real machine. This statement is true of the STIHL 180 chainsaw.

STIHL headquarters are in Germany. But don’t count on buying a German-built saw. Even on originals it is written that the product is made in China.

Yes, sometimes there are chainsaws with the label “made in USA. But this is an older model. STIHL machines are not made in the States any more.

Most parodies of the original also come from China. Less common are underground Russian manufacturers. But the writing on the housing does not mean that the information is correct.

Genuine STIHL 180 saws made in China have excellent quality and performance. That’s something to remember.

Possible consequences

Now a look at what you can get if you use counterfeit STIHL chain saw lubricant.

Surrogate reduces the level of protection and also leads to active wear and overheating.

• Engine overheats quickly. The grease does not do its job. This is due to the lack of friction modifiers. The result is a strain on the moving parts;
• Sludge formation is increased. Fakes contain a lot of sulfated ash and low-quality base. This leads to fouling and dirt deposits;
• The tightness of the combustion chamber is impaired. Without lubrication and with a lot of debris, the piston rings deteriorate. The engine literally bursts from the inside out;
• Engine jams and degrades. This is the final result. It occurs if you don’t drain the counterfeit oil in time, and use it for a long period of time.

The best case scenario is to drain the grease, flush the motor, and then buy the original and normalize the chain saw.

In the worst case, buying a cheap knockoff will result in the engine being repaired or the machine being scrapped. There are situations where this machine breaks down. And it could not be repaired.

Possible malfunctions and solutions

To keep your chain saw in good working order and to extend its service life, it is important to follow these recommendations:

• Use of fresh, high-quality AI 92 gasoline and original STIHL oil.
• Timely inspection and replacement of filters.
• Checking the condition of the chain saw.
• Careful handling during use and storage.

STIHL chain saws are pretty rugged. Malfunctions of a chainsaw occur due to natural wear of components and improper use.

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How to start your STIHL chain saw

The correct way to start your chain saw is important for safe use and a long service life. Despite the wide variety of models, they all wind up according to the same scheme:

• Activate the chain brake by pulling it forwards. Remove the starter rope guard.
• Push in the decompression valve or fuel pump (if fitted).
• Set the combination lever to cold start.
• Place the saw on a flat surface so that the chain does not touch the ground.
• Put the toe of your right foot on the right handle. grasp the front handle with the left hand and the starter rope with the right. All manipulation must ensure that the chainsaw is stable before it is switched on.
• Pull the starter rope gently until you feel resistance. Then move the lever a few more times to start the engine for a short time.
• Move the single lever to half throttle by opening the throttle.
• Pull the starter rope again. Squeeze the throttle trigger when you start the engine. The combination lever will move to the no-load position.
• Lift the saw carefully off the ground.
• Pull the handle of the autobrake toward you until you hear a click. This unlocks the chain and lets it run on the guide bar.

You can put the chain saw on with the chainsaw between your knees or thighs. In doing so the chain brake should always be in the active position.

It can happen that a chainsaw without a manual priming pump will not start after a long period of standstill. How to start in such a case:

• Remove the air filter cover. Remove the filter and put a few drops of gasoline in the carburetor with a syringe. After half a minute some vapor will form, after which you can pull the starter cord again.
• Remove spark plug. Drip a drop of gasoline into the inside of the cylinder. Reinstall the spark plug.

This last method should be used as a last resort.

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The saw is more difficult to start in the winter. Keep tools and fuel in a warm place to make starting easier. This is particularly important if you already have the bar and chain on for your STIHL chain saw. Otherwise, the installed chain can damage the tool when it is switched on.

No spark on chainsaw

On a modern model, it looks like the spark is too weak. In order to find out the reality of its absence, it is worth checking in shaded areas.

Excessive fuel priming, which causes the chainsaw spark plug to become wet, can be a one-time occurrence. The engine will not start, but it is not due to a carburetor malfunction.

• Remove spark plug.
• Blowing out the combustion chamber by giving the starter a few pulls.
• Wipe plug, dry it on a torch or burner flame. Replace with a new spark plug.
• Checking spark, spark plug installation.
• First start without a choke.

If after 3-4 times the saw does not turn on, you need to press the pump cap two or three times. Try to start the tool again.

Oil and gasoline ratio

Never run the chain saw on gasoline only. A mix is necessary, where the proportions of oil and gasoline for the chainsaw are 1:50 (1 part oil plus 50 parts gasoline).

Only gasoline with a maximum methanol content of 10 % may be used, i.e. with a minimum octane rating of 90 ROZ.

You can use STIHL two-stroke chainsaw engine oil or other high-performance oil when mixing on your own.

Mixing procedure: first add oil and then add gasoline. The mixture should be thoroughly mixed. Never add fuel mixture to the STIHL chain saw after 30 days. Performance may be impaired if exposed to high or low temperatures or direct sunlight.

Adjusting the carburetor

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The carburetor is set from the factory to provide the optimum fuel/air mixture for the engine in all operating conditions.

Adjustment of the carburetor for consistent carburetor performance with a STIHL chain saw:

• Check the air filter and change if necessary.
• Adjust the idle speed by turning the bolt counterclockwise until it feels firmly seated. After that, make two turns clockwise, since the standard is LD=2.

How to adjust the carburetor for idling:

If the engine speed is very low when idling, you must turn the bolt clockwise until the chain begins to move. Then turn the bolt back half a turn (counterclockwise).

If the idle speed is very slow, turn the bolt counterclockwise until the chain stops. Then turn the bolt back 1/2 turn.

How to start a chainsaw with a decompression valve

The valve is used to make it easier to turn the engine (cold and hot).

• Turning on the valve.
• After the first flash fails, the valve is in normal operating mode.
• After setting the choke lever to the open position, start the engine.
• Repeated pressing of the decompression valve.

The decompression valve makes starting up easier, not faster.