Help with Damaged Saw Dilemma

[Wyatt]

So I'm over at my brother in law's house a few weeks ago and he offers me a downed fir tree for my time since he doesn't burn. He hands me his 10 year old Stihl 029 and a can of gas and off I go. I do a pre-start check as per usual, everything looks good and the chips start flying. I run the first tank through the saw with no problems. I shut it down, add fresh gas and bar oil and off I go again. About 2/3 the way through the second tank, I notice the saw running rough to the point of dying. Thinking it might a chain issue I look it over and see that it's ok. It starts again, but harder than normal, but 4 or 5 minutes later I notice a smell like the thing is burning metal. To make a short story long, I check the gas and sure enough, no oil. I dump the no oil gas out, fill with the right mix with his blessing and she fires up without a problem. Maybe it didn't run as smooth, but it seemed to do fine and I finished cutting. At my expense I take it to the saw shop where I relay what happened and leave it for a check up. Two weeks later, I go in and they hand me the saw in pieces saying it's not worth the cost to fix, but I demand they at least put it back together. Yes it doesn't run as well at idle and maybe with less power, but my dilemma. Do I just suck it up and buy my brother in law a new saw and chalk it up. I have used this saw many times for my own gain cutting wood at his house, but at the same time it's ten years old. I could see pro rating it, but why should he have to come up with the difference when the 029 did everything he needed? He did tell me to use the gas he supplied, but damn I feel guilty. Maybe I've already answered my own question? And to think I was off to buy a saw of my own tomorrow!

 

[Eric Johnson]

Well the saw is cooked.

Maybe you can find a good used 029 on Ebay or at the dealer's.

(broken link removed)

I'd say if he supplied the gas and the saw and you were doing him a favor by cutting up the tree, that maybe it's not your problem. Of course, you have to deal with your sister or wife and that may change the dynamics of the whole relationship.

Another idea is to buy yourself a new saw and offer to let him use it whenever he wants. Of course, he's the guy who doesn't put oil in the gas mix, so maybe you're ahead to buy your way out of your obligation.

Personally, I never gas my saw up with any mix I haven't put the oil in myself--and only if I remember doing it specifically.

 

[Wyatt]

The thing is, he's an engineer and very careful with everthing of his and anything he borrows. I think it was the lack of using the saw over 6 months that created the confusion whether the gas had oil or not. I wonder, could the oil have settled over 6 months or maybe the gas was bad? Not sure, but it did run after changing to fresh gas and adding oil. Eric, I appreciate all your knowledge and responses to my endless questions, but please give me some bone of hope to hang on! "The saw is cooked" just sounds so expensive!

 

[Eric Johnson]

In my experience, a saw with stale gas just won't fire. Even if the oil had settled out (which I've never heard of), enough probably would have remixed when you poured the gas from the can into the saw. It might run for awhile after seizing up, but not for long. Usually that's your window of trade-in opportunity.

Maybe the gas was OK and the saw just seized up. Could happen with an old saw.

Sorry, but the bottom line is that if the dealer gave it back to you in a basket saying it would cost more to fix than the saw is worth, I would consider that the nail in the coffin on that sucker. Of course, you could get a second opinion. That's about the only bone I've got.

 

[Wyatt]

Know doubt Frank! I'm not going to let the few hundred bucks come between us and I know he won't. He's a stand up guy and thinks we should just run the thing and see what happens. He also thought honing the cylinder might help. Thanks to Eric, I notice someone on Ebay selling cylinders and a piston for just over $100, which might solve the problem at a reasonable cost. And like was mentioned, he has given me a bunch of wood over the years! If I do buy myself a new saw, I need to have a routine that keeps this from happening again.

 

[Willhound]

The Stihl 029 is a good saw, but after 10 years and being cooked, save the $100 bucks for the piston and cylinder and put it towards a new saw. If the piston and cylinder is shot, then you get into possible problems with bearings, casing, etc. etc.,

At least if you go with another Stihl, you can likely use some of the old parts. But you get a brand new saw that both you and the B.I.L. can use.

My 2 cents.

Willhound

 

[Eric Johnson]

Right on with the bearing issue, Willhound. I was going to mention that. A ten-year-old 029 is probably not worth $100. Like I said, find your BIL a good used 029 and lay it on him. If he's a stand-up guy, he'll offer to pay half. So you're probably only out $75 and if if was me, I'd get that back in beer in no time.

 

[elkimmeg]

deleted

 

[Chuck Pearson]

Did he think there was oil in the gas or did he expect you to add oil before you used it? If he thought the gas had oil in it, it was his mistake and you don't owe him anything although you probably want to compensate him to maintain good relations and keep getting wood and the use of his saw. The other posts have good suggestions on what the compensation should be. If he knew that there was no oil in the gasoline and expected you to put oil in, you need to compensate him to keep good relations.

 

[Wyatt]

He gave me the gas with the understanding that oil had already been added. We even talked about it before I took the saw and gas out back to cut; I just kick myself for not double checking. I did give it a good test drive yesterday and it seemed to run fine. I buried it in a piece of hardwood and the saw didn't fall on it's face like I thought a damaged saw should. Is this something that will get worse, or if it's running ok now should it stay this way. The saw shop talked as if the thing wouldn't even turn over, but I knew better since I was able to get it started after it overheated and I changed to the right mix. I wonder if they even fired it up or just saw the damage and through it in a box guessing it was trashed. I think I will offer 50% to the purchase of a new saw as a courtesy and a thank you for the wood and use of the saw. He's a gooder and blames himself, but I just want to make it right. Plus we are always trading tools and that alone has saved each of us a bunch of money. Thanks for talking me out of fixing the 029 and going for something newer.

 

[Hinterlander]

Caution on Ebay saws - a friend bought a new Stihl 290 from a guy on Ebay. He received the saw, and sure enough it was new. Problem is, he didn't notice the rust on the exhaust system. He put the saw away to use in spring, and when ready to use, the engine was locked tight. After dissassembly, we found a crankcase full of rust, seized rings and he had a pile of junk on his hands to use as parts for the new 290 he bought from the dealer to replace it! Turns out, the seller pressure washed the saw but never dried it out. Lesson learned the hard way!

 

[Sandor]

Be careful about buying Stihl parts online. Stihl does not allow net sales, you must go through your local Stihl dealer.

So I would be wary.