My first project saw! (no pics yet) -- a free 034 AV

[Jon1270]

Craigslist finally smiled on me today. I've been thinking it would be nice to have a decent saw a little bigger than my Husky 350, and that I'd be happy to have a motorized project. Today I was perusing Cleveland's chainsaw listings (because, y'know, there aren't enough old saws around western PA), and found a new ad for a free 034AV with a "burned up" motor. Amazingly I was the first to reply, and the owner was willing to hold the saw until I'm in the area 3 weeks from now.

I'm guessing a "burned up motor" will require a new piston at the very least, but who knows what else might be wrong. I'd appreciate any 034-specific resources anyone might have.

 

[MasterMech]

034 with a bad top-end is going to become an 036 when you're done. Parts should interchange readily. Just buy the larger 036 top-end instead of the stock 034 stuff.

Love my 034, (haven't used it much since the 460's have been around. wait ... ) and it makes a good 20" saw. At the very least, it will shred bigger trunks much quicker than the 350.

 

[Jon1270]

Thanks, MM. Are the piston & cylinder the only differences between the 034 and 036?

It will be interesting to see how badly damaged it is. I'll be tempted to just replace the piston if the cylinder is salvageable.

 

[ScotO]

Before you go ripping and tearing it apart, make sure the compression is bad......it may just possibly be something simple and the original owner of the saw has no idea how to fix it. But if it turns out that the motor is trashed, I agree with MM....put the bigger jug/piston in that puppy while its apart.....
AND, while you already have it torn down, might as well put new crank seals in it. Do yourself a favor, get a full gasket kit, carburetor kit, P/C kit, and maybe even crank bearings......check them for slop. If the motor is 'burned up' as the poster said it was, that's what I'd do. for around 150 bucks you'll basically have a new saw. Oh and don't forget to port the muffler...perhaps the easiest thing of all to do. If you need help with that, send it to me and I'll port it for you.....trust me, you'll love my ported mufflers..

 

[MasterMech]

Thanks, MM. Are the piston & cylinder the only differences between the 034 and 036?

It will be interesting to see how badly damaged it is. I'll be tempted to just replace the piston if the cylinder is salvageable.

There is a bit of power left on the table if you stick with the 034 top-end. I'd be looking for an excuse to upgrade. Lots of aftermarket options that make it very affordable.

 

[Jon1270]

Well, none of this sounds too scary. I haven't done serious carburetor / engine work since I got rid of my last 1970's motorcycle. This only has one fourth as many cylinders / carburetors, so how hard can it be?

 

[ScotO]

Well, none of this sounds too scary. I haven't done serious carburetor / engine work since I got rid of my last 1970's motorcycle. This only has one fourth as many cylinders / carburetors, so how hard can it be?

It's a piece of cake.....and if you need help, we'll walk you through it. The important thing is to have a clean workbench when you start out, take it apart and carefully inventory the parts/screws......and clean everything good before you put it back together.

 

[Jon1270]

It's a piece of cake.....and if you need help, we'll walk you through it.

Thanks. Looking forward to picking the communal brain.

 

[DexterDay]

Your the gut that got the FREE 034AV?

Me and 3 guys fromAS have been PM'ing each other wondering which one of us got it??

I was the 2nd guy. That gentleman held true and said, he was giving it to the 1st individual. Congrats bro.

Well worth the drive. If you want, PM me and there is a sponsor on AS that has A Great Aftermarket top end kit (if needed)? It's a very nice kit and well priced.

But 1st, pull the muffler and check the top end. Also, check the coil. Sometimes the 2 screws make loosen, and tht will cause the coil to stick to the flywheel. Which makes it seem like it is seized up.

 

[DexterDay]

The 034 Super was a Standard 036. So the cylinders swap out fine.

Do yourself a favor and get the 036 top end, if it needs rebuilt.

I will tell you one thing. The guy holds true to his word. I offered $30 on my way home.... Said it was taken

 

[Jon1270]

Thanks, Dexter. I was really surprised when he said he'd hold it for me. I will be going to Cleveland anyhow in a couple of weeks, and that's when I'll pick it up. He said it's been sitting in his garage for a few years, and won't hurt anything if it sits there a bit longer. I'll have to thank him for not taking your money. I will report back here with some pics, probably at the very end of July or the first few days of August.

I'm not yet a member at AS, but I have regularly been consulting old posts there and at ForestryForum to help me get familiar with various saw models. I at least don't feel completely bewildered anymore.

In other news, I stumbled on a very expensive high-end blender at an estate sale two days ago for next to nothing, and had it photographed and up on eBay a few hours later. The profit from that should be enough to fund some frivolous saw parts.

 

[Freeheat]

FOR FREE man this just ain't right. I keep missing stuff

 

[Jon1270]

FOR FREE man this just ain't right. I keep missing stuff

Don't worry, everybody misses the best deals most of the time. There aren't enough to go around.

Part of it is that having a smartphone with an app set up to notify you of new ads is a huge advantage, and the phones are so common now that it really hurts your chances if you don't have one. Your competition has a little computer in his pocket that chimes within minutes after a new ad goes up. If your pocket doesn't chime, you probably don't get there first. Of course you can blow a lot of money on the phone and data plan too, but there are more cheap secondhand smartphones on the market than there are chainsaws. Discount/prepaid wireless companies are starting to service smartphones, so even the data can be cheap if you don't use too much of it.

That said, my iPhone doesn't get the credit for this 034 because I don't have it set up to check ads from Cleveland. I grew up in the Cleveland area and lived there until fairly recently,and my parents are still there. I browse the ads there occasionally out of habit, and I got lucky.

 

[Jon1270]

Hey, look at this one in Cleveland: (broken link removed to http://cleveland.craigslist.org/tls/3921034544.html)

 

[mikefrommaine]

I have a cl app running searches for me on my Ipad. But all of my great deals have come the old fashioned way -- sitting down and looking at CL. The search apps only search every 15 minutes or so and then alert you. That's a long time on CL for really good deals. When I got my 066 the ad was up for less then 30 seconds. I had just done a manual search for 'chainsaw' then 'Stihl' and it wasn't there. Out of habit I clicked on tools and it was on the top of the list.

 

[Jon1270]

I think the 034 was up for close to 45 minutes before I saw it, but there was something about the ad that made it a little harder to find. Maybe it didn't contain the word "chainsaw" or "saw,' or something along those lines -- I don't remember exactly what it was. The Craigslist search feature is really rudimentary in comparison to Google and other more up-to-date sites. If you search for "chainsaw" then you only get ads with exactly that word. "Chain saw" won't show up, and neither will "chainsaws." Concocting a good set of search terms is part of the fun.

 

[Jon1270]

I picked up the saw this morning, along with its case, an old bar, several chains and an extra spark plug. Aside from being seized (and it is very seized), the saw looks like its in great condition. The original protective plastic film is still hanging on to the badge on top!

I had to leave the saw behind in Ohio, along with my dog, while my wife and I drive to Minnesota for a friend's wedding. It will be a week before I have it back home where I can start fiddling with it. Meanwhile, I am wondering why it siezed; it looks so well cared-for.

 

[clemsonfor]

Nice saw may get away with just a piston and jug?

 

[Jon1270]

That would be nice, but I suspect it will be at least a bit more complicated than that. I don't have reason to think the guy who gave it to me ran straight gas in it, so my inexpert guess is that there might be an air leak somewhere.

 

[DexterDay]

Check carb boot, impulse line, fuel line, and if it has not been ran in awhile. Then the seals. You need the ones so you dont have to split the case. There are 2 different sets.

Where is the seizure? Exhaust side, below the port?

 

[Jon1270]

No idea where the siezure is yet. I'll post back next week when I can examine it more closely, with a toolbox at hand.

 

[DexterDay]

If your coming off of The Turnpike (80) or Rt 20 or 480? I am fairly close...

If'n you wanna swing in? LOL. I know a guy who would take that 034 off yer hands lol

 

[MasterMech]

Meanwhile, I am wondering why it siezed; it looks so well cared-for.​

Air leak is likely, even crank seals are suspect on a saw that old.

 

[Jon1270]

I'd swing by to drop it off, Dexter, except that.... uh, er... Look over there, a bird!

 

[clemsonfor]

OK what does the "AV" stand for?

And another question. You se 046 or 460 "magnums" and 044 "magnums" and so on what does the magnum mean? Does every saw over a certain size say it? I personally cant say i have seen an 044 with out magnum written on it?