3 Common Problems with the Stihl MS170 & MS180 (and solutions) HipaStore.com
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- čas přidán 2. 07. 2024
- In this video we'll take a look at 3 common issues and solutions with the Stihl MS170 and MS180 chainsaws. These are great homeowner saws and have very problems when properly cared for and maintained. Though there are a couple issues that may arise during maintenance and repair.
We will discuss these and show how to avoid common mistakes to keep your machine running for a long time.
Hipa carries a full line of accessories and parts for most Stihl chainsaws as well as other brands. Including chains, ignition coils, air filters, and more. Visit the website to learn more www.hipastore.com/search?q=MS...
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Video chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:25 Problem 1 - EasyStart
02:06 Problem 2 - A weak part
06:50 Problem 3 - Sprocket
10:56 Hipa DIY Community
#hipafixeasy #hipa #hipastore - Jak na to + styl
Ha! You said, " if you loan it to a friend...." Ha! Good one.
No loan Outs here ha
It's in the shop.
You get your own chainsaw, buddy! If my friends don't already own a saw, I just go over there and do their tree work as a favor.
😂😂😂
Yeah mine come back with a very dull chain, scorched marks on it and also slightly bent. Was rather peed.
I purchased a 180 a couple months ago. Thanks for the heads up on it. I will definitely keep this in mind.
Yeah, I hope you keep giving tips like these. I don't use my saw that often. So these tips help a lot. Thanks
Wow - just wow - I am a proud owner of a Stihl MS 180 - had it three years but very much a newbie - just browsing YT for some general info / refresher tips - came across your video. Really kind of you to share your experience. All tips noted - loved the last one. I will def do that each time. Cheers - Simon . Adelaide / Oz
Thanks!
When I put the bar back on I usually use adjustment gear on the bar itself to take up the slack and ensure the chain is less likely to move on the sprocket. Great video, very helpful and enjoyable
Thanks!
Very informative and helpful! Thanks for your time!
Great video! Ive been running my Stihl MS170 for about 5 years with no issues, however I'm mostly cutting smaller wood.
The right tool for the right size job.
I broke the tab on my Ms170. I used a 7mm metal washer, cut a groove and stuck it with pratley steel. Works like a charm now.
Thanks. What is pratley steel?
It's a very strong glue. Usually used to bond metal together but also works well on plastic Especially if you joining metal to plastic.@@westonberndt3194
I am the buyer and assembler of Stihl products for an ACE store. I own an MS180C and you are absolutely correct about letting someone use your saw without showing them how to start it. My stepson grabbed it off my tailgate while helping him to clean up his backyard and I hadn't shown him how to start it. My saw got a new pullcord. When I sell one of the easy start saws, I give the customer a lesson on how to start one and warn them not to loan it out without showing the user how to start it. There are some other upgrades you can make to these saws but as a dealer, I'm not allowed to divulge them. Just do some research!
Awesome, thanks for commenting!
Thanks for the info! I was given a Stihl 230c (about 40cc) as my friend had numerous problems with it and said it was a POS and had gone over to Husqvana. I noticed in your video that my chainsaw has the same type of chain tensioning system. I must watch out for that problem with the chain slipping off the sprocket. I agree with my friend that it is a POS compared to my old (1978) 010 saw but it's lighter which is a plus when you are 71 years old. Thanks again for your information. My neighbour has one of those ms170 saws and is very happy with it.
It sounds like you know your way around a chainsaw enough that you won't run into that problem. Thank you for watching and commenting!
We had a couple of these on our construction sites. Every one of them were completely destroyed by the guys who ran them. The throttles were the first thing to break, then the recoil followed by the tensioners and all the goodies under that side of the cover. Instead of letting our Gorillas tear them up over and over again, we gave them cheap reciprocating saws instead. A tool they could actually keep working. As for me, my old Stihl210, the smallest saw I've got, Stihl works as should after years of use. The 170-180's are cheap enough to buy, but I won't replace the 210 with one of them. Not unless I'll be the only one that ever uses it.
thanks for the good advises which I did not known before on my Stihl chain saw.👍
Such a great video, thank you for all the priceless advice ….
Thanks Craig!
@10:19 also, like on most chainsaws, you will want to push the bar upright (or turn the chainsaw upside down to let gravity work) so that the bar remains at a slight upward angle when the chainsaw operates.
Awesome video..nice tips... . Got 170,, but recently stalls when petrol trigger is pulled....
love my ms180. good for delimbing trees. Cutting up small fire wood, and dropping the occasional christmas tree. If I need a bigger saw I use my ms250. I love the range of sizes that Stihl offers. From the small 170s up to your timber cutting 661s and 881s. Father owns a 661 and that thing is a monster! Sadly it is getting to heavy for him in his older years.
I've got an older MS 210, I like the way it's designed better.Seems like less things can cause problems.
I have a Stihl MS170, and like it very much. The only problem is when getting a replacement chain for it, make sure you carry the old chain and the numbers match or the portion that runs in the bar might be too wide. It will fit but won't move after putting it on. Dang good saw.
get3/8picco55teethn-.050-not-.043
Great video for newbies. As a retired STIHL tech I've seen most common issues. None I thought were major problems. As for installing the chain, you should try a 36" bar & chain. I've always installed bar & chain together.
You put a 36" on a MS180?
@@HipaParts since STIHL doesn't market a 36" bar for a 170/180, I have one on my 064.
@@richardfuerst5286 36 inch? Did you maybe mean cm? 36 inches are a lot
@@HipaParts 🤣🤣🤣😭
Thanks for the info, very useful...
Great helpful tips and thank you.
IDK how I got here, but I'm never buying that chainsaw. So well-articulated on the problem spots. This guy knows what people want and don't want in machines.
If you snap some plastic off there's a SIMPLE SOLUTION.
Baking soda + super glue. It works so well that if something breaks, it breaks in another place.
There are many videos about how to use it, just search!
I use a hot staple.
I have a 181 and a 181 C-BE , the plastic clip is solid underneath , fully supported . A preventative measure for the 170/180 could be to glue a support piece underneath , with a bit of JB Weld or similar .
Interesting, good idea!
Great video! Only wish they would start the chainsaw with the brake on. Safety first!
Thanks for the important tips.
Great video, thank you! ❤
You need to put some white lithium grease on the control lever, where it fits into the plastic clip. I also put some on the end of the control lever and on the section where the spring fits. These make it easier for you to move the control lever and for it to move upward when you blip the throttle in half choke. It is not a bar - it is called the master control lever by Stihl. I wish folks on Utube would use the correct name for parts. Broken plastic clips can be a problem on any Stihl saw if you are careless when removing them. You can repair a broken plastic clip by using a plastic tie to perform the same function. Just don’t break it. Put a little grease on the control lever where it fits into the plastic clip and be careful removing it from or installing it in the clip.
hi john mine is slopy but not broken, will the tie wrap trick work? thanks
@@jamescutts2645yes, it will. I did it on an 029.
Thanks buddy 🙏🎉
Excellent video!
Excellent
Nice video. Thanks for the tips. 👍
Thanks!
Thanks a million ,very informative!
Glad it was helpful!
I had to replace the oil pump on my 180 c. Removal and replacement of the handle was a nightmare.
Didn't know the company name was pronounced Highpa! Good to know. I've been calling it Hipa like HIPAA in the medical industry is pronounced.
Yep - good tips X3.
Thanks
helpful tips. awesome video.
Thanks!
Hi , thanks for a really informative video , do these issues persist on the newer model MS 182 , and would it be possible to to down size the bar on the 182 to a 12inch bar & chain .
Thanks .
I do not like the .043 drag chain, either, for the same reason you mention. If this happens, it will lock the saw right up when you take off the chain break.
Wish I had known about this sooner. The dealer, Northern Tools, didn't tell me about this.
My 180 chain can go on the bar after the bar is on the saw. just need to turn the wheel all the way back for all slack, then feed the chain on the top rail first, then around the sprocket, then line up the bottom. I'm not sure if the newer version gave a tiny bit more motion, though for almost everything yours and mine look nearly identical, just that back cover is slightly different. So I guess not sure?
Thank you so much my friend. So helpful. I have a Stihl and makita. I think the Makita is easier to service meself ???
Great tips thanks
Glad it was helpful! Thanks!
Thank you for going over these "gotchas" with this saw. I like my 180c, but I've found that it's harder to tension compared to my 271. The thumbwheel feels "stuck" when I get it tensioned and the flip-up dial tight. I can seem to use the thumbwheel to loosen or tighten the chain. Is this by design or am I doing something incorrectly?
Yeah, I have a 14" mini boss and the top tension wheel won't turn to tighten bar once cover is on. Frustrating! Cleaned it etc..
Years ago, I ha a 110 AV. The MS 180 is supposed to be the modern equivalent. It ain't half the saw the little 110 was. Am looking for a 110 as we speak !!!! Oh yeah , both are called Mini Boss !
Kren caisawnya sthil memang terbaik
One thing I do to every new bar is take my triangle file and hit the “lead-in” and “lead-out” sections on the bar a few licks with the file, which makes it easier for the drags to fit into the bar. I just bevel off both grooves a bit. It makes it easier to get the chain on the bar when reinstalling it. On new bars the paint on the bar can inhibit chain installation, as well as the fresh square edges of the groove. I just bevel about the first quarter of an inch of the groove with the file.
so simple an idea yet so brilliant ! thank you .
@@Mopar-Pioneer I use a triangular file to bevel the lead in and lead out sections and a bar dressing tool for the flat areas.
Thx for the excellent video. I have a wierd problem with my MS170. When the air filter is off, the selector moves reliably to full choke. But when I install the air filter casing it prevents me from moving the selector to full choke. If anyone has any fix for this, it would be much appreciated.
The big adjustment wheel will mushroom out in the center and you won’t be able to get the bar off. The metal tab to ground out the saw and shut it off will deform and when you go to shut it off the black plastic rod will pop off. Take plyers squeeze the loop in it flatter and it will work again
Good Gawd man!
Get that thang out of your groin,
and put it under your femur bone.
Yes, I own one from 2013 and it
is a wonderful trim saw.
The first time I showed somebody
how it started, he was shocked!
Its a brilliant concept and will
easily extend the life time of
your wrist, elbow and shoulder.
North Central Florida
11.10.2022
I just bought a 170 and only used 2 tanks of gas. Won't start, took it back to Ace and will be 4 days before they look at it. Ace said they are having carb problems on the newer ones. Just my luck.
Good job
Good tips.
Thanks!
very good ! bien !
My older Stihl 029 is a work horse with regular maintenance made much easier now with Hipa keeps it in great shape
#HipaYTGiveaway
I have a 180 CE. Another pain in the neck is the thumb roller to adjust the chain tension. Grime where that thing makes contact with the larger metal roller can make that thing very difficult to turn. Sometimes I just have to reach in with a screwdriver and turn the metal cogs that way rather than use that stupid plastic thumb roller.
Excellent point. They can be a pain on the thumb. Thanks!
I noticed mine did not have a round metal wheel that the chain run in like my others but everybody asked that it was supposed to be that way is there any way to put the metal wheel on that way you don't have to worry about that
I really dont understand how putting the bar and chain on together being an issue? I do this out in the bush all the time and never have any issues
nice review~ double thumbs up
Thanks!
you can tell if its an easy start just by the feel of the pull. if it feels like a bungy cord stretching when you pull its eqipped with easy start
good info
Tank's
Buying the new casing only to risk snapping it again, I'm wondering if a hot staple would do the trick.
I love the quick chain tensioning and easy start system on my Stihl MS181 C-BE chainsaw and never had any problems with it, start's first pull and cut's like a hot knife through butter, just wish my Stihl FS55 strimmer had an easy start system
Agreed
I've got the same saw but aftergetting it sorted it still refuses to run ok any suggestions?
My ms170 chain rotates when I pull the cord to start it. I took it to the shop where I bought it and they said it’s a cheap saw that isn’t really meant to repair. Any suggestions for what a guy like me can do to troubleshoot it and repair it?
Fifteen years ago I heard about the easy start feature and went down to my dealer (closed down a couple of years ago) and bought an MS 170 just for it. I specified that I wanted that feature. I could not tell since it is not listed in the manual or any paperwork and it certainly did not feel like an easy start a friend had. Took it back down and he assured me it was an easy start. To this day I do not think it is (I almost never use it). How do you tell for sure if it is or is not? They are supposed to have a compression release if they are not easy starts but again nothing is mentioned in print about either.
Igor one of those but now the thumb tightener wheel will not tighten the chain! Why?
Üdvözlöm. 6:15-nél a gázrudazat rossz helyre került. (Welcome. At 6:15 the throttle linkage was misplaced.)
Very well done Sir! With continued work and effort you could have a really good Channel. Best to you!
I have the MS180, and did not know about the plastic support, and missed DonyBoy’s video on it! My dealer never mentioned that to me, maybe because he knows I know a little bit about saws. Ha Ha. I have not had any issue, but will use that run stop choke lever differently going forward! Stihl and their plastic! I would suggest supporting the plastic from underneath, when putting the black bar back into place? At least it is of a good grade of plastic and Glass fiber composition.
My main beef is with the non adjustable Carb. & the lousy air filter. I’m sure that is why you and others replace the carb. I always thoroughly clean out all the fines that get past the filter, after use. These are tough and reliable little saws, that excel at pruning and limbing. With just a little more effort, Stihl could have made them excellent! Stay safe and Healthy! 👍👍👍✌🇺🇸😊
Thanks! Yes, the non adjustable carb is a problem. I think Stihl believe that since the saw is mostly intended for the homeowner, they will just take it to a dealer if it needs work. Best!
My new sprocket ⚙️ just burned the plastic guard when letting it warm up 😮
Best thing you can do with one of these saws is by a .50 bar and chain. Direct drop in and only about 35 bucks from Oregon. A totally different cutting experience.
Dealer changed bar and chain to 14" .050 ga w 50 dl at no charge. Much better setup. Additional for me, it's same chain as my 020T top handle.
Looks like the MS 180C shaft bracket could do with a small bit of JB Weld to bridge that gap under it. This would immeasurable strengthen that 'C' bracket. That would ruin your day if the case had to be replaced.
The Achilles heel of my 170 was the carburetor. My saw went through 3 before it would run correctly. It's been running great now for about three years. Hope I did not just jinx it by saying that!
Probably because of ethanol blend fuel corrode our carburetor much easier than the gasoline.
Yousir are a chainsaw scholar and a gentleman. Thanks for the knowledge from experience.
The only serious grief I've had with mine (170 and 180c) is oil leaks. The rubber oil lines (had to replace) and/or the plastic oiltank can wear out or chip (think I might have chipped it trying to force the friggin fraggin new oil line into place maybe)
I bought my 170 new and have had trouble starting from day one.
They are both good I try all both 170 180 I give 5 star of them 🌟 🌟👌👌🌟👌👌👌🌟🌟
I've had problems until I started to follow the actual recommended starting procedure.
That is why I put the saw on the side and do it I am a stihl mechanic by the way
Nice! Thanks!
Bigest problem is production in China. Then problem starts.
Husqvarna and stihl small models saws are low qualty .
Bunch of problems with them.
Hipa parts. Gracias es UN video extraordinario!!!!
The only thing I have a problem with any of my Stihl chainsaws is they love the fule.
Coil & flywheel are different for the easy starts vs standards.
Great video keep up the good work. I am looking into buying a chainsaw like this size I already have a stihl 194t just don’t want to over use it I have to trim some trees 🌳. What kinda chainsaw similar would you recommend for a home user .
I think the MS180 or the Husqvarna 130 in this size are great homeowner saws. Small enough for most trimming jobs but big enough for an occasional small/medium tree. If you get the Stihl, also buy their oil for 4 full years of warranty instead of Husky's 2.
#3 took me about 15 minutes to figure out.
Great tips ! Thanks.
Thanks!
How do i know if my ms 170 is a easy start
I,v owned a used one for almost 10yrs it starts in the dead of winter never had a problem with it i use it for its intended purpose small stuff. Like it so much i bought another new one. Looked at husky felt cheap plastic really flimsy.
Ha ha
“Cheap plastic, flimsy” really now?
Me thinks you were looking at some Farmer Tec clones?!
Or you’re just trolling…
My Husqvarnas have all held up well for over 16 years! Kicked and dropped, and still looking almost new! In fact, the plastic on one of them looks better than the new Echo I recently purchased new!
Run along now and be Kind!
Peace 😄
@@georgedavall9449 Me thinks your butthurt cause you dont like honest opinions. Just me thinken.
Chainsaw Stihl Mantap Bos
I have a 017, same as the MS170 and have never had to replace a carb. I can understand doing a carb kit but why change the carb?
Some people like the simplicity of changing the entire carb for not much more money. $6 or so for aftermarket carb kit or $12 for the entire carb. Some people would rather just change it instead of taking apart the carb to replace gaskets and diaphragm. I don't mind just buying kits and rebuilding but I understand why people would rather just change the whole thing.
Had a Stihl MS 170. Lasted one year just after warranty ran out.
What happened to it?
And I have a 250 Stihl chainsaw it doesn't have any power does it need ajusted or something
What is the difference between hi.stihl ms 170 and ms 170 c..?
Don’t the easy starts always have a marking to that effect on the pull cord handle?
No, not all of them.
Generally useful points,but a huge issue with the 017/018 plus the 170/180/181 etc is the crappy cheap oil delivery worm gearat best they under-oil,and in my experience are very prone to failing.Cheap enough to buy the replacement part,but given the modular design of these budget stihl saws-its quite a big tear-down labour wise to change the failed part out.
I have have the devils own time trying to find why my MS180 won't oil the chain anymore. A full year of fiddling with it, all new parts, 2 trips to 2 different "certified" Stihl mechanics who declared it "fixed" each time to no avail. Completely love the ez start feature and the engine has been utterly reliable and easy to start through many chords of wood. So disappointing it can't be used in this condition. It's a paper weight now.
PS, I have had the clutch off so many times I can do it in minutes. I just need a worm gear that works.
@@fractuss tbh,I just bought a couple of cheap chinese copy parts via eBay,chucked the original Stihl fitted one/fitted the replacement,and never had a problem over 4 odd years of semi commercial use.
@@andrewdavies9523 That's good to hear thanks.
Hi my ms180 won't start, if fuel is poured in manually it starts and runs perfectly. Have you any idea what the problem could be. Thanks in advance.
I have a Similar problem ALSO
I looked at these and an Echo 310. Paid $20 more for the echo and never looked back...
not many people are saying this but the rubbers are meant to stay in the mounts! and pry handlebar over the rubbers! they don't need to come out of the saw housing! to remove the handle bar! pry bar over the tops of the rubbers after removing the caps!
Can the bar be flipped over with this set up
That tab is the reason I will not buy one or even a used one because it’s probably glue back on
The fault is not with the tab, it is the bar, I just filed the bar near the leaf spring so that when you switch it off your not applying too much pressure on the tab or causing the bar to jump of the tab, also if this happens you can't switch it off, just be careful not to file too much, if you do you have to buy a new bar but still cheaper than buying a chassis.
Thanks
the ms170 my dealer sells does not have the mini bar on it just the regular 16 inch rollomatic E bar with the upgraded 63pm3 chain
Hello, to my knowledge Stihl does not sell a smaller bar for this machine, you will need to select a bar and chain from another manufacturer. I do not know why they push the longer bar with smaller chain, probably for warranty purposes. I think the saw is much better with the smaller bar and heavier chain. It cuts smoother and faster imho. Hipa sells the chain, and I got the bar from Oregon.
@Hipa Parts I think the mini bar was good for small cuts. I cut a load of firewood with the upgraded chain and bar with mine still same warranty. It would definitely be better if your dealer can upgrade you to the regular rollomatic e bar instead of the mini with upgraded chain