Sthil 028???

[John White]

I have a couple of questions about a Sthil 028 which I just acquired. Inside the breather housing there is a small line that appears to come from the fuel tank and exits through the housing outside and it has two small plugs with threads and a slot, stuck in each end plugging it. What is the purpose to this line? When did they stop making the 028? I have a Echo 500VL which has been a great saw for 30 years. My son keeps kidding me and saying I ought to get a Sthil. I keep saying "why". He cuts a enormus amount of fire wood every year. His first saw was a Polan. He said he would actually wear it out in one season. It was still under warranty so he would just take it back and they would give him a new saw. He did this every year for 4 years. Four new Polans. Finally he invested in a Sthil and has used it three years and still not one problem. I was at a flea market the other day and a fellow who runs a pawn shop was there selling some of the items he takes in. He had a Sthil 028 there that looked almost new. The paint hadnt even been worn off the lower bar. He said when it came in the fuel he drained out of it looked like syurp almost. He said that if he took it to a chain saw shop to get the carb rebuilt, he would have another $100 in it and he would never recop his money. So he was selling it "as is". He did squirt gas in the intake and show me that it would start. He wanted $170 for it. I really had no use for another chain saw but some fellow steped up and said he was a professional tree cutting business and used both Sthil and Huskies. He said it was a good buy and he didnt think I could go wrong if I wanted to fool with the carb myself. He said just take it off and remove the plate where the diaphram was and there would be a small screen inside that was so fine that it would not evel look like a screen, just clean it. I did. The saw runs great. Still has original chain. I dont think it has ever even had a file on it. From the numbers on the chailn bar it indicates that it was built in 1991. Of course there is a serial # but I dont know how to tell by that. so now what do I do with another saw. I went out west last year up in the logging country where I grew up at and took our utv to ride some of the old abandoned logging roads, built some 60 years ago. Back then I remember my dad cutting with the old cross cut saw and I can still remember going to the woods and helping him. (in the middle 50's I remember him getting a old 2 man Mall saw and helping him, what a improvement) So not wanting to get trapped up there with a old snag blown across the road and trapping me in (no one goes up there) I picked a little Polan up at a flea market (like new ) for $50 and took it along with me. My wife said what do you need 3 saws for.

[beenthere]

The 028 is a great saw. That doesn't mean yours is or will be. All depends on how it has been treated. Hopefully well, and hopefully the carb clean will take care of the "old" gas problem.

I ran an 041 Stihl from new in '75 until '04 when I upgraded and bought a new MS361. The old saw will still run, but doesn't have chain brake, nor the anti-vibe. Treated right, they will run forever.
I don't let anyone else run my saws and that avoids the problem of not knowing what someone is pouring in for fuel, or how they operate the saw.
Keeping the chain sharp will help keep the saw from over-reving. Keep the fuel mixture right, and the saw carb adjusted not too lean (learn how to adjust the fine tuning of the carb).
Your saw should be a good one, and hope you experience the same. Poor treatment can turn any saw into a bad experience, IMO.
I have a friend who is deaf, and he just picked up a used 028. In fact, in about an hour he will be out to try it out on a pile of logs. Will see how long he lasts.

[jonyyuma]

I have an 028 stihl saw, it is an early 1980's model, i bought it new, and it still runs good. I never leave any gasoline in it . Mine doesn,t have a chain brake. One flaw , sometimes it will kick back and pull the handle from your hand when starting.I bet the Stihl is a smoother saw than any other you have used, and plenty of power.jy.

[milkman]

I have a couple of questions about a Sthil 028 which I just acquired. Inside the breather housing there is a small line that appears to come from the fuel tank and exits through the housing outside and it has two small plugs with threads and a slot, stuck in each end plugging it. What is the purpose to this line? When did they stop making the 028? I have a Echo 500VL which has been a great saw for 30 years. My son keeps kidding me and saying I ought to get a Sthil. I keep saying "why". He cuts a enormus amount of fire wood every year. His first saw was a Polan. He said he would actually wear it out in one season. It was still under warranty so he would just take it back and they would give him a new saw. He did this every year for 4 years. Four new Polans. Finally he invested in a Sthil and has used it three years and still not one problem. I was at a flea market the other day and a fellow who runs a pawn shop was there selling some of the items he takes in. He had a Sthil 028 there that looked almost new. The paint hadnt even been worn off the lower bar. He said when it came in the fuel he drained out of it looked like syurp almost. He said that if he took it to a chain saw shop to get the carb rebuilt, he would have another $100 in it and he would never recop his money. So he was selling it "as is". He did squirt gas in the intake and show me that it would start. He wanted $170 for it. I really had no use for another chain saw but some fellow steped up and said he was a professional tree cutting business and used both Sthil and Huskies. He said it was a good buy and he didnt think I could go wrong if I wanted to fool with the carb myself. He said just take it off and remove the plate where the diaphram was and there would be a small screen inside that was so fine that it would not evel look like a screen, just clean it. I did. The saw runs great. Still has original chain. I dont think it has ever even had a file on it. From the numbers on the chailn bar it indicates that it was built in 1991. Of course there is a serial # but I dont know how to tell by that. so now what do I do with another saw. I went out west last year up in the logging country where I grew up at and took our utv to ride some of the old abandoned logging roads, built some 60 years ago. Back then I remember my dad cutting with the old cross cut saw and I can still remember going to the woods and helping him. (in the middle 50's I remember him getting a old 2 man Mall saw and helping him, what a improvement) So not wanting to get trapped up there with a old snag blown across the road and trapping me in (no one goes up there) I picked a little Polan up at a flea market (like new ) for $50 and took it along with me. My wife said what do you need 3 saws for.

Don't know much about Stihl, but the part you're describing is the tank vent tube. I owned an 025 that had been run over by a tractor and had to replace some of the housings and also the tank vent. The tank has a small nipple molded to it that this tube attaches to by just pushing it on, mine had that nipple broken off and had to make one out of a metal ball point pen ink tube. Good saws though I prefer the orange ones.

[John White]

Don't know much about Stihl, but the part you're describing is the tank vent tube. I owned an 025 that had been run over by a tractor and had to replace some of the housings and also the tank vent. The tank has a small nipple molded to it that this tube attaches to by just pushing it on, mine had that nipple broken off and had to make one out of a metal ball point pen ink tube. Good saws though I prefer the orange ones.

I figured it was a tank vent tube, but how can it vent with two plugs in each end. They look like machined factory plugs, each one threaded, with a screw slot in in, it was pushed up in each end about 3/8". One ends exits the housing the other attaqches to the nipple comming from what appears the fuel tank. The line was rotten so I replaced it with a new one and put the plugs back in. I dont understand how it can vent.

[milkman]

The plugs in the tube are threaded so I assume they're not air tight and vent around the threads of the plug. Then it seems that if you had the saw upside down for a long time, some of the fuel might get past the threads also, maybe the plugs are liquid tight, but not air tight.

[Chilly807]

The plugs in the tube are threaded so I assume they're not air tight and vent around the threads of the plug. Then it seems that if you had the saw upside down for a long time, some of the fuel might get past the threads also, maybe the plugs are liquid tight, but not air tight.

Exactly right

Sean

[doall]

$170 what a stihl, I mean steal. Good saw. I have a 029 and a 026. The even number saws are great. 029 is good too, just heavy.

[John White]

Tried it out today. Cut down 4 old trees. How do you adjust the chain oiler on the 028? It may be off.