Passed up on 034/261 set: used motor oil!

There was a CL ad here for a pair of saws: an MS261 and an 034AV for $500. So I called the guy and went and looked at them. The 261 looked and ran really good and I was getting excited, but then I looked over the 034 and about sh*t. The side cover and clutch was covered in black gooey used motor oil. That 034 had the non-adj. oiler, and thus they tend to leak, and leak it did. So I popped the oil cap on the 261 and sure enough, used motor oil. I told the guy I was going to pass. I made the mistake of buying an 026 once that had used motor oil in it for bar oil, and never again. These two saws also had chains that were shot, and the deal was supposed to include a 20 inch bar and a few loops that fell out of the deal along the way.

Oh well. At least it was on my way to the store and I needed gas, so no loss. Just a let down. I would have flipped the 034 and kept the 261. The time required to clean out all that grime is just not worth it.

 

That's messy... not worth the $500. Did you mention the reason why you weren't interested? What was his response? (aside from pure ignorance)

 

Speaking of 026s... There's one at my local shop that has my eye right now. 16" bar, looks pretty decent and runs. I may go pull the muffler tomorrow to take a peek. My guy is asking $175 and it comes with 2 extra used chains, the manual, and a couple other misc. parts in a bag. I managed to get the 034s for under that so if things check out I will probably make a move. Pics if it happens, of course.

 

He was a huge dude, like 300 lb linebacker size, so I told him I did not have the bars and chains that would fit these saws. He was clueless about bars and chains. I also told him that he would sell them in no time, and he said, yes, there were two people waiting in line after me to look at them. So he was fine with it. No point in telling people they are doing things wrong. I tried that with my neighbor's landlord, and he got all pizzed off at me. Some people cherish their ignorance.

 

Can I get an Amen?

 

Amen!

Good to see you here Mr. Shingletown dude. I like more westerners to level out the forum.

 

That's sad to here. Oh well there's a better deal around the corner.

 

That is what was thinking on the way over. But the only thing worse than used motor oil in a saw is used motor oil in two saws.

T'was not an 034S, it was an early 034AV with the non-adjustable oiler. Chain was shot, would have needed $25 for that. Also it was semi Frankenstiened, with a 340 starter, some odd coil kludges, and who knows what was under all the caked on bar oil. Cleaned up it would have been a hard sell for $250 here, as the 034s do not get any local respect (even the Supers). Maybe $225 minus $25 for the loop. Then the 261 becomes a $300 saw needing a $20 loop. The 261 also had a lot of hours on it as well, and would have also had to have been cleaned up. That one also had an old odd 16 inch bar on it that I could not read the numbers or logo from (maybe it was a Windsor?). I do not need an odd bar for my collection.

Well, yes, I always wonder what other things people do to saws that put used motor oil in them. If I had decided to buy them I would have popped the plugs first to look at the exhaust ports. They both started right up, meaning they were warm. Which raises a flag in my book. The 034 sounded really good, but the 261 had a slight up and down variation in revs that was a bit off. I have never run a 261 though so I do not know if that is common or not.

Bottom line, good price but not so good a deal. Someone will like them. Let them take the risk. On paper it was a good pair of saws. I have done better, like the clean 036 that I picked up last month. Or the $20 J-Red that I found. And my brother has a line on a guy with 6 Stihl saws for sale out his way. I am looking at them tomorrow along with an AR-15 that he wants me to look at before he buys it.

 

. So you know my neighbors?

 

Likely, but in another incarnation of the brainless alien collective (they are everywhere).

 

. So you know my neighbors?

 

deja vu, all over again...

 

This phone had my reply left in the reply box. So when I woke my phone up it was still there, I thought it didn't send so I hit post. Then I saw it was already posted???

 

Little do you know, dbl posting and making up some stupid excuse is a secret way for me to boost my post count! .

Oops did I say that out loud!

 

Yes...

 

it...

 

is!