I'll have a little more to share later on but this thread is for posting your PERSONAL experiences with aftermarket parts. Good, Bad, or indifferent. Did you buy a cylinder kit and it's been running for years with no trouble? Post it up! Did you buy aftermarket plastics and they made your $1000 Stihl look like a $100 china clone? Yeah, we want to hear about that too.
I like this idea, but it's challenging because a lot of the AM parts are unbranded, so all you can really comment on is the person / company who sold them. I was unhappy with this MS361 muffler that I bought last year, because the paint wasn't even slightly heat resistant; it was smoking and peeling within 30 seconds of starting the saw the first time after installation. Even so I'd hesitate to post about it here if not for the fact that the same seller sent me aftermarket AV buffers when his ad clearly showed OEM. I steer away from his listings now.
A few months ago I used a new Chinese intake pipe on a 372, no matter what I did the thing would not seal against the carb! Threw it in the trash and put on OEM, all was good. The OEM part is around $30 and the AM was $8. I have had the best luck on AM cylinders with Meteor, tecomec, and Hyway in that order!
Like the avatar MM! I've bought a few aftermarket parts so far. One that stands out in my mind as being problematic was air filters. The aftermarket coating was too restrictive choking my saws. Another was a gasket/seals kit. Cylinder gasket didn't fit and the clutch side seal was too loose. Other things like impulse lines and fuel lines seem ok in the short term so far. I usually by OEM, although I try to get it off the net versus the cost at my local places. I bought a set of those Chinese covers for my 036 beater saw. Definitely better than the cracked beat up ones that was on it, but the saw sure does look funky with them compared to OEM Stihl. For an old beater though, they are fine. I did put a Hyway piston in my 460 last fall. Its running fine but is just 6-7 tanks down the road, time will tell on that. And Caber rings, I have a well worn delivery route from Greece for those! On the other hand, the OEM decompression valve I bought for my 460 at my Dealer a few months back was bad out of the gate. They replaced it, no problems since.
I figured MiniMech was already having an influence on ya ............. loss of sleep and more "youthful" indulgences.
Those that know me know I get little sleep even on my best days. Youthful.... lol, I like that - I've been called worse.
I've done 2 full rebuilds on an 036 and MS 360, and used the Aftermarket Rear handle/gas tank. Both not only looked good, but fitment was perfect and the Master lever functioned just as good as OEM. Any aftermarket cylinders have been of the He - way brand and seem to be doing fine. Lots of Caber rings (I would prefer Caber to OEM) Air filters have been hit or miss. If I had to buy aftermarket? It would be the Forester brand. Bought some from China and had similar results to Boogs (resrictive). (I like the avatar as well MM... Huh... huh, huh...)
Whose plastic were you using? Brand names and other specific product identifiers are important here so we know what's good and whats ehhh, not so good. Like the avatar, you'll love this.... A bit of humor! I bought an aftermarket engine chassis (main body of the saw) from Huztl for an MS250. Came in a bag labeled FarmerTec. I would have preferred to use a used OEM part. The AM piece needed quite a bit of dremel work under the clutch drum to get it to clear the housing and I had to move a hole for the starter assembly to bolt up. If I had charged for the time necessary to modify the AM piece, probably would have been within $20-25 of a new OEM part. As it was, I wasn't making a dime on the part. (As is typical when I have to go outside my normal supply chain.) Also the flippy caps that came in it were CRAP and I had to futz around with a couple different o-ring sizes to get OEM caps to seal in the tanks.
Farmertec is the parent company y of Hustle. I have huztl handle and plastic on my ms650 fitment was good. Color off a bit and not as strong bit for what I have in it its fine. The choke switch shaft was junk...couldnt hardly use it and I had to get an OEM. Have a husky 372 tank handle still in the cabinet that I bought. We will see. I have a BB kit for a 372 installed on one of them but I havent really even run it yet. So I can't comment on that bit I have almost nothing in it and its on basically a parts saw so its just playing g and a test. I think I am going to put the parts back on the good 372 and maybe run the fly on it another day? I have flipped a lot of the stuff from huztl but not used much myself.
I would be willing to try another tank/housing from them again down the road. But if it's as big of a PITA as this one was, I won't be ordering more.
I've used a bunch of AM gasket and seal kits with no problems at all. Meteor pistons, Caber rings are a no brainer...... I've used a few handlebars that are AM and liked them...... Air filters, fuel filters.......no. Fuel lines......Hyway ain't too bad. Tecomec and Meteor jugs are pretty good. I worry about any piston aside from Meteor and OEM though. I get carb kits from Carb Tech Solutions.......never a problem. Some of the no brand top ends from weedeaterman are very nice......again, I worry about the pistons though.
There was ZERO fitment problems with the ms650 tank/handle. Like I said the switch shaft was junk and u useable but a OEM off ebay go me going fine. Its not as sturdy as a stock tank but it seems it will last. I mean I am no pro faller and just cut firewood. I am pretty easy on my stuff even though it always looks really dirty...I just dont clean it much, I DONT toss it around and lean on the saw with a dull chain or anything.
Oh Yea I have uses plenty of carb kits from the lowest sellers on ebay. Power something or the other. Never had one not be fixed or run right after a rebuild. Have had some that were missing g a gasket or diaphragm or something but luckily the old part was used as it was fine. It could of been my fault as I may have ordered the wrong kit from one in the same family or something?
Plastic was Hutzl as well, looked good for the 360, but they say it's for an 036 as well. Only problem, is the 036 was a flat top with a name badge and 360 is slightly contoured on the top. Because it was a 360, I had no problems. I even put OEM stickers on it. But to use it on an 036, like Boog? It wouldn't look right (to resell), unless it was a personal saw, that you just wanted to freshen up. As for the 360? You seen it. It looked good
I bought one of those 360 top plastic deals from Huztl. I think I paid $19 for the top cove air filter and filter cover. I split them Into TWo items to sell on ebay. I think I got $19+ shipping for the air filter and cover and just sold the top for $20 last week.
Great thread... As Mastermind said, Meteor pistons have been good to us so far. Here's the ones I've used: 034Super w/ Meteor piston put in after acid clean-up: saw has great compression and has been put to work this year cutting all hardwood 036Pro w/ Meteor piston put in after acid/sanding clean-up: saw is a $80 special that is stored at my cabin for back-up and/or emergencies. It starts as needed and is a solid runner with about 5 tanks thru it so far 026 w/ Meteor piston- this belongs to my school district and has been in service for a few months now. After a couple tanks, compression was 170 and had no issues. Hyway for 036: I also have my 034/036 Hyway Hybrid. It blows 150psi and is a stronggg runner. I used Caber rings. This is my go-to saw these days and just cut about 7 truckloads of walnut and ash--- no issues with the engine so far. I'll post up a 1-year review this Fall. No-name for 036: got one of the cheapest ones out there for my uncle's rebuild... port beveling was bad, plating wasn't that great, and it required extra spacers to fit the muffler we had. It ran, however, but was sold so I can't report on how it's doing. Airfilter for 036: actually isn't that bad but hasn't been put to hard work as it's on the back up 036pro. It fit perfectly. Seals: for 026, 036--- so far, so good (almost 1 year since install, no leaks) Fuel lines: so far, so good on the 026 and 036s I get all my stuff from Weedeaterman. Randy/Henry have been good to me and I'd repeat the same info to them... nothing to hide, nothing to gain. With the exception of my Uncle's rebuild, we don't flip saws... we run 'em. I'll have more reviews of 460 bearings, gaskets, seals coming soon. Also have a Dolmar big bore kit coming...
You know me. I just stuck a new 036 tag in my vice and slowly squeezed it over 2-3 days till it assumed the proper curved configuration, then epoxied it on.
I like Randy use a LOT of AM gasket/seal sets. Same feelings on OEM and Meteor pistons, Caber rings and OEM. Have been doing a lot of tuned pipes and using Hyway mufflers after recoating with DEI header paint they hold up well. Don't use any plastic from China, fitment is poor and material is brittle!
