Worth fixing?

[Maine logger88]

I have an old 044 stihl  that's missing the recoil clutch drum and side cover it also needs a muffler. It seems to have decent compression I have nothing in the saw at the moment wondering if it's worth putting money into? 

[John Mc]

You can find reasonably-priced used parts at https://store.chainsawr.com/

[Maine logger88]

Thanks I'll check them out! I wonder if the recoil is the same as my 461?

[Maine372]

old school legendary saw. I prefer husqys but if i was running stihls, it would be a close tie between that and the 036.

[Maine logger88]

I am a husky jonsered guy myself but I did buy a 461 for my hired guy to run and it seems decent. Someone gave me this 044 so I thought I might try to get it going 

[HolmenTree]

Maine, those early 044 were a head of their time.
It took Stihl almost 30 years to make a 70cc with more power but still not as light as the early 044. I'm talking about the new MS462CM.

Here is my old '89 West German 10mm 044AV I just sold to a young guy last spring. He wanted a light 16" bar with a 33RS chain.
She rips.

[Maine logger88]

Thanks for the info! I may start shopping for parts! How do I tell if mines a 10mm or 12mm from the brief search I did tonight the 10mm is more desirable?

[knuckledragger]

ABSOLUTELY!!! Ive said it more than once in this forum, if I could have only one saw for the rest of my life, that saw would be a 044. I have two and Im lookin for number three, prefereably German made. Outstanding, versital and dependable saw. Stihl really hit the nail on the head with the 044AV.

[HolmenTree]

Thanks for the info! I may start shopping for parts! How do I tell if mines a 10mm or 12mm from the brief search I did tonight the 10mm is more desirable?

You can tell by the sloped angle of the fins on the 10mm cylinder head.
If its got West Germany on the rewind housing badge you'd be quite certain it is a 10 mm.
I'll find you the serial # in a bit.

[knuckledragger]

HolmenTree, I just finished a recondition on a '94  O29. My ? for you is, did the west Germans make any of these saws? I can't make out any of the numbers on the saw.

[DelawhereJoe]

The reunification of Germany was October of 1990.

[mike_belben]

What part of the saw is 10mm referring to?

[HolmenTree]

HolmenTree, I just finished a recondition on a '94  O29. My ? for you is, did the west Germans make any of these saws? I can't make out any of the numbers on the saw.

The 1127 series 029 was introduced like Joe said when Germany was reunited. 
The 029 production run ran from June 15 1992 to Dec. 15 2000.

[HolmenTree]

What part of the saw is 10mm referring to?

The wrist pin Mike.

[HolmenTree]

Maine logger88, 
The 10mm 044 ended at serial#129382283, but the 12mm did run a short time with the angled cylinder head fins.

[Maine logger88]

Thanks holmen! Mine has the angled cylinder fins I just checked the serial but part of it was broken off where the dogs bolt but what is left is 0637991

[Maine logger88]

 

  

 Here is some pics of the saw in question she's been used hard I'd say lol

[mike_belben]

Well... If you only had light duty saw work to do, youd buy a poulan and save a fortune doing it.  Workin hard is what pro tools were made for.

[Maine logger88]

That is true my saws get run pretty hard 50 to 75 cord a week but even after a couple years they usually don't look this rough lol

[knuckledragger]

Guess I remember Germany getting back together...significant event. I wasn't thinking. Thanks.

[Al_Smith]

You can find the parts on flea bay if nothing else .I'd however dissect the saw first to check it's innards because it might not be worth tossing a bunch of money at .If it's bad toss it in a box and put it on the shelf eventually a donor might show up .

[John Mc]

I'd however dissect the saw first to check it's innards because it might not be worth tossing a bunch of money at .If it's bad toss it in a box and put it on the shelf eventually a donor might show up .

Probably a good idea. If it was an easy fix, I have to wonder why all those parts got pulled off it in the first place.

[Al_Smith]

Well,think about it .All that's left are the bones.The covers are gone,chain brake gone .The muffler front has been removed .It might be toast or something as simple as a carb needing rebuilt .
Anybody that gets into rebuilding/restoration needs a little patience before they even think about it .Parts will come .I personally would see no sense for instance to drop 350 bucks in a saw worth 250 .Some do though I'm just not one of them .

[mike_belben]

If you know how to buy junk right then its worth fixing.  If you dont mind chinese parts and dont need it running for 6 months, that is also in the junk collectors favor. Cheap stuff comes along but only to those who wait a long time for it. 
 
If you need it running tomorrow and want all oem, then its uneconomical to fix old saws, wiser to just go buy another that runs and call this a parts donor.  

Basket case saws dont make any sense until you have like 3 of them to make one runner.  Once you have a collection of one model its hard to quit buying out every other collection you encounter cheap enough. Ive bought a few dozen free to $15 pro saw baskets over a decade of hobby rebuilding.  But its a lifestyle and not for everyone.  One guy ties fly lures, another golfs, someone elses fixes saws.  When you fix other peoples saws, they tend to dump their basket cases on you free.   Add a piece here and there, you got a "new" saw.

[DelawhereJoe]

You also have to look at it another way, if it costs $300 to fix or $900 for a new one, is it worth it to you to fix. If you get cheap Chinese parts your price could go down to $200 or less if you want to compromise.