441 mag died

[sandsawmill14]

was running saw last saturday cutting up tree tops and it got where it was idling down real slow plenty of power and wound up properly but real slow back to idle then the kill switch stopped working and had to kill it with choke :-\  then after another cut or 2 it popped sorta sounded like it blew out spark plug and now it doesnt seem to have the compression it should. now when you pull the cord its about like the decomp valve is pushed in. i have checked the plug and the decomp valve and thats not the problem.. anyone have any ideas ??? when it started i figured it was trash or something got in the linkage that was hindering the idle from slowing down but know i have no idea :-\

[weimedog]

Hoping it isn't a bearing failure

[smmyb123]

Sounds like an air leak caused catastrophic failure of the saw. When it hangs up in the rpm after letting off the throttle or it wont idle down thats usually a bad sign. Pull off the muffler and check the piston. If you see any scoring or vertical scratching its toast.

[sandsawmill14]

thats what im afraid of  :( but i cant complain that saw has seen alot of hard use splitting logs. not uncommon to burn 3-4 gallons of gas in a days time with a 28" bar i bought it used and have used it that way for about 1 1/2 years it has been a really good saw i will take it to the saw shop this morning and let them check it out i can do  it my self but i know it will be like my 064 parts bought and 1/2 ars done and lying on a self waiting on me  to get back to it >:( sometimes i just need  but its almost time for the catfish to get to biting and the stripe have already started ;D i havent got to fish in the last 3 years and i aim to fix that this spring  ;D I hope to anyway

[Al_Smith]

Blew the plug loose? Now a story .
I get home after work about 2 years ago and my bud Tom the tree guy was just leaving the Stihl shop with a brand new 441 and in the bed of his truck was a dead 441 .Had no idea what went wrong with it .
I'm thinking oh goody finally I get to research that engine design .Low and behold it spit the plug, he never checked it .In about 5 minutes I had it running. So much for that .

The story doesn't end there because after a time the new 441 regurgitated  its plug also .He had both of them heli-coiled .Had the same thing on a 201T.Never did get to the bottom of that as to why . I never got to the innards of either a 441 or a 201.

[sandsawmill14]

this one has the heli-coil too its the only sthil i have ever had problems keeping the plug in and sounds like im not the only one

[sandsawmill14]

well the saw shop called and said they had my saw fixed.  he said 1 bolt had worked out of the jug and the other 3 were loose  ??? never had that happen before ???  but he said he tightened it all up and now it runs like new 8)  sure beats what i was afraid had happened