Should I rebuild or replace my Stihl MS660?

[wernerbrandes]

I have a Stihl MS660 that I bought for $700. I was able to use it as a milling saw for a while but it had problems and now needs to be rebuilt more or less (spark plug hole stripped, carb fails testing, needs a new cylinder/piston). Local dealer says $650 for the repair.

So, logically, I'm wondering if it makes more sense to have this monster repaired, or cut my loss and buy another chainsaw. I have a newer (one year old) MS250 for smaller firewood work. But I have a ton of large logs around the property that I'm not going to be able to buck unless I have a larger saw (was thinking a 20" bar would do the trick). 

Any opinions out there? Convince me to rebuild the 660, as I'm leaning toward picking up a new MS 391 (closer to my budget) or maybe a MS 362/362CM.

[Old saw fixer]

I would repair the 660 myself, since in an earlier life I rebuilt 066 saws frequently for logging companies.  If I weren't able to do the work myself I would set the saw aside or sell it as is and buy a Stihl MS400C M or an Echo CS7310.  Just me thinking out loud...

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Buy a new saw.   Keep the old one for parts.

[ehp]

If your just bucking the logs up and not milling go buy a MS 400 with a 20 inch bar setup on it , they are a good saw but if you need to mill with the saw I would go bigger 

[NOCO Jim]

If you plan on continuing to use it for milling You could consider an aftermarket top end.  This would pretty much be a bolt on replacement and cheap enough to not feel too bad about subjecting it to the hard life of a milling saw.  
If you are going to get a new saw I would say that in my limited experience I have found the husqvarna 394 or 395 to work very well for milling.  
I suppose you could sell the remnants of the 660 for funds towards a new saw or you could keep it and enjoy developing rebuilding skills over time. 
 

[Spike60]

I second Jim's advice. Having the saw rebuilt at a Stihl dealer with OEM parts will be on the expensive side. (Bet it would cost more than the new 391 you are considering adding to your fleet.) And added to the $700 you've already spent, it's a lot to have invested in an older and well used saw.

Throwing an aftermarket top end on there would be the least expensive way to get her back up and running. And if it's your first time, then less risk and worry than if you bought a new Stihl top end.

The more self sufficient you can be, the better off you are. So, like Jim says, might as well dive in and start with this one. I'd also predict that once you get this one going, you'll be looking for more project saws to build.

[Tom King]

If I'm remembering correctly, you only need three tools to swap a cylinder and piston kit, and a carb.

T27 T wrench, 5/16 or 8mm nut driver for the carb nuts, and a piston ring compressor plastic strip.

As long as it didn't also eat the bearings out of the piston pin needle bearing, it should be good to go for another good while.

[Real1shepherd]

If there's a possibility that you could mill with it again, I'd think long and hard about the aftermarket P&C route. Don't talk to collectors who fix saws up, run a couple of tanks through them, put them on a shelf and then brag about how great their saws runs. Talk to owners that put the saws back in hard service for at least a yr after using aftermarket parts.

OE Stihl parts are notoriously expensive, especially their jugs. A way to workaround that is is to buy a used OE jug that's not scored or doesn't show transfer marks. Same with the piston....or maybe splurge for an new OE piston at least.

And it should be understood that with any old service saw you should check for any play/wear in the crankshaft before you do anything.

Kevin  

[LogDog55]

STIHL's suggested retail price for a P&C kit is $330.99 should you choose to do the labor yourself. 

Even if the rest of the saw was mint, that's a steep price to pay, especially if it still needs other parts. 

Doesn't rule out AM or used parts though. 

[lxskllr]

I'm skeptical of repairing well used saws. I can think of 1,000 other things I'd rather do than wrench on a machine, discovering fun new problems as I go. Everything has a lifespan, and there comes a time to send it down the road. My rough guideline is a repair shouldn't exceed half the cost of a new machine, and that's more for the big saws than the little ones. You'd have a hard time convincing me anything beyond a trivial repair is worth doing on a $500 saw.

I'll throw in with the 'save for parts' group. As little as I like mechanical work, I'd be willing to do it for a free/cheap saw. Maybe a 660 will fall in your lap sometime down the road, or you'll run into the person that needs exactly the parts you have, and you can get something useful for it.

[Gary Davis]

If it were mine, I would replace the jug and piston, I did that on my ms 036 but if you are used to the power of the 660 for 20 plus in logs you won't be happy with the 391 I got my 500i and I don't use the ms 036 anymore, it all about power to weight and how fast you want to get done , but I have a lot of logs 24-36 in diameter and I dont like bending over for the little ones 

[Real1shepherd]

I'm skeptical of repairing well used saws. I can think of 1,000 other things I'd rather do than wrench on a machine, discovering fun new problems as I go. Everything has a lifespan, and there comes a time to send it down the road. My rough guideline is a repair shouldn't exceed half the cost of a new machine, and that's more for the big saws than the little ones. You'd have a hard time convincing me anything beyond a trivial repair is worth doing on a $500 saw.

I'll throw in with the 'save for parts' group. As little as I like mechanical work, I'd be willing to do it for a free/cheap saw. Maybe a 660 will fall in your lap sometime down the road, or you'll run into the person that needs exactly the parts you have, and you can get something useful for it.

There's a lot to be said for that wisdom. That was my mantra loggin'. I couldn't take the chance on a 'rebuilt' saw and more quirkiness. You know when a saw is starting to give you unusual troubles....time for a new one and it's just a tool afterall.  

But as a hobby or downsized, you can be more lenient. All my saws with the exception of the J'reds 2094 are older saws with hrs. No big deal for me to bring four saws to a job and if one fails or is troublesome, I just grab another. But I certainly wouldn't do that loggin' or into serious scale for $$$.

Milling is extremely taxing for any saw. I guess it's up to your expectations. A rebuilt 660 might get you down the road for a bit, but not like a new saw would.

Kevin