Stihl 036 top end rebuild questions

[ashes]

I will apologize in advance because I'm sure questions like this have been discussed before.

I bought a 036 for $50 that had been ran with strait gas. After doing some research (before buying the saw), I determined that I could replace the top end and have a nice saw for around ~$200 after parts and purchase price.

I got the saw home, and took the cylinder/piston assembly off. The piston and cylinder were damaged, but not nearly as badly as I expected. A guy I worked with told my I could probably even have the cylinder honed or polished and reuse it. I had already ordered a new kit.

I installed the new top end without problems, and the saw fired up no problems. I didn't run it for more than a few minutes, and shut it down because I was at my house, and didn't need a running chainsaw bothering my neighbors. It was getting into the evening.

My plan was to go and do a little cutting to break the saw in. Nothing crazy. I went to the saw shop to get some files for this saw because I didn't have a saw with this size chain, and while there chatted with the shop guy.

He told me that he won't replace a top end on a saw without also replacing the crank seals. I asked him if I needed to tear it back down and split the saw to do that, and he said no. Those seals could be accessed behind the flywheel and clutch.

Questions: If I do have to take the top end off, can I reuse the parts I just installed? (piston/cylinder/rings)

Do I really need to replace those seals?

I was very careful to clean the bottom end out with saw gas to make sure there was no dirt/shavings in there before installation.

Thanks in advance. Of course I don't want to get into another project because it drives the cost of the saw up for me, but I don't want to replace the top end again, because I messed this project up.








   

[ZeroJunk]

The seals don't have much to do with whether the saw was run lean or straight gassed. More a matter of number of hours of use as the rubber seal eventually begins to leak. But, it is a long time coming.

[dougand3]

Sure, you can remove top end, clean off any sealant (Motoseal, Dirko, whatever - if you used sealant - may be you just had base gasket) from mating parts, then reuse the new top end. Won't hurt a thing. As to crank seals - if rubber was good, no need to replace. Some replace as a practice. I don't unless they seem degraded and might become an air leak.

[Woodcutter_Mo]

 The crank seal replacement is just a good measure to do while the saw is down especially if the saw is well used.You could have the crank case pressure/vacuum tested to see if they need replaced if you are worried about it.

[ashes]

Thanks for the responses.

That is what I thought as well, but figured I would ask some more familiar folks. I don't run a saw for work, just firewood and the occasional tree that falls in the road. I hope this saw runs for years to come.

How about that break in period? Extra ethanol and lean on oil right... Just kidding

[Al_Smith]

Just set it a little rich and run it .After a few tanks lean it out and run it .With a used cylinder I might add it takes a little longer before the rings seat as opposed to a new cylinder .They will given enough run time .You'll know it when it happens .

[Gary Davis]

I have an O36 pro that the previous owner did the same thing I bought a new aftermarket piston and cylinder from amazon  they are a sweet saw compact powerhead