Stihl 500i

[Dave Shepard]

The 500i had been well received at work, but they have not been without their problems. One total engine failure and a lot of chain adjuster failures, among other complaints. I saw one adjuster fail yesterday. Boring a back cut in a big ash and the bar chattered a little and popped the adjuster. I've been very impressed with the 462 and 500i, but they are constantly broken whereas the "boat anchor" Husky saws just keep going.

[Walnut Beast]

Now you tell me 😂! It will be interesting. The 371 Husky bought new and I've never done a thing to it. Over 20 years old easy and zero problems same with the 55 classic 

[Walnut Beast]

Did you get the light bar?

They didn't have the lite bar but I have a Cannon Duralite on the way

[ehp]

I have broken zero things and cut fairly big timber all the time 

[Walnut Beast]

You the man! When your out there all the time using them and have five 💪. You helped my decision! I'm sure that 500 will be just fine. With 1hp more than the 371 there is no doubt it will smoke it. Actually seen a video of it against the 372 and and it smoked it 

[YellowHammer]

The first time you fire it up and burp the throttle, you'll know.  It'll rev up instantly and jump like a dragster.  

You'll smile.

Then you'll do it again.   :D :D  

Then you'll say "Wow" and go look for a log to put it in.  

Been there, done that.

And remember, until the muffler is blue and you've put a few tanks through it, you're still not in high gear.
 

[barbender]

The 500i seriously sounds like a dirt bike or race snowmobile. I suppose part of it is the monster air filter, but the throttle response is so quick, too. You'll be asking yourself, "what is this thing?!"😊 

I've only put a couple of tanks through mine, and have yet to even cut anything worthy of it. Everything I've had to chop has been more along the order of 261 wood,  but I was excited to fire up the 500🤷‍♂️ The thing is serious overkill, the guy I bought it from had put a set of West Coast aftermarket dogs on it too. I have to be carefull I don't run something, or someone, through with those things😬 I can't wait to bury it in a 30" pine or something like that, though! 

[teakwood]

I will burry mine in some dense teak the moment it gets here, can't wait! Bargemonkey sent it yesterday from NY, so it goes to Miami and then down to Costa Rica. sadly another 2 weeks of waiting  :(. 
I definitively have to buy Eric a case of beer if he ever stops working and comes to visit paradise to see some nice beaches, warm weather and some other 2 legged things. ;D

[ehp]

I got at least 1 if not 2 of my 500i going to a friend as he got robbed of all his saws so thats 26 or 28 saws , He took my oldest 400 to run couple weeks ago , He cuts mainly firewood 

[ehp]

It would be nice if stihl would throw another 2 mm bigger bore on the 500i 

[ehp]

I honestly cannot remember the last handle bar I broke from pulling on it , Guess would be 20 years or more . If saw is stuck then use something else to get it out . I have worked with guys that break a handle bar a week and engine mounts steady 

[Walnut Beast]

All the fuss about the 500 negatives and positives. I'm in the positive camp. Starts and runs like a dream. No dealer prep or anything. Right out of the box. 

[Walnut Beast]

There is some fuss. Any reason the oiler isn't feeding to the bar groove. It's coming out on the backside. Thinking it was the Cannon bar l switched it out and it was the same thing with the factory bar

[ehp]

The only time I have seen this is first when the bar studs were not tight in the crankcase cause then the bar is not seated against the crankcase tight , next is wrong oil hole placements but you say you put the factory bar on so  Is the oil hole in the bar and bar groove clean cause that may make the oil come out in a different place cause the oil pump does make abit of pressure . Nothing wrong with the 500i , I use them steady 

[Walnut Beast]

Thanks! I'll check the studs and see if that might be it

[ehp]

Just set the bar on the bar studs and make sure the bar stud shoulder the bar slides on is not out wider than the bar but you should feel that when running the saw as it should shake . Im sure it not this but make sure the bar you got is for that bar mount and not for a 881 or something with the wider tail on the bar cause the oil hole will be in the wrong place for the 500i

[Walnut Beast]

Big time bummer. I've got a bunch of trees to put on the ground and out in a very short window and Looks like I will be taking it back to the dealer

 

 

[Firewoodjoe]

Looks to me like the rubber is slightly under the surface. It should stick out so the bar presses and seals the oil in. Or does it even have a rubber? 

[Walnut Beast]

I took the metal plate off to look at. I've got some Amsoil semi synthetic bar and chain oil in. Seems pretty thin but it should still feed the bar. Everything seems to fit tight. So I don't know what's going on 

[Walnut Beast]

Should have got a 30" bar for the 881. Who knows if it has a issue. Might have to buy another saw . Or get a  couple new chains for the Husky 371 that never had any issues and still runs like a champ. But all the other chains are done.

[ehp]

the 500i should never give you a problem, you donot want a bar for a 881 as tail end is wrong for the 500i. I never ran that bar oil, I use the stihl bar oil and no problems . I cannot tell you how many 500i I have bought or setup for others around here and no problems . You say the bar oil is real thin so could it be the oil pump is putting enough pressure up the thin oil is going other places than just the hole in the bar , Just buy a jug of normal bar oil and try it , thats the cheapest thing to do next , that saw looks brandnew by no dirt on it 

[customsawyer]

Make sure the hole in the bar didn't get plug up when it was painted. I have had that happen a couple of times.

[Walnut Beast]

Ok this is the deal. I hauled it in no bar and  chain. Told the service guy what the deal was. I asked has there been any trouble with the oiling system and he said they had. He give it to the head mechanic. I walked around and looked at a few things and the service guy had it setting on the counter and said the mechanic said it was pumping oil fine. I said did he put a bar and chain on it. Service guy went and got him and I told him the deal. Service guy looked at the mechanic and said do we have a bar and chain to put on it😂. The mechanic looked at him funny and said yeah🤣. Long story short he put it on run it and said it's fine. I said no way. Come on back to the unauthorized area and he handed me the saw. One pull and I let it scream pointed down to the concrete. There was a oil streak! I said a few words in disbelief . As for the oil that dripped out and on my shoe and around. He said it's normal. The mechanic has a 880 but wants a 500 pretty bad. He was all smiles talking about the 500.  I told the mechanic about the Amsoil I put in and he had good things to say about running it. I'm ready for war in the woods. I put my bar and chain on and didn't even check it till I get in the woods tomorrow. Ehp I did pick some Stihl premo bar and chain oil up  to try also. 

[Walnut Beast]

Ehp it sure doesn't seem like I'm  getting enough oil on my 28" bar. I'll turn that adjustment up first.  Do you know anything about punching that roll pin on the bottom to give you a little more oil flow. Did a search and guy said to punch that pin in on the bottom to give a little more flow for bars over 25". Other than that it screams and starts like a dream! 

[ehp]

I have read that but I set oiler at wide open when I take saw out of its box , I run the good stihl bar oil and have not run into any oil problems , I do run all 3 types of bar oil depending on temps out side that day  but about 28 inch is normally as long as I run for bar length with 25 inch being most days cause I cut from both sides so that setup with cut a pretty big tree , close to 60 inches on the stump so thats big for here and at 60 inches the mill does not want it so its left for table tops which everybody is trying to sell so not really worth my time