Stihl MS 170 Review

Excellent small saw

The MS 170 is not a large saw, but the old saying “use the right tool for the job” is a strong one. This tiny saw is a beast for trimming around the yard. I used to see this to clear up around 2,000 sq. The legs of the overgrown brush. The saw has never missed a beat. I’m going to say that the light weight was one of the best things. I use synthetic stihl oil, and I’ve had zero problems with mine. A little extra power will give me more confidence, but I also haven’t had an issue with the power it has. Also, I wish there was some kind of clip based on the #maybe handle# scrench.

Good enough to buy a second!

The 170 was basically an impressive investment that even after 5-6 years of cutting much of the wood used to heat a 2,500 sq. ft. home in Minnesota. I also picked up a second MS170 this past week, like the first one with a 14-inch bar, NOT because my first 170-bit dust is quite the opposite, because it continues to work as well as the day I purchased it needing Nothing to fix or replace everything but the chain itself. It might be referred to as “Light duty/ home owner” but I can guarantee it’s done better than any other manufacturer’s “Heavy duty” saw.

Stihl MS 170 Review

A.J. Kilpatrck One part of the chainsaw world that I’ve always wanted to try my hand is chainsaw carving. Of course, the first step along this path to chainsaw carving glory is the acquisition of a chainsaw appropriate for use as a detail saw. I narrowed the search down to three main contenders: the Stihl MS 170, the Stihl MS 193 C-E, and the Echo CS 370. All three saws are viable candidates for the first time in the carver. The MS 170 is the cheapest and the lightest; the MS 193 C-E is the lightest and the most nimble; and the CS 370 is the heaviest, but still the most robust with its magnesium shell. The more clever reader would note the title of this post and conclude that Stihl’s MS 170 won, and this is partly accurate. Looking and performing like a larger saw than it is: the Stihl MS 170. Being economically minded, and knowing that converting each of these saws to a dedicated carver would cost an additional $200.00 for a carving bar, chain and rim/sprocket, I chose to try the MS 170 because it was light weight, had a strong reputation as an entry level carver, and, most importantly, cost exactly half of what the other contestants were looking for because of Stihl’s Spring pr. Please enter the MS 170. The MS 170 is reasonably solid and well balanced. It weights around 11 and a half pounds and comes complete with a 16″ mini bar and a picco chain. Also, the MS 170 still features the older non-strato engine, and I love the older engine style more “rumbly” sound. The MS 170 is an older design in the Stihl line-up and, as such, it features old-fashioned gas and oil caps that are slotted for opening and tightening with a scrench. There are those who prefer this older type of cap as the newer “flip top” caps are more likely to split at the hinge. If I ever break one of the flip tops, my opinion will certainly change, but from now on, I slightly prefer the newer style to its slight advantage in comfort, but from a durability/reliability point of view, the older style is superior. The air filter in the MS 170 is a little bit on the slight side, but that opinion is focused solely on the look and feel of it and not on the actual results.

A close up of the Stihl MS 170 air filter.

Before starting the saw, I decided to check the saw’s oil tank, fuel level, and chain voltage, and it was a good thing I did. The dealer filled the fuel tank, but not the bar oil reservoir. Not a positive sign, however. I’m finding that it’s not prudent to presume that the dealer is doing what they’re supposed to do. The Stihl MS 170 fired with any problem, and it was an amazing cutter for a small saw with a tiny bar and cord. The tiny chips just flew as this one saw the little birch trees that I fell through. The saw didn’t bog in the cut (though I didn’t push the saw-I let the saw do its job). The MS 170 was a capable limber, too. Its light weight and good balance came from the limbing of some spruce and cedar trees. The cutting efficiency of this little saw was excellent.

Stihl’s MS 170 is a handsome and able performer.

One aspect of the older version of this “tried and true” model was its front chain tensioning screw. Place of the chain tensioning screw on the front of the saw is inconvenient, since it allows you to get close to the chain, and it’s a little harder to hold the scrench in the slot due to the ergonomics involved. Another downside to the MS 170 is its non-adjustable carb (only the idle adjustment screw is accessible to the operator) and it is this “feature” that would easily sour my relationship with this more than respectable entry-level saw. After the saw had been sufficiently warmed up, the throttle response would have been incredibly slow. The saw would start bugging down as soon as it was given full throttle-a sound that normally triggers a quick check to check that the chain brake is off. In this case, the brake was not applied. The lag in the throttle response was often a second or more between the throttle and the chain. This produced a dangerous situation, as you could never be sure that the chain would start spinning. There was definitely something wrong with the fuel delivery system.

Powerful, light cutting machine: the Stihl MS 170.

I wanted to check a tachometer for the saw. As this was the first fuel tank saw and the engine had yet to be completely broken in, I was reluctant to go full throttle for too long, but the saw was tapping at more than 16,000 rpm. How much more than 16000? I don’t know why I haven’t wanted to go WOT for too long. It was clear that this saw was running too lean. Since the saw was brand new, there was an order for a ride back to the dealer. Unfortunately, the dealer’s tech was less than helpful as all he did was shoot the saw, blip the trigger a couple of times, and tell me there was nothing wrong with the saw. I told him that there was indeed an issue with the saw, that it had manifested itself after it had warmed up, and that it had stabbed well above its peak RPM. Instead of inspecting the saw, he went on to show me how you’re not supposed to run the saw at WOT until it’s broken in. This was pretty insulting given that he had “warmed” the saw by bringing it up to full throttle many times in front of me. I don’t understand why tech is so defensive when the customer tells them that the saw doesn’t work well; it’s not like he designed it. Why would I have made that up? It was at this point that I quit dealing with him and returned to the dealer and invoked the Stihl Satisfaction Guarantee. I ordered the Stihl MS 193 C-E. If the guarantee was a money back guarantee, I’d probably go to the Echo dealer and buy the CS 370. Unfortunately, in an attempt to save a few hundred bucks, I was locked up with the purchase of Stihl. In the dealer’s defence, the salesman was nice to work with, and he didn’t beat his eye when I told them to hold the MS 170 and get me the MS 193 C-E. I think I’m going to give them another chance. I have a feeling for the person who ends up seeing that he’s possibly destined for a short life. In conclusion, the MS 170 had many great qualities, and if the dealer had seen this particular issue, I would still have it, and would have been very satisfied with it. The problem of saws being set too lean at the factory to meet the requirements of E.P.A. is very popular. There were a number of factors that could cause the problems I’ve been having, none of which are resolved by starting the saw, the engine a couple of times, and calling it “good.” Maybe I’m old fashioned, but if a customer tells you something’s going on, then something’s going on, and it’s the tech’s job to figure out what’s causing that “something” to happen.

C-BQ Stihl MSE 170

Check the price Irrespective of your power tool ability level, the Stihl MSE 170 C-BQ should be easy to use. It’s a smaller model, it’s only capable of handling a 12-to 16-inch bar, so you wouldn’t use an electric chainsaw like this for bigger jobs. It is intended to be used around the house (even indoors), on small ventures, and for the pruning and cutting of firewood. It’s a good tool to get it started quickly (by pressing a button), and it’s simple to maintain, since there’s no gas or oil needed (well, oil for the chain and bar).

It’s a healthy computer, too. It is fitted with a chain brake to ensure that the chain can be stopped instantly in an emergency. This Stihl electric chainsaw comes with a tension adjuster that’s just a knob, so you can tighten the chain quickly and without using other materials. Yeah, you can find electric chainsaws at a lower price, so that might be a blow against the Stihl. You do need a power outlet for this unit, but that’s the case for an electric chainsaw.