Stihl MS880 problems

[kabe1953]

G'day all,
Has anyone experienced a similar problem with their Stihl 088 or MS880.
Mine has approx 25 hours use, was bought new from Stihl dealer. Since new has always been under powered, stalling chain in cuts, will not rev.
It was taken to local dealer who went right thru the saw the only thing he could find was even with hi-speed mixture screw screwed right home the saw would still rev.
They replaced the carby and gave me the saw back. Guess what? the same problem is still evident.
Today I removed the limiter cap on the hi-speed mixture screw and screwed it all the way home, the saw runs noticeably better but is still running way too rich, its 4 stroking and not at all a crisp exhaust note.
As a comparison mine was compared side by side with an 088 magnum with similar hours, when running the 2 saws side by side the difference in exhaust note and no load RPM is imediately obvious, the 088 revs much harder and has a crisp exhaust note at WOT.
My dealer is at a loss now on how to proceed.
Stihl Australia in there wisdom (or lack of) have chosen to ignore my email to them.
I will post my full email to Stihl if they persist in ignoring my email.
Has anyone experienced this problem with their 088/MS880.
Is this typical of Stihl's service policy. Is this how Stihl handle their public relations.
Aussie Sawmiller

[sawguy21]

Sounds like it has an intake air leak either behind the carb or the crank seals. Did the tech pressure test it?

[ehp]

Is it an 880 or a 088, the 880 has a rpm limiter in the coil and will only turn 12000 rpms ?

[ladylake]

It should'nt even rev up with hi speed turned in all the way.  Any chance your muffler has some kind of blockage, maybe swap it with your friend 088 and see if that helps. I had a friend whose snowmobile would lose power once in a while, turned out a bafflel in the muffler broke loose and would get in front of the opening every now and then. No power when it did.    I sure would'nt think it is leaking air the way you described it.   Steve

[kabe1953]

Update.
The saw was taken back to dealer this morning.
By 10am I had been contacted by Stihl's head office in Melbourne promising that the saw would be sorted out. He claims Stihl do not want any unsatisfied customers and they will rectify the problem.
Went back to dealer after lunch and saw is apart in dealers workshop. They don't know what is wrong but are working thru a list of things Stihl want checked.
If dealer can't fix the problem then they will ship the saw back to Stihl's workshop.
In the mean time as I need a big saw its back to lugging the 076 and 36" bar around the scrub, "I can hardly wait".
The 076 is a great saw saw but its a killer lugging it around the bush climbing over/under and thru pulled timber.

[PB Logging]

Years ago I had an 88 that needed the oiler rebuilt,  after 4 months and 3 dealers they still could not get the parts taht were needed.  "Sthil says the parts are on backorder".  Had a dealer order the wrong coil for an FS 85, got the wrong one in 4 times, was told it was my7 fault.  Soon after a dealer repaired the chain brake on an 044 I was in surgery having my right hand/wrist repaired/reattached (once upon a tiome I really could type well ).  Had a 19 that got lost by the dealer when in for repairs, my fault , my problem was their solution.  was charged $100 more than the cost of a new pole saw when a dealer repaired a damaged one without any prior communication from the dealer.  I could go on for days with the problems we have experienced with Sthil and the horrific service we have dealt with through any number of their dealers throughout central and southern Illinois. 

I've gotten into shouting matches with the St Louis region distribution center, Crater Distributing.  I've been threatend with  violence and of course that is a dream of some guy in Virgiana Beach that I would be all to happy to make come true.  Follwoing that incident i was regularly hung up on by the regional guy from corporate sthil when I tried to discuss the situation.

At the peak of our stihl nightmare we had about 40 pieces in inventory (about 1/2 saws the balance brush trimmers, hedge trimmers, hand and back back blowers).  We got so heavily vested in sthil junk following a break-in.  the insurance company that covered our in-land marine policy utilized a large equipment relacement firm on the East coast.  All of our listed samll engine equipment was replaced with stihl products.  Never occured to me what a potential nightmare that might be.

The local stihl dealers would not honor warranties on the items repalced by the insurance company since they did not sell them.  2 x 66's and 1 or 2 x 36's failed soon after arrival and were never warrantied for that reason.

The point finally arrived when all stihl equipment was taken from inventory and destroyed.  Yea, that 88 and many thousands of dollars  worth of other stihl junk I crushed wit ha loader - I really don;t like sthil. Not only has stihl worked hard, very hard to alienate us and loose our business but Husquvarna and Jonsered have an outstanding product and are able to support it with consitent, quality service, at least in this region.   

Based on my experience with sthihl if you happend to get any sort of service it was jsut dumb luck.  In my opinion, sthil once had a quality product and offered service but has long since past the point of being a reputable company.  I suspect that what carries them in todays market is name recognition, not quality.

Now heres a subject I'm very passionate about...

Make it a safe day

[beenthere]

I like the Stihl products I've had over the last 30 years, and have not had any occasion to change. Been very reliable, and parts available. No reason to complain at all.   8)
Now I have a friend that has had problems such as PB describes having, with his Ford trucks and his Deere tractors. I could write a book about the guy.   :