Closing in on a 044, any advice?

[ReggieT]

The Stihl 044 is perhaps the last saw I'd like to own and looks like I'm pretty close on one.
Talked with an owner for about 20 minutes on a saw he had listed on Craigslist for $450.
He says it registers about 180 on compression, has new seals, rings, new piston, rebuilt carb...said he used it mostly for blow-downs and firewood duty.

Very knowledgeable and courteous guy...who use to run a small engine shop yrs ago and still does some tinkering & rebuilding.

From the pics it looks average...supposed to go take a closer look this weekend.
He will drop the price to $350 minus bar & chain...PHO.

Anything in particular to look for on an 044?
My Stihl experience has been a couple of 034's, an 025 and a smooth/reliable MS 390.

Thanks
Reg

 

[Jazzberry]

044s are awesome. One of Stills best for power and light weight. Around here they go around $500 for a good one.

 

[Ashful]

The holy grail of vintage Stihls. Stop debating it like it's your next home purchase, and go grab it!

 

[Lake Girl]

Hubby still has his from over 32 years ago ... may be longer than that but that's all I can vouch for

 

[Jon1270]

If you're familiar with 034's, this isn't going to be much different aside from being bigger and having a better air filter arrangement. $350 PHO for a fully functional 044 is a good price unless it's reaallllllly ugly. Since he's replaced the piston, I'd ask: is the piston OEM (best) or a Meteor (second best) or some lesser aftermarket brand or generic? More importantly, was he able to salvage the original cylinder? Assuming so, was there any worrisome scoring? OEM cylinders are superior to any of the aftermarket brands, and there's some real junk out there in the no-name realm.

Basically I'd be looking at the same things I'd look at with any saw. I don't know of any areas of concern particular to the 044.

 

[Jon1270]

supposed to go take a closer look this weekend.

I don't know the market in your area, but waiting a couple of days would be unwise in my neighborhood, where a $350 044 is concerned.

 

[ReggieT]

The holy grail of vintage Stihls. Stop debating it like it's your next home purchase, and go grab it!

 

[ReggieT]

I don't know the market in your area, but waiting a couple of days would be unwise in my neighborhood, where a $350 044 is concerned.

I'm on it tighter than slob on a baby

 

[claydogg84]

If you're familiar with 034's, this isn't going to be much different aside from being bigger and having a better air filter arrangement. $350 PHO for a fully functional 044 is a good price unless it's reaallllllly ugly. Since he's replaced the piston, I'd ask: is the piston OEM (best) or a Meteor (second best) or some lesser aftermarket brand or generic? More importantly, was he able to salvage the original cylinder? Assuming so, was there any worrisome scoring? OEM cylinders are superior to any of the aftermarket brands, and there's some real junk out there in the no-name realm.

Basically I'd be looking at the same things I'd look at with any saw. I don't know of any areas of concern particular to the 044.

I agree. OEM or aftermarket parts is a very important question as it changes the value considerably.

 

[woodhog73]

Around here they go for $500 and up.

I don't know how much more someone can charge over $500 for a saw this old and still sleep at night. Then again there's someone around every corner that's willing to pay more than what something's worth

Sorry sounds harsh but it's just my opinion.

Case in point. Local Stihl dealer has too many brand new 441s in stock. Discontinued model $900 brand new with bar, 2 chains. I'm sure you could negotiate that price closer to $875 possibly $850 to price match the 2 saws below........

Local Husky Dealer has brand new 372xp with 24 inch bar $ 850

Local Jonsered dealer has brand new 2172 for $800 bucks.

So if your paying much more than $500 for a 30 plus year old saw I'm not seeing the price add up. Especially if the 30 year old saw is fitted with unknown aftermarket parts. $500 is the top of the price point in my opinion and for that price it better be clean, low hours, and OEM, with a usable bar and chain on it.

At $350 to $400 that's a different story. If I came across one for under $400 in clean good shape Id certainly buy it if I was in the market for a saw.

Just my opinion. Either way the 044 is a great classic saw.

 

[Jon1270]

I don't know how much more someone can charge over $500 for a saw this old and still sleep at night. Then again there's someone around every corner that's willing to pay more than what something's worth

Au contraire! What someone is willing to pay is the only meaningful measure of what something is worth! That said, it's sometimes difficult to grok exactly why people will pay what they'll pay. Utility is found in a lot of unexpected places, and is measured in mysterious ways. When I sell something I strive to represent it accurately so that the buyer gets what they think they're getting, but I don't feel even a tiny bit bad about charging what the market will bear.

On the other hand, buying cheaply sometimes challenges my conscience. It's easy to feel good about creating value by fixing something that's broken, but profiting by being in the right place at the right time doesn't always feel so clean, despite the fact that it takes a lot of time, attention, thought, knowledge, risk-tolerance and work to cultivate such luck. Economics and ethics are fascinating.

 

[Jazzberry]

I don't know how much more someone can charge over $500 for a saw this old and still sleep at night. Then again there's someone around every corner that's willing to pay more than what something's worth

Sorry sounds harsh but it's just my opinion.

Case in point. Local Stihl dealer has too many brand new 441s in stock. Discontinued model $900 brand new with bar, 2 chains. I'm sure you could negotiate that price closer to $875 possibly $850 to price match the 2 saws below........

Local Husky Dealer has brand new 372xp with 24 inch bar $ 850

Local Jonsered dealer has brand new 2172 for $800 bucks.

So if your paying much more than $500 for a 30 plus year old saw I'm not seeing the price add up. Especially if the 30 year old saw is fitted with unknown aftermarket parts. $500 is the top of the price point in my opinion and for that price it better be clean, low hours, and OEM, with a usable bar and chain on it.

At $350 to $400 that's a different story. If I came across one for under $400 in clean good shape Id certainly buy it if I was in the market for a saw.

Just my opinion. Either way the 044 is a great classic saw.

Just my opinion but resale value aside an 044 is much more desirable to me than a 441s.

 

[woodhog73]

Just my opinion but resale value aside an 044 is much more desirable to me than a 441s.

Your saying you would rather have a 30 year old 044 then a new 441 ? I respect everyone's opinion so honestly I'm just curious to hear your rational. Not trying to argue just wondering why someone would favor an 044 over a newer designed 441 ?

For me I would rather run the 441 simply because of the superior anti vibe, auto mtronic carb, much better air cleaner system 3 to 1 over how often you will need to clean the filter, perhaps more. For me I need to get trees on the ground with no issues ( as we all do ) including stopping to field tune a carb setting which I have done in the past. Nothing worse than heavy day of cutting with a saw running blubbery fat or too lean falling on it's face, slowing you down.

I love my stihl 031 because it's vintage sort of but there's no way I would take it in the woods with me on a high volume cutting day. Sadly it's way to far behind my ported and auto tuned Jonny 2252 it's laughable. Cool saw I'll probably never sell it.

Anyways 044s are still good saws. To the OP they are getting up there in age now. Check it out good and if you can score it for under $400 then awesome. I'm sure it will put a lot of wood in the truck for you.

 

[Jazzberry]

Your saying you would rather have a 30 year old 044 then a new 441 ? I respect everyone's opinion so honestly I'm just curious to hear your rational. Not trying to argue just wondering why someone would favor an 044 over a newer designed 441 ?

For me I would rather run the 441 simply because of the superior anti vibe, auto mtronic carb, much better air cleaner system 3 to 1 over how often you will need to clean the filter, perhaps more. For me I need to get trees on the ground with no issues ( as we all do ) including stopping to field tune a carb setting which I have done in the past. Nothing worse than heavy day of cutting with a saw running blubbery fat or too lean falling on it's face, slowing you down.

I love my stihl 031 because it's vintage sort of but there's no way I would take it in the woods with me on a high volume cutting day. Sadly it's way to far behind my ported and auto tuned Jonny 2252 it's laughable. Cool saw I'll probably never sell it.

Anyways 044s are still good saws. To the OP they are getting up there in age now. Check it out good and if you can score it for under $400 then awesome. I'm sure it will put a lot of wood in the truck for you.

Yes thats exactly what I said. Not as you are implying a 30 year old pos vs a new saw. Equal condition old vs new money aside give me old any day. How many times do you have to stop and tune your carb when your sawing? I haven't had to do it ever. Although I have heard of way too many problems with the the newer saws and all the smog crap though. There is a big difference between your old 031 and a 044. 044 is one of my favorite saws along with a few others 026 066 200T 064 in my book are very hard to beat.

 

[woodhog73]

How many times do you have to stop and tune your carb when your sawing? I haven't had to do it

More than a few actually. I no longer log but have made money in the past as a subcontract hand feller in my younger days and time is money. Was not and still is not uncommon for someone making a living with a saw to field tune. Even these days just maintaining my land and the family's 200 acres my saws running hours on end all weekend long at times. I tune my non auto tune saws all the time. Just like sharpening the chain, I check the carb settings. Humidity level, air temp, etc obviously plays a role so I always tune my conventional carb saws almost everytime I'm cutting if it's a high production day.

As for the 031 and 044 yes big difference in performance not the degree of quality. I've worked on both, run both, and the 031 is every bit as equal in terms of quality and engineering as the 044 given the date of manufacture. When the 031 was made there was no such thing as homeowner saw and pro saw. All were constructed to the best degree possible with the technologies available at the time. If the 044 is superior in quality and longevity is because it's newer. It's newer and therefore benefits from a better design. Just like in my opinion a 441 is newer than an 044 and benefits from better design ( AV , air filter, yes autotune , etc )

I agree in the EPA government thing. I'm not happy about the government telling me how to run my 2 stroke power tool. Then again I'm usually not happy when the government tells me what to do. It is what it is.

Auto tune, mtronic, whatever you call it sure it was the result of pollution control requirements. Why? Several reasons I'm sure but In small part because most people dont tune their saws. It gets set by the dealer and most never tune it. Half the saws out there could probably pick up some additional power and run cleaner if they were tuned and checked every so often.

So now we have auto tune saws. I personally like them. They run perfect all the time. I've not had any problems yet. I tend to replace my saws every 5 years or so because they get beat up. So for me I just want the newest , best running , and best price I can get ( why I gave up on Stihl cause I do like their saws just tired of giving them more money than I need to )

Anyways there just tools

 

[ReggieT]

Yes thats exactly what I said. Not as you are implying a 30 year old pos vs a new saw. Equal condition old vs new money aside give me old any day. How many times do you have to stop and tune your carb when your sawing? I haven't had to do it ever. Although I have heard of way too many problems with the the newer saws and all the smog crap though. There is a big difference between your old 031 and a 044. 044 is one of my favorite saws along with a few others 026 066 200T 064 in my book are very hard to beat.

Hey Jazzberry...why does the 026 get greater fanfare over the 028...seems like I can find plenty of 028's for less than $150-200, yet I see very few 026's in that range.

Thanks for your stellar feedback.
Reg

 

[Jazzberry]

I am really not familiar with the 028 at all but I don't think its a pro saw. The 024 and the 026 are one of Stihls all time great saws. Stihl has made great saws and crappy saws and everything in between like everyone else. The 026 260 024 is in the great category and are all based on the same platform. The 028 is made on a different platform.

 

[Jon1270]

The 028, like the 038, is an older design that's heavier and not as zippy. The mechanical differences aren't as dramatic as with the 031, 041, etc. but they're distinctly long in the tooth when compared side by side with the 026/036/044/066 generation.

 

[Jon1270]

Also useful to keep in mind is that the much more recent MS260 is virtually identical to an 026, an MS360 is the same as an 036, etc. There were small changes along the way, but they were refinements and tweaks, not redesigns. These are the small-block Chevy 350's of the chainsaw world -- simple, reliable, easy to work on and perform well.

 

[Jon1270]

... and it's also worth mentioning that all of the current generation of Stihl saws are heavier than their predecessors. In some cases it's only a few ounces, but with the 261 and 441 vs. the 260 and 440, the differences are each more than a pound.

 

[woodhog73]

Jon yes the newer Stihl saws did get heavier.

Strictly speaking for the 50cc class of pro saws the 261 specs from Stihl claim 11.5 lbs. roughly a pound heavier than a 260 but also significantly stronger output for that extra pound. One saw is low 3hp the newer one closer to 4hp. Claimed HP is one thing ( and spec sheets are not always correct) and the specs show close to 3/4 more HP from the 261. So heavier yes but much stronger. I demoed a 261 and I've owned a 260 and no doubt in stock form the 261 is higher output. Newer design, mtronic, and able to meet epa regs.

However this is why I switched to a Swedish saw. New Husky 550 or Jonsered 2253 same lighter weight as the older 260 Stihl yet same high output as the new 261 stihl. Able to turn I believe close to 16,000 rpm with the rev boost technology bringing in a very high chain speed ( which I don't know anything much about my 2252 doesn't have that technology on it) so I ported my 2252. Can't complain for a saw under 11 lbs and well over 4hp.

I loved my old 260. I used it for fire wood, limbing, and helping out on my buddies tree service. Great saw. But it got old and beat so I replaced it with my Jonsered 2252. It did have excellent resale value although looked rough

Sorry to OP if thread took a different turn. Let us know if you end up with the 044. Like everyone has mentioned they are infact great saws. Most of the ones in my neck of the woods have been heavily used and are rough shape. You can rebuild any saw but obviously cost factors in to that. If you find a nice clean original one with lots if life left in it, go for it as they are great saws.

 

[ReggieT]

Jon yes the newer Stihl saws did get heavier.

Strictly speaking for the 50cc class of pro saws the 261 specs from Stihl claim 11.5 lbs. roughly a pound heavier than a 260 but also significantly stronger output for that extra pound. One saw is low 3hp the newer one closer to 4hp. Claimed HP is one thing ( and spec sheets are not always correct) and the specs show close to 3/4 more HP from the 261. So heavier yes but much stronger. I demoed a 261 and I've owned a 260 and no doubt in stock form the 261 is higher output. Newer design, mtronic, and able to meet epa regs.

However this is why I switched to a Swedish saw. New Husky 550 or Jonsered 2253 same lighter weight as the older 260 Stihl yet same high output as the new 261 stihl. Able to turn I believe close to 16,000 rpm with the rev boost technology bringing in a very high chain speed ( which I don't know anything much about my 2252 doesn't have that technology on it) so I ported my 2252. Can't complain for a saw under 11 lbs and well over 4hp.

I loved my old 260. I used it for fire wood, limbing, and helping out on my buddies tree service. Great saw. But it got old and beat so I replaced it with my Jonsered 2252. It did have excellent resale value although looked rough

Sorry to OP if thread took a different turn. Let us know if you end up with the 044. Like everyone has mentioned they are infact great saws. Most of the ones in my neck of the woods have been heavily used and are rough shape. You can rebuild any saw but obviously cost factors in to that. If you find a nice clean original one with lots if life left in it, go for it as they are great saws.

Hmm...most intriguing thanks.

 

[D8Chumley]

The holy grail of vintage Stihls. Stop debating it like it's your next home purchase, and go grab it!

So if you had to buy one, 044 or 064? I see 044 for sale sometimes, rarely see 064. That's one I'd like to have, the 064, just because... Not exactly apples to apples, just thinking the "holy grail" aspect

 

[Jon1270]

I've had both and sold the 064, only because it didn't match the size trees I typically process. An 064's power output is appropriate for 28-32" bars, or even 36" if you don't push too hard, and I generally avoid trees of that size because I don't have the other equipment to move and process rounds like that. It was fun to run, but I just didn't need it. The 044 matches the biggest trees I care to fiddle with, and is significantly lighter.

That said, I've since gotten into occasional sawing of lumber, and kinda wish I had the 064 back for use as a lightweight milling saw.

 

[D8Chumley]

I agree Jon, not something I really "need" but wouldn't mind having. I rarely use my 460 but it's nice to have when I need a big saw. I normally run a 20" but have a 25". And I am completely with you on processing the stuff that requires that big of a saw, but on the other side of the coin I don't like messing with stuff I split in half and it's ready for the stack. I like some bang for the buck, around a 20" is good for me as I cut my rounds 22-23". Anything bigger I halve to move it