Old Stihl 036 Pro

[DaleF]

My Stihl 036 Pro won't start again so I will probably take it the local Blain's for repair. This will be its 3rd trip to a repair shop in the last 5 years.

The saw is about 25 years old. Has the technology changed much in that time? I am doing most of my cutting with an Echo CS-400. I am thinking about getting something between the 036 size and the CS-400 size if the repair estimate is too much. I am mostly cutting firewood but do cut some larger trees which are too big for the Echo.

Any suggestions of saws to check out in that size range?

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

The 036 is a nice saw for firewooding and worth putting the effort into it to make it "like new" again.
Possibly (depending on current condition) not worth paying someone else to do the work for you, but a good solid no nonsense firewood saw nonetheless.
It could just need new rings to up the compression, or new piston and rings. in the best case.
Worse case it might have run with a bad air leak and chewed out the top end or done lower end bearings.

Comes down to how deep are your pockets and how damaged the saw is- added to how capable you are to do the repair work, versus how much the shop will charge you to repair it and if their repair is just enough to make it run again- or a total refresh so it is good for another 30 years- balanced against the shelf price of a new MS 362 that is the current model Stihl in this size.
Personally if looking to replace an 036 PRO with a current model- my money would be going into an MS 400.

Current Stihl model between the CS 400 and 036 PRO, my money would be going towards an MS 261 C-M.

If you do decide to quit the 036 Pro, it will pull good money as a parts saw.

 

[DaleF]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into those models.