Curt's Stihl 026 Crankshaft Seal Replacement...Test Run Ends With A Boom!

[@dantherentalman]

Stihl recommends never use an impact gun on flywheel nuts. Some flywheels have the key cast into the flywheel, and the impact gun can shear off the cast aluminum key. One should use a piston stop and a torque wrench. I was a Stihl dealer for 38 years and never had a flywheel come loose, and never added a lock washer when it wasn’t called for. I generally would not rev up an engine without the bar and chain mounted, you really can’t adjust the carb that way on the hi setting, and I had a Homelite XL2 with a one piece clutch break up the clutch and throw shrapnel over a considerable distance. That was a lesson learned.

[@alexstromberg7696]

A impact works fine if you can lower the power setting.

[@bobwilsey2467]

Thanks Leon. Makes me want to go check my flywheel on the 026 I just had off.

[@allenbrown7820]

A little late to the video.I have watched a couple of your videos and they are very informative.You have to love the part when the munchkins come in and are laughing like they knew what happened !Keep up the good work,happens to the best sometimes.

[@johnclarke6647]

You did the right procedure. Remove the break band to get the oil pump off. That discharge line from the oil pump is almost impossible to remove or put on. I just cut it and replace it with a new hose. I did it yesterday when I put an adjustable oil pump on my ms 260, part of its upgrade to a ms 260 Pro. I have upgraded my 026 to 026 Pro, already.

[@primarchxi6639]

You said it, Leon... Get OUT of the Dark side! You saw what happens when you gaze into that abyss, it gazes back...! 27:10

[@shelbywilson114]

Perfect timing for the phone notification lol

[@justinweaver8787]

Good work as always leon have a good week.

[@thomasgronek6469]

I feel the pain. thanks for the video.

[@darrellepickering8433]

Incidentally the 024 Super is a pre-026. Also on the PTO side check the bearing/case play. They're excellent saws but the air filter on the old one's left a lot to be desired.

[@billhowe4863]

Every 026 I've worked on had a nut with a flat washer back, never a lock washer. The rubber valve for the vent is really easy to change. That style cap was notorious for leaking around the seal and can even get cracks or holes from people using a saw wrench to tighten them.

[@ttttwwyu]

Great vid despite the ends, shows that s**t happens even to the bests!

[@thef1sh17]

I'm a husky guy but I recently picked up a 660 and an 026. These are 2 of the best saws ever build according to many, and while they're both great runners, Stihl engineers are too smart for their own good. Husky seems to make it the simplest way and perfect from there, while stihl seems to say "this works, and is simple, so lets try something else." Probably just me.

[@thef1sh17]

@@OOOOOO12345 oh I know that. friend had one that he got "cheap"... then he had to start buying parts and trying to fix the shit. Mercs and BMWs are cars you get rid of before warranty runs out.

[@darrellepickering8433]

Yup, there's always an upgrade.

[@garymcmullin2292]

sure do appreciate your videos, learn a lot. One thing I have noticed in collecting and working on saws, when I run the powerhead without a bar and chain mounted I have to be very careful with revving, the flywheel and the clutches ten to work loose, has done so several times on me, something to do with inerta and torque in the wrong way and the bar chain assembly acts as a damper on too rapid acceleration/deceleration.

[@johnclarke6647]

The 026 takes a big diameter .326x7 sprocket. I had a hard time finding a new sprocket for my 026. Now, I order a new rimless sprocket as a set. That way I know it will fit. I am not a Stihl Expert, but I am pretty good at fixing them. I saw a lot of things that you did that were wrong, which led to your smoking the flywheel, and caused you some grief.

[@claudemansoniii6751]

You lost me when you rattled the flywheel nut with the impact. There is a torque for the flywheel. Service manuals and owner manuals are easily found on the internet as well as almost every part.

[@johnclarke6647]

I have done that more than once. Never blown the muffler out but have sheared more than one flywheel keys. I hit the flywheel nut twice with my impact. I don’t remember a washer on my 026P. I also put Locktite on the crank threads, blue type. The correct torque is 25 foot pounds if you want to put a torque wrench to it. My impact will usually lock it down pretty good, but I do clean the tapered surface good with break cleaner before I put the flywheel on the crank. I also clean the tapered surface in the flywheel with break cleaner. My guess is the leaking seal coated the crank and flywheel with a nice coating of oil and you didn’t remove it before you put the flywheel on the crank. Ihad the same thing happen to me on an 029 years ago.

[@user-jo6jg3ep1f]

Hey, Leon! As an European guy I have to say Stihl is good known in my country as the best of the best! But I have some doubts.. The stupid flywheels must be tighten with dynamometric wrench to certain parameters, because the lock is made from aluminium! That's why I love old Homelite saws. They are not "german engineering"! No stupid stuff there! Anyway, this video made me laugh like never before! God bless you and your family, Leon!

[@primarchxi6639]

" best of the best..." Nahh.... fake news! I would never trade an old Homelite chainsaw, for a plastic toy!

[@canifixit3504]

I really like the older Homelite chainsaws at the XL but I prefer the Stihl chainsaw overall even though I own both and ill never own another crapvarna

[@johnclarke6647]

Get a big 1/2” flat washer and cut a section out of it, so it will slide on the crank. Then, you can use the washer as a pry bar to help you get the seal out. Otherwise,, you can not get enough leverage on the seal to get it out. Some folks use a little 1184 on the edge of the seal to keep it from leaking if there are any scratches on the seal cup surface.

[@swordfish1120]

My Stihl 026 does not have any split/lock washer on the flywheel nut. When I did my rebuild I did tighten the nut with much more torque than it appeared you put on that nut.

[@ihcr100]

Oh hell yeah bud, last time I had a moment like that I snapped a caliper slide pin bolt off. I went outside and cried and smoked for 30 minutes I was so pissed. Came back with a cooler head and figured out that the torque wrench I used didn't work right anymore and that I had another bolt from a different project that fit.

[@Richard-tz2qf]

No pressure/vac testing after installing new seals?

[@dom1328]

you forgot to take the rubber plug on muffler off when you pressure tested it happens to best of us.

[@canifixit3504]

Ive worked on a few stihls and none of them had lock washers

[@stihlhead3338]

If you don't get the key way lined up the flywheel will spin on the crankshaft until it comes off, usually breaking the key way. I have never seen a washer on the 026 flywheel just a nut.

[@crazzywolfie]

that suck but could have possibly happened because the nut was not torqued to the correct torque spec. that nut may have needed to be tighter than you had it

[@darrellepickering8433]

That oil pump's fixed output but the case's made for an adjustable 1, they'll interchange.

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

I’m puzzled too as I don’t see a lock washer in any 026 IPL, just a 9210 261 1140 M8x1nut

[@philbrown2270]

I just purchased a new engine for my ms260 and now i have to remember where all the bits and pieces go lol

[@jimknowlton342]

I think I drove my clutch side seal in too far. It’s gonna rub on the crank. I’m thinking it will get hot and fail, definitely not going to fix it until it’s all together and it burns the seal up.

[@darrellepickering8433]

I've worked on small engines for nigh 60 years, no brag just fact. Earlier this summer I had an outboard clutch spin off & come apart. Never had that happen before. No, I hadn't had it off before. From now on tho I will check that. Luckily I had a parts saw. I've never trusted impact guns for torque work especially with flywheels.

[@christianaspo7533]

Tthe crank seal usually don't popp in on the clutch side that easy without losing the spring..

[@VintageEngineRepairs]

Hey Leon! Have you gone away from Amsoil Saber 80:1? That looked green rather than blue fuel! Is that stihl stuff? Thanks buddy :)

[@sgaws4369]

where is the engine/serial number located ?

[@ImaProctologist]

Hey Leon... Man that was a scary sound... For a minute I thought it popped a rod LoL... The two Stihl clone saws I put together did not have a washer to put there either, just a nut is all.. I thought the same as you did.. Where is the washer ? Even the IPL shows no washer. Go figure.. I put washers on both of them.

[@tomgallant6279]

Interesting explosion. Did you ever finish putting the saw together? While you were re-assembling the unit I noticed a missing wormgear and bar which is required to turn the oil pump.

[@philbrown2270]

You are right, he didn't put the worm gear shaft back in before installing the pump, oh well.

[@JKSawShop]

Shit happens buddy. I sheared my key on the 1-41 Mac scared the hell out of me.

[@BRENDAJASON1]

The other day was the 29 super and all of a sudden like grey oily gue ran out on the side cover of the saw

[@johnclarke6647]

If they say you are working on the dark side - they would call me Darth Vader, because my shop is full of Stihl saws. I have a few different brands but mostly Stihl because I know how to work on them, build them and restore them. Plus I have a lot of German DNA

[@andik859]

I am German 🇩🇪 This man has killt his saw. 😢 Piston is broken ?

[@rcf8367]

Lucky it was only a key, potty mouth needs to use a torque wrench to work on Stihl flywheels & clutches..

[@splash5974]

What were the symptoms of the bad crank seals? I cant seem to get my Stihl running right. Checked the piston for scoring on intake and exhaust, rebuilt the carb and replaced fuel line...Saw wont run right and wont take a tune on the carb. If i tip the saw on its side, it revs up, hold it in the normal position and rpm drops untill it stalls. But fires right back up first pull. Great vid btw! That backfire almost made me jump! Lol

[@splash5974]

@@OOOOOO12345 I haven't done anything with it yet. But I recently bought a new carb and spark plug, so I'd like to try that and see if it does anything for it. Wish I had an answer as to why it's doing this...

[@Brian-my3gd]

Sounds like an air leak. Pressure/vac test it and see where it's coming from. Probably crank seals or cracked intake boot

[@darrellepickering8433]

Every symptom of bad seals.

[@dakotaireland4070]

You don't need a washer just have to torque the flywheel nut

[@joestihl2234]

using that electric rattle gun that nut was no where near the proper torque setting!

[@johnclarke6647]

That was the wrong sprocket washer for a rimless sprocket. The correct one is the thicker steel sprocket washer. The thinner aluminum one is for a spur sprocket. You will probably have to tighten the clutch enough to get the EClip on the end of the crank.

[@dennisharrison4744]

New one on me i never seen that befor lol stuff happens

[@dickgalahad4508]

I think it safe too "assume", you are sharper than the stihl boys.. oh ya

[@stihlmanchainsaw8445]

At 27.11 it looks like you blew the saw up. What did you do to repair this saw? We can see the flywheel mishap. It looks like there was major damage in side - very expensive damage. 🤐

[@LeonsChainsawPartsAndRepair]

Nope! I put in a new flywheel key & lock washer and it was fine!

[@grayhawk-bh6bw]

Leon, I would've paid to see the look on your face 😳

[@jamesclark6730]

apparently the gloves didnt want anything to do with the stihl either..lol

[@deniseandmarkfirestine7443]

My favorite saw is Stihl why don’t you like them?

[@user-jo6jg3ep1f]

Basically because they are overrated.

[@primarchxi6639]

Because we like old Homelite, which are better! Simple as that! 🤨

[@RumfordSledhead]

they are all junk just choose your color

[@Drottninggatan2017]

Quite dramatic. Now it the nut did not bottom out on the shaft it should still have held the flywheel good. What it the flywheel sheared the key as a consequence of the backfire and not the other way around?

[@Tysman909]

I see where this is going plastic oil pump on plastic saw. No wonder people I talk to say there junk

[@darrellepickering8433]

There's a tool for that brake spring that's cheap & works good. It'll keep you outta the bars!

[@johnclarke6647]

Those Jesus clips give me problems. The sprocket is .325-7.

[@ScrewdriverTUNING]

Leon you rock .!!! Chainsaw is a chainsaw. Sthil builds them like BMW. I love all saws. 😂🤣☀️❤️‍🔥🦾