Dumbest Mistake Anyone Could Make With a $2000 Chainsaw! RUINED in an INSTANT!

[@stevezelen4651]

Maybe you didn’t share on purpose but I’ll ask anyway…. How much was the estimate on fixing the 500i? Parts and labor? Thanks for the video!!

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

well....this issue was something that couldn't be warrantied once repaired....so I ordered the parts and we're gonna try and fix it ourselves in a future video...see if she works!

[@dwaynekennedy3554]

@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Thanks for sharing , Josh.

[@417sawshop]

Send it to me i can fix it and put a little more zip in it .😊​@StoneyRidgeFarmer

[@davidgagnon2849]

@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I understand that the cylinder and piston assembly could not be warrantied, but did the saw have any of it's original (or purchased extended warranty) remaining? If so, and they negated the warranty on the rest of the saw, that really sucks. That's not how a warranty is supposed to work.

[@JonBruner-p7x]

I didn't know Northern Tool had an equipment shop. Hats off to Cliff and Earl for the information. Great video.

[@davidgagnon2849]

My local one does not have one (to my knowledge). They also don't seem to have the inventory that the one in the video has. My store is in Lakeland, FL.

[@caryreed1563]

It’s awesome to see Cliffs enthusiasm

[@ianhaggart1438]

Northern tool and equipment must be a good company to work with.. and there staff are happy to have a camera about and someone asking loads of questions.. well done to them.. Thanks for letting us tag along sir.. stay safe and chop chop 😮😊😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

man they were awesome for letting me come in the back and learn how to take this saw down! Now we all know!!

[@KPVFarmer]

Yes, thanks much for bringing us along. So cool to see a professional tear it down and explain as he’s doing so. Cheers 🍻

[@johnsadler8637]

I have been in that store and gotten good help, even if I was just researching options. Good people.

[@Northern_Tool]

Tough break for that saw, but it’s always good to dig in and learn something in situations like this. Cliff is definitely the right man for that job. Appreciate you bringing us and your followers along for the teardown. Felt like we were right there with you.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Thanks!! Northern Tool most certainly has a gem of an employee in Cliff! All of the staff treat me like family! Thanks for letting me show how capable the NTE mechanics really are! Cliff is a wealth of knowledge and Earl is so kind!

[@bob7478]

This video was very informative. Whenever I refill my chainsaw fuel can, I bring the fuel mix with me and pour it in right away. You get home, get distracted, forget, whatever, then expensive mistakes happen.

[@andrewgraeme8429]

That's the first full tear-down of a Stihl MS500i I have seen on YT - well done!

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

thanks!! Now we all know!

[@davidgagnon2849]

That appeared to be Cliff's first one, too. He did well. However I did cringe when he stuck the 14" extension in the plug hole and started framming to get the piston to break free and come out. LOL But, since it was clearly not a warranty, I guess no harm no foul.

[@andrewgraeme8429]

@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I suppose it depends on how much cutting was done with regular gasoline - I once made that mistake with a 30-year-old MS029 when someone gave me a can of what they told me was 2-stroke, only it was not! After about half-an-hour, I thought "Hey! This thing is getting hot!" and so I checked and I realised what had happened - so it appears that our novice made TWO mistakes! If the saw is running hot, put the sucker down and check what is going on! I bought a 500i and a Husky 592 and the electronics on the 500i went phut when the saw was really hot whilst cutting firewood and that chewed up the piston. To their credit, Stihl (here in the UK) fixed it for free although it was just over 2 years old. Why that happened and what exactly went wrong remains a bit of a mystery - but I learned that the smaller 500i can overheat if you beast it really hard. So it you guys do get it fixed, remember that it is what it is - a smaller saw. And Newtonian physics tells us that all that heat from the higher power compared to an older saw of the same size needs to go somewhere - and that takes time!

[@andrewgraeme8429]

@@davidgagnon2849 I must admit that I was surprised at the order in which Cliff did a few things - I would have popped the plug and just shoved an endoscope in there first to have a quick look around! (Not that it would have done me any good - it was obviously seized up!)

[@georgedavidson7986]

Very complicated too much for me to do. Thanks for the Professionalism

[@jrockin9221]

Thank you Josh for the Stihl mechanical lesson 😁👍! My ex husband has always ran the big guys in his business … he has a boneyard in the pole barn. I always wanted to see them taken apart and to know the bones of them …. I was busy raising 3 youngins and didn’t have a lot of time to watch him work on them , so thank you !!!

[@phillipthewise7758]

Other than the gas that saw looks in great shape to me. It was nice of you to help your friend out with his equipment.

[@AAaa-pd4sb]

Good job big Josh. Really awesome break down and questions. Nice to see how everything's going good for you with the farm and all. I have been watching your KZbin channel for goodness 12/13 years or so ago when you were first getting going. Very impressive... Glad to see you keeping your chin up and rocking on. You and ole Patrick Bet David back in the day got me through some really hard times just watching and getting motivated by your projects and all. Anyhow, thanks again and take care. Ric Carroll in Northen KY

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Interesting video and tear down, Josh. I kind of feel like I made the “dumbest mistake” when I transported my saw in my wood chipper hopper then forgot it was there when I started the chipper. You can fill in the blanks 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

ewe! That's a bad day!! Prayers buddy!

[@matthewtaylor2185]

Fill in the blanks... and the blankety blanks!

[@RS-sl5ko]

Cliff is good! Repairmen like him are hard to find.

[@petegkSalonika]

many thanks, pal ,,, great video ,,,, for, amateurs and professionals ... sea ya ,, Happy New Year keep on the good work both , greetings from Europe GREECE..

[@tonygough8713]

Good job Cliff. I wish I had a little of your small engine repair knowledge. Thanks for the good video.

[@ronevans852]

That’s great information on those saw I’ve been running those saw for years. When I decided to sell my property that was the end of my working days so I’ve sold all my saws except one I had 4 Stihl saws.

[@bamahomestead6323]

I've got 20+ acres and my MS250 Stihl does everything I need. Best saw I ever owned. What ever happened to Popcorn Willy the Jeep?

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

oh the willys is in the shop...it's coming back out soon! Gotta get the shop all wired up and such

[@Walter-ts1vu]

Thanks for sharing the informational video.

[@davidmack8813]

Josh this truly was one of my favorite stihl chainsaw in detail exploratory dives; loved it. Years ago I bought a professional Stihl chainsaw then one of my employers sons was to pay back parents by working with me, alas he didn't know & added wrong fuel , no oil mix 2 cycle it ceased engine costing me over $700 just in parts to rebuild my favorite great commercial grade chainsaw now last year my 79GMC pickup had some pack rats occupy my blower motor I hadn't run pickup truck in over a year drove it after a hard start full of non ethanol fuel was added to fill both 20gallon fuel tanks out for 1st test drive it started smoking in vent blower around 3 minutes no reception for cell no water mountain road I drove to clearing turned off engine lifted hood undid blower motor wires jerked off new battery terminal opened passenger door molten plastic on fire burning under dash poured all 3 small water bottles I had down vent above that area, OK Dave you got 2 minutes trucks on fire. Opened canopy pulled out 6 5gallon Jerry cans threw them clear grabbed a pack from front seat & watched my great collector Sierra Grande go to full flames and burn to the tires and all fuel was gone. Not seeing car cover over my stihl chainsaw or other stuff I'd liked to remove in 30 seconds I finally had. Need a new /used pickup truck & a great Stihl chainsaw. Ouch as truck had been not running total loss high value like paint job new motor tires mags etc $ Ouch but at least timely Stihl delve into very useful information, thanks Josh. Happy new year David

[@carrollwilliams2759]

What an awesome video! Thank you Josh for taking time to do this. Great information. Great content!

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Glad you liked it! Hope it saves you some $$ on your next saw!

[@scottsmith6846]

Hey Josh thank you for the great video woo

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Glad you liked it, bud!

[@TommyYoung-d6f]

Thanks for this video. I learned so much. The number one lesson is, don’t try to fix my equipment myself. LOL!

[@why-be-normal7014]

We need to clone Cliff and spread his across the country so everyone can be treated like a superstar. It’s almost impossible to find a cliff if the world . Seems like a great man and very knowledgeable

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

I agree! And he is awesome!!!!

[@douglasroberts2250]

I had a Farm Boss. It did well until the muffler started coming off, then the piston scored. I don't know why that happened. The Northern Tool in Burlington rebuilt my pressure washer pump.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

I've seen some rough and tumble pressure washers, but glad yours got a rebuild!

[@matthewtaylor2185]

The same thing happened to a farm boss, my dad's friend had. Itt sucked in the baffle or something like that. Dad rebuilt it for him. Later, the stihl plastic caged bearings came apart and seized the saw up. He bought a new one and gave the old farm boss to dad. He had just taken a hydrostatic transmission apart, and it had the same bearings, but with metal cages, so he put those bearings in. It still runs. I'm not a fan of the farm boss saws, but it still runs.

[@ClickinChicken]

I'd have to put Post it notes on each magnetic tray (or dixie cup) lol, to get it back together! Cool Video, I like this content.

[@craignash4736]

Josh. Top five videos You hit it out of Park. Thanks again. Craig. Pa.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Thanks, Craig...appreciate that!

[@steppoffaith8426]

First thing I do is pull the muffler to get idea of damage

[@karlsening7726]

Great video.

[@bernardjones6162]

Anyone who pays $2000 for a chainsaw is nuts!

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

a cell phone costs around $1200 nowadays.....pro saws can be pricey for sure....at least I can heat my house with the chainsaw and it will last a lifetime v/s this throw away world we live in nowadays

[@georgedavidson7986]

How do you ever get it back together

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

like eating an elephant...one bite at a time! Stay tuned for the rebuild!

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

It's a bit like a puzzle. every bit fit's just one way and you just have to go through the parts until they are gone. In this case they will have to replace the cylinder and piston as those were damaged beyond repair. Well kind of. it might be technically possible to repair them but it would certainly not be economical, so replacements it is. Most of the rest of the parts should be good to transfer over.

[@TimothyBrewer]

Josh that was a really good video. I have been looking to get a new Stihl saw and the 462c sounds about right. See ya at the saw mill.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

hit up the good ol northern tool! They give a veteran discount too! Also...coupons every month!

[@JohnTalbot-k6xi]

A+ I am very impressed ... like to watch Real Pros at work at their trade

[@graybeardgarage9638]

Great information. Some lessons are learned the hard way unfortunately.

[@stuartsplace100]

i have several of those maginet dishes,luv them

[@kdegraa]

Cliff started working on small engines when he was seven years old.

[@ndafarachaitezvi1139]

Awesome

[@bigfoot-wo3qy]

You will miss the 500 vs the 462. My favorite saw is a 460 and I had a 462…..kept the 460, traded the 462 for the 500.

[@tomhaser8696]

i liked this video this guy was amazing i would have had parts everywere

[@olepedersen8887]

The black line you see on the chain saw is to see if you is Strait with the saw

[@Scott_Atlanta]

Neighbor’s saw, but Josh is buying a new one for himself? Also, how does a boss handle that situation with a worker who surely can’t easily pay the damage ?

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

more to come on this one buddy! More to come. Now...how does a boss that pays his workers $15 an hour handle this? My buddy had to suck it up and eat the cost of the saw!

[@jamesweaver9636]

Don’t hire idiots!

[@michaela1655]

You train the guys that work for you. Be their mentor. Show them the safe ways to do the work. And stay by their side until they are ready to work independently.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

young folks have to learn....I hear ya, but mistakes do happen...this was a very costly mistake for sure!

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

wasn't working for me...if they were they'd be running a homeowner grade saw, not a pro saw like this.....a ms311 or 250 would be a better choice for someone new to chainsaws

[@williamslavens9408]

I understand. I just woke up on wrong side of the truck bed this morning.

[@dennissweeney7743]

Great video!

[@edames5317]

Really nice video

[@stuartsplace100]

i have a still.bought second hand,luv it,replaaced the carb and motor mounts after i bought it,was badly mantained by the prevvious owner

[@nickpuncekar3767]

Wheres the link for the tool?

[@RockySwampRanch-r1f]

In the video description, Amazon link.

[@stuartsplace100]

Good Morning

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Good morning! Let's get this sawdust flying, eh?!

[@chrissheathewoodguy]

when i was a young man ( some time when dirt was made) lol , i worked for a local harware store and we worked on all kinds of equipment as well. Me and my buddy kieven went to sthil school and a few other brands. chainsaws have chained greatly. You don't need a prosaw to run a mill. It's nice but not needed. I use the Ms 290 or even the MS 271 alll the time. they will very easily cut down most trees with no problem. Now if your doing it all day every day that is totaly different. I had a 391 and a 362 c but they both had issues. one the plug blew clean out of the head. factory install. the 362c did not impress me. I've run many big pro saws. but the average person with a mill like you and i have really does not need a pro saw. It's nice to have one but not needed as you stated. So i guess he now has closer trianing towards the Gold now. I loved the video.

[@Anonymous789-yv2kl]

Great video

[@DerrickCook-m6n]

I always tell people what kind of fuel to use in my equipment....even if they say they know. I will even give them the fuel alot of times.

[@jonathanfrecking1210]

Thats what you get where you have people trying to help you that don't know anything about chainsaws.

[@Idahoprepper71]

There are actually 4 levels of Stihl certification. Bronze,silver,gold and platinum.

[@meandale]

Did that to a weed eater once.... fortunately it was not a Stihl or other high-dollar unit. Poulan I think.

[@jamesweaver9636]

Rule #1. Never loan out a chainsaw to idiots! Or anyone for that matter.

[@WakinyanHota]

Hit the nail on the head there sir

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

yep...it wasn't loaned it was his farm hand....very foolish mistake, you can bet if it were owned by the farm hand it wouldn't have happened

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

Kids today usually don't know anything about fuel mixing. They might know about four stroke and two stroke, but not really what it means or that not all of them can use standard gas. Even a four stroke can run on blended fuel if absolutely necessary, but it's better to do it right and use the fuel they are designed for. Old two stroke engines may need more oil in the mix than a perfectly new saw. Old machine might need 4% oil while new saws often are rated for more like 2%. Check the instructions to know for sure. If you have to much oil the saw will run smoking more than necessary, and if you have to little things can go as bad as shown in this video. Too little oil might not ruin the motor immediately but it isn't a good thing. The right fuel blend will keep the saw working for many years or decades without major problems.

[@robertschumacher472]

For everyone with two-stroke mixing woes. This is my experience and it could help you out. The military lives by dummies not being able to remember and they can't have the failure so they write something on everything to try to make it so mistakes or not made. Especially with a chainsaw that expensive maybe there should be something written even in larger writing that says two-stroke only oil in the gas. Fuel or only two stroke fuel writing is not enough for the dummies who do not know the simple things of mechanics of yesteryear. I found a way that worked well for me because old fuel goes all really quick and doesn't run very well so I bought the large syringes out of Walmart for mixing of fuel so that you could mix up one quart every time for it and I kept it with the saw and always had fresh Fuel and it was very quick to take out the two cycle oil and suck up the right amount for the Court, q u a r t. I also highly recommend Amsoil it really does make a difference with its high mix ratios so that you can use it for just about anything no matter what mix ratio it has. Now if you have a dummy who keeps running the saw and can't hear a difference and doesn't know you can't protect against that. Those are a pain in the butt unless you use them all day long. Leave them sit and you're always having something to do to deal with. Our new gasoline seem to ensure that

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

yep...the boys knew it took 2 stroke, they grabbed the wrong fuel can

[@runtimmytimer]

Personally I wouldn’t mill with anything smaller than a 661. I’ve tried with a 400, 500 and 661.

[@williamslavens9408]

Never loan to someone who cannot pay for the replacement or repair. Or to someone who doesn't know how to operate the tool!!!

[@AbdulYan]

I really appreciate your efforts! A bit off-topic, but I wanted to ask: I have a SafePal wallet with USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). Could you explain how to move them to Binance?

[@robertschumacher472]

Like the other guy said I would have been interested at least in the rough figures of what it was going to cost to have it rebuilt and then just parts. I had a really nice Stihl trimmer that cost me a lot in the early days of Steel by the time I started using it hard they had changed and upgraded on the carb to the point where they no longer had a carburetor to replace the one that went bad. It was a simple two-stroke weed eater carburetor and so I cleaned everything and replaced it with a new kit but it would still not work and I finally had to give up and take it into a shop and they couldn't do any better they said there was some kind of a fault or problem inside. I tried later and found that it was an obsolete part not only for the kit but also for the carburetor. Everything else was fine on my Barely Used weed eater. So I guess that's why nowadays I do kind of like the idea of electric chainsaws and yard equipment if you can get away with it and have enough battery

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

my brother...coming soon!! I'll do a full rebuild on it here on my workbench!! Cost and everything included..stay tuned! Parts just arrived

[@RBponics]

Looks like sandy ridge road

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

sure is! Go tell Cliff he's a movie star now!

[@ClickinChicken]

Not to detract from your cool video Josh... You should check out Taryl fixes All video Titled '1 in 100 People know this 2 cycle Oil secret'. It's about the variability of synthetic oil, that covers many ranges of mixes. Hope this makes it through! -B

[@ericcrawford1132]

261 is a pro saw

[@davidj2874]

Keep a $500 saws to loan out and the $2k one for yourself

[@williamslavens9408]

Look I'm just floored that not training someone to use a tool. Must be a tool.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

man....despite being told, trained or shown what to do....some folks can break an anvil lol!

[@rikkilee9409]

500i was $1350 two years ago. whats up with the price hike?

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

depending on features it starts at around $1500 ish

[@petegkSalonika]

rebore and replace the piston,, looks like a good saw , to bad to make it parts to repair others, check the con rod , in case it is damaged then think again of buying new saw ...

[@toddpacheco4748]

Josh,your friend that owns the chainsaw maybe 🤔 should have explained what the chainsaw needed for fuel seeing the person working for him had never run a chainsaw before just saying he can’t blame it all on the worker 😮😊❤

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

he did...and the worker grabbed the wrong gas can and ran non mixed fuel in it....just a mistake that happened, but the workers all knew to put mixed gas in the chainsaws

[@mrtpq]

I wouldn't get a new 462 for a sawmill. There is a reason why this saw is so light - alloy innards/lighter parts. The old school 461 is heavier and would have been a better choice. The 462 is made to be a great felling saw. Straight hard work (ie sawmilling) favors the heavier component saws like the 461 or Husky 372.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

it's not for running a mill...it's for cutting trees for the sawmill

[@mrtpq]

You got the right saw.

[@billwilliams9527]

Josh, you sir are too generous lending out expensive equipment to people who don't know how to operate it or just don't care.

[@sanjay0196]

I wonder how much the top end on these is?

[@Walter-ts1vu]

one of the rings probably cracked.

[@CaptTony107]

Quite an edjumication! I'm encouraging all young folk with no specific career plan to forget college and learn a trade. Especially small engine repair. The mistakes we all make guarantee their families will never go hungry!

[@garymixson687]

You said 251 and 251C...Josh, whats the difference?

[@farmhand3724]

What happened to if you borrow it & break it you buy it?

[@GradyBanyay]

is that saw yours or your friend's?

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

it was

[@williamslavens9408]

A tool is like a firearm. You wouldn't loan a firearm. Would you?

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

nothing to do with loaning my brother.....this is my buddies saw and his farm hand destroyed it...I agree..I don't loan tools, I'll help a guy out, but not loan

[@rikkilee9409]

there is a lot to be said for a 1990 stihl 044 and a coffee can of stihl parts keeping the ole girl running for 35 years! the world was fine with carberaters and NO cell phones! and real men rode 2-stroke dirt bikes. merry xmass big guy!

[@rikkilee9409]

you should have pancaked it with a 40'' oak then claim physical damage? i am a stihl guy 100 % but these prices! my 400 stihl is up to $1300 more if you get a light 24 bar. it made me buy a HUSKY 550 xpg mk2.. (i STIHL like the 261 better) even tho the 550 is the strongest 50cc saw on earth

[@WeSRT4]

There are some real idiots in this world.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

people make mistakes....that's all there is to it my brother....raise your hand if you've never made a mistake...I know I can't raise mine...this one happened to be an expensive mistake

[@WeSRT4]

@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I just think every generation gets less intelligent in general. No concept of the way things work.

[@deegale600]

Is he missing a finger?

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

I do believe so!

[@stihlman8390]

Yes. I'm missing the middle finger on my left hand.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Hey! Cliff!! Thanks again buddy! You got skills!

[@davidj2874]

Why would anyone spend two grand for a chainsaw anyhow, stihl makes plenty of $500 saws that are plenty capable.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

why do some drive a Kia, some drive a Ford and some drive a Land Rover? Same thing my friend

[@davidj2874]

Well I guess you’re right, I spent $70k on a new F-250 but my $400 stihl suits me fine. To each his own. Keep the content coming 👍

[@Idahoprepper71]

The $500 stihl saws are junk. You get what you pay for.

[@davidj2874]

I’ve had a stihl farmboss for 15 years and it still runs perfectly. No issues whatsoever. And I believe I gave under $400 for it new. 🤷‍♂️

[@johnmclean4151]

That’s not a 2000 dollar saw, if it is you really got ripped off.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

let's not get hung up on pennies my friend....that saw is around $1700 with an upgraded bar and chain and wrap around handle..she's expensive...now I ordered a rebuild kit and it's well over $2k worth of saw now lol

[@williammartin2915]

No sound !

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

no sound is on your end buddy, if that ever happens just refresh your browser

[@williammartin2915]

Allways seems it’s somebody else’s fault for tools an equipment breaking hmmmm

[@leecarroll1817]

Eliminating the idiot factor. Should be schooled before ownership. Mistakes are expensive.

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

probably a conspiracy isn't it.....bro, I make videos fixing things....sometimes I break it, sometimes somebody else does lol....this time happened to not be me! Just wait....I'm sure I'll break something soon!

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

young farm help my friend...this is what happens when you put a pro saw in the hands of someone who didn't grow up running power equipment....one of the main reasons I don't have help here on the farm is that folks don't take care of equipment in most casess

[@BillHill-w7y]

Why’s it 2k??

[@tcmits3699]

IMO Sthl chainsaws are overpriced junk... So glad l bought a 40V 16" GREENWORKS chainsaw in 2013. Never looked back. Wonder what that thing cost to fix 😢

[@Scott_Atlanta]

🤡🤡

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

buddy.....greenworks makes a good saw, but this 500i and the 462 would chew it up and spit it out the tail pipe....these are serious saws....believe me, I've ran homeowner saws and pro saws...these are "bad machines"

[@tcmits3699]

@@StoneyRidgeFarmerWell, when you get back to the real world, I'll be cutting logs, even in my "warm*" basement while your right arm we'll be getting a workout from pulling the cord on a non starting engine. For the farmer or homeowner my electric start chainsaw is hard to beat. Like l said IMO STHL is still overpriced junk. There's so many videos out there to prove me right Greenworks makes a great saw that always starts and finishes the job