Chainsaw Stihl MS 170 - private and farm model

Household chainsaw equipment is included in the home tool kit of many private and farm households. In terms of technical and operational capabilities, the Stihl MS 170 branded chainsaw adequately represents its household category.

This model has the high performance, efficiency, and long service life, typical of its branded range. In terms of popularity and sales volumes, Shtil brand chainsaws occupy leading positions in official and consumer ratings.

Photo: Stihl MS 170 chainsaw

Performance properties

In the development of this model, valuable experience in operating proprietary and similar designs of other brands was used.

The capabilities of the tool allow for partial or complete mechanization of work:

• to clear areas of small trees and tall bushes;
• wood fuel procurement;
• formation of crowns of trees growing on the site;
• construction of wooden buildings for residential and special purposes.

Lightweight, convenient and safe to use, the Shtil 170 saw has proven itself in all respects in a wide range of works of varying complexity to create exclusive elements of landscape and architectural design.

Design features

The popularity and stability of consumer demand is facilitated by the affordable price, the combination of a classic layout with the latest know-how of industrial design, the high quality of the materials used and factory assembly.

Working comfort is increased due to an effective vibration damper system, low background noise, ergonomic body shape and smooth running of the cutting set chain.

Despite the dense arrangement of internal equipment and consumable containers, there is convenient access to the necks of the fuel and oil tanks, adjustment and tuning units.

The Stihl 170 saw is characterized by a simple and repairable design, allowing owners to perform service or routine repairs of the tool on their own.

The technical and operational characteristics of this model comply in all respects with the recommendations of current standards and regulations.

Modifications

Like its older brother, Shtil MS 180, the MS 170 chainsaw can have an improved modification. For example, the STIHL ElastoStart system can be installed on it, which reduces the engine compression resistance due to an additional starter spring installed.

Another useful option of the MS 170 chainsaw is the quick chain tension system. You can tighten the chain with it even without using a special key, which is very convenient. As a rule, keys are often lost. Photo of the system below.

The side chain tensioner is also designed to facilitate the operation of the tool, since in the standard version it is not very convenient to adjust the chain tension of this chainsaw. The adjusting screw is located behind the tire on the crankcase, and when the chain is tensioned, the tire gets in the way. In some cases, when the chain is accidentally touched, it can cause hand injury.

Versions and information support

Based on the popular basic model, several electric versions have been developed: Stihl MSE 170C, MSE 170C-Q.

The operating instructions included with the kit contain detailed information about the features of preparing the tool for startup, the scope and time of routine maintenance and routine maintenance, methods for troubleshooting and troubleshooting.

Consumer reviews give reason to consider the Shtil MS 170 chainsaw one of the most popular household-class models produced in recent years.

Which is better Shtil 180 or Shtil 230

Sometimes in a store you can see people choosing between 180 Stil and 230 Stil, and not a competent salesperson - the consultant convinces that there is almost no difference in them and there is no point in overpaying for the slightly higher power of 230 Stil. However, this is not so; we will not conduct a full comparison of the characteristics of both chainsaws; we will only note the main differences:

1. The most important difference is that the Shtil MS 230 has a larger engine capacity, which in turn greatly increases the service life and, as a result, the service life.
2. The Shtil 230 chainsaw is equipped with a heating system that prevents icing of the carburetor when operating in the winter.
3. The 230 is heavier than its younger brother by as much as 700 grams. Believe me, when doing light work (pruning branches), this difference is significant.
4. That's why the price for Stihl MS 230 is higher.

Specifications

The use of durable and wear-resistant plastic parts of the tool made it possible to reduce its weight to 3.9 kg.

• The saw is equipped with a compact, easy-to-maintain and durable two-stroke internal combustion engine that uses a gasoline-oil mixture as fuel.
• The power unit with a displacement of only 30.1 cm3 in operating modes develops power up to 1.8 hp. The advantages of the engine include economical fuel consumption, torque reserve, and time-consuming maintenance.
• A carburetor adjusted at the factory needs additional adjustment only when the tool is switched to seasonal operating mode, the octane rating of gasoline changes, or the traction properties of the engine deteriorate under the influence of external temperature and load factors.

Fuel enters the carburetor float chamber from an internal 250 ml gas tank.

Which Shtil chainsaw is best to buy for cutting firewood?

This class is worth considering if you plan to harvest firewood for home needs, it makes no sense to keep such units and there is a danger of the saw breaking, since these units do not like to work without load. By harvesting firewood, I don’t mean that you cut a carload of firewood once a year, but that you will consistently harvest firewood.

Stihl MS-230,250

I combined these models because they are identical, just like Shtil-210, but they differ in higher power. These saws are very popular among private firewood harvesters, and sometimes they think that the 230 is better than the 250, I don’t know why this is connected.

Calm 230

These models are also equipped with a wrench and a screwdriver. They have side chain tension and convenient tank lids that have special handles. If used carelessly, these handles often break, and a new cap is not cheap. The starter handle is made in a special way, which reduces the load on the joints when starting. There is an air duct that allows the engine to use warm air, this gives stable operation at sub-zero temperatures.

Calm 250

The tires are the same as on previous models, but it is possible to install longer ones, which I do not advise you to do, as it will put a greater load on the engine. The power of the 230 is 2.7 liters. s, for the 250th: 3.1 hp. In general, they are quite worthy models in their class, but they are already an order of magnitude higher than chainsaws for the home.

Stihl MS-260

This unit is the first professional model in the line, but I classified it as a household one, since these saws very often fail when used professionally. Most often, the cylinder-piston group suffers, the piston falls apart, the bearing falls apart, and the ignition module fails. I am not saying that all saws have such defects, but most of them are returned with just such breakdowns.

Calm 260

If you still choose this model, I’ll tell you a little about it. It also comes with a wrench and a screwdriver, but all this is in a convenient bag. Includes 2 air filter covers for winter and summer use. Supplied with 2 types of tires 40 or 45cm. For easier starting, a decompressor is mounted in the cylinder. This is a special valve that bleeds air from the cylinder when starting, and closes when the engine starts. Without a decompressor it would be difficult to start the unit. The power of the chainsaw is: 3.5 hp.

The model has convenient tank caps that can be unscrewed without using a tool. Just like on the 250, the starter handle is made with technology that reduces the load on the joints. A chainsaw consists of 2 parts that move relative to each other. This technology reduces vibration, which causes certain circulatory diseases.

Work headset

This unit consists of proprietary parts. This is a 14 inch guide bar and cutting chain with tensioner. The universal connecting unit allows the saw to be used with kits from other brands. Lubrication and cooling of the chain are carried out by supplying oil to the working area from a 150 ml reservoir built into the body.

In an unusual or traumatic situation, an emergency stop of the chain is carried out by turning on the emergency brake. Locking is done by moving the shield in the direction of the tire. Maintaining the headset includes periodic cleaning, checking the serviceability of the oil pump, and checking the chain tension.

Video: MS 170 saw in action

Operating a Shtil chainsaw 170 ms

Basic tips for maintaining a chain saw and proper operation of Shtil 170 ms:

• When working with a chainsaw, always think about safety - protect your respiratory organs with a respirator, and your eyes with a mask from getting chips to reduce the impact of vibration, wear thick gloves, hold the saw firmly with both hands;
• Perform maintenance according to the schedule recommended in the instructions or once a month, tighten the chain if necessary, clean/replace filters;
• a lubricated chain and bar are the key to quality sawing;
• do not change the angle of direction of the bar to the surface of the log or board being cut; hold the tool so that the saw blade plunges into it from top to bottom or strictly parallel to the edge.

Advantages

The advantages of this model:

• excellent design and balance of the body, ergonomic shape of the handles, comfortable grip, comfortable level of vibration;
• high maintainability of the model, which is complemented by a wide selection of exclusive and standardized spare parts, as well as consumables;
• the quality of materials and the perfection of their processing technologies have a positive effect on the reliability and durability of the product as a whole, and the low-cost generation of overhaul and operational resources;
• this model has no restrictions on external conditions, so it can operate in a wide temperature range.

Vibrations.

Longer use of the power tool can lead to vibration-induced hand circulation problems (white finger syndrome). A generally accepted duration of use of the device cannot be established, as it depends on many factors.

The duration of use of the device is increased thanks to the following measures: – hand protection (warm gloves); - breaks from work.

The duration of use is reduced due to: – the worker’s personal predisposition to poor circulation (signs: often cold fingers, itchy fingers); – low outside temperatures; – great effort when gripping the motorized device (a strong grip interferes with blood circulation).

With regular, long-term use of the power tool and if the corresponding symptoms (for example, itching of the fingers) reappear, it is recommended to conduct a regular medical examination.

Disadvantages and malfunctions

This section most often refers to the constant performance of the oil pump, which inevitably leads to excessive consumption of chain oil.

There is a problem with cold starting and a reduction in the resource of the manual starter due to the lack of a fuel booster pump.

The sharp increase in the cost of branded spare parts is causing concern, which is forcing owners to use more affordable Chinese analogues to restore the functionality of their tools.

Proprietary technologies

The Stihl concern holds the brand of a world-famous manufacturer. It is the custom of reputable brands to announce various technologies and “gadgets” that make working with the saw easier, making it more productive and safe.
To be fair, it is worth saying that colorful, weighty words do not always hide an equally large-scale development. Sometimes it’s some little thing, which, however, gives the legal right to talk about know-how. The following developments are used in the “one hundred and seventy”:

QuickStop braking system

In essence, it’s a regular chain band brake. Yes, it is made with high quality and reliability, it works when needed, but there is nothing super-innovative in the system. Here is the QuickStop Super technology - yes, there the chain slows down when the gas handle is released. But only more advanced chainsaws are equipped with it. Owners of the MS 170 are left with only the proven rebound-activated foregrip.

Anti-vibration

The model's handles are attached to the body and crankcase through rubber damper pads. It is pointless to argue about what is more effective - springs or rubber inserts; everyone perceives this in their own way. Yes, a 1.7-horsepower engine is unlikely to produce such vibration that your arms will fall off.

Compensator in the carburetor

Another mysterious “lotion” of Shtil. It is positioned as a part that regulates engine operation, and, accordingly, fuel consumption in such a way that clogging of the air filter does not lead to problems with starting and operation at idle or under load. However, there is no way to find information about the design of this part on any website. We can assume that this is an additional channel that allows, if necessary, to increase the flow from the air filter, making suction more efficient.

Ematic chain lubrication

The company's advertisers, who know a lot about marketing, presented the lubrication system as unique. The chain itself, the tire, the oil pump and a special bypass are working to reduce oil consumption. Everything is clear with the oil pump - even without a regulator, it operates automatically based on crankshaft revolutions through a gear system. The chain has grooves configured with a lubricant supply nozzle. Well, the tire has a special bearing that loses less oil and gets dirty less often.

Analogs

Chainsaws of the same power type are presented on the domestic market with a fairly wide selection. The main competitors are the branded models Oleo-Mac 937-16, Hyundai X 360, ECHO CS-3700ES-15 and Husqvarna 140 X-TORQ. It should be noted that with the same performance characteristics and purpose, branded chainsaw products from other manufacturers are significantly more expensive.

Owner reviews

For its money, the 170th Shtil is clearly understaffed. Even cheaper cars costing 6-7 thousand are equipped with automatic lubrication systems and more advanced carburetors. There is nothing bad to say about the assembly, everything is solid and reliable, the only thing that confuses me is the plastic engine crankcase. Cold starting, especially at sub-zero temperatures, is problematic, as the starter will not last long. It looks like the model is clearly in need of major improvement. Farid

My experience as an owner of the Shtil 170 chainsaw is less than two months. During this time, I dumped all the dead wood in the garden and cut firewood for the whole winter. The engine starts confidently, the traction is normal, but the average fuel consumption is approximately 30% higher. This is probably due to its small cubic capacity and the need to operate at maximum speed. The chain bought in reserve turned out to be a low-quality fake, it stretched out over just a few refills, so you’ll have to look for the original. Sasha

I went to the city to buy a Husqvarna chainsaw, but due to lack of goods, I brought home a brand new Shtil chainsaw. As a completely non-technical person, I was pleased with the informative and detailed operating instructions; thanks to its informative recommendations, the first launch was successful. To date, the tool’s track record includes several tens of cubic meters of sawn firewood. During the one-year operation there were no failures or malfunctions. The high cost of motor and chain oils is a little annoying, but this is already a cost of technology. Sergey Nikolaevich

Instructions Shtil 170

The instructions for the Shtil MS 170 chainsaw are written in as much detail as possible (as are the instructions for the Shtil 180). And it begins, as is customary among the Germans, with safety precautions when working with a saw.

The next thing you can learn by reading the instructions is the saw technique. The material contained in this section will be useful not only to those who are going to use a chainsaw for the first time, but also to those who have already used it more than once. For example, this section describes in as much detail as possible how to properly fell a tree, cut a wedge, safely trim pinched branches, and a lot of other useful information that cannot be found anywhere else.

The instructions for the Shtil 170 chainsaw were written by professionals, so you should not ignore reading them.

Of great interest, in the instructions for the chainsaw, is the clause about felling trees with a large trunk diameter using various sawing techniques.

Further in the manual for the unit, you can find out everything about the technical characteristics of the chain. What is a pitch, cutting edges, links, everything is written about in the simplest and most intelligible language possible.

For those who have never started such equipment, the user manual contains a detailed algorithm on how to do this (read how to start a Shtil chainsaw). Moreover, the important point is in what position to do this as safely as possible. If you scroll further, you can find out how to sharpen a chainsaw chain, properly clean it after work and store it for long-term storage.

The last thing that is useful to read in the instructions is the fault table. It contains as succinctly as possible useful information about malfunctions, their symptoms and solutions.

The answer to the question of whether a new chainsaw needs to be broken in can also be found if you study the instructions carefully. The manufacturer recommends that in the first few hours of operation, slightly reduce the proportion of the mixture of gasoline and oil, thereby increasing the amount of oil in the fuel. This is necessary in order to reduce the load on the rubbing parts of the engine until they break in.