Stihl 038 User manual

Table of contents

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STAL

O38

Instruction

Manual

Owner’s

Manual

Assembling

Safety

Precautions

Operating

Instructions

Maintenance

Contents

Main

Parts

of

the

Saw

Definitions

Safety

Precautions

-

The

Operator

-

The

Saw

-

The Use

of

the

Saw

-

Maintenance,

Repair

and

Storing

Fuel

Chain

Oil

Mounting

the

Bar

and

Chain

Oil

Quantity

Control

Chain

Brake

Notes

on

Operation

Master

Control

Starting

Electrically

Heated

Handles

CE

Printed

on

chlorine-free

paper

Printing

inks

contain

vegetable

oils,

paper

is

recyclable

©

1996

Andreas

Stihl,

Waiblingen

0458

1210121.

M5.

D6.

T.

Printed

in

Germany

Intake

Air

Preheating

Guide

Bar,

Chain

and

Sprocket

Air

Filter

Carburetor

Replacing

the

Chain

Sprocket

Starter

Assembly

Maintaining

and

Sharpening

Saw

Chain

Maintenance

Chart

Specifications

Ordering

Spare

Parts

Certificate

of

Conformity

for

Europe

Quality

Certification

For

Canada

only:

Cutting

Attachment

Important

Safety

Precautions

Key

to

Symbols

52

56

This

Manual

contains

operating

and

safety

instructions

for

all

STIHL

038

series

power

saws.

Pay

special

attention

to

the

safety

precautions

outlined

on

pages

4

to

21.

Allow

only

persons

who

understand

this

Manual

to

operate

your

chain

saw.

To

receive

maximum

performance

and

satisfaction

from

your

STIHL

chain

saw,

itis

important

that

you

read

and

under-

stand

the

maintenance

and

safety

precautions

before

using

your

saw.

Contact

your

STIHL

dealer

or

the

STIHL

distributor

for

your

area

if

you

do

not

understand

any

of

the

instructions

in

this

Manual.

Warning!

Because

a

chain

saw

is

a

high-speed

wood-cutting

tool,

some

special

safety

precautions

must

be

observed

as

with

any

other

power

saw

to

reduce

the

risk

of

personal

injury.

Careless

or

improper

use

may

cause

serious

or

even

fatal

injury.

STIHL’s

philosophy

is

to

continually

improve

all

of

its

products.

As

a

result,

engineering

changes

and

improvements

are

made

from

time-to-time.

If

the

operating

characteristics

or

the

appearance

of

your

saw

differs

from

those

described

in

this

Manual,

please

contact

your

STIHL

dealer

for

informations

and

assistance.

STIHL

Parts

of

the

Chain

Saw

7_

Front

handle

plug

terminal

9

Handle

heating

switch

10

Rear

handle

19

Chain

guard

20

Muffler

21

Starter

gri

22

Oil

filler

cap

23

Fuel

filler

cap

Front

hand

guard

Chain

brake

Guide

bar

6

5

Bumper

spike

4

nose

3

2

Guide

bar

Oilomatic

saw

chain

1

Chain

sprocket

12

Chain

catcher

_13

Chain

sprocket

cover

14

Twist

lock

15

Master

Control

lever

16

Throttle

trigger_18

Definitions

12.

.

Oilomatic

Saw

Chain.

A

loop

of

chain

having

cutters,

tie

straps

and

drive

links.

-

Guide

Bar.

Supports

and

guides

the

saw

chain.

.

Guide

Bar

Nose.

The

exposed

end

of

the

guide

bar.

.

Bumper

Spike.

Toothed

stop

for

holding

saw

steady

against

wood.

.

Chain

Brake.

A

device

to

stop

the

rotation

of

the

chain

if

activated

in

a

kickback

situtation

by

the

operator’s

hand

or

by

inertia.

.

Front

Hand

Guard.

Provides

protection

against

pro-

jecting

branches

and

helps

prevent

the

left

hand

from

touching

the

chain

if it

slips

off

the

handle

bar.

Front

Handle.

Handle

bar

for

the

left

hand

at

front

of

saw.

-

Spark

Plug

Terminal.

Connects

the

spark

plug

with

the

ignition

wire.

-

Handle

Heating

Switch.

For

switching

the

electric

handle

heating

on

and

off.

-

Rear

Handle.

The

support

handle

for

the

right

hand,

located

at

or

toward

the

rear

of

the

saw.

.

Rear

Hand

Guard.

Gives

added

protection

to

operator’s

right

hand.

Chain

Sprocket.

The

toothed

wheel

that

drives

the

saw

chain.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

.

Chain

Catcher.

Helps

to

reduce

the

risk

of

operator

contact

by

a

chain

when

it

breaks

or

comes

off

the

bar.

.

Chain

Sprocket

Cover.

Covers

the

clutch

and

the

sprocket.

Twist

Lock.

Lock

for

carburetor

box

cover.

Master

Control

Lever.

Lever

for

choke

control,

starting

throttle,

run

and

stop

switch

position.

Throttle

Trigger

Interlock.

Must

be

depressed

before

the

throttle

trigger

can

be

activated.

Throttle

Trigger.

Controls

the

speed

of

the

engine.

Chain

Guard

(Scabbard).

Covers

the

bar

and

the

chain

when

the

saw

is

not

in

use.

Muffler.

Reduces

engine

exhaust

noise

and

directs

the

exhaust

gases.

Starter

Grip.

The

grip

of

the

starter,

for

starting

the

engine.

Oil

Filler

Cap.

For

closing

the

oil

tank.

Fuel

Filler

Cap.

For

closing

the

fuel

tank.

Clutch.

Couples

engine

to

chain

sprocket

when

engine

is

accelerated

beyond

idle

speed.

(Not

illustrated.)

Anti-Vibration

System.

The

anti-vibration

system

in-

cludes

a

number

of

buffers

designed

to

reduce

the

transmission

of

vibrations

created

by

the

engine

and

cutting

attachment

ti

the

operator’s

hands.

(not

illustrated).

SoS

Safety

Precautions

The

use

of

any

chainsaw

may

be

hazardous.

The

saw

chain

has

many

sharp

cutters.

if

the

cut-

ters

contact

your

flesh,

they

will

cut

you,

even

if

the

chain

is

not

moving.

At

full

throttle,

the

chain

speed

can

reach

45

mph

(20

m/s).

It

is

impor-

tant

that

you

read,

fully

understand

and

observe

the

following

safety

precautions

and

wamings.

Read

the

Owner’s

Manual

and

the

safety

instructions

periodically.

Pay

special

attention

to

the

section

on

reactive

forces.

Warning!

Reactive

forces,

including

kickback,

can

be

dangerous.

Careless

or

improper

use

of

any

chainsaw

may

cause

serious

or

fatal

injury.

All

safety

precautions

that

are

generally

observed

when

working

with

an

axe

or

a

hand

saw

also

apply

to

the

operation

of

chainsaws.

However,

because

a

chain-

saw

is

a

high-speed,

fast-cutting

power

tool,

special

safety

precautions

must

be

observed

to

reduce

the

risk

of

personal

injury.

Have

your

STIHL

dealer

show

you

how

to

operate

your

chainsaw.

Observe

all

applicable

local

safety

regulations,

standards

and

ordinances.

Warning!

Minors

should

never

be

allowed

to

use

a

chainsaw.

Bystanders,

especially

4

000BA036

LA

children,

and

animals

should

not

be

allowed

in

the

area

where

a

chainsaw

is

in

use.

Never

let

the

saw

run

unattended.

Store

it

in

a

locked

place

away

from

children

and

empty

the

fuel

tank

before

storing

for

longer

than

a

few

days.

Do

not

lend

or

rent

your

chainsaw

without

the

Owner's

Manual.

Be

sure

that

anyone

using

your

saw

reads

and

under-

stands

the

information

contained

in

this

manual.

These

safety

precautions

and

warnings

apply

to

the

use

of

all

STIHL

chainsaws.

Different

models

may

have

different

parts

and

controls.

See

the

appropriate

000BA037

LA

section

of

your

Owner’s

Manual

for

a

description

of

the

controls

and

function

of

the

parts

of

your

model

saw.

Safe

use

of

a

chainsaw

involves

1.

the

operator

2.

the

saw

3.

the

use

of

the

saw.

THE

OPERATOR

Physical

Condition

You

must

be

in

good

physical

condition

and

mental

health

and

not

under

the

influence

of

any

substance

(drugs,

alcohol)

which

might

impair

vision,

dexterity

or

judgment.

Do

not

operate

a

chainsaw

when

you

are

fatigued.

Be

alert

—

If

you

get

tired

while

operating

your

chainsaw,

take

a

break.

Tiredness

may

result

in

loss

of

control.

Working

with

any

chainsaw

can

be

strenuous.

If

you

have

any

condition

that

might

be

aggravated

by

strenuous

work,

check

with

your

doctor

before

operating

a

chainsaw.

Warning!

Prolonged

use

of

chainsaws

(or

other

machines)

exposing

the

operator

to

vibrations

may

produce

whitefinger

disease

(Raynaud's

phenomenon)

or

carpal

tunnel

syndrome.

These

conditions

reduce

the

hand

’s

ability

to

feel

and

regulate

temperature,

produce

numb-

ness

and

burning

sensations

and

may

cause

nerve

and

circulation

damage

and

tissue

necrosis.

Many

STIHL

models

are

available

with

an

anti-vibration

(AV)

system

designed

to

reduce

the

transmission

of

vibrations

created

by

the

engine

and

cutting

attachment

to

the

operator’s

hands.

An

anti-vibration

system

is

recommended

for

those

using

chainsaws

on

a

regular

or

sustained

basis.

Heated

handles

help

to

reduce

the

risk

of

whitefinger

disease

and

are

recommen-

ded

for

cold

weather

use.

Most

STIHL

powerheads

are

available

with

heated

handles.

`~

S

<

a

Q

S

Anti-vibration

systems

and

heated

handles

do

not

guarantee

that

you

will

not

sustain

whitefinger

disease

or

carpal

tunnel

syndrome.

Therefore,

continual

and

regular

users

should

monitor

closely

the

condition

of

their

hands

and

fingers.

If

any

of

the

above

symptoms

appear,

seek

medical

advice

immediately.

Proper

Clothing

Clothing

must

be

sturdy

and

snug-

fitting,

but

allow

complete

freedom

of

movement.

Avoid

loose-fitting

jackets,

scarfs,

neckties,

jewelry,

flared

or

cuffed

pants,

unconfined

long

hair

or

anything

that

could

become

entangled

with

the

saw

or

brush.

Wear

overalls

or

jeans

with

a

reinforced

cut

retardant

insert.

Protect

your

hands

with

gloves

when

handling

saw

and

saw

chain.

Heavyduty,

nonslip

gloves

improve

your

grip

and

protect

your

hands.

Good

footing

is

most

important

in

chain-

saw

work

.

Wear

sturdy

boots

with

nonslip

soles.

Steel-toed

safety

boots

are

recommended.

To

reduce

the

risk

of

injury

to

your

eyes

never

operate

a

chainsaw

unless

wearing

goggles

or

properly

fitted

safety

glasses

with

adequate

top

and

side

protection

complying

with

your

national

standard.

Wear

an

approved

safety

hard

hat

to

protect

your

head.

chainsaw

noise

may

damage

your

hearing.

Always

wear

sound

barriers

(ear

plugs

or

ear

mufflers)

to

protect

your

hearing.

Continual

and

regular

users

should

have

their

hearing

checked

regularly.

aces

Z

THE

SAW

Parts

of

the

chainsaw;

for

illustrations

and

definitions

of

the

parts

see

the

chapter

on

"Main

Parts

of

Saw".

Warning!

Never

modify

a

chainsaw

in

any

way.

Only

attachments

and

parts

supplied

by

STIHL

or

expressly

approved

by

STIHL

for

use

with

the

specific

STIHL

saw

models

are

authorized.

Although

certain

unauthorized

attachments

are

useable

with

the

STIHL

powerhead,

their

use

may,

in

fact,

be

extremely

dangerous.

THE

USE

OF

THE

SAW

Transporting

the

chainsaw

Warning!

Always

stop

the

engine

before

putting

a

chainsaw

down

or

carrying

it.

Carrying

a

chainsaw

with

the

engine

running

is

extremely

dangerous.

Accidental

accel-

eration

of

the

engine

can

cause

the

chain

to

rotate.

During

operation,

the

power-

head

muffler

and

the

material

around

it

reach

extremely

high

temperatures.

Avoid

touching

the

hot

muffler,

you

could

receive serious

burns.

By

hand:

When

carrying

your

saw

by

hand,

the

engine

must

be

stopped

and

the

saw

must

be

in

the

proper

position.

6

Grip

the

front

handle

and

place

the

muffler

away

from

the

body.

The

chain

guard

(scabbard)

should

be

over

the

chain

and

the

guide

bar,

which

should

point

backwards.

When

carrying

your

saw,

the

bar

should

be

behind

you.

By

vehicle:

When

transporting

in

a

vehicle,

keep

chain

and

bar

covered

with

the

chain

guard.

Properly

secure

your

saw

to

prevent

turnover,

fuel

spillage

and

damage

to

the

saw.

Preparation

for

the

use

of

the

saw

Take

off

the

chain

guard

and

inspect

for

safety

in

operation.

For

assembly,

follow

the

procedure

described

in

the

chapter

"Mounting

the

Bar

and

Chain"

of

your

Owner’s

Manual.

STIHL

Oilomatic

chain,

guide

bar

and

sprocket

must

match

each

other

in

gauge

and

pitch.

Before

replacing

any

bar

and

chain,

see

the

sections

on

"Specifications",

kick-

back

and

the

ANSI

B

175.1-1991

chain-

saw

kickback standard

in

this

manual.

Warning!

Proper

tension

of

the

chain

is

extremely

important.

In

order

to

avoid

improper

setting,

the

tensioning

procedure

must

be

followed

as

described

in

your

manual.

Always

make

sure

the

hexagonal

nut(s)

for

the

sprocket

cover

is

(are)

tightened

securely

after

tensioning

the

chain.

Never

start

the

saw

with

the

sprocket

cover

loose.

Check

chain

tension

once

more

after

having

tightened

the

nut(s)

and

thereafter

at

regular

intervals

(when-

ever

the

saw

is

shut

off).

If

the

chain

becomes

loose

while

cutting,

shut

off

the

engine

and

then

tighten.

Never

try

to

tighten

the

chain

while

the

engine

is

running

!

Fueling

Your

STIHL

chainsaw

uses

an

oil-gaso-

line

mixture

for

fuel

(see

chapter

"

Fuel

"

of

your

Owner’s

Manual).

Warning!

Gasoline

is

an

extremely

flammable

fuel.

If

spilled

or

ignited

by

a

spark

or

other

ignition

source,

it

can

cause

fire

and

serious

burn

injury

or

property

damage.

Use

extreme

caution

when

handling

gasoline

or

fuel

mix.

Do

not

smoke

or

bring

any

fire

or

flame

near

the

fuel.

Fueling

Instructions

Fuel

your

chainsaw

in

well-ventilated

areas,

outdoors

only.

Always

shut

off

the

engine

and

allow

it

to

cool

before

refueling.

Gasoline

vapor

pressure

may

build

up

inside

the

gas-

tank

of

a

two

cycle

engine

depending

on

the

fuel

used,

the

weather

conditions,

and

the

venting

system

of

the

tank.

In

order

to

reduce

the

risk

of

burns

or

other

personal

injury

from

escaping

gas

vapor

and

fumes,

remove

the

gas

cap

on

the

STIHL

product

carefully

so

as

to

allow

any

pressure

build-up

in

the

tank

to

release

slowly.

Never

remove

fuel

filler

cap

while

engine

is

running.

Select

bare

ground

for

fueling

and

move

at

least

10

feet

(3

m)

from

fueling

spot

before

starting

the

engine.

Wipe

off

any

spilled

fuel

before

starting

your

saw,

and

check

for

leakage.

Check

for

fuel

leakage

while

refueling

and

during

operation.

If

fuel

or

oil

leakage

is

found,

do

not

start

or

run

the

engine

until

leak

is

fixed

and

spilled

fuel

has

been

wiped

away.

Take

care

not

to

get

fuel

on

your

clothing.

If

this

happens,

change

your

clothing

immediately.

Warning!

Unit

vibrations

can

cause

an

improperly

tightened

fuel

cap

to

loosen

or

come

off

and

spill

quantities

of

fuel.

In

order

to

re-

duce

risk

of

fuel

spillage

and

fire,

tighten

fuel

cap

by

hand

with

as

much

force

as

possible.

The

screw

driver

end

of

OWL

the

STIHL

combination

wrench

or

other

similar

A

tool

can

be

used

as

an

aid

in

tightening

slotted

fuel

caps.

Starting

The

chain

brake

must

be

blocked

when

starting

the

saw

Warning!

Your

chainsaw

is

a

one-person

saw.

Do

not

allow

other

persons

to

be

near

the

running

chainsaw.

Start

and

operate

your

saw

without

assistance.

For

specific

starting

instructions,

see

the

appropriate

section

of

the

Owner's

Manual.

Proper

starting

methods

reduce

the

risk

of

injury.

Do

not

drop

start.

This

method

is

very

dangerous because

you

may

lose

control

of

the

saw.

There

are

two

recommended

methods

for

starting

your

chainsaw.

S

2

Q

“Oo

<

a

S

oS

With

the

first

method,

the

chainsaw

is

started

on

the

ground.

Engage

the

chain

brake

(see

"Chain

Brake"

chapter

in

your

Owner’s

Manual)

and

place

the

chainsaw

on

firm

ground

or

other

solid

surface

in

an

open

area.

Maintain

good

balance

and

secure

footing.

Grip

the

front

handlebar

of

the

saw

firmly

with

your

left

hand

and

press

down.

For

saws

with

a

rear

handle

level

with

the

ground,

put

the

toe

of

your

right

foot

into

the

rear

handle

and

press

down.

With

your

right

hand

pull

out

the

starter

grip

slowly

until

you

feel

a

definite

resistance

and

then

give

it

a

brisk,

strong

pull.

err

D

5

a

ao

3

+

The

second

recommended

method

for

starting

your

chainsaw

allows

you

to

start

the

saw

without

placing

it

on

the

ground.

Engage

the

chain

brake,

grip

the

front

handle

of

the

chainsaw

firmly

with

your

left

hand.

Keep

the

arm

on

the

front

handle

in

a

locked

(straight)

position.

Hold

the

rear

handle

of

the

saw

tightly

between

your

legs

just

above

the

knees.

Maintain

good

balance

and

secure

footing.

Pull

the

starting

grip

slowly

with

your

right

hand

until

you

feel

a

definite

resistance

and

then

give

it

a

brisk,

strong

pull.

Warning!

Be

sure

that

the

guide

bar

and

chain

are

clear

of

you

and

all

other

obstructions

and

objects,

including

the

ground.

When

the

engine

is

started,

the

engine

speed

8

with

the

starting

throttle

lock

engaged

will

be

fast

enough

for

the

clutch

to

engage

the

sprocket

and

turn

the

chain.

If

the

upper

quadrant

of

the

bar

nose

touches

any

object,

it

may

cause

kick-

back

to

occur

(see

section

on

reactive

forces).

To

reduce

this

risk,

always

engage

the

chain

brake

before

starting.

Never

attempt

to

start

the

chainsaw

when

the

guide

bar

is in

a

cut

or

kerf.

When

you

pull

the

starter

grip,

do

not

wrap

the

starting

rope

around

your

hands.

Do

not

allow

the

grip

to

snap

back,

but

guide

the

starter

rope

slowly

back

to

permit

the

rope

to

rewind

properly.

Failure

to

follow

this

procedure

may

result

in

injury

to

hand

or

fingers

and

may

damage

the

starter

mechanism.

Important

adjustments

Warning!

To

reduce

the

risk

of

personal

injury

from

loss

of

control

or

contact

with

the

running

chain,

do

not

use

a

saw

with

incorrect

idle

adjustment.

At

correct

idle

speed,

the

chain

should

not

rotate.

For

directions

on

how

to

adjust

idle

speed,

see

the

appropriate

section

of

your

Owner's

Manual.

If

you

cannot

set

the

correct

idle

speed,

have

your

STIHL

dealer

check

your

saw

and

make

proper

adjustments

or

repairs.

After

adjusting

a

chain,

start

the

saw,

let

the

engine

run

for

a

while,

then

switch

engine

off

and

recheck

chain

tension.

Proper

chain

tension

is

very

important

at

all

times.

Working

Conditions

Operate

your

chainsaw

outdoors

only

in

a

ventilated

area,

even

if

your

chainsaw

is

equipped

with

a

catalytic

converter.

The

muffler

and

other

parts

of

the

engine

(e.g.

fins

of

the

cylinder,

spark

plug)

become

hot

during

operation

and

remain

hot

for

awhile

after

stopping

the

engine.

To

reduce

risk

of

burns

do

not

touch

the

muffler

and

other

parts

while

they

are

hot.

Operate

the

saw

under

good

visibility

and

daylight

conditions

only.

Don’t

work

alone.

Keep

within

calling

distance

of

others

in

case

help

is

needed.

Your

chainsaw

is

equipped

with

a

chain

catcher.

It

is

designed

to

reduce

the

risk

of

personal

injury

in

the

event

of

a

thrown

or

broken

chain.

From

time

to

time

the

catcher

may

be

damaged

or

removed

.

To

reduce

the

risk

of

personal

injury,

do

not

operate

a

chainsaw

with

a

damaged

or

missing

catcher.

Inspect

buffers

periodically.

Replace

damaged,

broken

or

excessively

worn

buffers

immediately,

since

they

may

result

in

loss

of

control

of

the

saw.

A'sponginess'

in

the

feel

of

the

saw,

increased

vibration

or

increased

"bottoming"

during

normal

operation

may

indicate

damage,

breakage

or

excessive

wear.

Buffers

should

always

be

replaced

in

sets.

If

you

have

any

questions

as

to

whether

the

buffers

should

be

replaced,

consult

your

STIHL

servicing

dealer.