Original Post on bradsblog earlier this year:
Last month I purchased the 20″ Troy bilt chainsaw, which I found as I was browsing through my Tool Crib catalog. I ordered it from Amazon.com and received a $25 promotional discount, plus no shipping charges or tax. The sale prce itself was under MSRP so I felt good about the price.(about 205 bucks) After I received it, I was impressed with how easy it started and powerful 49cc engine. I would strongly recommend this chainsaw for anyone in the market.
Update:
Well, I thought I would update on my Troybilt Chainsaw. After an entire season of use, I have decided that this was the best purchase I made this year. I have put this chainsaw through some rugged use, and after I winterized it, I am still impressed with it. There are a couple of things I did have problems with and thought I would share.
There is a small piece of auminum on the underside of the chainsaw, near the sprocket assemply. The purpose of this is unclear to me, and has been all bent up and mangled due to the chain coming off (for reasons caused by me).
Another problem I encountered was there is a metal tube-like piece that is mounted inside the intake manifold. This piece somehow broke loose and caused an interesting rattling sound during operation. I ended up taking it apart and removing the piece altogether. This piece seemed to serve no purpose.
I have been so impressed with the Troybilt chainsaw, I am considering purchasing a 4 cycle Troybilt weed eater next year. If I do, I will be sure to post about it.
5/26/07
OK, time for another update. Several months ago, I was ripping through some skids with my chainsaw, and hit a nail. The chain came off, and soon thereafter I noticed a fuel leak. I’ve been quite busy until recently I was able to pinpoint the leak.
The fuel tank is comprised of two sections that are bonded together. WHere this bonding agent is, is where the gas is leaking. I have taken pictures to illustrate. I was pondering what I could do to fill in and stop the leak, so I decided to contact Troybilt via their website. I sent a few pictures, and expect a reply in a few days.
Since I contacted support, I figured I might as well continue to post on the gas tank leak issue. Here is a summary of the exchange between me and Troy Bilt technical support.
Customer (Brad) 05/25/2007 08:25 PM
It seems I am leaking fuel from the bonding agent that keeps the tank together. What can I use to reinforce this caulk like material?
Response (Jeff M.) 05/30/2007 09:28 AM
Fuel delivery systems require that a local authorized service center evaluate the failure and determine the best course of repair. Fuel tanks should not be repaired but replaced. For further assistance with this issue, please contact one of our authorized service centers in your area.
Customer (Brad) 05/30/2007 09:45 AM
If the tank is replaced, the entire housing needs to be replaced. I intend to fix this myself and would like to know a suitable compound to use and not just referred to a service center. Thanks.
Response (Jeff M.) 05/30/2007 10:32 AM
Liabilities exist with repairing a fuel tank. There is no technical information available for repair methods/compounds of fuel tanks.
So, since i have no desire to take the chainsaw in for repair, I plan to look into different compounds that might work. I’ll post what I find out here.
UPDATE 1/17/08
Last month I decided to break down and take it in for repair. I tried a couple different compounds in an effort to patch the leak around the tank. Arts repair called me back yesterday, they said it will cost $115 to repair it with a new part. That’s cheaper than buying a new chainsaw, and I have been otherwise pleased with the chainsaw so I told them to go ahead and repair it. I also plan to buy a new chain for it when I get it back.
9/24/08
After I dropped the chainsaw off at Arts, they took several months to finally get it back. Their lack of mechanics resulted in extremely long repair times, and lost a customer because of it.
Anyway, I decided to hold off on getting a new chain, I just sharpened it up really good. Last wee, when Hurricane Ike came through there were trees down everywhere. My freshly repaired chainsaw worked many hours this week, and the only problems I had with it were the connector for the stop switch came disconnected, so I had to shut off the chainsaw by choking the engine.
Now that all my wood cutting is done, I will be dismantling it and giving it a thorough cleaning.
6/20/09
Well for some reason I can’t keep the chain tight and it is now coming off so frequently I am ready to throw the thing away. I probably need a new chain and bar but really don’t want to spend the money on anything like that. Right now I am very disgusted and really could use a chainsaw that will last.
This article posted 11 02 05
Wayne Pelley | 21-Dec-05 at 2:56 pm | Permalink
Glad to read such good comments regarding the TroyBuilt Chainsaw, as I am concidering purchasing one from the local Canadian Tire Store in my area. I was wondering if it would last, and now I know.
Thanx
Kevin Smith | 12-Apr-07 at 6:04 pm | Permalink
I have the same powersaw. It is junk!! The chain has fallen off at least 12 times. The last time it almost removed my arm. Don’t buy one!!!
Shawn | 23-Apr-07 at 3:38 pm | Permalink
Hi,
I found this page as I was looking for a chain for my saw. I have the same saw and it’s GREAT:mrgreen: I’ve owned my now for a year and a bit. I too have had the chain come off on me it was due to ADJUSTMENT. I should tell you that the handle is on recall. MTD mfg. will send you another at no charge. Thanks
Brad | 23-Apr-07 at 10:13 pm | Permalink
[quote comment="14287"]Hi,
I found this page as I was looking for a chain for my saw. I have the same saw and it’s GREAT:mrgreen: I’ve owned my now for a year and a bit. I too have had the chain come off on me it was due to ADJUSTMENT. I should tell you that the handle is on recall. MTD mfg. will send you another at no charge. Thanks[/quote]
Thanks Shawn, I’ll look into getting a new handle. I was taking mine apart this morning. I seemed to have developed a gas leak, and am trying to figure it out. I loaned the chainsaw out, and get it back with a leak. Go figure.:???:
Brad | 25-May-07 at 9:55 pm | Permalink
I read on the Troybilt website there is a recall for the handles, you should check it out.
Nick | 20-Oct-07 at 9:12 pm | Permalink
Hey;
I bought one too about a year ago and I’ve had many problems.. Don’t get me wrong it chews through hard wood like nothing, but I’ve had just about everything fall off.. Including the kill switch wires. I too have the fuel tank leak and have looked into purchasing a new tank.. It’s only $35 from MTD. I would suggest you just replace it.. There’s nothing more crazy than slashing and burning with gas on the front of your cloths from a leaky chain saw..
Just my thoughts,
Neil | 24-Oct-07 at 6:05 pm | Permalink
I need the tool that adjusts the carburetor high and low speed jets.
Brad | 24-Oct-07 at 8:05 pm | Permalink
Neil, is there a tool for it or do you just adjust the screw on the carburator?
Roger | 05-Jan-08 at 4:38 pm | Permalink
I have the 50cc unit and have done nothing but add gas and oil, so far (1.5 years) it has been great. I pulled it out today to see how it would start in the cold (-5C) pushed the primer 3 times and 3 pulls it was running. I see that this size of saw is no longer being offered by Troy-bilt, was it a poor unit or just a poor seller? For what I need this had been a great buy for $199 from Menards.
Doodee | 03-Feb-08 at 4:30 pm | Permalink
Thanks for sharing
Don | 23-Feb-08 at 9:41 am | Permalink
It sounds like there is a defect in the fuel tanks on this saw. Someone should report it to the comsumer product safety commission. It only took two people to report the handle breakage to get the recall on that problem. I think they would take a fuel leak be more serious than the handle. I have two of these saws with no problems.
Matt | 24-Mar-08 at 3:51 pm | Permalink
I have 2 of these saws as well a 46cc and 50cc both 20 inch bars. They work great except for the 46cc has the fuel leak issue. I have stopped using it until I can order a replacement tank. Usage 3+ years at $200 a saw.
John | 24-Apr-08 at 9:00 am | Permalink
I have a 42cc Troy-bilt chainsaw. The metal dust cover located under the cover, next to the chain bar, appears to have bent due to the chain falling off on repeated occassions. This seems to be from where the bar oil now leaks. Has anyone else experienced a similar problem? Do they all seem to weep oil? No gas leak yet…Thanks!
Dave | 09-May-08 at 4:41 am | Permalink
I have the 42cc Troy-bilt chainsaw. I thought it was great cutter, started well. The year the bar oiler stopped oiling…..wait till you see what the oiler is!!! A plastic helical gear on the crank turning another plastic worm gear to drive the oiler!!! Yes PLASTIC!!! Guess how long that was meant to last. I’ve never seen plastic used on a crankshaft except on toys! It’s a major product design flaw. Most MTD are built in USA but guess what, their chainsaws are made in China/Tiwain.
Dave 2 | 28-May-08 at 10:38 pm | Permalink
I purchased the 35cc/18″bar troybilt last fall as a refurbished unit from a liquidator and like everyone else find it starts very easily and cuts well.After 1 tree (using about a tank of gas) it was stored un-winterized in its case. In the future I’ll drain the chain oil, as it all leaked out over the winter leaving the chainsaw sitting in a puddle of oil that pooled in the bottom of the case. After refilling the oil tank the saw worked fine, taking down an 18″ hemlock although it doesn’t seem to spray as much oil as my 25 year old Homelight used to. I’ll be contacting Troybilt / MTD to find out what’s going on. I’d rather not have to store it upside down to stop it from seeping out.
In spite of this problem, the advantages of this saw far outweigh its oil problem. The 16″Homelite didn’t leak at all but it lasted 25 years because it was such a pain to start I rarely used it.
Tyler | 14-Jul-08 at 9:22 am | Permalink
I have the same saw, its great for the money, but I am having difficulty with the spring assist pullcord. I pulled it out, and have had no luck re-winding. any suggestions?
Mike Dolson | 30-Jul-08 at 10:19 am | Permalink
Brad,
I too have purchased a 20″ Troybuilt chainsaw at Can-Tire. I’ve used it to down two large ashe trees & 4 stumps at the back of my 1 acre lot. Good value at a clearance price odf $149.00
CTC doesn’t carry the replacement spark plug, nor could they find cross ref number . Just wondering if you’ve had any luck? A spair spark plug sure comes inhandy when you fowel one.
Cramer | 11-Aug-08 at 7:45 pm | Permalink
I bought a Troy Bilt chainsaw (18 inTB4218cc) at Lowes about two years ago and have had a couple of problems with it. The plastic starter dogs is the spring assist assembly slipped out, put them back in and it happened again. Found out the plastic housing assembly they fit into is broken. Also had trouble with the I/O switch.
Bob Jeffers-Schroder | 09-Sep-08 at 6:09 pm | Permalink
I have the 16″ saw. I have been happy with it, especially its starting ease and reliability. Last week it stopped running after a few balky st arts. I hope it is just the plug, but considering how quicly it went from easy start to no start I suspect a clogged fuel line. Can anyone tell me what spark plug to use? I forgot to bring the manual home with me. The saw is at my cabin 70 miles away. I hope to avoid a 80 mile round trip to get a plug at the nearest town.
Steve Walter | 26-Oct-08 at 6:58 pm | Permalink
I have a 46cc and a 42cc. The 46cc had an interesting rattle and as one of the posters listed above, it was a cylinder type babble in the muffler. I took it out and tossed it and it has been fine. My 42cc has a fuel leak. I have completely dismantled the entire saw and separated the tank bottom. It seems to have been leaking on the interior seam of the fuel tank. I have tried three different gasket sealants/epoxy’s and given up. Going to order a new tank, but seems the problems are consistent.
Dan | 12-Nov-08 at 3:23 pm | Permalink
I have the 42cc\18 inch bar that I bought a couple years ago @ Canadian Tire. After driving all over town & stopping at half a dozen places I finally found a spark plug (NGK 7599 CMR5H). Unfortunately that didn’t fix the no start issue. I’m hoping it’s something simple, will have to tear it apart for better diagnostics.
Dan | 12-Nov-08 at 10:40 pm | Permalink
Forgot to mention that while trying to troubleshoot the starting issue, I tested the switch & it basically fell apart in my hands, I need to know, in the “ON” position, are the switch contacts normally closed, or normally open??? anyone know offhand?
Thanks
Andy | 03-Feb-09 at 10:35 pm | Permalink
Just saw a Troy Built TB4016 40cc 16″ bar at Fred Meyers on clearance for $83.00. These are brand new with the case. Stumbled across your site looking for info on these for comps. Thanks!
bill knight | 01-Aug-09 at 8:32 am | Permalink
you would think that troybilt would take care of the gas tank leakage issue, was going to buy a troy bilt saw but not now
Jon from Ohio | 23-Sep-09 at 8:24 pm | Permalink
I have had the TB4016 for a year and only have a few complaints. Some times, when it’s hot the kill switch doesn’t work. The heat shield above the front of the saw has stress fractured and rattles, not a big deal, some day I’ll remove it. The saw is great for an under 150 dollar saw. It’s the same as any Craftsman or a Polan. Overall a nice friendly, easy to start saw. Oh yeah, the oil does leak out over time, keep it in the case. I run 40:1 mixure and use good quality oil, not what you buy at Lowes, but ATV and dirbike oil. Try the Yamahlube or Maxxis.
Jim from manitoba | 01-Dec-09 at 10:43 am | Permalink
I have the 49cc/20″ and have had the chain come off several times with org bar, but has been good with new bar.have bit of tbl with carb adjustment. other than that, works fine.
chris boyle | 14-Dec-09 at 5:23 am | Permalink
I have found the chain has comes off often. Much to often. At first I thought it was due to me not adjusting the tension often enough, but after installing the second bar and chain, I now know it is the saw.
My adjustment is in the bar, has anyone contacted Troy-Bilt to see if the saw can be moded to have the adjustment in the saw itself.
It appears like the orginal design may have intended this. (after comparing to a Skil and Husky)
Dean | 08-Jan-10 at 3:18 pm | Permalink
I got the 42CC saw a few years ago as a gift. The first year i used the saw only a few times seamed to do the job I had an issue with the choke design it kept coming apart on the inside of the saw.
Year 2 I sent it in to have the choke repaired. then the heat shield broke due to the chain coming off. After that the switch stopped working obviously a safety issue. Finally the bar oil stopped flowing> I just sent it in to have the switch replaced and the oil problem solved, I was told that repairing the saw would cost more than a new one.
I guess you get what you pay for. Or maybe not
Ryo | 31-May-10 at 6:49 pm | Permalink
I got the 50cc 20″ nightmare from my father-in-law. When i first grabbed the handle and twisted in my hand like a flip flop. Dropped and limbed 2 trees without problems, then the kill switch wires came off a couple times. Luckily because the cheap handle is so plyable, it wasn’t 2 tough to get it back on with needle nose pliers. The saw doesn’t have enough power to use the factory bucking teeth, unless you use such little pressure whats the point. Then the same day, the handle breaks on me. Good thing i wear steel toes because i couldnt kick it hard enough. Put it back it its box and drove to the store and bought a Husqvarna.