Stihl 036 vs. Stihl 036 PRO

Just for fun test running a couple Stihl 036 chainsaws. I temporarily have this early 036 in my possession and thought it would be a good opportunity to run it against this 036 PRO. The 036 PRO belonged to my dad. It was one of his firewood saws and coming from an old school logging background and wasn’t big on cleaning it. He took care of it where it counts though, it has a lot of compression and runs strong. They both are in really good condition internally. The owner of the early 036 took pretty good care of the saw all the way around. There are a few pros and cons between the two saws as listed;

Early 036

Pros:
1. Bigger exhaust port,
2. No decomp valve, (more compression = more power)
3. Metal handlebar with rubber grip

Cons:
1. Smaller air filter

036 PRO

Pros:
1. Bigger and better air filter (The best air filter Stihl has ever produced IMO, it actually works)
2. Air filter compensator (piece on the bottom of the carburetor that compensates for a dirty air filter)
3. Decomp valve (Easier starting)

Cons:
1. Decomp valve (built into the combustion chamber and can cause problems)
2. Plastic handlebar
3. Smaller exhaust port (EPA restrictions at the time of manufacture)

The 036 and 036 PRO are pretty formidable chainsaws for firewood cutting, clearing, and many semi professional projects giving it the reputation of being one of the best 60cc class chainsaws ever built.