Anyone notice that new saws suck?

emr

Cheesehead Treehouser
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I am so sick and tired of spending more and more money on pro saws that are under powered compared to what they used to be and dont last as long.

We went shopping today for a new climber and the dealer had one Husky and two Sthil climbers in stock. I am really not digging Sthil right now but I also am not a fan of Husky either. It is so frustrating not having a choice of good saws to buy. I think I am going to buy some off brand on the Internet.

Anyone feel this way too?

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Some of the new saws that I have picked up recently, I mean not bought but lifted up in a shop , the balance really seems to suck. Especially some of the smaller pro saws don't feel at all good for your wrist, they want to roll forward, that includes some Zenoah and Husky. It seems an odd weight distribution.
 
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I totally agree. I thought that some thing about Echos for years.

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I had to buy a bunch of new saws and tore out what little hair I have left trying to get them dialed. It's a little tough to be in the woodcutting biz without some serious cutting tools. The right tools make the job cake, the wrong tools make it a nightmare.

I bought 201s, the early ones were straight garbage, the later ones are good as 200's. I bought 372s, they sucked, replaced with 576's they rock, after initial bumpy start. IMO.
 
I got a 201 last winter and it was awesome till recently. when it gets hot the idle jumps up and the chain will spin fast enough to cut 2-3" limbs without pulling the trigger. I've adjusted it, so has another guy, and it's been at the shop twice. it doesn't do it all the time, mostly after cutting bigger wood with it or a lot of little but rapid cuts like in a spruce removal. either way I'm annoyed. how long should a saw last getting used 6-7 days a week ?
 
I had the exact same thing with one of my shitty 201s, theyre still working on it...Sounds like an air leak in the crank case. Hard to fix except by experts.
 
Sounds like a vacuum leak, Page. Try squirting WD-40 around the gaskets and seals when the saw is hot and acting up. If the saw speeds up further then that is what it is.
 
I recently bought a MS362 and I'm pleased well enough by it, having never owned a pro saw under a 440 (excluding the 200Ts).
 
Sounds like a vacuum leak, Page. Try squirting WD-40 around the gaskets and seals when the saw is hot and acting up. If the saw speeds up further then that is what it is.
I reckon the ethanol is eating up the gaskets in the saws then? or is that just what people say that hate ethanol
 
There could be some truth in it, but I haven't run a saw for over 6 years. I'm sure someone else here is more qualified to chime in on that. I'm just an old retired geezer now.
 
I'm sticking with the classic saws still for now.

I've got a boatload of strong 200s and a plethora or 460/046s. As well as a 66 and 660. A few other saws thrown in too from the newerish Stihl line up a 441 and a couple 361's.

I despise an underpowered saw. The 361's don't ride ever this year and ones modded by a good builder, to small and the dog set up sucks even with the wrap dog kit. The 441 has been getting used a lot and I don't mind it. But I pretty much always opt for the modded 460 if not using a top handle.
 
I have a boat load of old 46s and 200s and have just recently started to fix them all up. I now have 4 good running 200s!! and plenty of parts saws to keep em going.

Frig the new crap.

Other than my husky 3120 thats all I run anyways
 
Of my more modern Stihls, the 361 is the only one I enjoy, and my Husky 562 ruined that. I enjoyed my 441 as well, until of course my 562. I cant remember any of my 440/044's that well. Hate 660's, love 066/064 saws. The best advice I have for 201's is to remove the bar and chain, and place the saw directly into a trash can or back of chip truck. Hopefully Stihl gets back on top with that. They really set the standard in climbing saws for a long time. I don't even believe the new end all beat all Husky climbing saw ever will exist. I think its just to keep us coming into the dealers and checking.
 
Stock 660s are dogs IMO. But modded they come alive quite a bit. My Stihls keep running forever the 46s so seeing how you can still get a new 460 off the shelf and its identical to a 46 it's my long term investment saw.
 
Rear handle? I just ran a stock 261 two weekends ago for about a tank almost of cutting. I can't recall ever having run a rear handle that small so obviously I was unimpressed. It looked to me like they'd homeownered up the 260.
 
The 261 C-M is an m-tronic version of the 261.......it's a lot stronger runner. Much like the 441C was better in power than the regular 441.
 
I gotcha. Is there that much difference with the m-tronic? I have one of the original version 441s and like the saw but find it a bit gutless.
 
I'd hate for that to be my main climbing saw.

I agree completely Butch.....but the reason I mentioned the C-M version is that I'm hoping that's a sign of what is coming down the pipe from Stihl. If they made that much of an improvement in the 261, and the 441 just by adding the m-tronic system.....then hopefully the 201 is slated for a C-M version.

I gotcha. Is there that much difference with the m-tronic? I have one of the original version 441s and like the saw but find it a bit gutless.

Yes it makes a world of difference.
 
Page, what you describe definitely seems like an air leak problem, as has already been mentioned. I think I have experienced about every type of chainsaw air leak known to man, and they can take different forms. Some. like you say, you think the saw is running good, then suddenly..... Offhand it doesn't seem too difficult to sort out, but small cracks can be deceiving, like in the intake boot or a bad gasket, or maybe a crankcase pressure test will help to pinpoint. Sometimes if it is around the carb like in the boot, pushing on and flexing the saw can cause the crack to spread and initiate the problem. That seems easier to do on smaller saws where the av parts are more connected to or closer to the areas where the leak may be occurring.
 
Cut4fun's site is a great place to buy rebuilt saws. I picked up two rebuilt 372's and have a rebuilt 242 coming. So far the 372's a strong runners, I think I will just keep rebuilding the saws I have.
 
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