arborworks1
Treehouser
I ran the 201 on 2 nasty removals yesterday. It's finally breaking in nicely now. I've been running it a tad rich. Going to tweak it tomorrow and try to get a side by side video with a 200. Got to get 2 new chains first.
MS201T
- Thread starter brendonv
- Start date
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Al Smith
Mac Daddy
The flywheel comes of slick as snot on a door knob .Take the nut off and just tap it with a hardwood block and a hammer .Just tap tap tap now not like driving a rail road spike .
You get the woodruff key off just tap the back of it which will raise the front .Then you can either snatch it with a set of side cuts or get a little screwdriver under it .An ice pick works too .
I can't find the recent post about the Echo 355t pro climbing saw, but was wondering if they might be a viable alternative to a 201 or 338? I have an old Echo top handle, amazing saw for durability and reliability but just not enough power.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
They supposably sped up the saw with the 355. It was my biggest complaint about the 360T. Just repeating what I am being told. mY 360t's are quite durable (with exception to the chain brake and some plastic) and still run. But you can tell the difference in a TD with one. Takes longer for certain, than with the 200T. I might buy one to try. Just not right now. I will usually give a new release of a saw or power equipment one year before I buy it . Let them work out the bugs first. The last thing I bought with out doing so lasted 30 days and was replaced under warranty. Then died again after a year.
The 335 is suposed to have a different set up on the fuel line thaqt was a PITA to replace on the 360.
The 335 is suposed to have a different set up on the fuel line thaqt was a PITA to replace on the 360.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Just speculating on this topic I do believe some improvements can be made on the 201T model .It seems ironic it would have to go that way after following the icon of trim saws being the 200T .
If I can get my hot little hands on one and make some improvements I'll put it out for the whole world to see .No money now just a case of Budweiser because I'm such a nice guy .
If I can get my hot little hands on one and make some improvements I'll put it out for the whole world to see .No money now just a case of Budweiser because I'm such a nice guy .
HolmenTree
Banned
I've talked to some arborists at a training course last week and they claim their happy with their 201s'. Better torque,less fuel fillups and run smoother consistently. Give them a good muffler mod and they have that familiar "banshee WOT".
Magnus
TreeHouser
If I get a new pro saw for a lot of hard earned money I would think I should not have to tinker with it at all to get it to perform good.
A new saw should run. It should make money and not need much service or tinkering!
Put a couple hrs in a saw you can get anything to run better, but it does not say much...
A new saw should run. It should make money and not need much service or tinkering!
Put a couple hrs in a saw you can get anything to run better, but it does not say much...
HolmenTree
Banned
I do know my old [now Bermies ] Ms200 didn't need a muffler mod, only had to remove the screen with attached restrictor plate. But my Husqvarna 338XPT needed a much larger 9/16" muffler outlet added to it's tiny exhaust outlet. Then I had alot better WOT performance.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Well the 200's once you pulled the plate it gave you an extra exit hole .
I don't know what term you could give that muffer .It doesn't have the right shape for a true pressure can nor is it a multi baffled muffler .Just an aluminum muffler I guess .
I don't know what term you could give that muffer .It doesn't have the right shape for a true pressure can nor is it a multi baffled muffler .Just an aluminum muffler I guess .
Maybe I've got some interesting information for you regarding the MS201T: I also have got this saw and I also have problems with it. At first the saw did only accelerate when I went from idle to full throttle very quickly. My dealer readjusted the carburettor, cleaned it and removed the limitter caps. The new problem was jumping from idle to 1/3 throttle: The saw changed its sound, waited for about 2 seconds and accelerated after that time. Going from idle to full throttle was perfect. Making the L-Screw richer changed nothing. My dealer ordered a new version of the carburetor but Stihl didn't deliver it. Four Stihl people came to my dealer and worked on the saw. When I picked up the saw after the repair, it was even worse. The engine is runing much too lean when accelerating. Making the L-Screw richer doesn't change anything which is very strange. Stihl says that they know the problem and it is because of manufacturing tolerances. I don't care about that, I want my saw to run perfectly. So I wrote an angry letter to my dealer and he forwarded it to Stihl. Their answer was very impolite: Customers are not able to assess the running performance of their engine.
Well, I'm not a noob. I've been working with 2 stroke combustion engines for about 25 years now.
But I have also got good news: I found a way to fix the running problems of the MS201T. Everyone can fix it by himself. Just write me an PM or an E-Mail and I will tell you what to do.
Best regards
Mike
Well, I'm not a noob. I've been working with 2 stroke combustion engines for about 25 years now.
But I have also got good news: I found a way to fix the running problems of the MS201T. Everyone can fix it by himself. Just write me an PM or an E-Mail and I will tell you what to do.
Best regards
Mike
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Why PM or email? Just post it here.
Welcome to the TreeHouse, Mike!
Welcome to the TreeHouse, Mike!
Hi Masterblaster,
thank you for the nice welcome wishes.
I hope everyone understands what I'm writing. If not, feel free to ask. English is a foreign language for me.
Back to topic: The problem of the 201 is it's carburettor and there are two things you should know about the ignition module of this saw: It is computer controlled and the maximum rotations of the saw are limited by the module and not by the setting of the H-screw (1st thing). If you want to adjust the carburettor always do it with a warm engine. Before you do any adjustments, let the saw idle for about 20 seconds. This is neccessary because the ignition module goes to initial state (2nd thing). If someone needs the special setup numbers for the saw, please tell me. I'll now tell you how to modify the carburettor:
Unscrew the control side of the carburettor (not the pump side). You will see the inlet control lever. If you check the height of the higher part of the inlet contoller lever with a ruler, you will see that it has exactly the same hight as the carburettor housing. (Is that understandable or do I need to take a picture?) Now bend that lever SLIGHTLY upwards, so it is 0.5mm higher than the carburettor housing. Reassemble everything, put the carburettor screws to initial setting (L=1.5 open, H=2 open), start the saw and heat it up. You will notice that the sound of the saw is changed after the modification! After warming up let it idle for about 20 seconds, adjust L an LA screw afterwards. You will notice that you now only need L to be 1..2 revolutions open. Before that modification you might have found even 3 revolutions too lean. Now adjust H carefully: Screw it leaner slowly. As soon as the RPM don't increase anymore, stop screwing it leaner. (The ignition module will not allow the RPM rise further even if the saw is running too lean!!!) Unscrew H a bit to be on the rich side of the combustion.
If one shoud need the numbers that work for adjusting the L and LA screw (Adjust idle BEFORE you adjust full throttle!!!): After idling the warm saw for 20 seconds, adjust L screw for the highest possible idle RPM. Use the LA screw to ensure you don't get over 3600U/min! Once you found the highest idle RPM, use the LA screw to set it to 3300U/min. Use the L screw to richen the mixture until you get 2800U/min. Now use the LA screw again to get 3000U/min for idle. I think the datasheet says one should use 3300U/min for idling. That is too high for me and I user 2800-2900U/min.
I don't care about the exhaust gas regulations for environment saving. I think it is much better to save the environment by using your equipment as long as possible instead of tearing out the last tenth of power of the engine.
You don't really need a RPM-meter for that. If you are familiar with carburettor settings, simply use your ears. That will be perfect. Maybe you will need your ears to be readjusted if setting up fails
If you have questions, please ask. If you want to know why ths modification works, please ask.
Best regards
Mike
thank you for the nice welcome wishes.
I hope everyone understands what I'm writing. If not, feel free to ask. English is a foreign language for me.
Back to topic: The problem of the 201 is it's carburettor and there are two things you should know about the ignition module of this saw: It is computer controlled and the maximum rotations of the saw are limited by the module and not by the setting of the H-screw (1st thing). If you want to adjust the carburettor always do it with a warm engine. Before you do any adjustments, let the saw idle for about 20 seconds. This is neccessary because the ignition module goes to initial state (2nd thing). If someone needs the special setup numbers for the saw, please tell me. I'll now tell you how to modify the carburettor:
Unscrew the control side of the carburettor (not the pump side). You will see the inlet control lever. If you check the height of the higher part of the inlet contoller lever with a ruler, you will see that it has exactly the same hight as the carburettor housing. (Is that understandable or do I need to take a picture?) Now bend that lever SLIGHTLY upwards, so it is 0.5mm higher than the carburettor housing. Reassemble everything, put the carburettor screws to initial setting (L=1.5 open, H=2 open), start the saw and heat it up. You will notice that the sound of the saw is changed after the modification! After warming up let it idle for about 20 seconds, adjust L an LA screw afterwards. You will notice that you now only need L to be 1..2 revolutions open. Before that modification you might have found even 3 revolutions too lean. Now adjust H carefully: Screw it leaner slowly. As soon as the RPM don't increase anymore, stop screwing it leaner. (The ignition module will not allow the RPM rise further even if the saw is running too lean!!!) Unscrew H a bit to be on the rich side of the combustion.
If one shoud need the numbers that work for adjusting the L and LA screw (Adjust idle BEFORE you adjust full throttle!!!): After idling the warm saw for 20 seconds, adjust L screw for the highest possible idle RPM. Use the LA screw to ensure you don't get over 3600U/min! Once you found the highest idle RPM, use the LA screw to set it to 3300U/min. Use the L screw to richen the mixture until you get 2800U/min. Now use the LA screw again to get 3000U/min for idle. I think the datasheet says one should use 3300U/min for idling. That is too high for me and I user 2800-2900U/min.
I don't care about the exhaust gas regulations for environment saving. I think it is much better to save the environment by using your equipment as long as possible instead of tearing out the last tenth of power of the engine.
You don't really need a RPM-meter for that. If you are familiar with carburettor settings, simply use your ears. That will be perfect. Maybe you will need your ears to be readjusted if setting up fails
If you have questions, please ask. If you want to know why ths modification works, please ask.
Best regards
Mike
pete mctree
Treehouser
Great post Mike & welcome to the house 
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Yeah, interesting about improving performance by the metering lever being higher to allow more fuel. Perhaps shortening the lever spring and measuring pop off pressure would do similar? Welcome to the house.
bonner1040
Nick from Ohio
Welcome Mike, I'm Nick.
I have no idea what you are talking about, but all the 201s at work suck! I will share this with the mechanical guys and see what they think!
I have no idea what you are talking about, but all the 201s at work suck! I will share this with the mechanical guys and see what they think!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Damn - I've yet to run one!
Ah, o.k. So "metering lever" is the correct expression?
No, shortening the lever spring is not what you should do.
Stihl talks about manufacturing tolerances. Some speculations from my side: "The throttle diameter sizes have bad tolerances and you experience problems, if those throttles are manufactured too small."
By modifying the metering lever you enlarge the open diameter of the metering hole a bit (in the case "idle"). This throttle is in series with the throttle in the venturi of the carburettor and in series with the L screw. This is similar to resistors in electronics wired in series: R_ges=R1+R2+R3
@Bonner: I'm sorry to hear that you've got problems with your 201s. I hope you will be able to fix them. Try my proposal and tell me about the result. Rememer: 0.5mm!
Best regards
Mike
Maximalist
Treehouser
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
It would seem to make sense that possibley because of the design with basically non fuel laden air most of the blowdown occurs if a little more fuel might cure the problem .
Quite frankly other that screwing a loose plug back in one the owner thought had burned a hole in the piston I've yet to work on one .Kind of a pity on that deal as he has two he won't even use ,prefers the 020 and 200T's he has .
Quite frankly other that screwing a loose plug back in one the owner thought had burned a hole in the piston I've yet to work on one .Kind of a pity on that deal as he has two he won't even use ,prefers the 020 and 200T's he has .
Hi Maximalist,
I'm asking myself the same question. I don't think that anyone else has tried that already. Maybe their MS201T problems are not as big as they say
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Where'd you go, Bee?
Well, I used a 201T all day and all I can say is - I didn't see much of a difference at all. It felt like it may have had just a little less power, but that didn't bother me one bit. Ya'll had me thinking it was gonna be a POS.
Well, I used a 201T all day and all I can say is - I didn't see much of a difference at all. It felt like it may have had just a little less power, but that didn't bother me one bit. Ya'll had me thinking it was gonna be a POS.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
No it's not a POS it just doesn't have the snap of a 200T .
I might be totally wrong but in running both 201 and a 441 it seems to me that engines of this partial blow down design using fresh air need to warm up with a couple cuts before they run right .
Tom has two of them and that was his complaint .Make two -three small cuts ,move the bucket and it still hasn't got hot enough to really boogie .
He was out today checking on the boys attacking the wood pile .He says he has 6 200t's ,2 or3 020Ts' and those 2 201's that are shelved .He won't use them.
I might be totally wrong but in running both 201 and a 441 it seems to me that engines of this partial blow down design using fresh air need to warm up with a couple cuts before they run right .
Tom has two of them and that was his complaint .Make two -three small cuts ,move the bucket and it still hasn't got hot enough to really boogie .
He was out today checking on the boys attacking the wood pile .He says he has 6 200t's ,2 or3 020Ts' and those 2 201's that are shelved .He won't use them.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Opening up the muffler on my 020 (predecessor to the 200, but basically the same saw), sure turned it into a zippy thing. Seems to have made a good difference. Inside the muffler the exhaust had to make a sharp turn to get to the exit. I don't exactly recall, but I remember grinding it away to make a smoother or larger passage. It winds out a lot quicker it seems, and also is louder. A little screamer, and it seems to like new chains.
