550XP is here.....and MMed! :D

[Scooby074]

Your 51 is MINT. Mine is filthy by comparison.



On the AT saws, they do run better and better with each tank. I must have close to 12- 14 tanks through mine now. Every once and a while it still (slightly) bogs out of the hole after sitting at idle for a bit and blows a bit of black smoke. It seems to happen on colder days (when the temps swing from warm to cold) so Im going to say it's still learning. I also changed fuel, and CAREFULLY measured both the fuel and oil for the mix and that seems to have made a large improvement in performance. I dont think these saws like extra oil over 50:1 or fuel that might be a bit stale.

On the MM, since mine is well on the way to being broken in, if I did a MM would I have to reset the computer might not be possible, dealer doesnt have the computer interface, plus I dont want to have to go through the learning process again.

 

[Bluegill2]

Your 51 is MINT. Mine is filthy by comparison.

View attachment 292700

On the AT saws, they do run better and better with each tank. I must have close to 12- 14 tanks through mine now. Every once and a while it still (slightly) bogs out of the hole after sitting at idle for a bit and blows a bit of black smoke. It seems to happen on colder days (when the temps swing from warm to cold) so Im going to say it's still learning. I also changed fuel, and CAREFULLY measured both the fuel and oil for the mix and that seems to have made a large improvement in performance. I dont think these saws like extra oil over 50:1 or fuel that might be a bit stale.

On the MM, since mine is well on the way to being broken in, if I did a MM would I have to reset the computer might not be possible, dealer doesnt have the computer interface, plus I dont want to have to go through the learning process again.

Fresh fuel is very important and a bit more oil is no problem. I run 91 non-eth and 40:1 XP or Stihl Ultra oil.

MM is no problem for the auto tune, it will just compensate for the extra flow...

 

[Tollster]

I did the run in for a full tank of fuel, it was a 20" oak I just kept slicing. I let it cool after that for 10 minutes and then did the typical two stroke break in, slowing incrementally increasing run time from the 10 minutes and allowing to cool for equal times at 5 minute intervals for the 2nd tank. Its just how I was brought up on two stroke motorcyles. I was apprehensive about the initial hard run in under load for so long, but its what husky required. Besides, it worked.
The 51 is like new, always have taken card or my stuff due to the cost, not mention, many things are not built like they used to be. I run aviation fuel in it at 50:1 and its flawless. I don't have to worry about any ethanol issues, and two strokes love octane. I used to run 119 octane in my hare scramble machines on race day, it was literally twice the bike. I could pull 6 gears in under 50 yards with that stuff, where normally it would be closer to 70-80. There was one season I got every holeshot.
I figured I would run the Xp for a while before trying the AV gas. Its 5.19 a gallon here at the local airport, but since I am clearing, there is not much down time for now, so the ethanol issues are not a concern, not to mention the cool weather, so its less likely to spoil. I have only had one tank sour on me, that was before ethanol, and you could smell the difference.
I wallowed my exhaust out today, using the Dremal with the conical burr. It was narrow enough to get in between the base of the heat deflector and the top portion of it with out damaging it. I was able to keep the hole back pretty far under the deflector plate to keep heat off the brake handle and keep the spark arrestor screen. It does not seem any louder than stock, throttle response seems better, but still has a high end stumble. I will have to run it in under load to get the real world comparison. I took some pictures of the dremal burr for reference and the exhaust. I will post once I do the real comparison.
It was a very easy mod, and if its good, would be the easiest 4 horses I can remember. I figured there was a lot of dissasembly, but the brake handle was out of the way for the 5mm T handle Hex, I think it took more time for the paint to dry.

UPDATE: It runs like it should have to begin with, Its like a new saw, no hesitation, instantly on the pipe, and a top end I can'T find the limit too, I must say...discretion should be used on the top end, particularly under no load as I am sure you could throw the rod or worse, thanks for the turn on.
I had read the mods prior to buying when researching the product,(Seems all there was on the web, combined with youtube vids) I really did not want to tear into anything on my new saw. However the mod was simple enough, and I was past break in, besides if it did not work out, I could replace the pipe. Glad I did it. My hole is tear drop shaped and a little less than .50" max in diameter at its largest point.

 

[stormpetrel]

Finally cut some wood! I was apprehensive using the 550, because of how much power it has....but it was no problem. I ran through two tanks of fuel and had to adjust the oil flow twice (the first time I turned it onto low thinking I was turning the flow up). I had a bunch of smaller trees to take down. On one or two of them I took them down at shoulder height, then cut straight down the middle, to get long cuts. I was able to bog the saw some in these long cuts through 8" cherry. It bogged less and less as I used it. During the second tankful of gas I did some limbing, and I noticed the throttle response get faster as I went along and the saw "learned".

I think being on my toes about the saw's power was a good thing; I played it safe and got comfortable with the saw pretty fast. It IS more or less the same size and weight as my old saw. Although the Sugi Hara 18" bar is just as long as the Husky 20" bar, I had no balance issues. It's a good thing I knew what to expect from the saw...had I just gone out and bought it cold it would have scared the cr%p out of me. It seemed like it took no time to fell, buck, and limb a dozen or more trees, and the saw used about the same amount of fuel the 445 used in a given time, but cut about twice as much wood!! And it still has about 18 tanks of gas to go til it's fully broken in!!!

I then used my lovely new saw and bar to.....cut some stumps!! I had to do it, I only have this one saw, and it needed doing. Of course I dulled two new chains. Fast. I had fun trying to get them back to new-sharp with a file and no guide. I sharpened them twice and used them both after sharpening once. I saw I was not getting the top of the chain under the leading edge filed very well. I made some adjustments (used a full 5+% down angle instead of horizontal, and got some pressure on the top part of the chain) And got them knife sharp!! I think they are sharper now than when they came out of the box. Though it DID take about eight strokes of the file on each tooth! Then I had to go out, and now it's pouring rain. I'm anxious to see how the chains cut now.

All in all, a great first outing with the 550XP! I'm glad I sprung for the extra money and got a professional saw.....I'm much happier with a lighter saw for the power than I would be with a bigger heavier saw with the same (or a little less) power. It's already as if I put a supercharger on my old 445 ; I'm wondering how much extra pep I'll see as the saw "wakes up"/breaks in. Anyone?

 

[arrow]

; I'm wondering how much extra pep I'll see as the saw "wakes up"/breaks in. Anyone?

From experience and no tach to prove myself, I'd say 10%-15%. So If something is taking 10 seconds to cut through now, after it is all broken in it should take only nine seconds or a bit less for the same size and species. Leads me to ask another question and its a hard one. I'll post in a new thread

 

[stormpetrel]

Leads me to ask another question and its a hard one. I'll post in a new thread

????? (Dying to know what the question is, and you haven't posted it!)

 

[Bluegill2]

????? (Dying to know what the question is, and you haven't posted it!)

Look in the chainsaw forum...

 

[rabcon]

Just got the new 550 xp. Very happy with it so fare, on the secound tank of gas. I traded a 359 for it . The 550 xp is the best saw that I have handled. I have a 455 and a 026 stihl.