Where’s the best place or way to increase performance with a chainsaw.

[4570Man]

Depth gauge setting, why not to set them extra deep:

Depth Gauge Maintenance Q & A

Progressive depth gauge:

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...ly-progressive-depth-raker-generators.114624/

Because if they’re too deep the tooth bites more than the saw can pull and you have to babysit the saw through the wood.

 

[Texasmark]

Use premium fuel and 2 stroke oil with a supplement for shelf life. On sharpening your chain, I am a novice. I started out with files and a file guide you slid over the tooth while the chain was still installed on the saw. Results poor. Finally bought the cheapest electric sharpener I could find, a HF, 30 bucks on sale, plastic case and all. After running a couple of old chains through it, I'm not an expert, but I am more than happy with the performance of my saw and the length of time the chain stays sharp.....as long as I keep it out of staples, barbed wire, old gate latches and such.

 

[arrow]

Often new rings or rings+piston will restore lost compression. A pro level saw can be worth rebuilding a number of times.

Just didn't have the time eric to wait for a rebuild. Plus my saws got pretty beat up all around after a couple years of day in-day out work. Bent handles, cracked cases and loose vibration dampening all led to a new saw. Another factor is that our crew would mix about 5 gallons of chainsaw fuel per day and the same guy never did it. We'd have what I called "fuel-fun" at any given time and it didn't always play well with chainsaws.

 

[arrow]

Use premium fuel and 2 stroke oil with a supplement for shelf life. On sharpening your chain, I am a novice. I started out with files and a file guide you slid over the tooth while the chain was still installed on the saw. Results poor. Finally bought the cheapest electric sharpener I could find, a HF, 30 bucks on sale, plastic case and all. After running a couple of old chains through it, I'm not an expert, but I am more than happy with the performance of my saw and the length of time the chain stays sharp.....as long as I keep it out of staples, barbed wire, old gate latches and such.

Careful with premium gasoline for 2 stroke mix. Some of them are rather high in detergents. If you tuned your saw for maximum speed using high-test, you run the risk of seizing the saw due to cylinder wash. Seen it happen many times.

 

[John_Mc]

Depth gauge setting, why not to set them extra deep:

Depth Gauge Maintenance Q & A

Progressive depth gauge:

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...ly-progressive-depth-raker-generators.114624/

Agreed! That write-up mentions: "Low depth gauge settings require more power from your saw motor, shorten the life of your chain, cut rougher, increase operator fatigue, and increase the risk of kickback injury."

They left out the part about it increasing the wear on the saw, which affects the life of the saw. Using the "hard" section of my progressive depth gauge tool works just fine for me. I've used the slightly more aggressive "soft" side as well, and it works just fine cutting pine, but is a bit on the grabby side for my taste when cutting hardwoods. Since 95+% of what I cut is hardwood, that's what I always sharpen for these days. I've used a friend's saw which he takes to about .040". It certainly makes for an aggressive chain, but I find it more work (and a day of cutting more tiring) than just going with what is recommended.

 

[Botaskinner]

Re: Where痴 the best place or way to increase performance with a chainsaw.

@MossRoad,

Same thing happened with the Kawasaki triple 400 2 stroke I used to ride.

Expansion chambers begat fatter jets. Fatter jets meant removing the stock air box and using K&N filters. Now there is more intake noise.

I never ported the heads, but the net result was higher peak power, worse fuel economy, and a narrower power band.

Gotta hand it to the factory engineers, they dialed the bike in pretty well with the stock exhaust and carbs.

But if you port, it's hard to put it back if you removed too much material.

And I could never beat a RD400 off the line thanks to those reed valves!

 

[MossRoad]

Re: Where痴 the best place or way to increase performance with a chainsaw.

@MossRoad,

Same thing happened with the Kawasaki triple 400 2 stroke I used to ride.

Expansion chambers begat fatter jets. Fatter jets meant removing the stock air box and using K&N filters. Now there is more intake noise.

I never ported the heads, but the net result was higher peak power, worse fuel economy, and a narrower power band.

Gotta hand it to the factory engineers, they dialed the bike in pretty well with the stock exhaust and carbs.

But if you port, it's hard to put it back if you removed too much material.

And I could never beat a RD400 off the line thanks to those reed valves!

If you ever get the urge to drool over RD upgrades....

Spec II -- RD350/400 Performance Products

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Re: Where痴 the best place or way to increase performance with a chainsaw.

If you ever get the urge to drool over RD upgrades....

Spec II -- RD350/400 Performance Products

Here's music to my ears. I wish I still had one. I had 2 RD400C models, and a 1984 RZ 350 with toomey pipes like this. I almost bought a Kawi 400 triple, but the Cycle news write up of the new RD400 convinced me otherwise.

yamaha rz 35 toomey pipe - YouTube

 

[MossRoad]

The Kawasaki 500 triple was downright insane. My friend's would do 135 in the 1/4 mile when he'd put on different sprockets and wheelie bars but I don't remember his times, sadly. My RD400 would do 11:92s at 119 with sprocket change and wheelie bars. I could take him in curves all day long and he'd blow me way on any straights. It's amazing we never killed ourselves or hurt anyone else. YIKES!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Our shop imported 4 RZ 500's back when you could get them from Canada. Stock they could do about 150 flat out. My rz350 with toomeys would do about 128