Stihl MS362

[Jw5875]

Two years ago I bought one from a neighbor next to as new as you can get. He cut's firewood for a living and said that it was too small for his needs (he used it for a day).
Paid $500.00, receipt. manual, tools, and 20" bar with extra "Yellow" chain. I have used it sparingly as my Echo CS440 is my go to saw for most chores.

Well I just picked up another MS362 used from CL with a 16" chain / bar and 18" new bar and "Yellow" chain for $375.00. It runs good but shows signs of heavy use.
Thought about keeping it for spare parts, but decided to give it to my son to replace his Sears and Rubish home toy.

I found that the 3/8 chain gets a lot done faster compared to the .325 chain.

Prior to getting the MS362 earlier, I sold my as new MS261 that was going to replace my EchoCS440.
Now I'm thinking that I should have kept it for CS440 backup!!

For Xmas to myself (gift card from step daughter) I purchased the Stihl 2 in file!!!!!!!! Impressed with the results.
A little pricy, but Hey --- "it's only a buck more to go first class"


Winter Well!

JW5875

 

[Tompet]

That was a great price on a basically new 362. I bought one a couple years ago to replace an 031av. I looked at a 261 at the time which I really liked the weight feel, but it ran .325 chain and since I had a couple other saws with 20" bar and 3/8 chain wanted to keep it simple and went with a 362.

At first I was a little disappointed with it, but I did read that the strato engines needed five or six tanks run through them before they open up and was happy that was the case. I'm pretty happy with it now as it runs great.

At the time while I was deciding what to buy, I did get out my dad's old 041. It had lost some power over the years, and had been quite a few years since it last ran but I remembered I ran it dry before I put it up. Anyway I put some gas in it and barely got a full pull and it fired right up...shocked me for a second it started so quick! Better than the 362. I did use it for awhile and remembered one thing I didn't like about it...no anti vibe...cramped my hand. I appreciate anti vibe for sure.

I never saw the Stihl file setup you mentioned before your post, looked interesting. I always hand filed, and that looks like a step up. I did by a timberline which is pretty slick, but your Stihl file set up looks pretty good.

 

[Jw5875]

Stihl video on using 2 n 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWwjcMUEC7o
Handy out on the site, but I will take my chains back to the Oregon Pro Grinder every so often to make sure that all the cutters are the same length.

JW5875

 

[Garandman]

We have a Stihl MS271 Farm Boss (50cc) with 18” bar for most work. As I’m doing more cutting the MS362 was recommended as lighter and more powerful (59cc).

Swapping out as used saws will probably cost me $100 - $150. Worth it?

 

[atsah]

We have a Stihl MS271 Farm Boss (50cc) with 18” bar for most work. As I’m doing more cutting the MS362 was recommended as lighter and more powerful (59cc).

Swapping out as used saws will probably cost me $100 - $150. Worth it?

I would say so..

 

[ericm979]

I like my MS362CM a lot. It's light enough to do some limbing though if I'm doing a lot I'll bring a smaller saw. But it's powerful enough to fell moderate sized trees. I have an 18" bar on it but I think 20" would be good too. 24" is a little long for the power and the oiler output. I use a larger saw for a bar that long. The 362 is my favorite firewood saw unless the wood is too large.

 

[ruffdog]

I have a near new MS361 as a spare. I cut one log up to break it in a bit and to see how I like it. I have a 20" bar on it, it's light, but still powerful.
I have a modded MS460 that I use for the big stuff and even that oiler struggled with dry oak. I installed the oiler from the full-wrap handle model so I get a bit more juice. I then installed the standard 460 oiler in the 361 to push the oil more.

 

[pgk]

I hear ya on the oiler, I picked up a MS462 a month ago and these newer saws are set up to use less oil supposedly more efficiently. I have a 20", 25" and a 32" light bars and noticed even with the 20" the chain sounded on the dry side so I turned the adjuster up to max and it helped but still on the dry side. I took the bar off and opened up the oil holes in the bar wu to 7/64ths. That helped a lot. I haven't used the 32" bar yet if it runs on the dry side after enlarging to 7/64ths I'll put the high output oiler in it. The 462 was the first new saw Iv'e bought is decades, still have my ole PM605 I believe is 58cc and works really nice down low and has good mid range hit to, the newer saws like to rev a lot! Took me some getting used to that 462's 13,500 redline LOL


Pete

 

[s219]

While Stihl is probably my favorite brand overall, they have not had a real good 60cc saw for several years now -- take a look at the Husky 562XP instead.

 

[Garandman]

While Stihl is probably my favorite brand overall, they have not had a real good 60cc saw for several years now -- take a look at the Husky 562XP instead.

You didn’t like the 362?