My two Stihl's.

[LD1]

I wonder what type of wood that was in the first vid.

Because wood type makes a HUGE difference. Cutting something like poplar or pine is no comparison to hard maple, oak, etc.

As to the sprocket, all I can say is try it, Your not out much $$ and go with what you like. The 8 pin will give a noticable boost in speed when limbing. But will most likely slow you down a tad in the bigger...say 12"+ stuff. So its a trade-off if you are a one saw person and only use the 361.

Personally, I stick to the 7pin. Even on my monster 8400. Because I like to lower the rakers to ~.050-.060. When I put a stock chain on, they just feel like turds. A few file strokes across the rakers of a new chain and I'm in business. But it isnt reccomended for a beginner. It WILL make the saw more grabby on the small stuff and you HAVE to let the saw cut. My buddy cant run my saws, because his habit is to dog in and "help" the saw. Try that with my 8400 and it will stall in even 15" wood. Just let the saw cut on its own. When it quits pulling itself, then its time to sharpen.

 

[ruffdog]

LD1...I like my chain "grabby" too. I don't like to have to force my saw to cut.:thumbsup:

 

[xyz123]

This guy has both 361 and 460 ported saws and prefers the 361.

Who wouldnt there is almost 2lbs or more in PHO weight to start off with and running only 16" bars.

I know that guy personally. I know he has sold off his 361 and 460 and went with 440 with 460 tops.

No on your other question.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I wonder what type of wood that was in the first vid.

Because wood type makes a HUGE difference. Cutting something like poplar or pine is no comparison to hard maple, oak, etc.

As to the sprocket, all I can say is try it, Your not out much $$ and go with what you like. The 8 pin will give a noticable boost in speed when limbing. But will most likely slow you down a tad in the bigger...say 12"+ stuff. So its a trade-off if you are a one saw person and only use the 361.

Personally, I stick to the 7pin. Even on my monster 8400. Because I like to lower the rakers to ~.050-.060. When I put a stock chain on, they just feel like turds. A few file strokes across the rakers of a new chain and I'm in business. But it isnt reccomended for a beginner. It WILL make the saw more grabby on the small stuff and you HAVE to let the saw cut. My buddy cant run my saws, because his habit is to dog in and "help" the saw. Try that with my 8400 and it will stall in even 15" wood. Just let the saw cut on its own. When it quits pulling itself, then its time to sharpen.

It may be three year old bug killed pine.

I have the Stihl 021 that I bought new a long time ago that had not seen a lot of use because my Echo that I had used when we heated with wood when missing right after we went all electric in the house.

We have some large locust trees that are dead/down due to storms. That is the preferred tree for making post in our area because they are steel like and can last 50+ years. The 361 will be able to deal with them and other big stuff having more than twice the HP and built to pro specs. Hopefully it is a good saw head. The owner of it cut wood (still heats with wood) with it last week but at 75 has to have a family member to start it for him.

Thanks for covering what you mean by a chipper chain. I had never got my mind around the difference but now understand they just can take bigger bites. For my usage I will stay with the safety chain feature. I will pick up an eighth tooth drive sprocket for the heck of it.

Sure is a lot of confusing talk about two cycle oil out there but plan to go with Stihl oil now. Have used a 40:1 WM TCW3 for a few years with get success but it is not cheap compared to the old run of the meal TC oil. Going with the top Stihl oil will not cost much more and I can keep it down to one container. The couple gallons I have mixed can just be used in one of the trucks. I plan to stick with 40:1 so it will work for all of our 2-cycle stuff.

 

[Coyote machine]

As another poster already said- until you change out that beat up bar you're doing your new chain and sprocket no favors.
And once you change out the in-tank fuel filter then you should see better overall running of the saw. There may also be an in carb filter in that saw as there are in many Stihl saw carbs- I can't say for sure on that model, but I'm sure someone here or on any number of other forums knows. If there is one in the carb, and you have any poor run conditions, consider at that point a carb rebuild and include its internal filter cleaning at a minimum when doing so.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

As another poster already said- until you change out that beat up bar you're doing your new chain and sprocket no favors.
And once you change out the in-tank fuel filter then you should see better overall running of the saw. There may also be an in carb filter in that saw as there are in many Stihl saw carbs- I can't say for sure on that model, but I'm sure someone here or on any number of other forums knows. If there is one in the carb, and you have any poor run conditions, consider at that point a carb rebuild and include its internal filter cleaning at a minimum when doing so.

Good points. I just made one cut with the new chain and it ran well. Tomorrow I will get some Stihl synthetic mix. It is running off the gas that came in the saw. The guy said his grand father cut wood with it last week.

I will check out the filters. So far the saw starts, runs at WOT under load and idles very well. I will buy an new blade/chain combo so I will have two new Stihl chains to go with the new chain and drive sprocket that I got yesterday.

As long as it starts, runs and idles OK I do not plan to screw with any screws or do any mods. I just want a quality saw (as the 361 seems to be) that is heavy enough to do some fast cutting to clear future storm damage that might urgent in nature and to clean up old damage.

I see milling attachments for $100-$200 to make boards. Some report the 4+ HP 361 Shihl is powerful enough to drive the attachment. In the cleaning up process we get a log from time to time.

Anyone here tried or seen one of these attachments in real time?

 

[Coyote machine]

Good points. I just made one cut with the new chain and it ran well. Tomorrow I will get some Stihl synthetic mix. It is running off the gas that came in the saw. The guy said his grand father cut wood with it last week.

I will check out the filters. So far the saw starts, runs at WOT under load and idles very well. I will buy an new blade/chain combo so I will have two new Stihl chains to go with the new chain and drive sprocket that I got yesterday.

As long as it starts, runs and idles OK I do not plan to screw with any screws or do any mods. I just want a quality saw (as the 361 seems to be) that is heavy enough to do some fast cutting to clear future storm damage that might urgent in nature and to clean up old damage.

I see milling attachments for $100-$200 to make boards. Some report the 4+ HP 361 Shihl is powerful enough to drive the attachment. In the cleaning up process we get a log from time to time.

Anyone here tried or seen one of these attachments in real time?

Thanks man. I'm not suggesting you do any unnecessary mods- just passing along what I've learned from various forums and from practical experience over the years since the early 1960's when I first started working for a pro tree company that only used Stihls. I can't find out enough about them!
The carb screen tip is one a lot of guys are probably not aware of- but I can't say which carbs contain them and which don't.
I would hate to see you chew up a new sprocket or chain with a bad bar- that's why I mentioned to see how dull the old chain was- its a good indicator of the condition of the 'drive train', (bar/sprocket/chain) and for a few bucks can take a poorly cutting saw into great cut territory. I think you're on your way there.
What about the 40:1 mix?! Is that what that saw calls for?
BTW, thanks for the links.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Thanks man. I'm not suggesting you do any unnecessary mods- just passing along what I've learned from various forums and from practical experience over the years since the early 1960's when I first started working for a pro tree company that only used Stihls. I can't find out enough about them!
The carb screen tip is one a lot of guys are probably not aware of- but I can't say which carbs contain them and which don't.
I would hate to see you chew up a new sprocket or chain with a bad bar- that's why I mentioned to see how dull the old chain was- its a good indicator of the condition of the 'drive train', (bar/sprocket/chain) and for a few bucks can take a poorly cutting saw into great cut territory. I think you're on your way there.
What about the 40:1 mix?! Is that what that saw calls for?
BTW, thanks for the links.

Sorry I was just talking. I like all your thoughts/experiences and none of my remarks carried any negative thoughts. The mods were referring to is like porting and drilling the muffler.

The old bar is really chewed up and worn down so not wanting to mess up my new chain and sprocket I am awaiting a new bar before working the saw. I will get the old chain (some good metal remains) sharpened so I have it and the old bar for crap sawing. :thumbsup:

The saw calls for a 50:1 mix and the blower and line trimmer calls for 40:1 so I have always mixed to cover all of them. Sounds like the HP Ultra oil is high detergent over on the RC plane forum and I can expect black stuff running out of the muffler for the first couple hours of using Ultra.

Stihl Ultra Synthetic Oil

 

[ruffdog]

You might have to richen up the saw slightly if you go with more oil(40:1). If you have more oil molecules going through your jets, there is less room for the fuel molecules. Years ago, ice racers used to do minor jet changes between heats just by changing their oil mix ratios.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

You might have to richen up the saw slightly if you go with more oil(40:1). If you have more oil molecules going through your jets, there is less room for the fuel molecules. Years ago, ice racers used to do minor jet changes between heats just by changing their oil mix ratios.

ruffdog I do follow your logic but was thinking the opposite. Maybe as one ages the learning curve does not flatten out.

I was thinking of the TC oil as fuel as well since it burns. Some have referred to the lowering of the octane of the gas by adding the two cycle oil. In cars I do know pre ethanol carbs have to be rejetted with larger jets due to the lower energy level (BTU's) in ethanol to keep the power equal.

Finding ethanol free premium gas locally is starting to get hard since the first of the year. Since one can not use 87 octane in a Stihl saw per my manual one almost has to start with pumps labeled 91+ to be sure he is following the manual.

Is that why Stihl cans of premixed fuel starts out with only premiun ethanol free gas?