Looking for a bit of experienced guidance

[RossK]

Hello I am new to arbtalk but happy to have found it. so hello all.

 

I am not a specialist tree person, More a smallholder and small woodland

management. About 10 hectors wood. (in france)

 

As such I use chainsaws quite a lot, tractors, diggers ect..

In terms of chainsaws i currently run ms193t and a ms261.

 

The ms261 has broken.

 

i have had it 5 years, so was a bit miffed...

I had it serviced in dec. Just resonantly it stopped idling, just cut out

when not on the throttle. no power loss. I took it to the guy at the local

stihl shop and he opened it up and said the cylinder piston was cooked.

there was black marks and a bit of scraping, more on one side.

 

He said may be the mix was not good (I did'nt think so) or chain not sharp enough, i get it sharpen by him..! or i needed somthing with more power.?

He put it back together, did'nt start it, and said I would be cheaper to

buy a new one. and maybe i needed something bigger.?

or i should buy the same and use the bits of the old one.

the prices are not as competitive a frjones, so i'm mulling it over.

 

So I have a couple of questions,

 

firstley. what could I have done for this to happen? so I don't do it again!

 

Second. is it worth trying to fix with a new piston at some point

if so, should I not start it? like I said it was not idling but no noticeable power loss. Obviously I don't want to work with a dangerous saw.

 

So I am thinking about replacing it.

 

I was wondering if I should go for something with more power.

last time I got the ms261 because it was a good mix of being

lightish but could handle bigger cuts, felling.

but now i have the top hand 193t, I do all the small stuff and most climbing

work with that. I was wondering what sort of suggestions people would come back with.

 

I am looking at the ms 362, 441 may be I can use my old bars.?

I have never used husky but I am open.

 

On top of this I am a bit pressed because a massive storm came through

and toppled about 10 oaks chestnut hung up and allover the place.

Diameter range from 70,120cm. for the bigger stuff. And i have to get on it..

 

any suggestions would be really appreciated. Ross

[Mick Dempsey]

Why did it happen? It was 5 years old, not a bad run really.

 

As for a bigger saw, the 441 is much loved with plenty of grunt, you'll need new bars btw.

[Stubby]

362 is a sluggishg old lump many have said . 441 or 461 if you want Stihl 372XP or 390XP if you go Husqvarna Husky man myself but thats just me .

 

With regard the 261 are you sure it was not the dreaded needle roller bearing problem caused buy the oval crank/sprocket thing that has affected most of them ?

Edited April 10, 2017 by Stubby

[carlos]

you could try and get a second opinion regarding a repair, some of the things the mechanic sound a bit odd to me.

how is the saw otherwise? you will need to weigh up the cost of repairs vs new saw.

i would think you should get more than 5 yrs out of a saw.

i would imagine that size saw would suit your needs.

lucky bugger with 10 hecters of woodland in france, where abouts?

carl

[Khriss]

Cheap barrel n piston kits available now , so thats an option but mix n clean fuel n good carb settings are a must ! K

[7610]

Buy a Ms460.

[Joe Newton]

Cheap barrel n piston kits available now , so thats an option but mix n clean fuel n good carb settings are a must ! K

Not worth putting a cheaply made pot and piston on. They're cheap for a reason.

 

What 2 stroke were you using? Was it well mixed? How fresh was the fuel?

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Arbtalk mobile app

[RossK]

Hi thanks for your responses,

 

I took a bit of time to look through past threads on the needle bearing issue and now have to say i feel lucky my ms261 lasted 5 years what a nightmare.

 

I had thought of getting the 362, but after your responses I think I will push up and go for the 441 or 461, I will stick with stihl for now as all the local shop are all stihl. nothing wrong with a husky.

 

as for oil I use HP super from the bottle with a stihl measure cup strait into 5lt of unleaded from the pump, it is called 95 in France. I did'nt think there was a great room for error? I also use it in the 410 brush-cutter so it dos'nt sit around for very long.

 

I will go past a shop later today and get feel of the weights and balance

I think i am edging to the Ms441, rather than 460 in part cost, dose anybody have anything to say on it, I was thinking a 18 and a 25 bar? not sure yet.

 

as for the old 261, it will sit on the shelf for a bit until i can work out what to do with it, maybe a different post. I would like to see it work as a back up.

 

Ross in brittany

[stihlmadasever]

Hi thanks for your responses,

 

I took a bit of time to look through past threads on the needle bearing issue and now have to say i feel lucky my ms261 lasted 5 years what a nightmare.

 

I had thought of getting the 362, but after your responses I think I will push up and go for the 441 or 461, I will stick with stihl for now as all the local shop are all stihl. nothing wrong with a husky.

 

as for oil I use HP super from the bottle with a stihl measure cup strait into 5lt of unleaded from the pump, it is called 95 in France. I did'nt think there was a great room for error? I also use it in the 410 brush-cutter so it dos'nt sit around for very long.

 

I will go past a shop later today and get feel of the weights and balance

I think i am edging to the Ms441, rather than 460 in part cost, dose anybody have anything to say on it, I was thinking a 18 and a 25 bar? not sure yet.

 

as for the old 261, it will sit on the shelf for a bit until i can work out what to do with it, maybe a different post. I would like to see it work as a back up.

 

Ross in brittany

 

Hi ross,Brittanys a beautiful area,your very lucky to work there.If its the 441 id run a 20" bar on that mate.

[RossK]

hello stihlmadasever

 

yea actually I was thinking that today sky's blue wind from the west, all's good.

I reminisce a bit Scotland at times though, spent a good 12 yr there.

 

When it comes to the blade it was my thinking that an 18 would be easy to

get in and out of branches twisty oak for example, and 25 for bigger felling.

keeping the chain new n sharp for that.

 

but do you mean it would push the 441 on a 25? or that practically its best

to go midway.

 

Ross