Stihl 261 problems

[munksapprentice]

Hi, I'm new to this site but wanted to ask a couple of questions if I may.

 

I do quite a lot of tree surgery and carvings. I run 2 441's, a 200 rear handled saw (carving saw) and a 261.

 

All saws are run on stihl oil and nothing else. I always put slightly more oil in than needed when mixing (only 5% extra) just to be sure.

 

I was carving a large chair and was using the 261 at half throttle with the nose of the guide bar to shape the back of the chair (really easy work for it and done it hundreds of times with the 441's without issue). I noticed that I suddenly had to give the saw slightly more throttle to maintain revs so I let the saw return to tickover and thought I must of been imagining it. I returned to carry on carving and within 30 seconds the saw siezed up.

 

I took the saw back to my local dealer. He stripped it and found that it had picked up on its exhaust side which he thought indicated a lean mix. Stihl asked for the full saw to be returned. This was about 3 weeks ago and ive heard nothing since.

 

My 3 other saws used the rest of my fuel mixed without problem which tells me the fuel was no way at fault.

 

I was just wondering if anyone had experienced any similar problems??

 

I'm looking forward to see what happens and as to what stihls responce will be. Personally i think 3 weeks is to long to wait for a responce but thats just me. I'm lucky I still have my other saws to use.

 

Great little site, Im pleased ive joined. Any help of advice is very much appreciated.

Thank you

[tommer9]

Good luck.

[Johny Walker]

it,ll be your fault ,stihl will convince you of that ,& yes there allways right ,even wen they fit nasty chinies carbs that dont work

[tree_beard]

probably seized due to running for a long period on half throttle... saws are designed to create max power at full throttle, under load. and their carbs are jetted and tuned to achieve this. they are not meant to be run at half throttle... blip the throttle for that kind of cutting (not easily achievable when carving i know, i'm surprised carvers dont toast more saws..)

[munksapprentice]

They have lost a customer if they do. The thing is both 441's run without problems and believe me they have been well used. I run them on an alaskan mill aswell and they are amazing saws. If either of them blew i'd think do you know youve been a dam good saw. But the 261 is nearly new and has done very little work and siezed doing such a light work job. It want even breaking a sweat, just such easy work.

I love stihl, I have strimmers and hedge cuttes from them to. My local dealer is just a mile up the road and is so helpful.

I was fancying one of there new top handle saws and am mainly waiting for the new 881 to come out as I want one of them too.

The thing is if I get screwed over this 261 i think I may just loose faith in stihl. Like a bank, sunshade when its sunny and take the umbrella away when its raining.

Anyways I really can't come to any conclusion as yet untill I hear what they have to say. Just in my mind they are a huuuuugggggeeeeeeee company and I just thought they would have sorted something out for me by now.

My dealer has been on the phone to the tech department at least 8 times and just gets fobbed off saying that they can't make the call and its in the hands of someone else. Just bollocks really.

I hope they come right for me I really do.

[munksapprentice]

I have heard this about running a saw on half throttle. The thing is a car, bike, hedge trimmer, strimmer any anything else i can think of runs happily on half throttle as do both my 441's.

nowhere in the manual does it state it can't be run on half throttle. Does this mean i'm at fault??

Plus it was not doing hours at it. It used less than a tank and siezed.

[tree_beard]

good luck fella, stihl are not known for their easy-going attitude towards warranty repair (not that husky are any better). the main issue being 2-stroke equipment is easy to abuse to death, and the signs of use and abuse are much the same, so its hard to prove anything in your favour...

[munksapprentice]

I was thinking aswell it was not maintaining half throttle right through the tank. When carving in that way I can only last a minute of so holding the saw before you have to take a few seconds break. Anyone who carves with a larger saw knows you hold on tight for dear life as they can easily kick you in the balls. its hard work. The saw should not have died!!

[gensetsteve]

I have read over oiling the mix causes a lean mix as there is less petrol. This combined with half throttle may have caused your problem. The new more economical saws may be more precise on fuel metering whereas old saws may have dropped a bit more in. Good luck with your claim may be they will come back with some advice.

[agg221]

Firstly, bad luck. I would echo the comments of others regarding Stihl - great saws, sadly not great service - it's an automatic defensive situation, justifying why they're not to blame.

 

I have been in a similar position to you over an 064, and an 066 (twice).

 

If you do get this attitude, make sure they send you back -all- the bits, even the barrel as it may be recoverable, which will save you a couple of hundred.

 

Saws don't really like running half throttle, but it's more likely to cause sooting than seizing. You may have an air leak somewhere, or a carb jet blocked.

 

If it was mine, at this point I would be contacting Spudulike of this forum to get it properly diagnosed and fixed (he also reckons he recovers most barrels).

 

The other positive is that the non-OEM barrels and pistons are pretty cheap and work very nicely in my experience, even for milling (my 044 has worked fairly hard this year on one with no problems) so at least you should get a saw back together for a reasonable cost (although less reasonable if you consider the circumstances).

 

Final comment, you could try running on Aspen. It won't solve the problem if fuel isn't an issue, but if you only use a certain saw occasionally it overcomes the risk of the fuel going stale in the tank, which is another cause of seizure, and it only takes a couple of weeks for that to happen.

 

Good luck!

 

Alec