Reliability Stihl Ms261 Husky 346xp NE

[Chris Sheppard]

we just got a 550xp brilliant saw when its eventually runs ,not that great at starting,cuts out if you leave it idling like when you are feeding the chipper,sometimes cuts out when you have it running and go to pick it up, a pain in the ar*e to start after you run it out of petrol

 

Give it a few days and it'll settle down - like stubby says, you need to set the auto tune. Instructions are in the manual. One thing you might find though is that it is a bit lumpy off the bottom when it's been sat ticking over - apparently that's the auto tune trying to compensate (they are a forestry saw though so not really designed for being sat idling - should be busy cutting ) - found that if you take the spark arrester out of the exhaust that helps a lot with that.

 

Starting from empty, give the primer a couple of pumps til you feel some pressure, then a couple more, choke on then off to set half throttle and it should go first pull. I kept flooding mine to start with trying to start it like I would an older saw.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Chris Sheppard

[Chris Sheppard]

Forgot to mention in there also that I held a 560 today too and I hardly felt the weight difference at all tbh. Now that would defo have me covered. But I have no need in anything longer than the occasional 20" bar and the 550 or 346 is more than able for that.

 

Personally, if you're comtemplating anything bigger than a 15" bar with any regularity I'd go for the 560 rather than a 50cc - it might not sound much of an increase in power but for ringing up it'll make it slightly less boring I won't put a 20" on anything less than 70cc but then my 372 spends most of it's time with a 15" on anyway.

 

The 560 pulls a 15" crosscutting scarily well

[Kay 9]

Personally, if you're comtemplating anything bigger than a 15" bar with any regularity I'd go for the 560 rather than a 50cc - it might not sound much of an increase in power but for ringing up it'll make it slightly less boring I won't put a 20" on anything less than 70cc but then my 372 spends most of it's time with a 15" on anyway.

 

The 560 pulls a 15" crosscutting scarily well

 

Is the 550 at optimum performance with a 15"? For the very so slight weight difference I think I will go with the 560. The 550 isn't in Ireland yet if it ever will be. So for the sake of guarantees and service I might just have to go with the 560 anyway. Gives me more options bar wise anyway agree. Because it is handy to be able switch to a 20 sometimes.

[Chris Sheppard]

Is the 550 at optimum performance with a 15"? For the very so slight weight difference I think I will go with the 560. The 550 isn't in Ireland yet if it ever will be. So for the sake of guarantees and service I might just have to go with the 560 anyway. Gives me more options bar wise anyway agree. Because it is handy to be able switch to a 20 sometimes.

 

Generally I never run a 50cc saw on an bigger than 13" and as yet I've not tried the 550 on a 15" but I'm sure it would be OK.

 

If you're throwing the 560 into the mix then I'd say it makes sense to go for that - it's light enough to take into stuff you'd generally take a 346 into with sackloads more go. if you were using it for small thinnings all day every day then maybe it'd get a bit heavy, but it sounds like you're not into that yet.

[Kay 9]

Generally I never run a 50cc saw on an bigger than 13" and as yet I've not tried the 550 on a 15" but I'm sure it would be OK.

 

If you're throwing the 560 into the mix then I'd say it makes sense to go for that - it's light enough to take into stuff you'd generally take a 346 into with sackloads more go. if you were using it for small thinnings all day every day then maybe it'd get a bit heavy, but it sounds like you're not into that yet.

 

Agree mate. Think I'm going to go with the 560 then. Might get a 241c-m down the road for thinning/limbing etc. Right now all I need is a good firewood saw and I think the 560 will suit better for ringing timber:) Hmm, gotta get on the phone again for prices:001_rolleyes:

[Stubby]

Agree mate. Think I'm going to go with the 560 then. Might get a 241c-m down the road for thinning/limbing etc. Right now all I need is a good firewood saw and I think the 560 will suit better for ringing timber:) Hmm, gotta get on the phone again for prices:001_rolleyes:

 

Of course the bigger the power head and the shorter the bar the faster you will cut ( not taking weight into the mix ) but my 560 pulls an 18" bar and full chisel no problem . Any bigger and it 372 land .

[Kay 9]

Of course the bigger the power head and the shorter the bar the faster you will cut ( not taking weight into the mix ) but my 560 pulls an 18" bar and full chisel no problem . Any bigger and it 372 land .

Yeah can only imagine a 60cc with a 15". Just a bit pissed off they don't have the 550xp here yet:cursing: Would love to try a 560xp though before buying one to be sure. Might try and track someone down.