Trailoftears

Harsh mate,harsh-you obv. Didnt strike lucky first go then!?

Lol,there should have been a gap between car/as- my dodgy typing skills on a small phone with stubby fingers involved too!

I think your first saw is akin to your first girlfriend,caras long as you get a good un-you never quite get over it 😁

Aha,its all coming out now-unburden yoursef my friend-remember a problem shared is a problem halved!

Biodegradeable-I trust 😳

Good lord-you really do have a 'problem!

Wow,judging by the replies-its not just me then....🤭

Locally,we have a stihl dealer-big shop,no parts counter,no servicing facility,everything thats ordered,serviced about 60 miles away.If I'm brutally honest,the staff arent really knowledgeable,its a big store that sells everything from live plants to cheap tools, equestrian stuff,etc.On the other hand,theres a tiny hire shop,mainly selling makita/husky/etesia machines.And the lad that runs it is totally honest/upfront, he's actually warned me off buying the odd husky item due to excessive failures etc,which I totally admire-a man with his customers best interests at heart,which I trust will serve him and his firm well in the future.

I looked at a recent? Echo 35cc saw-2 versions,good price,good features,and my local husky dealer raves about their quality (quietly,when no husky reps are in the shop).

Funnily enough,I blundered across a vid comparing the msa 300 vs the ms261.Extremely impressive performance tbh.But for me,given I long ago commited to the makita infrastructure,theres no way I could,would start again.Also,it struck me should you have a full days work in the woods, you'd really need a couple of grands swap out batteries.Looking long and hard at o.p.equipment, there's a problem with power to weight ratios re: petrol stuff.I'm deffo dabbling and my mind is open.I find it alarming that given I was muttering darkly about paying £110 for 2 mak 5 amp batteries say,18 months ago,now you would do well to get a pair for £155.Brexit,pandemic or just increased demand from auto makers for lithium,I dunno 🤔

Lol,your secret is safe with me.I've found it prudent to make sure only I have the keys to 2 of our 3 sheds-I cite security concerns.....

It gets worse really,tho in my wisdom I decided that the ms261 c-m was best bought on a 16"bar as my sweet spot,now it dawns on me it would be good to get an 18" bar/chain combo for it-as it seems silly to lug the fairly heavy ms441 kut on a 20" bar for slightly bigger work.Oh dear.Also,After (slowly) coming to like the pole hedgetrimmers-I usually rely on a 30" single bladed hedgetrimmer.I'm seriously pondering should I 'invest' in a pole saw.....! Hey ho,at least it all comes off my tax bill as s.employed.My partner needless to say is rather more keen on more frequent overseas holidays as opposed to me needing extra sheds/workshops (as I like to style them).

So just curious,what saws do you have,'need',use? I'm no arborist,tho I do grudgingly scramble aloft occasionally. Neither am I a tree guy.More of a general landscaper/jack of all trades really.So (without going down the slippery slope of hedgetrimmers,brushcutters,mowers,etc,etc) This is the situation I find myself in just on the chainsaw front. Makita 18v duc254 t.handled saw-love it to bits,handy up and down. Stihl 'home owner saws,ms170-gutless- fairly rapidly consigned to the shed of shame. Stihl ms180 c,after oiling problems from day one,after resolving,now my 'chuck it in my roofbox,just in case saw for gen.garden woodwork fencing/raised bed construction,coppicing etc. Stihl ms250,never ran right from new,back to dealers several times-consigned to the shed of shame-conclusion-stihl cheapo saws are a mixed bag at best.Stihl ms038,My original saw dating back to the mid Eighties-bulletproof,never put a foot wrong.Lives under the workshop bench but can pick it up six months on,and off we go-in these d.comp days+age,I do have to draw a deep breath/gird my loins prior to starting!Ms441 c,My successor to the old faithful 038,same weight but 10cc more power with bells and whistles,not much love for it around the forums,but its my big boy pants saw for felling.Just lately,thinking I'd retire my trusty old ms180,Started looking thru the husky ranch saws (never owned a husky),By some strange trick of osmosis,found myself ogling the stihl ms241-and thought-just the job,if a tad expensive,then to my horror,realised the ms261 was 'only' £30 more,and not unreasonably heavier.Decided I'd be a fool not to pay £30 more for a 10 odd cc gain!And so the disease inexorably creeps on.

I feel your pain,its no fun diagnosing these mysterious issues unless you are a tech wizz,worse still when you dont know a machines past history/lifestyle.Given the money it cost,I'm sure it grates throwing parts/money at it.I usually go cheap+methodical on something like this.New plug,new fuel lines, new fuel filter,check coil for gap rusty surface,air filter spotless etc.Whilst not all of these suggestions are pertinent,you are at least excluding obvious stuff.You've dealt with the exhaust,carb refurb kit,if you have another fuel cap that fits,its worth a punt.If poss can you start it with the fuel cap off? On another note, I'd be inclined to have a word in the sellers shell-like! Good luck with it.

It does seem to be a rim only setup.

Here's a piccy of the p.super rim supplied-on the right.On the left is the original ms261 .325 sprocket.

I cant see why not as long as you change your spur sprocket drum to a rim model (3/8).But dont take my word for it,your saw would certainly run the p.super chain happily enough I would think-its a 45cc saw I believe?

I suppose a good plan is to keep a beady eye on their condition+keep a couple of spares for all your saws to hand.I have to put my hand up and confess they are mostly out of sight/mind until I replace a sprocket!

Also,as an afterthought,given metal or plastic experiencing heat, I'd tend to put my money on metal coping rather better than a plastic structure given the tiny thickness of the structure.

Well maybe re: a metal cage,but after all its the needles that fly all over the shop given failure.Also to grease or not to grease?Some say yes,some say no.I've examined brand new saws with absolutely no visible grease straight from the factory.On the other hand I've serviced friend's saws with clumps of congealed grease all over the shop-i.e,in and on clutch area.If in normal use the cage experiences minimal heat,it shouldnt need any grease?On the the other hand if you-shall we say assiduously over grease it and something goes wrong,causes heat-then presumably liquid grease flows into the clutch etc.

I struggle with the concept of a plastic cage tbh,but they all seem to do it.My newish ms261 and slightly older ms441 both have them.Miniscule weight saving,penny-pinching? Just from an engineering point of view I find it offensive.

In case anyone is interested, there's a decent deal knocking about the internet for this saw and others.Its the older upgrade kit.You get 3 picco super chains+a 16" bar +the appropriate rim sprocket inc.Available only in 16". On offer both from a chap on fleabay- Harry the cat,also a firm h.i.s. Either way,it comes out @£65,which really, you'd pay for 3 chains alone! Interestingly the bar you get (standard rollomatic e) Weighed side by side with the fancy 04 light bar,is actually lighter! Hope this info is useful for someone.

As far as I understand it,the spindle bearing cage only spins at idle when v.little heat is generated-is that item in the piccy a metal orplastic cage out of interest?It could be either the drum has interior eccentric internal wear,or looking on the black side- the crankshaft isnt running true?