361 & a 24"

[DDM]

Okay I Have 2-361's Neither of them run a 24" bar near as well as my 036 did.
Am i expecting to much from the 361 running a 24" bar? They just dont seem to have near the power of the old 036.They seem to run a 20" well enough but neither but they wont idle without enough rpm to spin the chain without dying.
Ive had both to 2 different dealers and get the same answer a shoulder shrug.
Did i get 2 lemons?

 

[SmokinDodge]

DDM I don't know you may have an issue with them. Of course you've come to the best place to diagnose it possible.

I wanted a 361 before I even knew AS existed and I finally got a used one last fall that was in good shape. I had planned on selling my 036 and using the 361 to replace it. I sold the 361 after two days of running it. The 036 is still running good. :greenchainsaw:


I don't know why but to me, the 036 is more saw. I always thought it was just "me."



.

 

[peter399]

Okay I Have 2-361's Neither of them run a 24" bar near as well as my 036 did.
Am i expecting to much from the 361 running a 24" bar?
?

Why on earth run a 24" bar on a 60cc saw? Do you fell lots of 40"+ trees?

They just dont seem to have near the power of the old 036.

Could be true since the 036 has almost the power of my 262. Almost
So the 361 could have almost the power of the 036.

They seem to run a 20" well enough but neither but they wont idle without enough rpm to spin the chain without dying.

Common problem on my Stihl 026 although springs are 100% OK. Check for dirt between clutch and drum. Stihl fanatics here will claim this is not a frequent problem but I see it as a drawback of the inboard clutch (which also has many advantages of course)

Ive had both to 2 different dealers and get the same answer a shoulder shrug.
Did i get 2 lemons?

Probably not. 24" is simply too heavy for 60cc. Avoid it as much as possible. You loose too much speed in the cut. I wouldn't go for any bigger that 18" myself.

 

[SawTroll]

This is really odd - most other reports I have read says that the 361 outcuts the 036, and has a wider powerband, which is logical as it is a 4-port design vs. a 2-port on the 036/360......

....
24" is simply too heavy for 60cc. Avoid it as much as possible. You loose too much speed in the cut. I wouldn't go for any bigger that 18" myself.

I surely agree with that statement, but some don't (softwood/skip chain).

 

[DDM]

The 036 did have a modded by DDM muffler. The dealer sold both of the 361's to me with 24's on them and told me i should have no problem. We aren't using the 361's on trees at full bar length we go with a 440/460 for this.4 weeks ago i did buy a new 440 this saw has out performed my expectations in every aspect.
The 440 seems to have more power and outperform my newly rebuilt 044.

 

[andrewspens]

24" on a 60cc saw, you're kidding, right?

Just last night I was cutting with my dad. He was using his old 162se. I will be 30 this summer and he ordered that saw before I was even a sparkle in his eye. It runs a 32" bar, no problem whatsoever. Mostly we run douglas fir, hemlock and cedar, but we had is chewing the hell out of some maple at my place last Christmas.

 

[GASoline71]

David... my 361 wears a 25" Stihl ES, and I run full skip 3/8" chain...

I do have a modded muffler on it which helps out a lot. It pulls that size combo just fine. But... I cut softwoods 90% of the time. Mostly Doug Fir. My saw is the typical PNW saw, long bar, big dogs. I have never cut any big hardwoods with it. I have cut a few decent sized Maples with it... mostly limbing and bucking after I got it on the ground with my bigger saw. It seemed to work fine doin' that as well.

Gary

 

[Woodie]

I look at 24" as occasional-use only for a 60cc saw. For that class, 18" - 20" is the sweet spot.

I think you need to step up to a 70cc if you want to pull that 24" with authority.

 

[Lakeside53]

24 is very common out here.. and cut fine in softwoods with a 3/8 full skip chain. I occasionally run a 28 and it works o.k., but I mostly run a full comp chain on a 20. You can't bury the 25 inch bar like on a 440, but they work fine. I can't speak to your type of wood. I've owned both the 036 and 361, and like the 361 much better. I suspect the 036 had a tad more torque lower down, but less high up.

As for not idling fast enough to stay running without moving the chain... Not good or correct. First the saw needs to idle at the factory spec, and if it is, then the chain should not run. If it does, there's a problem in the clutch dept. I suspect it's idling too fast, so the issue is "why does it need to to be so fast to idle"? If the 361 is tuned wrong on the low end, it will idle "lumpy", and many simply turn up the LA to compensate which will result in a moving chain. The 036 does idle smoother.

Did this happen new or while in warranty? If they are still in the warranty period, make a claim, and call Stihl and tell them your dealers can't seem to fix it. I would never hand a saw back to a customer and tell him I can't fix their chain from running at idle...

 

[SawTroll]

I look at 24" as occasional-use only for a 60cc saw. For that class, 18" - 20" is the sweet spot.

I think you need to step up to a 70cc if you want to pull that 24" with authority.

I'd say 15-18" is the sweetspot, but that's just me and my balance thingy....


Even on a 70cc, 20" is the sweetspot, but that is not about power, but balance......

 

[SawTroll]

..... I would never hand a saw back to a customer and tell him I can't fix their chain from running at idle...

Nice to hear, no dealer should......

 

[GASoline71]

24 is very common out here.. and cut fine in softwoods with a 3/8 full skip chain. I occasionally run a 28 and it works o.k., but I mostly run a full comp chain on a 20. You can't bury the 25 inch bar like on a 440, but they work fine.

That is a good point Andy. I can't bury my 361's 25" bar like I can if I had it on my 044. But my saw does handle the 25" bar great for what I do with it.

Gary

 

[Cut4fun]

Just letting you know that I put the 32" bar and skip square chisel on the stock muffler modded 361 not to long ago and it idled perfect without any problems or chain spin or bogging. If eyes were closed wouldn't have told the difference in idle sound between the 16",18" or the 32". It also did a good job cutting up a big trunk piece of soft spruce in the 28"-34" range.
This was just one of those bored days and thought I would put it to a test for fun.
Sounds like its time to open them mufflers up.

 

[GASoline71]

Sounds like its time to open them mufflers up.

You'll notice the difference like night and day.

Gary

 

[SteveH]

Right now, the only saw I use, and I use it all the time, is my 036 Pro. I have both 18" and 20" bars for it, haven't used anything but the 20" in two years though. It pulls that great [round chisel], and the saw is stock [not modded]. It is perfect for the 20", but I get the feeling I would be less happy with a 24". I do keep my chains sharp.... Don't know how the 20" would do in hardwood, since it doesn't grow here.

 

[ShoerFast]

they wont idle without enough rpm to spin the chain without dying.

DDM

Having the same problem just after my 361 seemed broke-in, the idle just seemed fickle. It also seemed a little cold blooded , unless you let er scream just after a cold start, it was a slow accelerator and hard starter if you let it sit for more then just a few minutes.

I found that fattening up the "L" screw a little more then fastest chain with a high idle seemed to work. IOW: giving it a tad richer "L" or out with the "L" and in with the speed screw, it brought the idle quality back, and killer acceleration.

If I take my 361 with the idle set that way and tip it up-side down if it has been idling for awhile, I will get a slight idle speed change, but not that fat that it gives a puff of smoke.

Another .02 cents worth, try fattening the "H" with a longer bar, Mine just loves to grumble and burble until it hits the wood, that's about 14K no-load on the nutz. (compansate for alititude, I bet that would be closer to maybe13.5K no-load for you?)

Maybe it's time to saw-tune 101 your 24" 361's , and repeat a few timed cuts with different no-load "H" settings,,, I would bet a Dr Pepper that giving er a little more "H" will bring back what your looking for?

 

[West Texas]

My experience agrees with Andy (Lakeside) and Shoerfest both. Put about three 7/16" holes across the muffler and get rid of the 'jake brake' effect of the stock muffler. That's not the prettiest solution; but, it darn sure works. Set the "L" jet to spec and adjust the "LA" till the chain is not moving (mine are then idling between 2800 and 3000 rpm). And then rich up the "H" jet a bit till it bubbles with that 4 cycle noise at WOT. Then with full throttle, put it to the wood, it will smooth out nicely and cut like a gem, if its a good chain for the wood you are cutting. If you are handy working with metal, then do a search on muffler mods, and see how Andy does it; looks nice and works well.

 

[Just Mow]

:hmm3grin2orange:

DDM I don't know you may have an issue with them. Of course you've come to the best place to diagnose it possible.

I wanted a 361 before I even knew AS existed and I finally got a used one last fall that was in good shape. I had planned on selling my 036 and using the 361 to replace it. I sold the 361 after two days of running it. The 036 is still running good. :greenchainsaw:


I don't know why but to me, the 036 is more saw. I always thought it was just "me."



.

I didn't know he owned any saws :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Just Mow]

DDm, I have a 361 with the 20" bar on it and RS chain. I cut hardwoods and it has outcut the 036 Pro that I sold after I got the 361 broke in. No idle problems to speak of and I have not run a longer bar on it.

 

[SmokinDodge]

:hmm3grin2orange:

I didn't know he owned any saws :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

Then you don't keep up very well.


How could you miss all my post where I ask how I can get my Wild Thing to pull a 36" bar?