Are 661's tuneable at a Stihl shop? Mines running a bit rough

altair · Apr 11, 2015

hi, just a query really. I tossed up between a new MS660 here in NZ or the new MS661.

Chose the MS661, the dealer gave me a great deal on an MS661 with 30" Stihl bar and chain, goggles, a pack of Stihl Ultra and some round files, got it for $2280, ticket price was around $2700NZ. (Expensive compared to the states I know). 4 year warranty if I used the Stihl engine/bar oil.

Its coming up to its first service, he mentioned they torque down the head etc, wondering what else happens at a first service? It takes half a dozen pulls to fire even if used daily, and certainly runs rough and misses a bit for the first 10 seconds or so. Once warm though, its a beautiful saw, but with an idle close to stalling after a long cut.

I'm no pro user but have used saws all my life, and I'm impressed with it overall..fuel economy I think is really good, not rushing back to refuel as often, and smoothness is excellent. Don't feel any vibrations at all with it, and power seems on the increase slightly, its only really got about 8 hours on it though.

Certainly happy I chose the 661 over the 660, as I'm sure the 661 will be better after its service and more use.

I'm using a 25 inch bar mostly, and it has plenty of grunt with that, in a hardish timber over here.

So yeah..wondering what actually happens at a first service with a saw like this, curious to know if they are "tuned" somehow by the dealer? Videos of other 661s I've seen don't have them running as rough as mine initially. (Especially Brads) . I run 40:1 Stihl Ultra, with 95 or 98 octane non ethanol gas.

Cheers

funky sawman · Apr 11, 2015

HMMMMMM, interesting.....

treesmith · Apr 11, 2015

You can do a reset of the mtronic, remove bar, release chain brake and set master control to start - push lever all the way down. start saw and let run for 90 seconds without touching throttle or control lever, after 90 seconds push lever up to kill engine.

Then start saw with lever set to run - middle position, repeat 90 seconds running and then kill engine without touching throttle.

Done

I think the time frame is 60 seconds for reset but running it for 90 seconds makes sure you give it long enough.

Mastermind gets spectactular results from these saws

altair · Apr 11, 2015

Thanks treesmith, appreciate that and certainly didn't know it could be done at home.

I've basically finished using it for this year here, its winters edge here now, so it will be used maybe a couple more days, then stored ...but I'll get it serviced first.

Yep I love it, but with a 4 year warranty I guess a muffler mod etc is out of the question..but it certainly gives the impression it has more to give! Had it been a 660 I would have chosen the standard warranty so i could have opened the muffler up a bit to aid cooling etc..but MTronic is new to me so, would rather have the warranty on something I can't fix myself. I'll print out your post for use in years to come though!

redoakman · Apr 11, 2015

the 661 has a warm up period to prevent u form cutting full throttle off a cold start . i wonder if u have something lose inside if its running rough let you deal plug it in and see whats up .