Best way to break in a chainsaw??

[oneoldbanjo]

I break my new saws in by using them normally - however I avoid cutting anything that will have the bar buried for any extended time. I try to do lots of cutting smaller stuff that gets the saw on and off the throttle repeatedly.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Just go cut wood... seriously.

But make sure you soak your chains overnight first! :biggrinbounce2:

Gary

And soak the fuel in oil as well - not much, just enough to coat it. 2.6 oz of oil will adequately coat one gallon of fuel.

 

[peter399]

What's the best way to break in a brandy new saw? Had this discussion a little while ago, and we could'nt agree.
I personally have more experience with breaking in new top ends, and don't know if there is a big difference.
I've only had 2 brand new saws (MS270, MS260 Pro), and both times i babied it for the first tank and a half...ish Then treated it like a chainsaw. No problems ever came of it.
Buddy tells me he babies his saw for 3 full tanks (owner's manual), then gradually treats it like a chainsaw.
My father says to just treat it like a chainsaw... made fun of me while breaking mine in.

Is there a solid method for breaking in a saw as quickly and efficiently as possible?

I'll join your father's team. Use it normally from the beginning. A chainsaw throttle only has 2 positions, fully open or fully closed

 

[blis]

Idling is not good for a new engine--it doesn't come up to proper break in temperature. The best way to break in a saw is run it like it was meant to be run--don't abuse it, but don't baby it.

:agree2:

To break in any motor well it needs couple things.. First of all, it needs to get warm enough. Second and probaply most important thing is enough load (aka make it work hard) and variable load to ensure best seating of piston rings.. Also proper cooldown before shutting it down is important...

One of the easiest ways to ruin new engine is not to run it hard enough which means that you will have brand new engine that has less compression than old workhorses...

 

[saxman]

I just recently broke in my new MS660. I used fresh 93 gas with the white bottle stihl oil. I warmed the saw up before putting a load on it for a minute or so then held her WIDE open in the cuts. After some long cuts I would let her idle for a short time and cool out. Ran about 2 gallon of fuel through it during the day. I have done the same procedure in the past with my 361 and 441 and so far nothing has been hanging out of the block.



Steve

 

[Stihlman441]

The last three saws i got were new 260,441,660 the dealer puts fuel and oil in them and run them,out of wood to check and tune,they dont much around wide open.So before you get hold of your new baby think about what the dealer will do to it first.


MS260
MS441
MS660
MS880 (NEXT ONE)

 

[gr8scott72]

The last three saws i got were new 260,441,660 the dealer puts fuel and oil in them and run them,out of wood to check and tune,they dont much around wide open.So before you get hold of your new baby think about what the dealer will do to it first.

Ordered mine off internet. Bone dry. Never had fuel in it before I got it.

 

[BobL]

The first few tanks through my ms460 (new in 07)were flush cutting big stumps. Didn't have time to baby it.
It has been used as a saw from day one. I do faithfully keep it clean as new
and it is a great saw

That is interesting to hear about as flush cutting big stumps is fairly hard on saws as being so close to the ground on one side the air does not flow quite as freely as a saw that is held upright away from the ground. I have heard of more than one tired saw being run on the lean side seizing when flush cutting. Keeping it clean certianly helps

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

I just beat it like it is a red headed step child with a big mouth. That way it knows I'm boss right from the get go! Running at idle and cutting twigs is a joke IMO.

 

[GASoline71]

:agree2:

To break in any motor well it needs couple things.. First of all, it needs to get warm enough. Second and probaply most important thing is enough load (aka make it work hard) and variable load to ensure best seating of piston rings.. Also proper cooldown before shutting it down is important...

One of the easiest ways to ruin new engine is not to run it hard enough which means that you will have brand new engine that has less compression than old workhorses...

Great post!

Gary

 

[K7NUT]

dont babied saws stay babied saws.

when building motocross bikes, my own and customeres we also broke them like we stole em. wide open all the time. let em cool off ounce inm awhile though and youl be good.

Thats the same thing I heard with street bikes?
If your going to race it, break it in like your racing, or it won't performe!
It's like cylinders develope memories

 

[ironman_gq]

they do if you glaze em over same with rings too. Running em hard only loosens em up a bit more. with a new engine everything is tight so there is a lot more friction in a new engine as opposed to one that is broke in. I still wont run em too hard when new but I dont baby em either I still expect em to work hard without complaints

 

[matty f]

I disagree ,for years i ran all my saws hard out the box 3120's 046's 020's 038's the list could go on and was lucky to get 2 years usually a year out of them.
4 years ago i brought a 357 xpg and ran it in to operators manual instructions and this saw is used daily is still going strong, before with some of my old 262's i could only get 8 months out of them! i break in all my saws now...not babying them but just keeping them off peak revs for 4 tanks of fuel then run them hard....its pretty difficult keeping your finger off the trigger and some times it does slip but to me its been worth the patience.

 

[GASoline71]

Hmm... "broke in" every saw I have ever owned hard... Still usin' them to this day on the same P&C, no probs... some are over 10 years old.

Gary

 

[gregz]

:agree2:

To break in any motor well it needs couple things.. First of all, it needs to get warm enough. Second and probaply most important thing is enough load (aka make it work hard) and variable load to ensure best seating of piston rings.. Also proper cooldown before shutting it down is important...

One of the easiest ways to ruin new engine is not to run it hard enough which means that you will have brand new engine that has less compression than old workhorses...

Yup.. i know it's only a 460 but if i forget the decomp when cold it reminds me.. My saw is clean as a whistle but it's been beat on,and runs like champ. thought about selling it one time but just too good of a saw.
Buy em new cut wood!!

 

[Ironbark]

Not sure where I stumbled upon this link, but it makes for interesting reading:

www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I run them hard from new, but vary the engine speed for the first few tanks.

 

[zaasman]

Very interesting thread, great timing for me as I'm just breakin in a new 260. Based on this, think I'll just have at it.

The only real point Stihl makes is to avoid "full throttle off load" for the first 3 tanks, but doesn't say anything about going easy. These manuals are so chock full of other warnings regarding potential damage, so I take the minimal "off load" note to mean even Stihl recommends just using the saw like it's a saw.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

Hmm... "broke in" every saw I have ever owned hard... Still usin' them to this day on the same P&C, no probs... some are over 10 years old.

Gary

Must be that speacial lube u use!

 

[Michaelmj11]

Ok, this is my first post, and before I get too far, allow me to say that I am NOT a gear-head/mechanic, I know Nothing (well mostly nothing) about motors/engines.

I have owned 2... well 3 as of yesterday.... all 3 Stihl's a ms170, ms391, ms661.

I was reading over this post because the ms391 "blew up", I belive is the phrase I have seen used, after 2 months of use. By blew up I mean it lost all compression, and basically needed a whole engine rebuild. Stihl said it was due to improper use (I was using it to mill an oak that was 18-20 inches wide), anyways it worked out where Stihl replaced the parts, but I get to pay for the labor, except the Stihl certified mechanic working on fixing it has broken 2 pistons and is waiting to hear back from Stihl about what the heck is going on (this has been going on for 7 months, since February).

So, yesterday I finally had enough waiting, and purchased a ms661. So to make a long story short, to say that I would like to AVOID a repeat of the ms391 problem(s) is putting it lightly.

So I am intending to follow:

:agree2:

To break in any motor well it needs couple things.. First of all, it needs to get warm enough. Second and probaply most important thing is enough load (aka make it work hard) and variable load to ensure best seating of piston rings.. Also proper cooldown before shutting it down is important...

One of the easiest ways to ruin new engine is not to run it hard enough which means that you will have brand new engine that has less compression than old workhorses...

But am quite curious about:

Just go cut wood... seriously.

But make sure you soak your chains overnight first! :biggrinbounce2:

Gary

So.... beyond what BLIS said, any other suggestions, and what is up with soaking the chains? I get the feeling that this is just a joke that I am not comprehending. ...?


Oh yah, my intention is to be cutting harder stuff as in the Hardest wood native to North America, Osage Orange (Bodock/Bois d'arc); as well as some oak and maple.

 

[minermike]

My uncle once got a v-8 totally built for performance from the block up. The guy that built it said run it like you stole it, if it don't blow right away then your good.

I must side with stinkbait. I have built hundreds of motors of all kinds. If the machine work is solid, the dog is ready to hunt. A new saw is a machinests work of art, and should be run like intended from the start. If it isn't, lets hope it blows in the first year. Keep them clean,run good gas, and gear them up. NOW WERE CUTTING-----MIKE