chain question on MS260, 346XP, and 488 Shindaiwa

[Lakeside53]

Andy, you said that there is a very quick mod you can make to the 260's muffler for a bit more performance. Can you elaborate on that a bit, please?

Thanks

Ron

There's a great search function on this site.. Try it and you'll find alot of posts/threads on mufffler mods. Timberwolf did a great series on the effects of muffler mods on the026.

Basically you take off the front cover, remove the screen, and from the inside drill two holes, one above and one below the original. Size? 5/16 to 3/8 each is conservative, and a good place to start. Replace the screen. Remove the limiter cap on the carb H screw and tune it (if required) so the max rpm is 14-14,500 (for a saw with 10-20 tanks on it..). Some adjustment to the rich side will be required on the L also.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I've owned all three mentioned saws over the years and the clear cut choice..........IMO.........is the 346.

Not only is it a better performing saw the AV is way smoother also.


Go one step further and add the 353 into the mix...........has everything the 346 does but is more forgiving to run!!!

 

[WACutter]

260 Muffler Mod

There's a great search function on this site.. Try it and you'll find alot of posts/threads on mufffler mods. Timberwolf did a great series on the effects of muffler mods on the026.

Basically you take off the front cover, remove the screen, and from the inside drill two holes, one above and one below the original. Size? 5/16 to 3/8 each is conservative, and a good place to start. Replace the screen. Remove the limiter cap on the carb H screw and tune it (if required) so the max rpm is 14-14,500 (for a saw with 10-20 tanks on it..). Some adjustment to the rich side will be required on the L also.

Thanks Andy. I did do some searching, but I will look again specifically for Timberwolfs' thread. I'll give this a try and see how it goes, as I am interested in only very modest mods on this newer saw.

Best,

Ron

 

[Patrick62]

modest mods?

I ran my MS260 last year just about 3 minutes and then removed the muffler and drilled it out. Worked like a charm. Tuned the carb up a smirch. It blows thru 6" stuff wearing 18" of 3/8's full skip. Funny thing was that there was very little difference between the 3/8 and .325 (I timed them once). I elected to go with the 3/8 to remain compatable with the larger saws I have. Now! To put it in perspective at the same time I ran a 2145 Jonsered with .325 chain in full skip and it was faster than the Stihl. It wasn't much, but it was a few seconds difference.

I went and found my notes for you. With both saws running .325 chain (sharp, 30 deg angle) 4 cuts in 8 1/2 pine. 1 down, then up, down again, back up was the sequence....

The 260 was :34 full comp chain, the Jred was :32 The Husky 346XP should have more power than the 345/2145 series. We also did a comparison using a 8 tooth sprocket on one saw. To a point it speeds things up if the motor has the power to pull it.

I think any one of the mentioned saws would be excellent in such work. It is all a matter of personal choice.

-Pat

 

[SawTroll]

These are possibly accurate dyno numbers for a saw right out of the box, but I have never used a saw that took as long to break in as my 488 did. I wasn't impressed with it at first, but after several tanks of gas, I will put it up against any un-modded 026, and I really like the 026.

A couple of several weaknesses in that "test report" was that it said nothing about to which degree the saws were run-in (and the Dolmar was a prototype PS-5000, that surely had seen more use than the competition), and nothing about cutting attachment. Some of the "cutting tests" was a bit odd for saws that size, also.

 

[SawTroll]

Thanks Andy. I did do some searching, but I will look again specifically for Timberwolfs' thread. I'll give this a try and see how it goes, as I am interested in only very modest mods on this newer saw.

Best,

Ron

That tread is very interesting!!!!

...for "everyone", except Ben Walker.....:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[peter399]

Get the 346XP. It’s the best in this class, no doubt. For felling trees up to 6 inch in diameter and to limb them, you won’t find a faster saw. It revs quickly as …. and has very nice ergonomics. That type of cutting is what we have here in Sweden, anything over 6 inch is to 99,99999% done by harvesters. So this is a machine built for your purpose. Along with my Husky 353 I have a 026 but it’s not near the 353 and I have had quite many issues with it. So if the 260 is not a huge upgrade from the 026 (which I don’t think it is, the design is old), you should get the 346.

But please don’t put the bar and chain of the MS170 on it… Not that it will fit but still..

 

[NYH1]

I've owned all three mentioned saws over the years and the clear cut choice..........IMO.........is the 346.

Not only is it a better performing saw the AV is way smoother also.


Go one step further and add the 353 into the mix...........has everything the 346 does but is more forgiving to run!!!

Good advise. The 353 (16" b&c) is going to be my next saw. And for the reason you mentioned "more forgiving to run". I'll not only use it for limbing but blocking and even felling tree's up to 12 inches or so.

 

[GASoline71]

Good advise. The 353 is going to be my next saw. And for the reason you mentioned "more forgiving to run". I'll not only use it for limbing but blocking and even felling tree's up to 12 inches or so.

Not biased or anything are ya???

Gary

 

[NYH1]

Not biased or anything are ya???

Gary

Nope not at all, just bought a new 365 and really like it and my dealer. So my next saw is going to be bought from him as well. He only sells Husky. He dropped Stihl a few years ago, I have no idea why.

And if a MS260 cuts and performs like a 346XP, then yes I think the wider power band of the 353 will be a better saw for me.

 

[SawTroll]

Good advise. The 353 (16" b&c) is going to be my next saw. And for the reason you mentioned "more forgiving to run". I'll not only use it for limbing but blocking and even felling tree's up to 12 inches or so.

Sweetspot for the 353 vs the 346xp........

... but I don't use the 353 much after getting the 361, and would rather have had a 346xp, for the real light jobs......

 

[NYH1]

Sweetspot for the 353 vs the 346xp........

... but I don't use the 353 much after getting the 361, and would rather have had a 346xp, for the real light jobs......

Well I went back and forth with the 353, MS260 and MS280 (and the 346XP to a smaller extent) for a while trying to fill the gap between my 021 and 029. I decided on the 353, which is the saw I'll use most of the time.

Having said that! I ended getting a 365 instead. For a few reasons. I really like the feel of the 365 compared to my 029. The 365 feels lighter. The 365 balances better with a 20" b&c then my 029 does. I REALLY don't need any more power then the 365. I thought it was a good upgrade from my 029. They stopped making the 365 and my dealer had the only two left in my area. Plus I thought the price was right. These are just my opinions. I'm also not knocking the 029. It was and still is a great saw, especially for the money!

Getting back to the 353.......................I still need one! Like I said I'll use it for limbing as well as blocking and felling trees and logs up to 12 inches or so. That's most of my cutting. I figured with it's wider power range it might work a little better for me then a 346XP. I haven't ran either. Just going on what I've read and been told by people who have!

 

[rbtree]

For about the same price as the 353, you could get a Dolmar 5100S, that is a tad heavier,,but in the same 3 cube class. It is the best of the bunch...I own 346's, 488, 5100, and all are woods modded. The 488 is the lightest, but the slowest. I'd still prefer it over a 260, though, and the same goes for the others. I also own a modded Solo 651SP, in Craftsman green. While it is rated at 3.6 hp stock, don't believe it...same goes for the 488...nice saw but slower than all but the 651......

 

[NYH1]

For about the same price as the 353, you could get a Dolmar 5100S, that is a tad heavier,,but in the same 3 cube class. It is the best of the bunch...I own 346's, 488, 5100, and all are woods modded. The 488 is the lightest, but the slowest. I'd still prefer it over a 260, though, and the same goes for the others. I also own a modded Solo 651SP, in Craftsman green. While it is rated at 3.6 hp stock, don't believe it...same goes for the 488...nice saw but slower than all but the 651......

Dolmar is out of the question for me. There is only one dealer in my area. He hasn't been around to long and past Dolmar dealer didn't last. I call him and he didn't even have a 5100 in stock. Said he hasn't sold one yet. I'm in Stihl and Husky country.

 

[SawTroll]

...
Getting back to the 353.......................I still need one! Like I said I'll use it for limbing as well as blocking and felling trees and logs up to 12 inches or so. That's most of my cutting. I figured with it's wider power range it might work a little better for me then a 346XP. I haven't ran either. Just going on what I've read and been told by people who have!

Admittedly, that is what I mostly do also, but the 361 with 15" bar, 36RSC and 3/8"x8 usually get the nod unless they are really small, as it does it much faster....

Empty powerhead only, the 365 and MS290, 319 and 390 actually weights the same, the 372xp is just slightly heavier.

 

[SawTroll]

For about the same price as the 353, you could get a Dolmar 5100S, that is a tad heavier,,but in the same 3 cube class. It is the best of the bunch...I own 346's, 488, 5100, and all are woods modded. The 488 is the lightest, but the slowest. I'd still prefer it over a 260, though, and the same goes for the others. I also own a modded Solo 651SP, in Craftsman green. While it is rated at 3.6 hp stock, don't believe it...same goes for the 488...nice saw but slower than all but the 651......

Both Shindaiwa and Solo are pretty optimistic regarding power output, according to the "evidence" I have seen........