Dealers don't know about modded saws?

[meauran]

Hello all. First post. I've been lurking over the past week and trying to gather all of the info that I can. I'm thrilled that I found this site, it's a fantastic resource.

I've got a truck load of logs that I am cutting up for firewood and for sale. I probably only use 2 to 3 cords/yr myself, so I figure I'll cut and split the rest and make my money back. This is my first time undertaking such and endeavor and I'm trying to do it right, I'm trying to do it safely and I'm trying to do it efficiently.

I've got a Husky 359 and I think it's a great saw. Works great for what I'm doing with it.

It got into the mid 50s here the other day and I was out cutting on my log pile and I noticed that my saw was getting quite warm around the front hand grip. That's when I found this site. I was trying to figure out if this was anything that I should be concerned about.

At any rate, I'm making a long story longer. I've read about the exhaust modifications and how this saw especially likes the open exhaust. Knowing that one must take any information from the Internet with a grain of salt, I went looking for some local face to face validation of the information I found here. I found NONE. I stopped at a local Jonsered dealer and the guy behind the counter stopped just short of calling me a dope. He tells me that this saw does not have adjustable jets and that because of that I would get no gains from an exhaust modification. In addition, I've read that the Huskys with the green gas caps are the ones with the catalytic mufflers. This guy didn't even know what I was talking about and said that my saw does not have a catalytic muffler. His claim is that the E-tech just means that the saw is tuned lean from the factory in order to pass EPA specifications.

So I moved on. I went to a small engine repair shop that is a Husqvarna dealer. This guy also insisted that I didn't have a catalytic muffler because it isn't stainless steel. This raised the question in my mind as to what exactly I have on my hands here. Is it some sort of bastard? This guy too, felt that any modification to this saw would only hurt it's reliability and longevity.

So, I come to my first (second?) question. If I am looking for RELIABILITY, first and foremost, do I mod my saw?

Next, why am I getting information that is virtually 180 degrees apart? Am I misreading/misinterpreting what I'm reading here or hearing there?

I guess, finally I'm looking to find out what it is exactly that I have here for a saw. It has a green gas cap. It says "E-tech" on the side. I bought it at Lowe's in Epping, New Hampshire.

Thanks in advance guys. I hope this doesn't sound too... adversarial. I certainly don't mean it that way. Just looking for some input. I have used the search function and found anecdotal information but not the 'clearinghouse' of information that I was hoping for.

Thanks again for the great site.

 

[computeruser]

Welcome aboard.

I'm not a 359/2159 expert, so I'll leave specific advice to those who are. However, I believe that your experience is more the norm than not. Very few dealers are enthusiasts, and generally it is only the enthusiast population that starts fiddling around with saws. So for them to be unfamiliar with modifications - mufflers, porting, etc. - is not terribly surprising.

All the same, welcome to the site. Hope you enjoy your time here but watch out for that wallet of your...this site is EXPENSIVE!

 

[spacemule]

The Husky website doesn't list a 359 with e tech, but they do list a 353 e tech. The owner's manual shows a catalytic muffler on the 353 e tech. It's usually easier to just go straight to the source.

 

[Austin1]

Green gas cap

Green gas cap means you have a cat muffler. I found the same thing it seamed much to hot for my liking. But I also found my saw shop to be much the same as you encountered. Except for the owner and one mechanic nobody new what I was talking about. Good thing I know the owner personally or they would probably never ordered me a non cat muffler.which I have since modded and been very happy with the saw

 

[timberwolf]

The 359 cat mufler has the letters "41 CAT" stamped on the front of the top.

Open up the cat muffler and it will cut a good 30% faster, get it ported and another 20-40% can be gained depending on exactly what is done. Together the 359 will cut nearly twice as fast ported and with the muffler opened up (as long as your chain is sharp).

Took a couple years for the dealer here to get used to me ordering parts that wernt supposed to go on my saws, he almost would not sell me 3/8 sprockets for an 026 because he felt an 026 could not handle it...

Now he just smiles, takes my money and finds me whatever I am looking for.

 

[Bowtie]

The 359 cat mufler has the letters "41 CAT" stamped on the front of the top.

Open up the cat muffler and it will cut a good 30% faster, get it ported and another 20-40% can be gained depending on exactly what is done. Together the 359 will cut nearly twice as fast ported and with the muffler opened up (as long as your chain is sharp).

Took a couple years for the dealer here to get used to me ordering parts that wernt supposed to go on my saws, he almost would not sell me 3/8 sprockets for an 026 because he felt an 026 could not handle it...

Now he just smiles, takes my money and finds me whatever I am looking for.

HAHAHAHAAAA, be a good dealer and just order what I want.

 

[Cut4fun]

IPL for 357 359 357 EPA 357 EPA
http://www.baileys-online.com/PDF/359.PDF

 

[keith c raymond]

Im fortunate that my dealer used to race saws and knows all the tricks.He does not mod any more though due to liability.But he tweaks my saws and they like it:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Stihl_Learning]

Mine just rolls his eyes and tells me I'm nuts

but they are great dealers for both Stihl and John Deere
very patient & always friendly
makes me wish I could spend more there lol
John

 

[Hard Knocks]

First of all, Welcome.
The 359 e-tech with the green gas cap and CAT stamped on the top of the muffler definitely has a catalytic converter. These things get a bad rap because they hold back some performance and cause the saw to run a bit hotter. If you mix your saw with the proper 50:1 mix and your carburetor is adjusted correctly you probably would not know the difference. A catalytic equipped saw will actually run hotter if it is mixed richer (more oil) than specified. We have sold lots of the e-tech versions and had no complaints about lack of power. If you want to purchase a non cat muffler you can try the 503 9175-03. I think that they are around $65.00 Canadian, so they should be around $40.00 US you can get one at your local dealer or try Baileys.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

The ignition module on my 361 died on me during the warranty period after I had it ported and I took it in for warranty service expecting to get laughed at and turned away. They replaced the module without batting an eye and wished me a good afternoon. They were either oblivious to the mods or just didn't care. They had the saw for a week while the part was on order and test ran it after the repair. I wonder if they still talk about that loud 361 they had a while back .

The port job wouldn't have affected the module though, it would have died either way.

Ian

 

[stihltech]

Security!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They may very well know,but we are supposed to not know. As you said, he no longer modifies due to liability issues. Saw manufacturers make it very clear about mods.
But some guy at my shop has some idea about mods. Just a little:greenchainsaw:

 

[Woodie]

I stopped at a local Jonsered dealer and the guy behind the counter stopped just short of calling me a dope. He tells me that this saw does not have adjustable jets and that because of that I would get no gains from an exhaust modification. In addition, I've read that the Huskys with the green gas caps are the ones with the catalytic mufflers. This guy didn't even know what I was talking about and said that my saw does not have a catalytic muffler. His claim is that the E-tech just means that the saw is tuned lean from the factory in order to pass EPA specifications.

1. Welcome to the 'hood.
2. That Jonsered dealer is an idiot. No really, he's an idiot. Virtually nothing Husky makes in a 2-stroke has fixed jets. As a matter of fact, Husky is one of two OPE manufacturers that I know of that still has adjustable highs and lows on their trimmers. (And they just bought the other, BTW.) If Husky puts adjustable jets on a friggin trimmer...you do the math.
3. If your dealer is that stupid, and he is, and if you're questioning that fact, don't, becuase your dealer is very stupid, trust me, he is not a smart man, which comes from being stupid, then he is not really a dealer, he is a guy with saws for sale. You can get that from eBay. They have saws for sale, too. But they're not a dealer.
4. Also, your Husky dealer is stupid.
5. You will do yourself a favor by patronizing neither, but you already know that.
6. Both those dealers are stupid.
7. Also, they are not smart.
8. No alcohol was involved in either the consideration or decision of this post.

 

[Lakeside53]

Sorry.. rep'ed out..

 

[Gypo Logger]

Most dealers don't understand or give a rat's a$$ about mods. They're in the business of selling stock saws.
I modded an 025 for my Stihl dealer. All I did was open up the muffler and he raves all day about how fast it is, but he's pretty pretty limp wristed anyway, So I tease him and say, "you're not one of those fellers that like other fellers?"
Lol
John

 

[Gologit]

1. Welcome to the 'hood.
2. That Jonsered dealer is an idiot. No really, he's an idiot. Virtually nothing Husky makes in a 2-stroke has fixed jets. As a matter of fact, Husky is one of two OPE manufacturers that I know of that still has adjustable highs and lows on their trimmers. (And they just bought the other, BTW.) If Husky puts adjustable jets on a friggin trimmer...you do the math.
3. If your dealer is that stupid, and he is, and if you're questioning that fact, don't, becuase your dealer is very stupid, trust me, he is not a smart man, which comes from being stupid, then he is not really a dealer, he is a guy with saws for sale. You can get that from eBay. They have saws for sale, too. But they're not a dealer.
4. Also, your Husky dealer is stupid.
5. You will do yourself a favor by patronizing neither, but you already know that.
6. Both those dealers are stupid.
7. Also, they are not smart.
8. No alcohol was involved in either the consideration or decision of this post.

No rep right now...have two beers instead.

 

[daemon2525]

Go to your CHEVY dealer and see if he he will yank the catalytic converter and put a supercharger on your car.

 

[XJWoody]

My friendly local place...

Mr. Lee caught me at the checkout the other day with a pre-ordered & paid for limiter removal tool... actually they ordered me two on accident... and I was swapping it in for anything else. He picked up and bifoculed it into zoom... "Hmmm Stihl doesn't want us selling the repair tools to just anybody anymore."

I think he'd shat a polliwog if I asked him about mods.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Now he just smiles, takes my money and finds me whatever I am looking for.

It amazes me how difficult it sometimes is to get them to do that. If I didn't have my own IPL's I'd never get what I wanted.

 

[mattinky]

Was'nt the original question concerning the reliability of a modded saw? Having never modded a saw I can't give you a good answer but I have often wondered about this myself. Matt