Future of chainsaw technology?

[SawBrian]

How will the future of chainsaw technology be? Are they going to get turbo, intercooler, advanced reeds, intection carb,...... in the near future...?
Or has the evolution already reached its top with no major further improvements?

 

[Timberchic]

I'll bet they're going four stroke soon just like the dirtbikes have.

 

[ropensaddle]

hey got idea

harley could maybe come out with something with an electric
start with some thing like 8 foot bar man that would really get blood
going but then maybe caterpiller could out do that we could all join
bodybuilders so we could heft them d:bang: m things man lets
dream up some real hot saws:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Id say Mechanical Fuel Injection in a 4 stroke design, utilizing Variable Timing is the next step...

 

[blis]

Id say Mechanical Fuel Injection in a 4 stroke design, utilizing Variable Timing is the next step...

Its a long way till 4-strokers make into chainsaws due the weight of em... Im placing my bets on direct injection to 2 strokers....

 

[Bowtie]

I know this aint gonna happen, but how bout they leave a darn good product alone, and we do what WE want to them?

 

[GRTimberCO]

Its a long way till 4-strokers make into chainsaws due the weight of em... Im placing my bets on direct injection to 2 strokers....

I don't know about that. I figured it would be a long time coming with outboard motors too but low and behold they are here and pretty nice if you ask me. A little pricey though.

 

[zemmo]

I don't know about that. I figured it would be a long time coming with outboard motors too but low and behold they are here and pretty nice if you ask me. A little pricey though.

From dirtbikes, to motogp road-racers, outboards, snowmachines, you name it, two-strokes are being replaced by 4. Only in the most weight-sensitive applications (like where you have to pick the dang thing up), are 2-strokes surviving. Will direct injection and stratification make 2-strokes acceptably clean?

 

[Lakeside53]

Will direct injection and stratification make 2-strokes acceptably clean?

Hand-held OPE - Strat can take us though 2010, longer with EPA credits... then it's just a guessing game.... Computer/injected 4 stroker seems most likely, but... maybe a little more can be squeezed out of 2 smoker tech...

 

[bwalker]

Two cycle OPE engines will be around well past 2010 as we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as two cycle technology goes. Its the same situation with snowmobiles and outboard motors.
Bikes went four stroke because thats the way that was easiest for the Jap bike MFG's and the fact that company's like Honda, Kawi and Yamaha are four stroke companys at heart and only got into the 2 cycle game so they could compete.
FWIW non road emission regs are going to reach a point where even four cycles need expensive electronics to pass. When that happens two cycles are at a distinct advantage because they are cheaper to produce and lighter. Technology like the Four Mix and Hondas trimmers will not cut it in the future and will need Cat cons, electronics and eventually both to meet future regs.
Thas is unless the EPA figures out that OPE engines emissions dont amount to a drop in a bucket and instead concentrate their energy elsewhere.

 

[PES+]

Kawasaki and Yamaha were 2-stroke companies and switched. Honda was the one that built 2-strokes for certain markets but has always been more of a 4 stroke company. The ironic part is Honda now has some of the leading clean 2-stroke technology

The 4-Mix was never a good design for much of anything despite what the maketing people said and there are still people that marvel over it.

It wasn't and still isn't all that clean and Stihl has finally admitted that it has no further plans for it.

 

[Lakeside53]

Not sure where you get your information, but Stihl hasn't said it has no more plans for 4-mix... I reasonably sure they don't have plans to put them on saws (at least in their current form), but...

As for "clean", it is "clean enough" to be way ahead of the EPA requirements though 2009, and has been earning big credits for the dirtier devices. Will it need more work later? Sure... I have the HC gm/Kwh for a few saws and 4-mix somewhere .. I need to find them...

 

[Lakeside53]

Thas is unless the EPA figures out that OPE engines emissions dont amount to a drop in a bucket and instead concentrate their energy elsewhere.

yep... I wonder how many dirty saws to takes to equal the emmissons output of one transatlanic flight of an A380!

 

[PES+]

Please do...then also post the life cycle on the 4-mix....it is relevant

 

[PES+]

It was a pretty large amount of money invested and it was built but the very design was problematic from the beginning. All the promises that came with the technology turned out to be over stated

 

[Lakeside53]

There were some early problem with exhaust valve materials etc, choice of mix oils etc, but that's settled down. I predict you'll see the 4-mix around for a long long time to come.. But I digress... back to "saws".

I vote for a Wankel Diesel, turbo charged, with fuel preheaters, but it's special - runs on used engine oil or just about any old tar you can throw at it.

 

[JUDGE1162]

As emmision standards get stricter we will see a 4 stroke saw, there are proto-types out there now but with the right government push it will happen it is like everything else in life take cars for example without the government pushing for safety and increase MPG these advance would never take place.

It will happen and down the road you will not be able to get your hands on a 2 cycle saw. I predict it hits Bikes and sleds first then saws. Just look ow most lawnmowers are 4 cycle now and more and more lawn equipment is going that way 2 cycle outboards are being phased out sooner or latter it will be saws too.

 

[PES+]

I remember thinking about a system just like this one years ago...though hard to say if it would work well in an aircooled configuration.....should work with proper materials and engineering. And this actually gives a large increase in torque to the 2-stroke.


http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mchonda/exp2_tech.html

 

[PES+]

The main issue with the 4-mix has never changed. It was marketed to landscapers and having to use mixed fuel was neglected often in the heat of business. It also was aggravated by the introduction of true 4-strokes before the 4-mix release.
The promises before and at it's release were
1.)More power....not there
2.)Less weight for the amount of torque....on displacement basis yes on weight of powerhead no
3.) No need of valve adjustment.....they need adjustment just like any 4-stroke and they carbon no matter what mix oil used hence the introdution of the EDTA decarbon liquid

To a man when asked all of the people involved at the time when asked said the technology was not a good idea...but it is here and still praised like the design was some miracle.....I just can't figure out what advantage there is and never could

 

[Lakeside53]

3.) ... they carbon no matter what mix oil used hence the introdution of the EDTA decarbon liquid

EDTA - yep, you'll use it on 4-mixes - mainly blowers run on dino oil. There have been few problems with the weed eaters (I've never has to use it on any 90s', 110, 130 etc..). valve adjustment? rare... maybe once after a hundred or two hours.

I've seen the results of 500 hours continuous run (BR600) on synthetic oil. Really nice. Stihl dealers now have an oil brochure that shows this pic, but I don't have one I can publish. The new "super" semi-synthetic is fine also.

My BR600 has about 100 hours on it, all synthetic, and it's as clean as a whistle (I've always wondered about that saying!) on the valve stems, exhaust etc, and just a slight pattern (hard to see though the plug hole!) on the piston top. No EDTA required on this blower!.

Would I prefer a strat verison? sure... Am I happy with my BR600, very...