ms 361 dies at idle

[THALL10326]

But I wouldnt go that far,,,, Yet,,, but he either need's a "TUNE UP" on his service policy,,,, or we are not getting the entire story,,,, It's just not adding up and it's not the new math!!!!!! sounds like a new salesmans response, not a certified Tech/service manager,,,,,

and if I was in 67chevelle's ride I would be polite,,, but I wouldnt stop until my NEW saw was a purring like a new kitten at Idle and snarling like an ole Tom cat when a cuttin.....

Well ya gotta good point there, you do get more with honey than you do vinegar. It just kinda makes me go grrrrrrrr because the man that is telling this saw owner this non-sense obviously just doesn't know. I've always found if you don't know something just say ya don't know and find someone thats does. Old school I am, maybe alittle too old school I reckon. I'll put the ball bat back on the porch and put the rope away for now,

 

[manual]

Put your waders on Boys..... This is getting good.

BTW if a 361 is purring like a Kitten at Idle, There is something wrong with it.

 

[Lakeside53]

I've never seen a kitten at idle

 

[manual]

Sounds to me the dealer is sitting the Idle to low.

I don't think I would take it back to the same guy. I would get a second opinion.

 

[MrGriz]

As soon as he laid that BS line about running fuel with too high an octane rating, I would have grabbed the saw and hit the door. Either he's not the sharpest cutter on the chain or he just doesn't want your business. Either way it's time to move on.

 

[JohnO]

Take the Manual and show him in the Manual It says "Use Premium Branded unleaded gasoline with a Minimum octane rating of 89 RON" I run 93 in my stock saws and sunoco 114 purple in my hotrods,,, No trouble!!!

Does the manual really say 89 RON? That's like 86 pump octane, right? From what I recall, 91 RON is 87 pump, and 97 RON is 92 pump. Pump octane (in the US at least) is the average of Research and Motoring octane [(RON + MON)/2].

Not that this is relavent to your problem. The saw should run fine on any commonly available octane. Your carb adjustment is clearly hosed.

-John

 

[DGG]

If it were me, before I chased all over town burning up $3.50/gal gas, I would dump all the old fuel out, flush out the tank with clean fuel, slap a new $2.50 fuel filter in it, fill er up with 91 octane mix (don't forget to add the 2-cycle oil) and see what happens.

Could a choke that is partially stuck open be causing this problem?

You might email Stihl's tech wizards at their website and see if they have any suggestions.

You may just have a lemon (or bad carb), but it sure seems unlikely if it was running okay when you first got it. That's a darn fine saw, IMHO. Unless you really made a scene and ticked off the dealer he should go out of his way to make sure your are satisfied. If he isn't I'd email Stihl about him as I'm sure they don't need dealers that are not responsive to the customer's needs.

 

[SawTroll]

.... You may just have a lemon (or bad carb), but it sure seems unlikely if it was running okay when you first got it. That's a darn fine saw, IMHO. Unless you really made a scene and ticked off the dealer he should go out of his way to make sure your are satisfied. If he isn't I'd email Stihl about him as I'm sure they don't need dealers that are not responsive to the customer's needs.

I agree, but the first thing I would do, is opening the L screw slightly.

Anyway, I wouldn't use pump gas at all, Alkylate only - but I understand it isn't readily availiable in the US......:bang:

 

[67chevelle]

thanks for all of the help.I called him today and he said they could look at it again.I also called another dealer and told them the story and I think im gonna give them a try.If so they got all my business.I will say,once I get this little problem fixed its gonna be a pretty awesome saw.Full throttle cuts in 12'' oak and its impressive,just needs to idle.I also have a ps 5100,husky 350,and 372xp but man that 361 will run strong,there is just no comparing it to ms 290 and ms 310 that ive used.So im not trying to bad mouth the saw,or stihl,cause it is a quality piece with a small issue.It might just end up being my favorite one later but right now im gonna say its in the top 4. thanks again

 

[RiverRat2]

Good for you,, they will make it right,,,

thanks for all of the help.I called him today and he said they could look at it again.I also called another dealer and told them the story and I think im gonna give them a try.If so they got all my business.I will say,once I get this little problem fixed its gonna be a pretty awesome saw.Full throttle cuts in 12'' oak and its impressive,just needs to idle.I also have a ps 5100,husky 350,and 372xp but man that 361 will run strong,there is just no comparing it to ms 290 and ms 310 that ive used.So im not trying to bad mouth the saw,or stihl,cause it is a quality piece with a small issue.It might just end up being my favorite one later but right now im gonna say its in the top 4. thanks again

I wouldnt even waste the time to take it to the Low Octane fuel guy,,, :monkey: :monkey: :monkey:

and if the other guy takes care of ya he'd get the rest of my business,,, what premix are you using BTW for you fuel???

 

[TreeSwede]

Ran good at 95 octane (RON)

My 361 ran very good at Aspen alkylate which is 95 RON or 90 MON, at least before it got stolen! I sure hope it runs like crap now, or even explode in that rotten thief's face!
Not sure if I should buy a new one or go for a Dolmar 5100s- I do have a 357xp, but the Stihl had heated handles and that´s why I bought it in the first place.
The downside with having both Stihl and Husqvarna is the different barattachments.

 

[manual]

The 5100s has heated handles Now.
With that new 346xpg it's going to be hard to decide.
Nothing wrong with the MS361, Looks like you have the area covered with the 357XP.
So many saws so little time.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Probably could find a Husky dealer that would take the 361 in on trade.
Sorry guys I couldn't pass the opportunity up.

 

[TreeSwede]

Tough decisions..

Yeah, sometimes you really have to do some brainwork!!! I was already choosing between the 346xp (45cc) and the Dolmar 5100s, (unfortunately we only have the 5000 here in Sweden, which means a max rpm of 13500 instead of 14500, quite sure of that...) And then comes the 50cc version of 346xp and really makes it a tough choice! I have used the "old" 346 for some years as an employee and REALLY liked it- and I do miss not having a saw in that size now as self-employed. The gap between the MS200 and the 357xp is a little to big. I had two 242XP´s but sold them some years ago, maybe I shouldn't have!
Well I guess it will all end up in having both a Dolmar and the new 346, I also think the Dolmar 7900 looks like a good complement to my 372!!!
/Johan

 

[SawTroll]

The 5100s has heated handles Now.
With that new 346xpg it's going to be hard to decide.
Nothing wrong with the MS361, Looks like you have the area covered with the 357XP.
So many saws so little time.

Yes, Witchys 5100 is a SH, with heated handles. We haven't used them yet, as the weather has been fine......

Imo, a 5100 cannot replace a MS361, unless the 361 was overkill for what you are doing, but is a very fine compromise between the 60cc saws, and the regular 50cc ones......

 

[TreeSwede]

The 5100 wouldn´t be a replacement for the stolen 361, the 357 takes care of that!

 

[SawTroll]

A 5100 with heated handles will weight pretty close to a 361 without it, but that info is probably not very helpful.

A 361 with heated handles will weight close to the same as a 357xp without it.....

 

[Cut4fun]

actual weights being used

We weighed the 357,361,5100 at the gtg. They all had full bar oil,and gas as they would be used with 16" b+c's. No heated handles on any of them. This was witnessed by Bsnelling,Begely and myself. The 357,361 was 17.5 lbs ready to run and the 5100 was 15.5 lbs (if memory is correct on 5100s) or it could have been the 026 and 5000+ on hand.

 

[SawTroll]

We weighed the 357,361,5100 at the gtg. They all had full bar oil,and gas as they would be used with 16" b+c's. No heated handles on any of them. This was witnessed by Bsnelling,Begely and myself. The 357,361 was 17.5 lbs ready to run and the 5100 was 15.5 lbs (if memory is correct on 5100s) or it could have been the 026 and 5000+ on hand.

That introduces bar and chain weight, and tank volumes into the picture, not a fair way to weight saws, imo......

...for instance, the 361 need only halv a tank of bar oil, to one tank of fuel, and it has a large fuel tank also.....

 

[Cut4fun]

Yeah actual filled up saws the way they are going to be used isnt fair is it. Bawhahahah.