MS361 Big Bore Kit Review

[forestryworks]

don't laugh too hard, andy, you'll spill saw in your beer

 

[Lakeside53]

Beer? I've had my three.... I'm "sipping" VSOP right now. Some fool bought me a bottle of that high-priced liquor my Bday. Won't last long...

 

[windthrown]

na.... Chinese manufacture... opps.. Taiwan (maybe), sorry (maybe) negates the cancer cure.

So.. all you guys that hated China in past threads are going to fit these? :greenchainsaw:

Heck no! I plan on buying up enough 361s to keep them down on hours and never have to rebuild them.

2010 looms, ever near. My time is short. I need to buy more 361s soon. CAD is not enough here. This is more serious.

Thanks to CL, I can get a whole 361 in good shape now for a mere 2x the price of an OEM jug and piston... which
seems more... cost effective. And no Tsing Tao-Instant Nao engine castings in the loop!

Oh, and I need one more 361 to be buried with. Maybe a virgin one, totally unused. No fumes that way in my coffin.

 

[timistall]

like members... In case anyone thinks everyone does mufflers.. the ONLY 361 muffler mod I've ever seen around here are mine... and 99% PLUS of all pro saws that come though the store are stock.

Now you've seen another

 

[SawTroll]

The MS 361 was a completely new design from the Stihl engineers, not an updated 360. The 361 engine has four long closed transfer ports compared to the two short closed ports on the 360. The 360 has 61.5cc displacement, and the 361 has 59cc. The 361 also has a different ignition with an advance curve. Emissions on the 361 are lower than the 360, and it gets better fuel economy. The 361 has a tad less power than the 360 (1/10th of a HP). The 361 has a spring mount handle that really cuts down on the vibration, compared to the rubber mounts of the 360. I have run them side by side and the 361 has way less vibration. The 361 is a tad lighter than the 360 as well, but you would not notice it (about .2 pounds more on the 360).

The "tad less power" is specific to the US - all the VB made USA versions have a tad less power than the German made counterparts - EPA again.....umpkin2: umpkin2: umpkin2:

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Companies such as Baileys having aftermarket sourced parts helps all the buyers of stihl, husky etc saws, without this kind of product what motivation does stihl have in keeping its parts prices at a realistic level? Not much here. We get put over a barrel and screwed for parts.
I try to keep a sense of humour about it but a P and C for an MS200t costs more than your average arborist get paid in the hand in a week, The same as my million dollar liability insurance for a year, the same as about 9 restraunt meals including drinks and desert for me and my wife or a month and a halfs worth of groceries.

If I was synical, I would say the difference in price for the 361 p&c is because stihl recognises that this is a potential risk to there parts monopoly and are acting to close the door where they need to (but were a little disorganised doing it). I dont know but has the cost of a Stihl 66 P&C has come down since they have been available aftermarket?

Aftermarket parts are great for the industry, even if they are not of the highest quality.

Keep us posted on the 361BB progress, its all good!

 

[windthrown]

The "tad less power" is specific to the US - all the VB made USA versions have a tad less power than the German made counterparts - EPA again.....umpkin2: umpkin2: umpkin2:

Yah, I was told by a designer that the 361 original design had a tad more power than the 360. Checking the US specs though, it wound up the other way around.

Was also told some stuff about the 362. Will be strato-scavanged, but supposed to be better than the way that the 441 was designed. We shall see...

 

[volks-man]

was my question too noobish?
if you grind the piston to fit and you grind unevenly parallel with the round side if the wrist pin wouldn't the extra mass on one side or the other of the pin cause a rocking motion at tdc/bdc?

 

[Bowtie]

Companies such as Baileys having aftermarket sourced parts helps all the buyers of stihl, husky etc saws, without this kind of product what motivation does stihl have in keeping its parts prices at a realistic level? Not much here. We get put over a barrel and screwed for parts.
I try to keep a sense of humour about it but a P and C for an MS200t costs more than your average arborist get paid in the hand in a week, The same as my million dollar liability insurance for a year, the same as about 9 restraunt meals including drinks and desert for me and my wife or a month and a halfs worth of groceries.

If I was synical, I would say the difference in price for the 361 p&c is because stihl recognises that this is a potential risk to there parts monopoly and are acting to close the door where they need to (but were a little disorganised doing it). I dont know but has the cost of a Stihl 66 P&C has come down since they have been available aftermarket?

Aftermarket parts are great for the industry, even if they are not of the highest quality.

Keep us posted on the 361BB progress, its all good!

+1 I never have doubted the quality of OEM Stihl, but I absolutely agree with that!!

 

[Crofter]

was my question too noobish?
if you grind the piston to fit and you grind unevenly parallel with the round side if the wrist pin wouldn't the extra mass on one side or the other of the pin cause a rocking motion at tdc/bdc?

Yes technically it will be an off center load and induce a tendency to rotate or rock in the bore when accelerating or decelerating however if you consider the uneven lateral loading and friction caused by rod angularity, I think the balance factor is insignificant.

 

[blsnelling]

was my question too noobish?
if you grind the piston to fit and you grind unevenly parallel with the round side if the wrist pin wouldn't the extra mass on one side or the other of the pin cause a rocking motion at tdc/bdc?

I relieved the piston on all four corners. It's not going to make that much difference. I take a LOT more metal than that off the piston when I port a saw.

 

[lcso10]

yep...



BTW, you said 40% of Stihls price? The OEM 361 P&C (with nice pins ) is $220... so these will list for $88?

In the southeast my list price is $160.45. Maybe they will get there price from my dealer price list. That would even be less than $88.00

 

[epicklein22]

In the southeast my list price is $160.45. Maybe they will get there price from my dealer price list. That would even be less than $88.00

That is ridiculously cheap.

 

[cuttinscott]

That is ridiculously cheap.

I would not call that Cheap for the Chinese Parts................




Scott

 

[blsnelling]

I would not call that Cheap for the Chinese Parts................




Scott

I think he's talking about $160 for OEM.

 

[Mad Professor]

As Lakeside said, I'd be concerned if the piston and/or cylinder are not round, sounds like quality control is poor. What if the instead of tight/loose spots lining up the tight/tight spots do? With 0.0015 clearance I see a scuff on the way before a tank of gas is ran through it

Honda used to make bikes with oval pistons but they were supposed to be that way and pulled 18,000 rpm.........

 

[stihl only]

Companies such as Baileys having aftermarket sourced parts helps all the buyers of stihl, husky etc saws, without this kind of product what motivation does stihl have in keeping its parts prices at a realistic level? Not much here. We get put over a barrel and screwed for parts.
I try to keep a sense of humour about it but a P and C for an MS200t costs more than your average arborist get paid in the hand in a week, The same as my million dollar liability insurance for a year, the same as about 9 restraunt meals including drinks and desert for me and my wife or a month and a halfs worth of groceries.

If I was synical, I would say the difference in price for the 361 p&c is because stihl recognises that this is a potential risk to there parts monopoly and are acting to close the door where they need to (but were a little disorganised doing it). I dont know but has the cost of a Stihl 66 P&C has come down since they have been available aftermarket?

Aftermarket parts are great for the industry, even if they are not of the highest quality.

Keep us posted on the 361BB progress, its all good!

I can't agree with you there. Your parts prices must be very high, but a guy making a living with a saw is NOT the guy that should chance failure of any part of the saw, be it bar, chain, clutch, etc. At least bars and chains can be changed on the job, but a motor issue, and it's time to go home for the day! This is the guy that needs the best quality stuff he can get his hands on, and if you really can't make a living and afford to keep the saws running????

Might be time for a career change?

 

[Lakeside53]

The NZ situation is a bit odd - some of the priciest saws (and therefore parts) in the world... Some it has to do with the low $NZ, and some with the markup/distubtion systems. And of course, it's not just saws - just about anything imported.

Oh, for those of you that dont know where NZ is.. everything is hauled 8000 (USA) -12,000 (Germany) miles before it gets there.

 

[PB]

The NZ situation is a bit odd - some of the priciest saws (and therefore parts) in the world... Some it has to do with the low $NZ, and some with the markup/distubtion systems. And of course, it's not just saws - just about anything imported.

Oh, for those of you that dont know where NZ is.. everything is hauled 8000 (USA) -12,000 (Germany) miles before it gets there.

It borders Peru doesn't it?

 

[Lakeside53]

lolol In a sense... justs like it's a state of Australia.. [ducks]