New chainsaw

[Bigdgb]

Makita is Dolmar, and I'm under the impression that Dolmar is a well-established brand with a good dealer network in Auz.

No so, Makita/Dolmar at most 1-2 per cent of the market, and chainsaw shops that sell them about the same, You can get them at any tool shop that sells Makita but 99% would not stock them and would not have parts in Stock or service to back them up.

 

[Hulsty]

You'll only need parts if it breaks!! Which for a occasional use 4x4 firewood saw is unlikely unless abused. Even if something does fail, its no biggie waiting 7 days for the parts from the US, its not your money earner. FYI mine which has been used for what you are doing has had no failures at all.

 

[MCW]

I got your message Graham - all I have to do is work out the bar mount for that McCulloch you have. No info available at all so if you can email me pictures of the mount I can help you out. And yes I'm too poor for a website (thanks Wayne!). I was selling a bit on eBay but pulled the pin due to tax reasons - it also created a monster and after working 10-12 hours a day I really didn't feel like coming home to another 4 hours of online work a night.
As far as parts go some guys here must have better Stihl and Husky dealers than I've ever been to. Whenever I've wanted Stihl or Husky parts they have ALWAYS had to be ordered in with a "we're doing an order in a few weeks so we'll tack it onto that", or "if we order $500 we get free freight so you'll have to wait" etc etc etc.
Quite frankly I rate very few Stihl or Husky dealers I've been to as times are tough and lowering stock levels in the current environment is the name of the game. They carry very few of the spares you'll generally need apart from bars and chains. Having a large inventory costs money.
If you can do maintenance saw work yourself you will find it a lot quicker and easier to jump online and order Makita parts through Edge & Engine in the US. If you did end up with a Makita and have trouble give me a yell as I have most common spares for that model of saw here as I run Dolmar 7900's myself. Also for your own info Graham I have needed to use VERY few of these spares apart from wear items such as clutch springs and chip guides.
As I wrote in my message I think your best bet would be a 7301 (or 7901) with the HD filter kit. I'd aim for the 79cc model as the trees in your photos are pretty sizeable and the longer the bar the better in case a log shifts while cutting. It gives you far more reach too. Despite the Stihl MS362 being a good saw it is overpriced for what it is and better options exist. Oh OK then, I used an MS362 once as have other people I know and we've all thought they're a piece of crap They start, the chain goes around and around, some chips fly out etc etc but that's about where their limitations kick in.
Stihl chain is good chain, as is Carlton (but cheaper). I'm also very impressed with the Windsor chain I have in stock. I use it regularly but it's quite old now. Since Blount have bastardised Windsor after buying it a few years back I'm not sure modern day Windsor is as good as their older stuff.
Stihl RSC and Oregon LGX are both excellent full chisel chains and I actually like them out of the box in clean wood better than Carlton. Be wary though when people say Stihl is the best chain on earth when they never cut anything but softwoods and use RSC. Until they get into dirty Australian, dead hardwoods then their information is completely invalid.

i'm a stihl head too (look at me sig) but don't judge all huskys on one experience i got a 390xp a couple of months ago and it aint going any where it's a bloody good saw. cheers

Heh heh. I agree

 

[Stihlman441]

Just to add to Matts 362 comments.
If you are going to cut a lot of dry Ozzy hard woods, Redgum ect the filter on this saw is not up the the job from what i have seen.

 

[MCW]

Just to add to Matts 362 comments.
If you are going to cut a lot of dry Ozzy hard woods, Redgum ect the filter on this saw is not up the the job from what i have seen.

I agree mate. It's a saw that Stihl designed for a cc class that nobody really wanted. Either grab an MS261 or an MS441 I reckon and at least their filters will do the job.

 

[Stihlman441]

Im the same,its an in between size saw that has no use for me.

 

[Graham99]

According to the Makita website the 6401, 7301, and the 7901 have the same weight on the powerhead. I am liking the idea of the 7301 with the HD filter, and I think it would do everything I need.

As far as chainsaws ate concerned I am fairly tech savvy on them, and anything I dont know I usually set out to learn. My 4wd has been built up by myself, and I am from a trade background.

However there are always people out there with more experience, and it is the smart person who seeks out those people and learns from them, as well as paying it forward when you too have the knowledge. I have done this with the most unreliable diesel engine Nissan have ever produced, (ZD30 DDTi) and am now doing my bit to reverse the trend.

Regards
Graham

 

[tdi-rick]

Graham, you're a brave man running a ZD30.

If you're game enough to keep that engine, you'll have no problems running a Makita.













and everyone reckons I'm nuts for running a Defender

 

[Graham99]

Hey it's a 140kW ZD30 which is returning 11L per 100 on a 3 tonne truck. Somebody has to buck the trend.

Ah land rover ownership....... I had one once, a long time ago. When I thought it couldnt get worse, something else would fall off. Hope it has changed now. :msp_biggrin:

Graham

 

[little buddy]

Will I be satisfied with my new saw??

I am a Stihl fanatic! I had a 440 with dual ported exhaust and a big bore kit that brought it to 76.5cc. Carlton 20" bar, 25" Stihl bar and a 32" Power Match Plus bar. It was a tough fast saw with some types of timber, but it seemed a lot of the time I didn't have the power that I needed for the job at hand. kick ass saw for bonfire wood but for iron wood and other thick hard woods it wasn't strong enough so I sold it on CL for $525. The other day I went and dropped $1,150 on a brand new MS 660 powerhead only, ordered a 28 inch Oregon Power Match Plus reduced weight bar and chisel chain from Baileys for $185. Also just ordered a dual port muffler, $35 and Nickel plated big bore kit $105. I have yet to receive any of my orders. Will be going from 91.6cc to 110cc I have heard. Gonna do all the mods before the saw even touches a pice of wood. I also have a MS 192T w/ 12" bar that I open up the exhaust on, man, what a awesome mean little saw! Love that thing! Now I shoud have the power I need (I hope). Any comments would be appreciated. Nevermind the beer bottle pic, I can't delete it. Tried to post a pic of my new saw.

 

[bryanr2]

I am a Stihl fanatic! I had a 440 with dual ported exhaust and a big bore kit that brought it to 76.5cc. Carlton 20" bar, 25" Stihl bar and a 32" Power Match Plus bar. It was a tough fast saw with some types of timber, but it seemed a lot of the time I didn't have the power that I needed for the job at hand. kick ass saw for bonfire wood but for iron wood and other thick hard woods it wasn't strong enough so I sold it on CL for $525. The other day I went and dropped $1,150 on a brand new MS 660 powerhead only, ordered a 28 inch Oregon Power Match Plus reduced weight bar and chisel chain from Baileys for $185. Also just ordered a dual port muffler, $35 and Nickel plated big bore kit $105. I have yet to receive any of my orders. Will be going from 91.6cc to 110cc I have heard. Gonna do all the mods before the saw even touches a pice of wood. I also have a MS 192T w/ 12" bar that I open up the exhaust on, man, what a awesome mean little saw! Love that thing! Now I shoud have the power I need (I hope). Any comments would be appreciated.

its late, so I may have not read your post right... but I would leave that BRAND NEW 660 with the oem piston and jug. There is a reason that big bore kit is only $105.

 

[little buddy]

its late, so I may have not read your post right... but I would leave that BRAND NEW 660 with the oem piston and jug. There is a reason that big bore kit is only $105.

I have searched the internet up and down and I cannot find a big bore kit that is over $110. I bought the one for my 440 from baileys for $89 and it worked awesome. There really isn't alot to them to make them expensive.

 

[deye223]

ok here we go will upset dudes lol,but anyways this big bore kit crap we all know they are made in china nasty crap, and they have to add more cc just to get anything like what a stock husky or stihl makes in power..cant say ive ver seen a so called big bore set the world on fire!.how many times do we hear i just put a big bore on and it dont seem to run wright, or run at all for that matter lol....as for how long they run well on a play saw fine but you better not be making a living from the saw haha...yes true stock Stihl and husky parts cost big bucks all that means is dont buy them if your poor and blow saws up lol...ya get what ya pay for and if you dont mind nasty cheap made in china crap in a big buck saw go for it just hope when it goes it dont take out the big end as well......but thats just me and i try not to buy anything made in China i even go to the 2nd hand shops to buy cups and mugs as long as they dont have made in china im happy and i pay less for a mug made in England than the same crap in the $2 shops....lol :angrysoapbox:

let'em go you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink
ps little buddy how much do you want for your oem p&c

 

[MCW]

ok here we go will upset dudes lol,but anyways this big bore kit crap we all know they are made in china nasty crap, and they have to add more cc just to get anything like what a stock husky or stihl makes in power..cant say ive ver seen a so called big bore set the world on fire!.how many times do we hear i just put a big bore on and it dont seem to run wright, or run at all for that matter lol....as for how long they run well on a play saw fine but you better not be making a living from the saw haha...yes true stock Stihl and husky parts cost big bucks all that means is dont buy them if your poor and blow saws up lol...ya get what ya pay for and if you dont mind nasty cheap made in china crap in a big buck saw go for it just hope when it goes it dont take out the big end as well......but thats just me and i try not to buy anything made in China i even go to the 2nd hand shops to buy cups and mugs as long as they dont have made in china im happy and i pay less for a mug made in England than the same crap in the $2 shops....lol :angrysoapbox:

They're not all bad mate and many are actually coming out of Taiwan. I can say with some confidence (as can others here) that some of the later generation BB kits are actually of better quality than the Stihl branded P&C's fitted to many of the new saws, in particular the Stihl MS660. They're no Mahle but they're pretty darn good.

 

[MCW]

Will be going from 91.6cc to 110cc I have heard.

You won't make 110cc mate but just a tad under 100cc. There is also no point pulling off the OEM top end hoping to get more power out of the BB kit. You'll find there is nothing in it and with certain kits you "may" even lose power. Trust me, I've imported a few different 066/660 BB kits and done the tests. There are some really nice, top quality BB kits doing the rounds but powerwise they don't have much over the stock top end. There are also some shocking BB kits that might give you 50 hours run time tops before the Nikasil starts falling off
There is a MASSIVE difference in quality across all the BB kits on the market. Some are approaching OEM quality and others look like they were made in a Chinese back alley with a hammer and file.

 

[Bigdgb]

I am a Stihl fanatic! I had a 440 with dual ported exhaust and a big bore kit that brought it to 76.5cc. Carlton 20" bar, 25" Stihl bar and a 32" Power Match Plus bar. It was a tough fast saw with some types of timber, but it seemed a lot of the time I didn't have the power that I needed for the job at hand. kick ass saw for bonfire wood but for iron wood and other thick hard woods it wasn't strong enough so I sold it on CL for $525. The other day I went and dropped $1,150 on a brand new MS 660 powerhead only, ordered a 28 inch Oregon Power Match Plus reduced weight bar and chisel chain from Baileys for $185. Also just ordered a dual port muffler, $35 and Nickel plated big bore kit $105. I have yet to receive any of my orders. Will be going from 91.6cc to 110cc I have heard. Gonna do all the mods before the saw even touches a pice of wood. I also have a MS 192T w/ 12" bar that I open up the exhaust on, man, what a awesome mean little saw! Love that thing! Now I shoud have the power I need (I hope). Any comments would be appreciated. Nevermind the beer bottle pic, I can't delete it. Tried to post a pic of my new saw.

ok Little buddy, when did you put the big bore kit on the 440? when it was new? you most likley would be down on power or at least no better off, and pushing a 32" bar on a 440 in big timber is asking too much,

To put a after market BB kit on and brand new 660 is nuts, if anything goes wrong with the saw, Stihl will just laugh at you,
with the P&C left as stock and the dual port muffler and the 28" bar you have the 660 will clean up anything if the chain is in top shape,

Bottem line is that mostly you would put a BB kit on when you have worn the OEM P&C over time, then the BB kit will bring the saw back to what it was or a bit more,
the stock 660 is not lacking in power in anyway to start with but will go well with dual port muff if you have it retuned properly.

good luck with it the 660 is a fine saw:msp_thumbup:

 

[little buddy]

Little Buddy and the BB MS 660

Ok fellas, Little Buddy here. With all of your comments, I have decided to NOT to install the BB kit in the brand new unused 660. Now all I have is the dilemma of what to do with the BB kit thats on the way.
I have a gut feeling there not going to return it, or has anybody done business with HL before? Anybody out there interested? I paid $108 and some change for it from HL supply. I will sell if for less that I paid for it just so I don't feel like I lost money ya know? I won't even open that box, Ill just mail it to you. Here is the link for the unit itself.
Stihl 066 MS660 big bore cylinder piston assembly 56mm

I did receive the dual muffler today and installed it. Maybe someone out there can give me some advice on how to tune it with that little orange screwdriver. The bar and chain have yet to come. I found out it will be here monday after I called Baileys and #####ed earlier today. Thanks for the input and Im glad I asked for some advice. L.B.

 

[GoRving]

Getting rid of the Mac is a good move. "Almost" anything else should be an improvement....

 

[little buddy]

ok Little buddy, when did you put the big bore kit on the 440? when it was new? you most likley would be down on power or at least no better off, and pushing a 32" bar on a 440 in big timber is asking too much,

To put a after market BB kit on and brand new 660 is nuts, if anything goes wrong with the saw, Stihl will just laugh at you,
with the P&C left as stock and the dual port muffler and the 28" bar you have the 660 will clean up anything if the chain is in top shape,

Bottem line is that mostly you would put a BB kit on when you have worn the OEM P&C over time, then the BB kit will bring the saw back to what it was or a bit more,
the stock 660 is not lacking in power in anyway to start with but will go well with dual port muff if you have it retuned properly.

good luck with it the 660 is a fine saw:msp_thumbup:

Ok fellas, Little Buddy here. With all of your comments, I have decided to NOT to install the BB kit in the brand new unused 660. Now all I have is the dilemma of what to do with the BB kit thats on the way.
I have a gut feeling there not going to return it, or has anybody done business with HL before? Anybody out there interested? I paid $108 and some change for it from HL supply. I will sell if for less that I paid for it just so I don't feel like I lost money ya know? I won't even open that box, Ill just mail it to you. Here is the link for the unit itself.
Stihl 066 MS660 big bore cylinder piston assembly 56mm

I did receive the dual muffler today and installed it. Maybe someone out there can give me some advice on how to tune it with that little orange screwdriver. The bar and chain have yet to come. I found out it will be here monday after I called Baileys and #####ed earlier today. Thanks for the input and Im glad I asked for some advice. L.B.

 

[MCW]

Ok fellas, Little Buddy here. With all of your comments, I have decided to NOT to install the BB kit in the brand new unused 660. Now all I have is the dilemma of what to do with the BB kit thats on the way.
I have a gut feeling there not going to return it, or has anybody done business with HL before? Anybody out there interested? I paid $108 and some change for it from HL supply. I will sell if for less that I paid for it just so I don't feel like I lost money ya know? I won't even open that box, Ill just mail it to you. Here is the link for the unit itself.
Stihl 066 MS660 big bore cylinder piston assembly 56mm

I did receive the dual muffler today and installed it. Maybe someone out there can give me some advice on how to tune it with that little orange screwdriver. The bar and chain have yet to come. I found out it will be here monday after I called Baileys and #####ed earlier today. Thanks for the input and Im glad I asked for some advice. L.B.

Make sure you inspect the kit when it arrives mate and make sure that all the port bevels look OK, the ports aren't tilted (insert the piston without rings and guage the port off the top of the piston), plus check other things. What I'd then do is stick it in the cupboard and keep it. You never know but you may like your new 660 that much that you'll be on the lookout for another one At least then you'll have a spare P&C in case you need to rebuild that one.