new saw break-in (441)

[nctacoma]

Greetings, after much great advice from this forum and the fact that I work right across the street from a Stihl dealer, I decided to buy a 441 today.

I haven't looked through the owners manual yet, but do you all have any recommendations for breaking in a new saw? Any procedures that I should follow?

I guess this could be tailored to the 441, but also would be very helpful for other new saw owners with different models as well.

I am a Newb, so excuse my ignorance and thank you all for helping me spend my money. Now hopefully I can extinguish the burning hole in my pocket, now that the money is all gone. :biggrinbounce2:

 

[Timberhauler]

I buy several new saws a year...And I don't do anything special.I just begin running it normally.The engine will break itself in.

 

[livewire]

Welcome to AS!

Congrats on your new aquisition. There's alot of talk here about that particular saw. Sounds like you made a good choice.

Break-in? I'd have to say break that baby in with a nice muffler mod.
It has a cooped up muffler that could benefit from better breathing.

Just don't run it WOT without it being in the wood for about 5 tanks or so. Otherwise run it like you stole it!

Have fun and nice choice!

 

[Just Mow]

Greetings, after much great advice from this forum and the fact that I work right across the street from a Stihl dealer, I decided to buy a 441 today.

I haven't looked through the owners manual yet, but do you all have any recommendations for breaking in a new saw? Any procedures that I should follow?

I guess this could be tailored to the 441, but also would be very helpful for other new saw owners with different models as well.

I am a Newb, so excuse my ignorance and thank you all for helping me spend my money. Now hopefully I can extinguish the burning hole in my pocket, now that the money is all gone. :biggrinbounce2:

Welcome. Excellent purchase.
Just keep running it and it will take care of itself. It runs very well right out of the box. Good luck.

 

[PA Plumber]

Congrats on the new saw purchase. I have never done anything different on new saw break-ins until I found this site. Now I have a tach and am starting to tinker more than ever. I have mine turned down just a bit, but understand the factory settings are fine.

Hope you enjoy your new saw and keep us posted.

 

[Lakeside53]

Just run it nice... and "normally". Premium or 89 gas, 50:1, leave the carb and muffler alone unless you are a gear-head-saw-addict, and even then...



and... read the owners manual...

 

[XJWoody]

Greetings, after much great advice from this forum and the fact that I work right across the street from a Stihl dealer, I decided to buy a 441 today... :biggrinbounce2:

That right there would flat-out ruin me.

Congrats on your new saw!

 

[adkranger]

I agree with the rest, just run it. But do not run WOT out of wood. Nice purchase.

Get used to that empty pocket feeling if you have to work daily in close proximaty to your dealer.

 

[tawilson]

Greetings. Just had to go out and show my buddy the 441 and let him cut a few cookies with it. First thing he mentioned was how balanced it was with a 20" bar on it. Then he mentioned how quick it zipped through that hard maple I had on hand.

 

[24d]

?

does any one have a pic of a good muffler mod for this saw ?

 

[CaseyForrest]

Welcome to AS!

Congrats on your new aquisition. There's alot of talk here about that particular saw. Sounds like you made a good choice.

Break-in? I'd have to say break that baby in with a nice muffler mod.
It has a cooped up muffler that could benefit from better breathing.

Just don't run it WOT without it being in the wood for about 5 tanks or so. Otherwise run it like you stole it!

Have fun and nice choice!

Actually, the muffler is empty. There isnt allot of backpressure on these saws to begin with, so if you start chopping up your muffler, be conservative.

 

[CaseyForrest]

does any one have a pic of a good muffler mod for this saw ?

Ill get a pic of mine in a few minutes. Please keep in mind my saw has had port work done to it.

 

[NYH1]

Without getting my owners manual out for my new 365 I seem to recall it saying the breaking period was 10 hours. I'll break this saw in the same way I broke in my last two. I'll use 89 octane fuel mixed at 50:1 with Husky XP oil. I won't hold it at WOT unless in the cut. And when I'm cutting I don't push down on it and bog it down. I just let the saw cut at it's own speed making sure it doesn't rev to high.

 

[CaseyForrest]

hey ya go. Stock outlet opened up a bit, and second on the other side.

 

[ericjeeper]

Whoa wait a minute..

No one told the new guy? That he is supposed to send the saw to members of this site.. so we can each do our part, you know, to properly break her in... Nah. just treat it like you stole it as long as it is in the wood.. Do not lean on it to hard and bog , Just let the big dog hunt.
Welcome to the site..

 

[Dadatwins]

New saw break -in 101

Step 1 - read the manual
Step 2 - add fuel mix to fuel tank
Step 3 - add bar oil to oil tank
Step 4 - find wood

Congrats on your new saw and be careful.

 

[ben14826]

Actually, the muffler is empty. There isnt allot of backpressure on these saws to begin with, so if you start chopping up your muffler, be conservative.

I know you weren't saying that in a political light, but it still kinda fits. After all only crazy right wingers would be so ignorant as to open up their mufflers so that they can spew out terrible, global-warming causing emissions, right? Maybe thats a lame one, but hey I tried.

 

[Schultzz]

Like $hit through a tin horn

Make sure your chain is reasonably tight, stay out of the dirt (ground), make sure bar nuts are very tight. With a sharp chain this saw will cut like a dream. If you have a 25" bar, be extra careful with what you do with it after you cut through the log. Wear safety glasses as bark will tend to come right at your eyes when you first cut. Ear plugs are not a bad idea either as is a helmet. Please be careful. This saw will cut like "$hit through a tin horn" to quote an ole timer friend who is gone now. This baby is made in Germany.

 

[CaseyForrest]

I know you weren't saying that in a political light, but it still kinda fits. After all only crazy right wingers would be so ignorant as to open up their mufflers so that they can spew out terrible, global-warming causing emissions, right? Maybe thats a lame one, but hey I tried.

Hey thats OK. Everyone knows we "right wingers" dont care about the enviorment.

I think Ill go buy some carbon offsets.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Make sure your chain is reasonably tight, stay out of the dirt (ground), make sure bar nuts are very tight. With a sharp chain this saw will cut like a dream. If you have a 25" bar, be extra careful with what you do with it after you cut through the log. Wear safety glasses as bark will tend to come right at your eyes when you first cut. Ear plugs are not a bad idea either as is a helmet. Please be careful. This saw will cut like "$hit through a tin horn" to quote an ole timer friend who is gone now. This baby is made in Germany.

Excellent advice.