New Stihl MS260 owner.

[SomewhatStock]

Hi everyone,
Im new here and to the world of chainsaws. I live on LI and when Irene came, I bought an Echo 371 while in Home Depot. While cutting the trunk of a tree that had fallen, I noticed that the saw bogged a lot. I come from a performance car background, no naturally I wanted more power. Its just something built into me.

Anyway, I returned it after that 1 tank of gas and went shopping for an MS290. When I was at my local Stihl dealer, ESSCO in Lindenhurst NY, I picked up the 290 and 261 for comparison and the 261 was noticeably lighter. I decided to spend the extra coin and get the 261.

Although I dont have much to compare it to, I think its great. It felt smooth, easy to move, and where the Echo chain would have gotten pinched, this one pulled through.

Anyway, once we have some more trees fall, Im gonna gas it up and get working with it again. Its funny, I was looking up MS261 on youtube and after searching the net for info and feedback in it, I found this site and the guys who made the videos. THANKS!


Im interested in modding the muffler, does anyone have pics on how they have done it? I searched here and found red x's. Im not sure if the files are bad, or if my work computer is blocking them.

 

[Stihl-Pioneer]

Welcome to AS. Congrats on the new saw. Post up some pics when you get a chance. Take care of it and it should last you a long time.

 

[Showme]

Nice saw. A Dremel and a few slots on the flywheel side of the muffler and you can open up some "fish gills" and you'll have yourself a muff mod.

 

[jus2fat]

Hi everyone,
Im new here and to the world of chainsaws. I live on LI and when Irene came, I bought an Echo 371 while in Home Depot. While cutting the trunk of a tree that had fallen, I noticed that the saw bogged a lot. I come from a performance car background, no naturally I wanted more power. Its just something built into me.

Anyway, I returned it after that 1 tank of gas and went shopping for an MS290. When I was at my local Stihl dealer, ESSCO in Lindenhurst NY, I picked up the 290 and 261 for comparison and the 261 was noticeably lighter. I decided to spend the extra coin and get the 261.

Although I dont have much to compare it to, I think its great. It felt smooth, easy to move, and where the Echo chain would have gotten pinched, this one pulled through.

Anyway, once we have some more trees fall, Im gonna gas it up and get working with it again. Its funny, I was looking up MS261 on youtube and after searching the net for info and feedback in it, I found this site and the guys who made the videos. THANKS!


Im interested in modding the muffler, does anyone have pics on how they have done it? I searched here and found red x's. Im not sure if the files are bad, or if my work computer is blocking them.

Just be aware of the fact that if you do a muff mod...you will void the warranty.
If you bought the 6-pack of Stihl synthetic oil and doubled the warranty from 1 to 2 years
you are basically willing to sacrifice a 2 year warranty for a little more power..HUH..??

And I take it that you really don't use a a chainsaw all that much...so WHY..??
The 261 cuts just fine stock...you might consider waiting until you're close to the warranty
expiring to do the muff mod. Or buy another muffler so you can replace it with if you should
have a problem with the saw and need to take it back to the dealer for warranty coverage.

And don't buy the new muffler from the same dealer that you bought the saw from..!!

And if you do the muff mod you will definitely need to re-adjust the carb.
That means you'll have to pull the limiter caps on the adjustment screws
and that will also void your warranty. Just giving you the facts...Your call..!!

J2F

 

[SomewhatStock]

Welcome to AS. Congrats on the new saw. Post up some pics when you get a chance. Take care of it and it should last you a long time.

Thanks! Ill post some pics... Its a 261, not a 260. I wonder if a mod can fix the thread title.

Nice saw. A Dremel and a few slots on the flywheel side of the muffler and you can open up some "fish gills" and you'll have yourself a muff mod.

Cool, thats easy.


Here is a pic of my first chainsaw experience. Irene caused my neighbors tree fell blocking the road, the town took a bulldozer and pushed the mess back onto his property. I volunteered to cut it up so the town can take it away.

 

[SomewhatStock]

Just be aware of the fact that if you do a muff mod...you will void the warranty.
If you bought the 6-pack of Stihl synthetic oil and doubled the warranty from 1 to 2 years
you are basically willing to sacrifice a 2 year warranty for a little more power..HUH..??

And I take it that you really don't use a a chainsaw all that much...so WHY..??
The 261 cuts just fine stock...you might consider waiting until you're close to the warranty
expiring to do the muff mod. Or buy another muffler so you can replace it with if you should
have a problem with the saw and need to take it back to the dealer for warranty coverage.

And don't buy the new muffler from the same dealer that you bought the saw from..!!

J2F

Thanks, I really didnt think about it like that. I dont really think about warranty stuff. I also thought that the extent of the tune change was within the control of the screws from the outside.

I also wasnt aware of the doubled warranty thing. Ill stop by the dealer and ask about it tomorrow.

 

[jus2fat]

Thanks, I really didnt think about it like that. I dont really think about warranty stuff.
I also wasnt aware of the doubled warranty thing. Ill stop by the dealer and ask about it tomorrow.

I added to my first reply (edited)...you need to read the added part..!!
The dealer should have told you about the double warranty deal when making the sale..!!

J2F

 

[Stihls]

I think you're really gonna like your new 261. I bought an MS260 (my first real saw) back in 2003-2004 when Isabel hit. Since then I've run the pee pee outta that saw and have really put it work on my tree farm. It's had some rough and tumble days and a lot of use, but it keeps on ticking. And I've never had to take it to the dealer to get it fixed either. The only thing I've ever done is replace the fuel filter, the spark plug and the air filter. And I'm not even really sure it needed those things, I just did it as a sort of PM because I've used it so much. It truly is an awesome saw. As far as the muffler mod, I just recently did it to my saw and it really woke it up. All I did was to drill out the primary hole on the side of the muffler (after temporarily removing the spark arrestor screen). I made it a bit bigger and ovaled it out some. Then replaced the screen and fired her up - definitely produces more power and makes the saw better than ever. And I didn't have to do anything more than the standard idle adjustment provided in my manual. Seems to run great and I do not believe it runs lean (smokes as much as it ever did).

The only caution I would advise is that some of the new Stihl saws (the ones like yours with a 1 added to the end) in some ways are significantly different than their predecessors. They're designed to consume less fuel and have a torquier powerband. I would check with someone who's already done the mod to make sure it has the same effect on power as it does to the older MS260. Two stroke engines can be very finicky and usually have their intake system, carburation, internal porting/flow dynamics and exhaust carefully tuned together and matched to work in harmony for maximum overall performance. Sometimes if you try to mod one thing without also compensating the other things it can do more harm than good. I remember the 1979 Yamaha Daytona RD400 which was a "smog controlled" 2 stroke engine that was changed from the previous non-smog years. Like these newer Stihl saws, it also had a torquier powerband and less fuel consumption. But if you tried to tune it by slapping on an expansion chamber without also taking into account the new carburetion system you could ruin the power delivery of the engine. You could also seize it because the new carbs were set to run leaner under many circumstances (like during throttle off deceleration). So I would just check with other people who have already done it to make sure it will work as well on the 261 as it does on the 260.

Anyway, good luck with the new saw. I think you're gonna really like it for many years to come.

 

[SomewhatStock]

I added to my first reply (edited)...you need to read the added part..!!
The dealer should have told you about the double warranty deal when making the sale..!!

J2F

Thanks.... ill definately go back to ask about it.

I think you're really gonna like your new 261. I bought an MS260 (my first real saw) back in 2003-2004 when Isabel hit. Since then I've run the pee pee outta that saw and have really put it work on my tree farm. It's had some rough and tumble days and a lot of use, but it keeps on ticking. And I've never had to take it to the dealer to get it fixed either. The only thing I've ever done is replace the fuel filter, the spark plug and the air filter. And I'm not even really sure it needed those things, I just did it as a sort of PM because I've used it so much. It truly is an awesome saw. As far as the muffler mod, I just recently did it to my saw and it really woke it up. All I did was to drill out the primary hole on the side of the muffler (after temporarily removing the spark arrestor screen). I made it a bit bigger and ovaled it out some. Then replaced the screen and fired her up - definitely produces more power and makes the saw better than ever. And I didn't have to do anything more than the standard idle adjustment provided in my manual. Seems to run great and I do not believe it runs lean (smokes as much as it ever did).

The only caution I would advise is that some of the new Stihl saws (the ones like yours with a 1 added to the end) in some ways are significantly different than their predecessors. They're designed to consume less fuel and have a torquier powerband. I would check with someone who's already done the mod to make sure it has the same effect on power as it does to the older MS260. Two stroke engines can be very finicky and usually have their intake system, carburation, internal porting/flow dynamics and exhaust carefully tuned together and matched to work in harmony for maximum overall performance. Sometimes if you try to mod one thing without also compensating the other things it can do more harm than good. I remember the 1979 Yamaha Daytona RD400 which was a "smog controlled" 2 stroke engine that was changed from the previous non-smog years. Like these newer Stihl saws, it also had a torquier powerband and less fuel consumption. But if you tried to tune it by slapping on an expansion chamber without also taking into account the new carburetion system you could ruin the power delivery of the engine. You could also seize it because the new carbs were set to run leaner under many circumstances (like during throttle off deceleration). So I would just check with other people who have already done it to make sure it will work as well on the 261 as it does on the 260.

Anyway, good luck with the new saw. I think you're gonna really like it for many years to come.

There was a huuuuugh thread on here about someone getting a new ms261 and modding it. From what I got out of the thead, the saw picked up some torque. Either way, Im gonna leave it stock for atleast a year


Are there any mods around who can update my title and approve a post? I posted pics of my first cutting experience and since im a newb, they need approval.

 

[jus2fat]

And I didn't have to do anything more than the standard idle adjustment provided in my manual. Seems to run great and I do not believe it runs lean (smokes as much as it ever did).

I mean in no way to seem disrespectful to you...But...
That's got to be one of the best (funniest) sentences I have ever read..!!

I can hear me saying..."Here you go...got 'er tuned up perfect...smokes just right..!!!

J2F

 

[SomewhatStock]

trying to see if I could post a pic

This was after some cutting

 

[SomewhatStock]

Is there something on this board that prohibits posts with images hosted by photobucket?

 

[Evan]

if the smoke makes your eyes water its to rich

 

[Andyshine77]

Is there something on this board that prohibits posts with images hosted by photobucket?

I just link them from my computer.

Congrats on you new 261.

 

[SomewhatStock]

Ok, this was my first time using a chainsaw. I cut for about an hour with the Echo, then the rest with the stihl. Some of the logs were taken away before the last pics were taken.

View attachment 198724
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[PA Plumber]

Too bad about the Oak tree.

Congrats on the 261.

 

[Stihls]

I mean in no way to seem disrespectful to you...But... That's got to be one of the best (funniest) sentences I have ever read..!! I can hear me saying..."Here you go...got 'er tuned up perfect...smokes just right..!!!
J2F

If that's the best/funniest sentence you've ever read, you must have lived an extremely short and sheltered life up until this point. I suppose you use an oxygen/exhaust analyzer on your saws to verify your mixture ratio? If not, you're just guessing like everyone else, fatso. :biggrin:

In the meantime maybe your funnymeter can give us a read on Evan's statement below.

if the smoke makes your eyes water its to rich

 

[David (saltas)]

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/173328.htm

Ms261 alloy H screw limiter, saw needs to be richened up a bit likes 13800 rpm WOT

 

[David (saltas)]

I mean in no way to seem disrespectful to you...But...
That's got to be one of the best (funniest) sentences I have ever read..!!

I can hear me saying..."Here you go...got 'er tuned up perfect...smokes just right..!!!

J2F

I hope they bring it to me and I can tell them it has blown a smoke seal

You do use seal swell on your smoke seals don't you

No !

Its gonna cost yah.

replacing the seal is easy but getting the smoke back in is dam tricky business.

 

[Stihlman441]

Saltas is on the money they do like to run a little rich 13800 to 13900 .
Here is the extra port on myne.