Saws and sound levels

[B_Turner]

I am in the minority on AS that none of my saws are modded. I don't like the extra sound levels of the muffler mods - I am pretty sensitive to noise these days in addition to doing a lot of my cutting in urban areas. I make up for this lack of performance gain by running super sharp chains and fairly strong saws to begin with.

Just musing here....I sometimes think I would put up with a LITTLE less power yet if a saw was much quieter. But I wonder if I really would. Once one has tasted more power in any machine, it's hard to go back. Like once I ran square ground chain, round ground seems anemic.

Course those with modded saw are probably saying the same thing, that they could never go back.

The proof will be when the 4 stroke saws come out whether I can live with less power in a smaller saw as a tradeoff for being more civilized. As I think about it now, no way I am going to be happy with less power on my 066 or 395. But I would be willing to pay more if I could buy a muffler that had the same power and was quieter.

Note: I always use the best plugs and ear muffs available, so nothing to be gained there. Moldex 6800 and Peltor 10 series muffs.

 

[oldsaw]

My 066 is pretty uncivilized, but the 3120 is very tame. Since I mill in some suburban areas, I intend to keep it that way.

Mark

 

[Ductape]

I wonder how it will be in the near future with four stroke saws. Like you, i have to think they will be down on power, and heavier. Though.... i look at modern dirt bikes,street bikes, and even outboard motors. Especially the motorcycle industry..... their four stokes have come a long way in the past few years. Look at the new GP bikes. Do you think it will be possible that the saw manufacturers will be able to produce 18,000 + rpm , four stroke saws that will be comparable in power and weight to the saws we have now?

 

[Trigger-Time]

Ductape, I think we will see some big changes......its just like our cars
and gas mileage, Government said it had to change, and thats what will
happen with the saws. Saw manufactures don't want to spend all that
money on R&D but its going to happen...........Not that many years
if you would ask a someone if they thought their would ever be a saw
that weighed 16lbs, has 7hp and turn 13,000 rpm (660) they
might have laughed in your face.........Things are going to change IMO.

 

[NYH1]

If four stroke "chain saws" are going to be like four stoke "race dirt bikes" my biggest concern isn't going to be power or weight. It's going to be price and durability!

I looked at Yamaha's web site. Their YZ450F "four stroke" is 449cc, 220 lbs and costs $6999-$7099. Their YZ250 "two stroke" is 250cc, 211 lbs. and costs $6299. From what little I've seen, the four strokes run pretty well against the two strokes. The four strokes displacement is almost doubled over the two stroke. They seem to have kept the weight down though. Now they have to work on price. I'd also like to know if durability has been as good with the four strokes!

Having said the above, I'm in no hurry to get a four stroke chain saw! I also run my saws stock.

 

[Tzed250]

Pick up a modern dirt bike magazine and check out what it costs to maintain a four-stroke racebike vs. a two-stroke. the difference is amazing. I can put a fresh top end on a two stroke in just over an hour, try that with a new four-stroke. The four-strokes cost more, are heavier, they are louder, cost more to maintain, and are harder to start. I dont want any part of that on a dirt bike, and I sure dont want any part of that on a saw.

 

[tek9tim]

From what little I've seen, the four strokes run pretty well against the two strokes.

Pretty well? The 125 class doesn't hardly have any 125s in it anymore. Yeah, it costs more and takes longer to do a top end rebuild on a 4 stroke, but you don't have to do it as often as on a 2 stroke. Louder? Yes, but they can be made quiet, (as people who actually want to keep using riding areas do) and they're a whole lot cleaner running. Plus, I like the power character of my 450 a lot better than 250 2 strokes. BUT, I'm an off road guy, not a motocrosser. You have to accept that 2 stroke bikes (for better or worse) are going away. Kawasaki has dropped at least their 125, and Honda's dropping their 250 after this year. That sucks for the small time guy that wants to get into racing since the 2 strokes are cheaper to attain and maintain.

As to a 4 stroke chainsaw, I'm gonna keep cutting trees long after my current saws are dead, and if the only new saws I can buy are 4 strokes, so be it. If that's what I have to run, I will. No use complaining about it.

 

[B_Turner]

My strategy for the future of saws is first to stockpile some 7900s and maybe an extra 395 just so I'm covered for a while.

And then to hope with the right motivation technology comes through eventually. For those old enough to remember how Harley got the US to put huge tariffs on any in coming street bikes large than 750cc, many folks though it was a terrible thing for the common person. Turns out the Japanese simply started designing bikes smaller than 750cc with incredible power, that coupled with the reduced weight launched the kind of performance in street bikes we see now.

Along with that momentum came better brakes, front suspensions, etc that leaped the old bikes. Ironically, harleys were left even further behind from a technology point of view. (Although their mystic managed to carry them.)

I know it is a completely different deal from chainsaws, but I use it as an example that with the right motivation 4 stroke saws could at a minimum be improved from what we see today in small 4 stroke motors. For the big manufacturors, it is all about chasing money.

 

[Tzed250]

Pretty well? The 125 class doesn't hardly have any 125s in it anymore. Yeah, it costs more and takes longer to do a top end rebuild on a 4 stroke, but you don't have to do it as often as on a 2 stroke. Louder? Yes, but they can be made quiet, (as people who actually want to keep using riding areas do) and they're a whole lot cleaner running. Plus, I like the power character of my 450 a lot better than 250 2 strokes. BUT, I'm an off road guy, not a motocrosser. You have to accept that 2 stroke bikes (for better or worse) are going away. Kawasaki has dropped at least their 125, and Honda's dropping their 250 after this year. That sucks for the small time guy that wants to get into racing since the 2 strokes are cheaper to attain and maintain.

As to a 4 stroke chainsaw, I'm gonna keep cutting trees long after my current saws are dead, and if the only new saws I can buy are 4 strokes, so be it. If that's what I have to run, I will. No use complaining about it.

The 250 four strokes with titanium valves need new valves about as often as a two-stroke 125 needed a top end.

Is it gonna be OK to be sold a 125cc four stroke saw that will cut at the same speed as an MS460?

Forget that mess...

 

[NYH1]

I dont want any part of that on a dirt bike,

Well, there is probably going to be a time in the near future that you're not going to have a choice!

and I sure dont want any part of that on a saw.

Did I say, there is probably going to be a time in the near future that you're not going to have a choice!

I like two stroke snowmobiles, chain saws and weed whackers/trimmers . For everything else I'll take a four stroke. That's just me though!