Mastermind
Work Saw Specialist
Repped.
Stihl 661
- Thread starter ryan_marine
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People didn't trust FI at first, we all know how that went. Mtronic is new, some people don't like anything new, some even fear it. An anchored mind is a funny thing, even when empirical data is presented, it will not be believed.
Most saws won't be around in 10 years. It was said above, a saw in a loggers hands only last's a year anyway. So, I would say the Mtronic system has already been proven reliable. Husky on the other hand simply rushed new saws to the marked to meet emissions, before they were properly tested. Stihl did their R&D and made sure their suppliers quality controls were up to par.
Most saws won't be around in 10 years. It was said above, a saw in a loggers hands only last's a year anyway. So, I would say the Mtronic system has already been proven reliable. Husky on the other hand simply rushed new saws to the marked to meet emissions, before they were properly tested. Stihl did their R&D and made sure their suppliers quality controls were up to par.
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
I found it funny that Stihl stated that the new saw has a low power to weight ratio (as a bragging point) in the brochure. Obviously, this was a translation issue, and they meant to state that it has a low weight to power ratio (which would therefore mean a high power to weight ratio). Still made me chuckle when I read it.
If a 660 currently survives one year in logging conditions (before being either pitched or relegated to secondary status), I doubt there'll be any change with the 661. Manufacturing quality, cylinder plating, ring materials, plastic composition, and such are likely the same between the 660 and 661. Oil and fuel quality is a constant, as is the conditions of use. Basically, everything that makes a saw last a certain amount of time is the same.
The AV mounts may or may not last longer (and those would be replaced if failed without putting the saw out of commission permanently anyways). I'm not sold on the AT/M-Tronic technology, but I don't see it being any more or less failure prone over the one year 'working lifespan' of the rest of the saw that we're talking about. It'll surely prevent some operator induced early saw deaths (from being incorrectly tuned). Cuts out some of the '**** factor'. That's my Wild Ass Guess anyways....
If a 660 currently survives one year in logging conditions (before being either pitched or relegated to secondary status), I doubt there'll be any change with the 661. Manufacturing quality, cylinder plating, ring materials, plastic composition, and such are likely the same between the 660 and 661. Oil and fuel quality is a constant, as is the conditions of use. Basically, everything that makes a saw last a certain amount of time is the same.
The AV mounts may or may not last longer (and those would be replaced if failed without putting the saw out of commission permanently anyways). I'm not sold on the AT/M-Tronic technology, but I don't see it being any more or less failure prone over the one year 'working lifespan' of the rest of the saw that we're talking about. It'll surely prevent some operator induced early saw deaths (from being incorrectly tuned). Cuts out some of the '**** factor'. That's my Wild Ass Guess anyways....
Mastermind
Work Saw Specialist
There are far too many unknown variables to "guess" at how long anything will last. The M-Tronic system is excellent from where I sit though. As a guy that modifies saws, I can tell you that taking tuning by the end user out of the process, makes me very happy.
Exactly right. Most of us can tune and we don't think it's any big deal. I think we forget that the average saw user doesn't know how to tune and doesn't really care to learn. The folks on this forum are a very small percentage of the saw market.
I like the idea of being able to tune my saws to get the optimum performance but if a little black box can do the same thing that's fine too. If a guy has to the time to continually screw around with tuning and enjoys doing it I think that's great. But if I'm working, trying to get some wood on the ground, and I don't have to be playing with the little orange screwdriver...that's fine too.
And don't let Eccentric fool you...he does just fine with modern saws. Even Stihls. I can tune well enough to keep a saw from blowing up but he put a tune on my 660 better than anything I've ever done.
I have a 661 ordered. I'll keep the little orange screw drivers for cleaning the bar grooves.
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
anyone get one yet ? i'm afraid to go to my saw shop ,in fear one may come home with me
windthrown
361 Junkie
Test post
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
It's working
Next post going to have pictures of a new 661Ropcorn:
so you got one i take it
No I was hoping windthrown did since he was doing a test post. I figure you went one to Randy by now.so you got one i take it
The 441 has always had spring AV. The design has not changed. The only difference is that the R model has stiffer springs.
windthrown
361 Junkie
The early model 441s all had soft springs, and as Brad says, they never had rubber mounts. They upgraded to firmer springs on several models of the 441, including the R and Z models. My R model has the hard springs, but they feel pretty soft.
My test post above was in response to my not being able to post here this afternoon, and AS was offline for several hours. I dunno why that was... no, I have not ordered a 661... nor sent one top MM for a mod. Though that would be great if someone wants to sponsor me. I have to pay some lofty dental and property tax bills.
My test post above was in response to my not being able to post here this afternoon, and AS was offline for several hours. I dunno why that was... no, I have not ordered a 661... nor sent one top MM for a mod. Though that would be great if someone wants to sponsor me. I have to pay some lofty dental and property tax bills.
Jonathan Wymore
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I've heard by my Amish Stihl dealer that the 660 is stronger than the 661 because of emission restrictions. He has used both and has run his own logging business for 15 years. Thats why I bought a 660 and put a dual port muffler on it, instead of buying a 661.
windthrown
361 Junkie
To re-post what wrote earlier today (failed to load):
Aside from potential electronic issues, the M-tronic saws greatly improve dragging saws up and down in variable elevation. I am at about 1200 ft., but I can drop to 400 ft. in 15 minutes, and go up to 6,000 ft. in about 45. I know some guys that scored their engines tuning them at 3,000 ft. and dropping to sea level. Denser air in a high altitude tuned saw means running leaner. Every 3,000 feet I elevation is about 10 percent change in air density.
I found the posting problem: its the percent sign. If I write 10 followed by the percent sign the text fails to load on this forum. Odd... logging it as a forum bug.
Aside from potential electronic issues, the M-tronic saws greatly improve dragging saws up and down in variable elevation. I am at about 1200 ft., but I can drop to 400 ft. in 15 minutes, and go up to 6,000 ft. in about 45. I know some guys that scored their engines tuning them at 3,000 ft. and dropping to sea level. Denser air in a high altitude tuned saw means running leaner. Every 3,000 feet I elevation is about 10 percent change in air density.
I found the posting problem: its the percent sign. If I write 10 followed by the percent sign the text fails to load on this forum. Odd... logging it as a forum bug.
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My dads buddy has a friend that said his uncle has a friend that knows a guy that once worked with a guy that had a brother that ran a 661. He said the 661 will out cut any saw ever made or ever will be made.
windthrown
361 Junkie
Well, I am not so sure about the credibility of your dad's buddy's friend's uncle's friend's buddy's brother's 661. I bet you that my brother's friend's sis-in-law's husband's boss's buddy's son's co-worker has a better running late model 066 Magnum than that 661! According to my uncle's ex-wife's first husband's second cousin's friend's late husband, that particular 066 was supposedly super duper modified by some guy in Tennessee, and that saw will out cut any saw that ever existed in the universe (until he modifies a 661 that is) !
