What older model chainsaw has the most durable engine?

[pdqdl]

I'd give it an hour. I like the old saws, too, but there's an awful lot to be said for "lighter and more powerful".

I've got an old Mall chainsaw with the handle on the opposite end of the bar. With a gear drive reduction, I'm sure it didn't care too much where you set the depth guages. It might have even cut real fast, but it weighs about 60 lbs, too. I cannot imagine having the kind of stamina you have to have to tote that around in big timber all day long. I've always been able to match or outpeform the average joe in a hard-work situation, but that old boat anchor would kill me to carry around for very long.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Well I see this thread has become active again. I am glad to see that.

To @HuskyShepherd2016 My opinion (which I am entitled to have)is I think you may be a little confused about the fine members on this site and the collective amount of real life experience they share. Lets review your above post....... I will bold some key points and number them but not alter the content in anyway.

1. Well I have read your comments and you have been just as snide as any ..refer to your above quote.
2. Just because you created the post does not mean you run or control the conversation. The content is ran by the fine members and moderated by moderators. Not one single member controls the conversation. The conversation ebbs and flows in all sorts of directions. Just because it is not flowing in the direction you feel it should does not give you (or any member) the right to attempt to control it.
3. No one is imposing anything on anyone and disrespect is subjective.
4. Once again it is no single member's right to control the direction of the thread.
5. Things were fine before you, I or any other member ever posted in this thread or any other thread.

Sir,

I have been a mener here over 21 years and have seen the countless changes in how the site is structured and how it has evolved. I have met online and in person countless great men and women on this site. Some I agreed with and some I did not. I do not think I ever met or conversed with a single person on this site that I fully agreed with in every subject and I bet most all would say the same. There are some that have posted in this thread that I have went back and forth with many times on one specific point but then agreed on the next. That is the nature of conversations. I respect them and value their opinion even though we will never agree on a specific point. I would hate to know someone I agreed with on everything.

Now I would love to see this thread continue to build but on a side note if you want to get into some real heated discussions become a supporting member and join the Political and Religion area. We have some heated threads there and I am in the middle of a bunch.

Bill

I appreciate the attempt to diffuse. As far as trying to control the thread, I see where you’re coming from. I was actually trying to keep things were myself and others from getting confused by staying on track.

As far as being snarky, this is only reactionary and on the defense because of the constant passive aggression, snipes, and misinterpretations that I’ve finally had enough of. It wouldn’t have happened if he would have just toned that down. I was defensive because it really does look like he’s insulting the new guy and pretty much every one else who has enjoyed their past experiences.

Well I see this thread has become active again. I am glad to see that.

To @HuskyShepherd2016 My opinion (which I am entitled to have)is I think you may be a little confused about the fine members on this site and the collective amount of real life experience they share. Lets review your above post....... I will bold some key points and number them but not alter the content in anyway.

1. Well I have read your comments and you have been just as snide as any ..refer to your above quote.
2. Just because you created the post does not mean you run or control the conversation. The content is ran by the fine members and moderated by moderators. Not one single member controls the conversation. The conversation ebbs and flows in all sorts of directions. Just because it is not flowing in the direction you feel it should does not give you (or any member) the right to attempt to control it.
3. No one is imposing anything on anyone and disrespect is subjective.
4. Once again it is no single member's right to control the direction of the thread.
5. Things were fine before you, I or any other member ever posted in this thread or any other thread.

Sir,

I have been a mener here over 21 years and have seen the countless changes in how the site is structured and how it has evolved. I have met online and in person countless great men and women on this site. Some I agreed with and some I did not. I do not think I ever met or conversed with a single person on this site that I fully agreed with in every subject and I bet most all would say the same. There are some that have posted in this thread that I have went back and forth with many times on one specific point but then agreed on the next. That is the nature of conversations. I respect them and value their opinion even though we will never agree on a specific point. I would hate to know someone I agreed with on everything.

Now I would love to see this thread continue to build but on a side note if you want to get into some real heated discussions become a supporting member and join the Political and Religion area. We have some heated threads there and I am in the middle of a bunch.

Bill

Thank you for your attempt to diffuse this conflict.

To be honest I don’t really want to be in any heated debates and I try to stay away from religious and political forums. Although I do love chainsaws of all types, they’re not part of my religion! That gives me an idea though, maybe they should.

As far as me being snarky, that was a defense to his constant passive aggressive snipes and misinterpretations of everything I’m saying. I finally had enough of it and I said something. You said everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I feel like I’m at least entitled to defend myself against what looks like his low key way to cast a net on the new guy. And I will defend myself against his nonstop inaccurate insinuations. He is coming across like a bully, even if it’s being done in passive aggressive tone, low key like.

As far as me trying to control the thread, I can see how you’d take it that way, especially after going back and. Re examining all the pages, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to stay on topic and asking we do so. I can’t concentrate on things and probably neither can many of us when it just goes all over the place, and I really didn’t want any of us to have to abandon the thread over it falling apart. Nothing more. I promise, zero harm intended.

That being said, if someone doesn’t like the thread’s content, it doesn’t make sense that they hang around and constantly poke the bear other than that they’re looking for conflict. It looks like e was casting a net on not just me, but quite a few people who are just enjoying remembering some of the better experiences they have had with saws of yesteryear. I really am sorry if he has never had any of those experiences. But that doesn’t mean that his opinion is all righteous and we are all wrong either.

If you think I’m incorrect for standing up for myself, I don’t know what to say other than it was not at all my intentions to give you that impression, it never will be my intention, and again I do appreciate your saying your piece to try to calm things down.

Thanks kindly Bill.

 

[North by Northwest]

Short answer: Because you asked.



Just sayin'

No , actually the thread is "titled" what old saw engines were most durable . What defines old however may well be subjective , since when i began running really old saws , Ben was not even a glint in his old man's eye . 80"s vintage 371 xp is a new saw in my eyes lol.

 

[North by Northwest]

This is exactly right.
I still maintain the old stuff is junk and I have zero interest in it. Just like I have zero interest in square body GM trucks, which were likewise junk, yet still have old guys lusting for them.

GM & junk sounds about right !

 

[North by Northwest]

I just looked over everything I have said from the very first question I posted and the only newer saws that I have actually knocked or come even close to talking down down about was a couple of newer Stihl’s and some of the Suzy homemaker box store saws that have come out. For example, the newer poulans and pretty much all the existing companies that Husqvarna bought out. The rest of what you interpreted that I said about me not liking newer saws is for one, the fact that what I was originally asking pertained to old saws. And the other stuff is just me defending myself against how you have come at me. There’s a big difference between what I have said versus how you personally interpret what I say about older saws. But this was an older saw thread. I’ll gladly take part in a newer one too, I don’t have a problem with that. It’s really hard to keep up with conversations when they are all over the place though. I’m hope you can at least understand where I’m coming from with that.

Just because your opinion differs from mine and many of us throughout these pages, does not in any way make you the more righteous or superior. And I’ll say that about myself too. Neither one of us are right or wrong when it comes to the subjectiveness of what we prefer. Again, I re read this whole 15 page conversation and the only knock I made about newer chainsaws was the MS-290, and various box store saws that are being sold under the guise of “professional” saws.

And despite what you might interpret about what I’ve said, I do like a wide number of newer saws too, just like you do. As long as they are built durably and serve their purpose well.

If you keep this up, I don’t know what to tell you other than good day. I have tried to be more clear about my position but you won’t hear it. I really am trying to be as peaceable about this as I can. I even went back and re read everything that I posted from page 1. If there’s anything I skipped, I apologize.

Stihl 290 "Farm Boss " models were boat anchors , however , effectively put firewood in the woodshed !

 

[North by Northwest]

I've always loved my 044. Kinda changed my attitude a bit when the 460 showed up. I like it much more than the 660's, and downright hated the 066's. Damn things burned up cylinders like they were made out of cardboard.

Love my MS-660 Redlite Milling saw . Only Stihl i still have . P.S. pun intended

 

[North by Northwest]

Yes how about we do that. Give me a ring and we can get it set up.

Been there done that Commercially & still doing that residentially at 70 , with old & new saws Bill ! lol .

 

[North by Northwest]

What are we going to race around, and with?

If I get my choice, it's gonna be my 1987 Husqvarna 3120 with just a 24 inch bar. You can bring your favorite bow saw, and we'll see how it turns out.
Maybe bwalker will bring a Stihl 881 Magnum, polished, ported, and muffler tuned. That might be a challenge.

Or... You can bring almost anything you can find. Not many saws are going to beat that machine.




Hmmm... Is an '87 an old saw or a new one? They haven't changed much over the years.
Mine doesn't have any RPM limiter, though.

Thinking my Uncles Reed Valve muffler modded Pioneer P-61 with 36" skip tooth Carlise would give it a decent run brother . I just finished running it againt my freshly "Huskil" ported 7900 Dolkita & its a photo finish in 30" fir !

 

[bwalker]

GM & junk sounds about right !

They all where back then.

 

[North by Northwest]

Did I stutter, or is your hearing bad?
Honestly Bill, you are the most exhausting person to talk to on this website. Nothing stated goes without a question, no one ever posts a response without your last word following.

Yeah just gotta love freedom of expression , or is it oppression .. can never get that quite right !

 

[Bubster]

I had a Poulan 3800 that I do believe would have ran forever if we are simply talking engine internals. But it had many other issues that my 17 year old self did not understand. The fact that the intake manifold fell off at least twice a day or loosen up and suck air took many hours off the p/c . Those are a pain to put back on in the woods and I later learned to remove the cylinder to actually get it back on right. AV mounts falling apart, oiler issues, you name it. But a well built engine with pretty good power. My favorite of all time though would be a very used and abused Stihl 044. Everything on the saw was reliable except for the intake boot, (again with intake issues). Took me almost 20 years to wear that one out.

 

[stihl sawing]

Them old Poulans were good runners, i still have three or four of them, the older saws are nice for collecting and fooling around with but when it gets time to get serious and use a saw all day, give me the newer, faster and better anti vibe saw anytime.

 

[Bubster]

Them old Poulans were good runners, i still have three or four of them, the older saws are nice for collecting and fooling around with but when it gets time to get serious and use a saw all day, give me the newer, faster and better anti vibe saw anytime.

Nice saw. I picked up a PP 375 a few months ago for nostalgia reasons, but my Husky 550 XP is about all I really use/need anymore. Other than carb issues from bad gas, I do believe it will be considered one of the great ones someday.

 

[Brufab]

Well like i said, i don’t knock anything about your preferences. As far as a saw being professionally run, for extended amounts of time, there are plenty of testimonials throughout the pages of this conversation supporting the durability of older saws till this day.

Did you come here to criticize this thread and talk down about how wrong all of us are? All we are doing is just sharing experiences on the best luck we have had with what older saws were the most durable and lasted over the years. Nothing more. I’m not trying to do the old versus new argument.

Please do not take what i am saying is me being defensive, this thread is just meant to remember more interesting and simpler times in our lives when we were out cutting wood.

I agree, Yea were talking about durable engines and stuff, yea the saws were heavy and av was minimal at best but i don't think we're talking about running them all the time. I take a couple out every time I cut, burn a tank in them and clean them up and put back up on the shelf. Kinda fun thinking how they did it back in the day. I know one thing if you were running those professionally you were on bad mofo that's for sure. I'm working on a 82cc saw right now pho weighs 15#

 

[Brufab]

I got this one on the bench right now, hopefully tomorrow I can throw the carb kit in it and start making chips, had to rework the whole oiling system today but all is good now

 

[Brufab]

A lot of 50's sold was a very reliable firewood saw . Nothing fast or overly powerful just got the job done !

That's all a guy could ask for reliability and a sharp chain is what my dad always told me

 

[stihl sawing]

Ok, i gotta ask. why is the saw on a roof. lol

 

[Brufab]

I’d like to get ahold of one of those Binford Poulan Bad Boys that Tim Allen promoted! I know it was just a silly sales pitch but that too happened to be a really cool little saw!

Yea I missed out on one on craigslist for like 60$ like brand new didn't see the piston though but it sold pretty quick, everyone says there pretty wicked

 

[Brufab]

Ok, i gotta ask. why is the saw on a roof. lol

Ups guy I have is awesome, came while I was roofing a section of my house in the rain.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Ups guy I have is awesome, came while I was roofing a section of my house in the rain.

Did you get that saw off eBay not long ago? I saw one exactly like it that sold and I didn’t have a chance to bid on it cuz I was too busy at the time to even check.