Thread: 088 hop up

There seems to be a lot of interest in tweeking chain saws for a little more power. This forum especially has a great deal of interest in it. My brother sawracr, and my friend kdhotsaw, know how to massage saws to get power. I feel their saws run with anyones. We would all like a saw that puts out the power of a big block Corvette, weighs about as much as an 009, and costs about $50. Well let me tell you, that just ain't gonna happen! The work required to get the kind of increases the two above mentioned fellers get, can not be done for $80. Madsens fills a void by offering a little more soup for the average guy. Walkers probably a little more. In any horsepower game the costs start increasing rapidly while the actual increase in power slows as you near the top potential of a given machine. In other words, if you have a Madsens modified saw for $80 it may increase the horsepower by a factor of 1 horsepower. If you want another 1 horsepower you will probably have to spend $120 and the third horse above that may be $300 and these are added to the prervious amounts spent. Small increases in high performance machines cost tremendous amounts.
I have explained all that to show that the posters on this forum may be just a little over-exerberent in their praise for the modified saws. I know it has created a situation where a lot of guys are wanting one for themselves. The factory has built a lot of performance into the modern saws. They will satisfy 99% of the users. If you are in that one percent that can't live without more-read on.
I am currently in process of modifing an 088 Stihl for a man that wants more. I have explained that he may get lower life expectency and will use more fuel. He knows the saw may need more maintainence and suffer occssional breakages but he doesn't care. His name is Ralph Foster and his company is Fosters Sales. He sells mills on the internet and is not hard to find. If you are interested in what Ralph has to say about hot 088s please contact him next week for his opinion on my modified saws. Mike

The same applies for any engine. I have a 454 in my boat and truck, a sled and countless saws I am always trying to tweak. I have modified my 454 in the boat with roller rocker arms, intake, carb, airfilter, cam, etc. and the first 30hp cost about $500. The next 30hp will require an exhaust system that will be $2000. Next 50hp would require a blower and be $4000. I like my stuff dependable but I am also a wannabe Ken Dunn and do the little stuff like mufflers and leave the big stuff to guys like Mike

I just about have that 088 finished. I was reading the drop start thread and would like to have you try my 088. My 300# friend that has been logging all his life was able to do it but not before engaging the compression relief. If any of you Popeyes out there think you can start any saw without a compression relief I have one for you. Bring extra starting rope because you will need it. You will also need at least an ace bandage after you try. Mike

That saw should have starter cable, not rope. What is the compression ratio on that bad boy

Hey Mike,

How much HP do you think youll be getting out of it?

Guys, I don't have a dyno or know the horsepower/compression ratio but it seems to be putting out 1/3 more or about 33% more power. I have a test log and with the 32" bar and chain I can not slow the saw down (at full throttle) by pushing as hard as I can on it! I am 55 years old but am still in fair shape and weigh 220+ pounds so I am putting some "pressure" onto it. Mike

Hello Rupedoggy,
IT sounds like you've got that 088 Stihl running pretty strong mike. does this mean we are going to have to contend with ralph foster at our competitions? Sending you some pictures of my 3120 husky. i'll have to get tundraotto out here to drop start this puppy. I start it with a electric kart starter. much easier once you pass 60 years

Heres the second photo of my 3120 husky

i'll try anything!!

O.K mike.
Heres the third photo, take a photo of that 088 Stihl. we all want to see it
Ken

Hey that "cow stomach" pipe looks familiar! I had one of thoses hanging out back but it dissappeared. Somebody call the cops! Wait until I get my Homelite zip hopped up. You are in for a real competition then. All I have to do is buy it off e-bay and get it loosened up a little. I will have Homelite360 drop start it for me. Mike

Hi rupedoggy,
Well mike i know that looks like that old rusty pipe you had hanging up in your rafters but if you look closely you'll see it doesnt have as long a stinger or muffler like your pipe had. also the diffuser cone has been shortened 2 inches and this pipe is painted a pretty black. but i'll keep a eye out for your pipe and sure let you know if I see it
ken

what is that a tillitson hd alocohol carb on that beast from a go-kart? cause i have one of those sitting on the shelf. i was thinking of a way to fit it on a super 2. actually i was going to put it on my old kart that i have. it has a 158cc tecumseh 2-stroke on it which is in the works on being rebuilt. that thing outta be a screamer when i am done with it. but i have not been able to succuessfuly drop start most of the pre 70's homelites. i usuauly wind up just about eating them.

Helloandrew,
Thats a new carb tillotson has developed, its a HL355 alcohol carb. Its called a infinite radius venturi carb . it has no bulge for the venturi, just one continuous curve from the choke inlet to the throttle side where it mates to the barrel. It works very well. The best time to date with the 3120 is 3.7 seconds in a 20 inch pine on gas
Ken

Actually Andrew the best time to date that 3120 is when Ken is fast asleep. If you take it to dinner and then feed it some alcohol it gets real friendly. I like to stroke the pipe until it makes little putting sounds then it will sometimes let me stick my finger in its infinite radius carburetor! WOW Mike