028 Super vs. 346XP

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c5rulz

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In Febuary of this year I bought a 346 XP as my Stihl 028 Super was over 20 years old.

Both saws start and run excellent.

The new 346XP doesn't seem to have quite the torque as the 028 with the 16" bar buried in hardwood. I am going back to the dealer who will check the high speed free of charge now that I have about 15 tanks through it. The 346XP cuts very fast on 10-12" stuff but seems to lag behind the old saw on real big wood.

Both have .325 pitch chain, 16" bars, and sharp chain. The 346XP has LPX full chisel and the 028 semi chisel since I flush cut stumps with this one.

Displacement of both:
028 = 51.5 cc
346 = 50.1

My question is this just a normal characterstic difference between these two models?
 
I bought an epa 346 a couple of years ago. I was disappointed in its ability to pull through bigger wood,, until I opened up the muffler. That should do it, but I couldn't stop there.

It's not surprising to me that your 028 does a little better, compared to an epa 346.

Shorthairs? I've got a liver female and a roan ticked male. Female had pups last spring, too cute.
 
Shorthairs? I've got a liver female and a roan ticked male. Female had pups last spring, too cute.

Can I hijack my own post?:D


They are both Deutsch Drahthaars although Kade looks like a shorthair.

2hx3mg.jpg


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73orph.jpg
 
Your pic was too little. He does sort of look like a shorthair, without ticking. And the other looks like a wirehair.

these look like puppies

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Zx9E-CWFgjE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Any way, back on topic.

I see the owner's manual on my 346 says, "E-tech". What does that designate?
 
you have the restrictive catalytic muffler, and a green fuel cap. That's what I had, and again, I was not happy with it.

sorry about the pup digression.
 
and the Cat is restrictive to a flaw. I hogged mine out, but it's a whole lot easier to buy a non-cat and start from there.

This forum is thick to the point of being sick with how to hop up your 346. try search, if it works
 
Seems to me I asked the dealer and he said this was not a cat muffler. Anyway the muffler has the following # on it: 544 02 83-01K. It does not say cat on it.

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How does this look for a 20 year old saw?



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Last edited:
028's are cool

Well yesterday is the first time I ran them side by side in hardwood and was quite disapointed with my latest and greatest acquisition. :msp_sad: The old 028 has cut nothing but hardwood all it's life and it will seldom stall the chain. I've never even put chisel on it.
 
Well yesterday is the first time I ran them side by side in hardwood and was quite disapointed with my latest and greatest acquisition. :msp_sad: The old 028 has cut nothing but hardwood all it's life and it will seldom stall the chain. I've never even put chisel on it.

Don't you think its time, at least when you are not flush cutting stumps? Seriously, though, chisel's a little harder to pull if you are a saw.
This is a terrible thread, everyone knows that the 346 is the bomb, the be all and end all when it comes to saws this size.:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:
 
Don't you think its time, at least when you are not flush cutting stumps? Seriously, though, chisel's a little harder to pull if you are a saw.
This is a terrible thread, everyone knows that the 346 is the bomb, the be all and end all when it comes to saws this size.:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Yes really ,I have an old 028 and I cant see it keeping up with my 346.
 
The owner's manual covers a broad range of saw options.

346xp
346xpg
346xp e-tech
346xpg e-tech
353 e-tech
353g e-tech
353
353g

Don't worry about that. Your saw is a 346xp, non e-tech. You would have a green fuel cap and it would say e-tech on the starter housing sticker.

It is possible your saw is ready for an adjustment after 15 tanks, but I would put a new chain on there and see if that makes a difference - and check the bar and drive rim while you're at it if you haven't already. The problem may lie in the simple difference between the two chains on the saws. The 346 typically comes from a dealer with a .325 pitch, semi-chisel narrow-kerf chain. The 028 at this point could have anything on there. If one is sharper than the other, there's your problem. Judging from your pictures, you have the semi-chisel chain on the 346 and a full chisel on the 028.
 
This thread brings to light the reason the 028 is considered one of the greatest firewood saws of all time.
 
The owner's manual covers a broad range of saw options.

346xp
346xpg
346xp e-tech
346xpg e-tech
353 e-tech
353g e-tech
353
353g

Don't worry about that. Your saw is a 346xp, non e-tech. You would have a green fuel cap and it would say e-tech on the starter housing sticker.

It is possible your saw is ready for an adjustment after 15 tanks, but I would put a new chain on there and see if that makes a difference - and check the bar and drive rim while you're at it if you haven't already. The problem may lie in the simple difference between the two chains on the saws. The 346 typically comes from a dealer with a .325 pitch, semi-chisel narrow-kerf chain. The 028 at this point could have anything on there. If one is sharper than the other, there's your problem. Judging from your pictures, you have the semi-chisel chain on the 346 and a full chisel on the 028.

Yes, and comparing saws with different chain on them often will result in odd results!
 
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