Thread: Timing Advance ?

I plan on dong a Muffler Mod on my MS 261 as soon as the deflector I ordered comes in. I read somewhere in a recent post that this saw also responds well to an advance in the timing. How much should the timing be advanced? Is this a standard thing that needs done along with a MM or just on this saw. And also how would you conclude that this is something a saw could benefit from? Please excuse my ignorance on the subject.

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I've played around with timing advance on McCulloch 32 cc weed whackers.

When you get to 25 degrees advance, there's only a small improvement on up to 32 degrees where it begins to curb power.

This engine was just running in the 7000 to 7500 rpm range. This ignition module did not have a dynamic advance feature.

In my line of playing around with timing, 28 degrees BTDC is the magic number for all the different brands I have played with including the Dolmar 52cc, Echo 50cc, and Redmax 62cc chainsaw engines

I want to here the answer to this also

I wonder if there are different key ways on the market for this or do you have to file your own keys and how much to file ?

I'm just waiting for my tach so I can do more to my 261 and see the difference it makes

It just seems strange to me that someone can buy a new saw,mess around with the timing and it runs better. One would think that the manufacturer would try to send something out performing at its maximum capabilities. I know that saws are choked up with restrictive mufflers because of E.P.A regulation, I just had never considered you could squeeze more out of a saw by adjusting the timing. I understand when a saw is ported it needs some dialing in, but for simply opening up a muffler I did not think this would be required.

Originally Posted by sharkness

It just seems strange to me that someone can buy a new saw,mess around with the timing and it runs better. One would think that the manufacturer would try to send something out performing at its maximum capabilities. I know that saws are choked up with restrictive mufflers because of E.P.A regulation, I just had never considered you could squeeze more out of a saw by adjusting the timing. I understand when a saw is ported it needs some dialing in, but for simply opening up a muffler I did not think this would be required.

To me chainsaws are toys

Ive worked around sprint cars for more years than I should have

Part of sprint car racing is trying different things to make the cars faster so thats what I'm doing with my saws not just the 261

I've done some polishing and opened up ports on heads of $50K sprint car motor and it was better than when it came new from a big sprint car engine manufactor

To me this is fun doing things to chainsaws that others havnt done that why I like raeding post from the guys here and there mod'ing

It is normally not worth the effort unless you are forced into it.

People changing coils to other models often get roped into having to move the fly wheels. They work fine without the key.

In my playing with weed whackers, most were set around 25 degrees so the starting wasn't prone to kicking. To set the timing to 28 degrees only got you a couple hundred rpm at most.

Some chain saw coils have a advance-retard feature built into them.

Any more thoughts

Originally Posted by w8ye

I've played around with timing advance on McCulloch 32 cc weed whackers.

When you get to 25 degrees advance, there's only a small improvement on up to 32 degrees where it begins to curb power.

This engine was just running in the 7000 to 7500 rpm range. This ignition module did not have a dynamic advance feature.

In my line of playing around with timing, 28 degrees BTDC is the magic number for all the different brands I have played with including the Dolmar 52cc, Echo 50cc, and Redmax 62cc chainsaw engines

Wbye,,, My dolmar has two posts on the coil,, my question is when the magit comes around which post does it fire off of ?

Some saws respond very well to advanced timing, others do not. You simply have to play with it. To do this, we file the key. 1/3-1/2 of the key is the most I ever do. That's more than you would think in degrees.

Originally Posted by H 2 H

Any more thoughts

I just finished a Stihl 039 project... It's broke in and tuned now... I haven't advanced the timing yet, but have timed some cuts, so we'll have to see what kind of improvements can be had by advancing the timing on it... It's already pretty snotty...

There is always trial and error.

The 261 is one saw that responds well to advanced timing. IMHO, it's no different than tuning your carb for optimal performance. Just part of the package, another piece of the pie.

Originally Posted by blsnelling

The 261 is one saw that responds well to advanced timing. IMHO, it's no different than tuning your carb for optimal performance. Just part of the package, another piece of the pie.

If the 039 responds well, I'll be a happy camper... It already has the throttle response like a husky...

Originally Posted by Hedgerow

If the 039 responds well, I'll be a happy camper... It already has the throttle response like a husky...

I have never modded a 039. Only one way to find out