550XP Updates

[Chris-PA]

It's worth thinking about how AT works in regard to mix oil and running issues. AT is entirely results based when it's in feedback mode - it just does a momentary lean out test and watches what the rpm does. Then it adjusts the mixture to get the intended rpm change. All the other variables, including oil and fuel types, mix ratio, etc, should be wrapped up in that. So provided the fuel control solenoid in the carb is not at the end of its control range it really should not matter at all.

However, it is not in feedback control all the time. I understand they can control the idle in the latest AT versions, but I doubt they can control the mixture when the throttle plate is moving, or probably at part throttle/idle transfer. So what does it do there? It's seems unlikely they move the fuel control back to a fixed position as soon as it goes out of feedback, rather they probably just leave the fuel control wherever it was last. So for example if the system had to lean it way out to keep the idle correct, then you're stuck with that lean mixture when you try to accelerate, and conversely if it had to run rich to get the idle correct. So in there might be an opportunity for strange fuels, oil and mix ratios to cause a problem, especially if they effect idle mixture.

I don't know why people play around with this stuff so much - pump gas and a decent FC or FD rated oil at 40:1 is all that is needed.

 

[backhoelover]

Well Zama is owned by Stihl, maybe they don't want these carbs to run right lol.

Again we're on a chainsaw forum that is on the internet, because of this you're always going to hear more about failures than anything else. That's just how it is.

The 550 and 562 are still evolving and improving, which is better than just keeping everything the same and saying nothings wrong, which let's be honest is exactly what most companies do.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

sorry to say but that is not right. stihl does not own zama. this is info from carnetta reddish before she passed away . we sent email to each other all the time. that is one of the question that i asked her and she said it was not true, they are there number one business partner and you know how that works. i have an email some where that i was going to up load where i had ask if stihl now owner them. only problems is i have over 1000 saved emails lol when i find it i will post it

 

[Chris-PA]

sorry to say but that is not right. stihl does not own zama. this is info from carnetta reddish before she passed away . we sent email to each other all the time. that is one of the question that i asked her and she said it was not true, they are there number one business partner and you know how that works. i have an email some where that i was going to up load where i had ask if stihl now owner them. only problems is i have over 1000 saved emails lol when i find it i will post it

http://www.stihl.com/p/media/download/i_zamaerwerb_2009_01_15_engl_final.pdf

"press release
_________________________________________________________________
January 15th, 2009
STIHL acquires carburetor maker Zama
The STIHL Group took over carburetor manufacturer Zama, i.e. Zama Japan KK and
Zama Corporation, Ltd., Hong Kong, on December 31, 2008............"

 

[backhoelover]

damn i just talked to her 2 years ago. she said this was not ture. shows how much a person know even if they work for the company. (not saying anything bad about her she was a great lady)

 

[opinion]

Carnetta, RIP.
Her last name was Payne not Reddish? And she acknowledged Stihl owned Zama.

 

[backhoelover]

i am going by what her email says when we talked. this email was from 3 years ago

 

[hamish]

Here

 

[hamish]

and the last one to date

 

[SawTroll]

Thanks @hamish!

 

[Andyshine77]

Wow my 2013 model is outdated lol. It may be asking a lot, but do you have the 562 updates? that would be sweet.

 

[sambruin7]

What good are those updates if our saws are out of warranty? They just make me anxious and piss me off even if I have a good running saw. And I'm not going to "fix something that ain't broke" if I have to pay out of pocket. My 2013 562xp is running great and I'm sure there are lots of updates out for it judging from the posts above. I'm getting tired of Husqvarna. I recently bought the 550xp thinking they got the quirks worked out by now but wow, no.

 

[hamish]

What good are those updates if our saws are out of warranty? They just make me anxious and piss me off even if I have a good running saw. And I'm not going to "fix something that ain't broke" if I have to pay out of pocket. My 2013 562xp is running great and I'm sure there are lots of updates out for it judging from the posts above. I'm getting tired of Husqvarna. I recently bought the 550xp thinking they got the quirks worked out by now but wow, no.

The quirks are worked out, those are just updates to individual parts. Its the progression of product improvement, something Husqvarna has always been at the forefront of. They are taking something great and making it greater.

IPL updates without a corresponding service bulletin are pretty much pointless, likewise most service bulletins apply to a very small number of saws. Service Bulletins come into play if and when an problem occurs. In most cases none do, don't sweat it. Theres a boatload of 562's out there running the EL46 without any problem. IPL Updates and Service Bulletins, Product Managers Bulletins, Service Manager Bulletins are all just means to gather service data, to aid technicians service the product.

Go to your car dealership and take a peek at the number of TSB's on your car or truck......you drive that thing down the highway, with you kids in it........you would walk everywhere after seeing the number of them.

If your saw ain't broke it don't need fixing. I still encounter recalled chain brake assemblies from almost 20 years ago that still work like new. Do they get changed yes, they do, and only because the saw in question finally made its way to the shop for an unrelated problem, and am aware of the recall from 1997.....thanks to the service data available, but I had to take the time read it.

 

[Andyshine77]

The quirks are worked out, those are just updates to individual parts. Its the progression of product improvement, something Husqvarna has always been at the forefront of. They are taking something great and making it greater.

IPL updates without a corresponding service bulletin are pretty much pointless, likewise most service bulletins apply to a very small number of saws. Service Bulletins come into play if and when an problem occurs. In most cases none do, don't sweat it. Theres a boatload of 562's out there running the EL46 without any problem. IPL Updates and Service Bulletins, Product Managers Bulletins, Service Manager Bulletins are all just means to gather service data, to aid technicians service the product.

Go to your car dealership and take a peek at the number of TSB's on your car or truck......you drive that thing down the highway, with you kids in it........you would walk everywhere after seeing the number of them.

Exactly. Like buying a car made in 2013 and expecting it it have the new updated 2016 power train.

 

[tacomatrd98]

The quirks are worked out, those are just updates to individual parts. Its the progression of product improvement, something Husqvarna has always been at the forefront of. They are taking something great and making it greater.

Go to your car dealership and take a peek at the number of TSB's on your car or truck......you drive that thing down the highway, with you kids in it........you would walk everywhere after seeing the number of them.

This is a very common misconception among the masses. TSB's (Technical Service Bulletin) does not imply a safety concern. TSB's are there to help if/when the problem arises. A TSB can be related to any system on the car but most are related to driveability or emissions concerns, ie: fixing check engine lamps. Recalls on the other hand are Gov't mandated repairs that must be carried out at no cost to the customer due to a flaw found to cause an unsafe condition. There are TSB's that turn into warranty extensions or service campaigns or whatever the mfr wants to call them. Toyota paid for a lot of 3.0 v6 head gaskets well outside of warranty.

I'm a PA emissions inspector. Our Emissions program is a joke, but thats beside the point. Every time you run a vehicle through the test, after the analyzer links to the state, it will display a page with a list of relevant TSB's for that vehicle. I'll just say this, If the greater number of TSB's makes a company better, GM wins hands down. They have more bulletins than most other manufacturers combined I think. I always thought of it just the opposite though. Honda and Toyota have very few repair campaigns or TSB's compared to GM. Historically they are more well sorted vehicles before they reach the public. GM seems to use the public as it's test dummies where as the "Asian" brands seem to do more R&D resulting in fewer needed "updates". Chrysler is one who continually has PCM reflash campaigns. It seems a chrysler product cannot survive 10 years without 2 or more PCM updates. What I'm trying to say is that if the engineers did their homework the first time around, many of the "updates" would not be needed. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they spend some of their resources on improving existing products and not just leave everybody hanging with whatever turd they rolled out. It just seems to me that the current trend is get it to market and let the public sort it out. That's not fair to the consumer in my opinion.

 

[hamish]

This is a very common misconception among the masses. TSB's (Technical Service Bulletin) does not imply a safety concern. TSB's are there to help if/when the problem arises. A TSB can be related to any system on the car but most are related to driveability or emissions concerns, ie: fixing check engine lamps.

What I'm trying to say is that if the engineers did their homework the first time around, many of the "updates" would not be needed. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they spend some of their resources on improving existing products and not just leave everybody hanging with whatever turd they rolled out. It just seems to me that the current trend is get it to market and let the public sort it out. That's not fair to the consumer in my opinion.

Those who drive trains for a living, spend little time among the real masses. Simple things get over engineered for the sake of engineering (not the f'n EPA).
Yep a TSB and an SB are one in the same. An IPL update is just a simple part update, in 99.9% of cases not related to a SB.

Society has changed across the board. In a world of vast easily available knowledge, the masses haven't a clue how to perform a basic tasks, nor have the ability to learn/teach themselves. ah progress..............

In many cases its not the fault of the engineer, just solely the margins involved. When 500 series saws(in this market) stopped being shipped with 44 or 80 micron filters and the warranty claims shot up from winter usage with the flocked filter (in this climate)..............much cheaper to ship the saw with em, and hey lets include the winter kit again, and oops hey lets use the cold weather inlet pipe, dang-it there must be a reason why we have done this for the previous 20 years............

 

[jthusky55]

Maybe I'll wait until June & see if I can find a new dealer who'll put this carb kit in before I fuel & try the new saw. Statistically, one would think I'd have a good one now after three bad saws in a row. The serial #'s are too close to have any faith this one will be any different though.

The new carb shows backordered until the first of May but may show sooner. I have some of them here but only a few. Maybe they will get here sooner than they say.

 

[jthusky55]

That is a seriously good question. The dealer looked me in the eye & said, "Maybe they are going to switch to a Walbro"? This is pure speculation, but it says to me that Zama is not in their good graces right now. Saw Troll has been negative about Zama for some time. Maybe he is right!?

The carb on the 550 is a walbro, the 562s have the Zama

 

[SCHallenger]

The carb on the 550 is a walbro, the 562s have the Zama

Yes, it is. Guess that criticism goes out the window. I do have a 562 which had the sometimes problematic EL46 Zama. Thankfully, it now wears the EL48.

 

[brent denny]

Without re-reading this whole thread do all the updates to the 550xp also apply to the 545?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

THEN get out and use it!!

My 550 is becoming my favorite saw!

SR