My first new saw! . . . Now what???

[Fugowwee]

I've used saws before but this one is MINE!!

I figured it was a sign that I happened, unplanned work trip, to pass through a town that had a captive 346xp ( 20" bar ) and that I actually had the time to go look at it before they closed with only 10 minutes to spare was a stroke of luck. It felt good in my hands not to mention that it's a nonemission model - bonus! The price was right and of all the Husky dealers I have called in Montana it was the only one around and they had just gotten 2 in and one had sold earlier that day! I probably would have ordered from another closer distributor but I really need to get after my beetle kill and quit debateing. Needless to say it came home with me!

Now I have to break it in. Any recomendations? For my motorbikes, watercraft and cars I would warm it up at part throttle let it run for 15 minutes and then shut down and let it cool all the way down a couple times then do about 500 miles of slow roll ons ( slowly accelerate and then decelerate ) and varied speeds for short disatances. Change the oil and promptly drive it like you stole it! But with a saw???

I also bought my safety equipment( wow I've become a sissy but it takes soooo much longer to heal and I'm not as agile as I once was ), oil, and files from my hometown guy. Hard hat with ear and face protection and chaps ( 600 denier full front - covers my junk!) had gloves etc. The hard hat is way more comfy than I thought and the ear muffs hold everything in place it is way nicer and more comfy than I expected!! I feel like a gladiator!

Any other suggestions?

Woooo Hoooo,
Geno

 

[Scooterbum]

Any other suggestions?

Woooo Hoooo,
Geno

Ummmm..........go cut wood?

 

[dh1984]

nice looking saw bud i wish i can buy saws like that again and not have to save up to get them like i am now lol. but the best way to break it in is cut so wood with it and take it easy for the first cuple of times and then wear her out lol

 

[StihlyinEly]

Ummmm..........go cut wood?

Yeah, it's really that easy. Nothing special on break-in. Just run it. It'll keep getting stronger through the first half dozen tanks or so. Good oil at 40:1 or 50:1 (I run all synthetic but any top conventional chainsaw 2-stroke mix oil will be fine).

Keep an eye on the tuning. Sometimes they seem tuned a little too lean when bought new, and it's a good idea to richen up the H screw a bit. If that's all familiar to you, you're good to go. If it's Greek, use the search feature and plug in "chainsaw tuning," and you'll find so much it'll put you to sleep. You can tune by ear, and there's an audio file at the Madsen's site to help you do that if you need that kind of help.

Meanwhile, ya'll have fun on that beetle kill, and congrats on the new baby! Great handle, BTW. I've got a fishing cap that says "Fugarwe fishing team."

 

[mowoodchopper]

I've used saws before but this one is MINE!!

Now I have to break it in. Any recomendations? For my motorbikes, watercraft and cars I would warm it up at part throttle let it run for 15 minutes and then shut down and let it cool all the way down a couple times then do about 500 miles of slow roll ons ( slowly accelerate and then decelerate ) and varied speeds for short disatances.


Holy crap! 500 miles is a hell of alot of slow roll ons , you also should change your brake pads when you change the oil!

 

[webie]

Well you could wait till tommorrow at midday when its 95 out , get all dressed up and walk out in the middle of town and start cutting down trees . I can bet you dont make it to the end of town before they pick you up in a patty wagon .

Or you could polish it all up and place it next to your bed for safe keeping .

Or you could go cut down your nasty neighbors tree that keeps dropping leaves on your lawn .

I see husky is going all out now , Are local hardware store has the 346xp on the shelf next to the rest of the box store husky's

 

[Rudolf73]

Very nice saw you got there, I'm sure you'll be happy with it - I'm very happy with mine

I got mine new also, put it through a few heat cycles on the first tank and let it idle for a bit in between. Then started doing some light cutting without using full throttle for about 2 tanks. After that I got into it and used it like any other saw.

Go and cut some wood ASAP - it will put a smile on your face :greenchainsaw:

 

[webie]

I've used saws before but this one is MINE!!

Now I have to break it in. Any recomendations? For my motorbikes, watercraft and cars I would warm it up at part throttle let it run for 15 minutes and then shut down and let it cool all the way down a couple times then do about 500 miles of slow roll ons ( slowly accelerate and then decelerate ) and varied speeds for short disatances.


Holy crap! 500 miles is a hell of alot of slow roll ons , you also should change your brake pads when you change the oil!

Run it like you stole it . If it breaks take it back

 

[GASoline71]

Now I have to break it in. Any recomendations? For my motorbikes, watercraft and cars I would warm it up at part throttle let it run for 15 minutes and then shut down and let it cool all the way down a couple times then do about 500 miles of slow roll ons ( slowly accelerate and then decelerate ) and varied speeds for short disatances. Change the oil and promptly drive it like you stole it! But with a saw???

All your vehicles must be dogs... Break 'em in like your gonna use 'em...

Gary

 

[PLMCRZY]

I do this method with any small 2 stroke motors. I run them pretty rich for about 3 or 4 tanks then tune it. Richen yours enough to where it will cut wood then after 3 or 4 tanks get it tuned or tune it yourself.

 

[Fugowwee]

Thanks everyone! I am stoked. Baring any unforseen issues I will crack the throttle tomorrow morning! Maybe even cut some wood!

500 milles sounds like a lot but its a long way between towns out here and mountainous roads are perfect for it! Tight twisty roads up hill and down ahh the fun! Load up with a couple buddies stop at a bar in each little town have lunch and a beer or ten it takes all day but what a great day. The water craft got a few warm up laps and then run hard so.... But all my toys have runs strong and like a clock! I'm now carefull when I was young I scattered a few motors fortunately I didnt have a lot of cash in em. To be young and dumb again with nothin to loose and no responsibility. . . . ahhhhhhh! As for just going out and buying a saw. It wasn't that way, not so much. I've been pondering this purchase for months after my dad gave his Stihl to my bro, which I'm cool with it was his to do with as he pleases. Not to mention my bro with that saw is like watching a monkey with a machine gun.:monkey: ROFL. And it was still MUCH cheaper than hireing someone. I needed a saw! While traveling for work or late at night I read like crazy. Not to mention anything used around here was USED! Most run em till they drop seems like. As for waiting till mid day and doing all that walking and sawing I would be little more than a puddle of grease in the middle of the sidewalk with the saw idleing in the middle of it. Too hot and too outa shape!

This site has helped SO much!! and it fun too!!

Again,
Thanks to everyone on here!

 

[ptjeep]

You shore do have a purdy saw!

Don't blame you for wanting to take it easy on a new engine, i'm the same way. I try to start off slow like most manufactors recommend with the heat and cool cycles but that usually doesn't last to long. You bought a good saw so i'm guessing you'll be fine regardless of what you do.

 

[Fugowwee]

PTJEEP - Thats some funny **** ROFL! Thanks i'm lookin forward to it.

 

[sunfish]

I bought my 346XP new 10 or 11 years ago. I just started cuttin wood with it, no special break-in. It cuts around 15 cords a year and other odd jobs, still runs like new. I like this one so much I'm thinking about gettin another to run a longer bar on.

Congrats, now get to work...

 

[amateur cutter]

"6.0,350,203/205,steering rocks,cut 44's,exocage" If this makes sense to you then your OK by me.

Got a pic of that by chance? A C

 

[Fugowwee]

Pic of?

 

[mikefunaro]

Very nice saw you got there, I'm sure you'll be happy with it - I'm very happy with mine

I got mine new also, put it through a few heat cycles on the first tank and let it idle for a bit in between. Then started doing some light cutting without using full throttle for about 2 tanks. After that I got into it and used it like any other saw.

Go and cut some wood ASAP - it will put a smile on your face :greenchainsaw:

Use of the saw not at full throttle is not advisable in extended cutting, it is jetted for full throttle and idle only!! It is not a strimmer!

Do not do any weird half throttle stuff with the saw. Just use it. Don't work it for 4 hours with no rest. Avoid excessively high RPMs outside of the wood. You don't actually spin 14K when you're buried.

 

[Rudolf73]

Use of the saw not at full throttle is not advisable in extended cutting, it is jetted for full throttle and idle only!! It is not a strimmer!

Do not do any weird half throttle stuff with the saw. Just use it. Don't work it for 4 hours with no rest. Avoid excessively high RPMs outside of the wood. You don't actually spin 14K when you're buried.

Yes it is recommended that a chainsaw is run at idle or full throttle for most of the time, because running a saw at half throttle for extended periods can lead to carbon build up. However, when im cutting small stuff around 2-3" I see no need for running the saw at full throttle (especially a new saw) - 80% maybe.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

Use of the saw not at full throttle is not advisable in extended cutting, it is jetted for full throttle and idle only!! It is not a strimmer!

Do not do any weird half throttle stuff with the saw. Just use it. Don't work it for 4 hours with no rest. Avoid excessively high RPMs outside of the wood. You don't actually spin 14K when you're buried.

That is correct! The saw should be broke in like you will be running it. Just as gary said earlier. No half throttle, idle sessions or any of that crap!

Take it to the woods, fire it up and run the piss out of it. Just let it idle down a few seconds before you shut it off.

 

[nmurph]

a couple of heat cycles if you have time. then work it like a rented mule.
now you just need the 7900 to complete the dynamic duo of firewood saws.
congrats, you're gonna love that saw. when you feel comfortable that you won't be needing the warranty, read up on the muffler mods for it. it will transform it into a different saw.