Is Stihl 341 a great saw ?

[The Count]

i`m sure is ok or good;
a friend of mine asked me about one; he want to buy a barely used one.
I admit I never heard of 341 and I was so much surprised to find that it is a pro model (initially I told him I think it is not pro- mea culpa is in order)
specs are good; 59 cc, 5,5 kg,4.2Hp

 

[minnnt]

detuned 361 as far as i know. Kinda like the 359 vs 357...

 

[The Count]

I guess that nobody has one so I can really find out.
tx man

 

[dancan]

They're the same as a MS361 but a little less power .
Will your friend notice the difference ? Probably not , especially if he does not have a 361 to compare to and even then it is still not an issue because the feel and handling is the same .
Buy it and go cut wood , I would .

 

[SawTroll]

detuned 361 as far as i know. Kinda like the 359 vs 357...

Yes, just a "lesser"/"detuned" version of the 361 (but the same cc), and not sold on all markets. It is still a very good saw.

 

[minnnt]

blimey! I got something right!!!

 

[mikefunaro]

It's analogous to a dolmar 7300 vs a 7900. They really only have a role in markets where saws are more expensive and the cost difference between it and the 361 will be significant.

 

[SawTroll]

It's analogous to a dolmar 7300 vs a 7900. They really only have a role in markets where saws are more expensive and the cost difference between it and the 361 will be significant.

I basically agree, but saws are very expensive here, and the 341 still never was offered......

 

[The Count]

I`ve only seen it on stihl.ro
don`t know anything about prices but when I last visited a dealer he had the 362 only a bit more expensive than 361

the 341 is listed as a pro.
if the situation is similar to Husky 372XP/365 it should be listed lower,as a powerful and robust saw.
oh well, i`ll talk to my friend and inform him about what I found out.
I am very curious to find how much does the owner asks for it.

 

[syczek]

So guys why the MS341 has less power than MS361? cc is the same-right?

 

[SawTroll]

The brands don't do everything the same way, and often they don't even always agree with themselves (on different markets and times), regarding what is pro saws.

 

[SawTroll]

So guys why the MS341 has less power than MS361? cc is the same-right?

Could be the porting of the cylinder, but there also are other ways to create a difference.....

If you compare the IPLs, that may give you a clue.

 

[John R]

I've been told the only difference is the carburetors.

 

[SawTroll]

So guys why the MS341 has less power than MS361? cc is the same-right?

The cc is just one of several factors......:msp_rolleyes:

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I've never understood the reasoning behind detuned saws. Like the ms650 -vs- ms660, 341/361, etc. If they are the same saw then they should cost the same to build.
Why would a company put the same build into two different saws only to detune one? I dunno, doesnt make sense to me.

 

[Andyshine77]

I've never understood the reasoning behind detuned saws. Like the ms650 -vs- ms660, 341/361, etc. If they are the same saw then they should cost the same to build.
Why would a company put the same build into two different saws only to detune one? I dunno, doesnt make sense to me.

Often times the top end will be easier to cast because of the changes in design, this makes them cheaper. Sometimes they will also use a different manufactures that produce lower quality.

 

[gijs341]

Hi Guys,

The ms341 is a great saw, I own one myself. Differences between the 341 and 361 are: different coil, cylinder and carburator. Max rev. is 13500 for the 341 vs 14000 for the 361.
Biggest difference is the cylinder, the 341 has an open port design, while a 361 has a closed port design. Both cylinders have 4 transfer ports.
I never had the chance of running a 361, but the 341 sure is a great saw. Even better after the port job I gave her:msp_rolleyes:
In smaller wood I don't notice a big difference between my 7900 an the (ported)341, both running an 8 pin setup. (7900 bar 45cm and 341 40 cm)
The 7900 in bigger wood with 63 cm's fully buried..... Well, that's another story.......:msp_cool:

Cheers, Gijs

 

[Chris J.]

Could be the porting of the cylinder, but there also are other ways to create a difference.....

If you compare the IPLs, that may give you a clue.

Generally speaking, Stihl IPLs aren't that easy to find.

Yes, some people manage to obtain access to the Stihl database, but for the Average Joe getting a Stihl IPL or SM requires knowing where & who to ask.

 

[SawTroll]

I've never understood the reasoning behind detuned saws. Like the ms650 -vs- ms660, 341/361, etc. If they are the same saw then they should cost the same to build.
Why would a company put the same build into two different saws only to detune one? I dunno, doesnt make sense to me.

It is mainly to hit a lower price point without designing another basic saw.

Saw prices is more a marketing issue than it is a reflection of the actual production costs. Development costs is part of the picture as well.

 

[SawTroll]

Generally speaking, Stihl IPLs aren't that easy to find.

Yes, some people manage to obtain access to the Stihl database, but for the Average Joe getting a Stihl IPL or SM requires knowing where & who to ask.

Right, they keep the cards pretty tight!

MS341 IPL

MS361 IPL