List a saws design flaw

[weimedog]

I know they have passed the test of time...but the reason I don't run my little Super XL Homie on anything large is everytime I do more than limbing, the gas is boiling after an hour or two.....and its running with nice tan colored plugs....Haven't yet seen this in the larger Homies. Is THIS why current saw config's have the fuel in the separate handle area?

My Homie 340(Solo built) has the smallest Carb I have ever seen on a saw, reguardless of size along with the goofiest mounting system/intake manifold I have ever seen. AND the wireing is all bunched up and pinched when it goes from the pull start area to the on/off switch & coil for the spark plug wire. Opening up that area along with adding additional insulation around those wires changed a saw that would act lean and evenutually die after an hour or so of work to one that will continue to "wheeeze" as long as you have patience!

 

[Modifiedmark]

I know they have passed the test of time...but the reason I don't run my little Super XL Homie on anything large is everytime I do more than limbing, the gas is boiling after an hour or two.....and its running with nice tan colored plugs....Haven't yet seen this in the larger Homies. Is THIS why current saw config's have the fuel in the separate handle area?

My Homie 340(Solo built) has the smallest Carb I have ever seen on a saw, reguardless of size along with the goofiest mounting system/intake manifold I have ever seen. AND the wireing is all bunched up and pinched when it goes from the pull start area to the on/off switch & coil for the spark plug wire. Opening up that area along with adding additional insulation around those wires changed a saw that would act lean and evenutually die after an hour or so of work to one that will continue to "wheeeze" as long as you have patience!

Well, my SXL 925 can get that gas boiling, then it won't want to start for a week.

I find it interesting you never noticed in any larger ones. It is a main reason that my 925 will probably end up on ebay.

I think the 925 not having a decomp is a design flaw. At least put a metal starter pulley on it if not.

 

[weimedog]

I wonder what the difference is...I have run my 925 for years without that. Everything from felling to milling. Wonder if yours might have a slight leak in the crank case seals? Maybe the RPM we run in cut is different? Clutch? Timing? I've heard that "heat" issue before as well on 925's.

On old period (1970's-1980's European) motorcycles when the cdi began to fail, the ignition would creep towards advancing the timing. Actually the CDI was an electronic retarding device in how it works...so when they went bad the bikes were at full advance on the timing curve. KTM's were famous for their ability to run backwards when the ignitions were on the way out. They would be much harder to kick over..Then they would get hot...then they would toast a cylinder. Had a 1989 KTM 250 do that.

 

[Modifiedmark]

I wonder what the difference is...I have run my 925 for years without that. Everything from felling to milling. Wonder if yours might have a slight leak in the crank case seals? Maybe the RPM we run in cut is different? Clutch? Timing? I've heard that "heat" issue before as well on 925's.

On old period (1970's-1980's European) motorcycles when the cdi began to fail, the ignition would creep towards advancing the timing. Actually the CDI was an electronic retarding device in how it works...so when they went bad the bikes were at full advance on the timing curve. KTM's were famous for their ability to run backwards when the ignitions were on the way out. They would be much harder to kick over..Then they would get hot...then they would toast a cylinder. Had a 1989 KTM 250 do that.

In my other post I phrased that wrong, I meant to say that the 925 did have a metal pulley and they still break.

No there are no issues on mine, it's almost perfect and it has new crank seals etc.

 

[Modifiedmark]

While were listing design flaws, I have to say that the whole Mini Mac was a design flaw....

 

[lesorubcheek]

I think the 925 not having a decomp is a design flaw.

This has puzzled me for a long time. It does put wear on the starter components.

Dan

 

[WES999]

Husky 350 intake boot clamp...

The cheapo plastic clamp on the rubber intake manifold, it did not provide any clamping at all. I cut off the latch part and replaced with a 5/16" wide hose clamp, much better.

 

[litefoot]

Not a design flaw, but every saw sold should come with a flywheel removal tool. Should be standard accessory..like a scrench.

 

[Brmorgan]

Not a design flaw, but every saw sold should come with a flywheel removal tool. Should be standard accessory..like a scrench.

But that would eat into the dealers' profits from servicing, so I don't see that ever happening. Also you'd probably end up with a bunch of numb-nuts folks pulling their flywheels and screwing up their ignition timing etc. when the problem was in fact elsewhere.

 

[stihl sawing]

You want a serious design flaw. This one is a doozy. The blue choke knob points up toward the handle and gets stuck under it when used. The av springs are cheap and allow a lot of movement to move the handle below the knob especially bucking.It's a pain to get it back out. I thought i could turn it over and have it facing down................WRONG. That little part wasn't thought about when they designed it.

 

[Brmorgan]

While we're on the topic of choke pulls, the lever-style choke pull on my brother's Husky 257 is a stupid design. I have yet to see a saw with that style of choke pull that isn't broken off, and once broken they're almost impossible to pull out, especially with gloves on.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

Not offending me, but I have no idea what you are talking about. Mine will pull a 28" bar in Eastern hard wood all day long without even blinking.

he is talking about an ms390

whatever he says.... i am just saying.....

 

[huskystihl]

he is talking about an ms390

whatever he says.... i am just saying.....

Yep I needed to clarify. The 390xp is one of the nicest saws i've ever ran and no doubt it would pull what ever bar but the ms 390 is severely handicapped over 20" and therefore should not be maketed as such.

 

[gilraine]

Gas and oil caps on Stihls. Every danged one of 'em.

the black ones were fine, the flippys can be a pain..

Lack of nose sprocket lubrication hole on Stihl bars.

not needed..

Poor air filtration on most Stihl saws.

on par with dolmar..

Funky master choke/throttle/ignition switch on Stihl saws.

too complicated for you???

"Nose heavy" balance on Stihl saws.

my 372 was the same way.. big bar is gonna tip any saw forward..

 

[Adam_MA]

Yep I needed to clarify. The 390xp is one of the nicest saws i've ever ran and no doubt it would pull what ever bar but the ms 390 is severely handicapped over 20" and therefore should not be maketed as such.

I knew you were talking about the MS390, so was I. I have one and like I said before it will pull a 28" bar all day long.

 

[woodyman]

All saws are way too heavy,under powered,vibrate too much,use too much gas and oil and make too much noise.Thats why I am working on a 5 pound 10hp solar powered chainsaw that uses no gas or oil does not vibrate or make any noise and never needs to be sharpened:jawdrop: Oh yeah,the air filter on the Stihl 026.

 

[HuskyPete]

I am in need of reading about something other than oil, what to buy, which brand and/or what chain.

In reference to any saw, is there an aspect of it's design that appears to be flawed?

Not looking for manufacturing quality fit and finish issues only engineering and design issues. Any brand, any saw what would make it better. More power,less weight, higher speed, and lower price do not count anymore as valid answers. You have to work harder than that.

For instance-

The spikes on the 6400-7900 saws. 5 point, larger on the bottom.

Oil pick up tube screen on the 455 series Huskys. Make the openings smaller.

I hate those flip caps on Stihl's. They are on my 4 mix string trimmer and on two saws, that I recently sold. I will never buy anything that has them. Stihl should go back to the old style.

 

[Justsaws]

I hate those flip caps on Stihl's. They are on my 4 mix string trimmer and on two saws, that I recently sold. I will never buy anything that has them. Stihl should go back to the old style.

I would be very surprised if Stihl went back to the old style.

I would not be surprised if the other brands did their own version. Lots of people LOVE those caps. The straw poll at a couple of dealerships the tool-less caps were the clear favorite. One rep for a different brand said it was the most common realistic suggestion for the next round of design improvements.

Personally I have no issues with the tool-less caps and could care less.

 

[AOD]

I do like the extra-large fill openings on a lot of newer Stihl stuff, makes refueling a lot easier. I always wondered how you're supposed to fuel something up through an opening the size of a quarter.

 

[Junior]

The 3/4 wrap handle on Stihl saws. I feel like I've been ripped off for a 1/4 of a handle. Easy fix with an aftermarket handle...