MS 360 Question

[Minn-Pax]

I've been reading stuff on ArboristSite for two months. This is my first post.

I've been running a MS360 for a couple of years now - it replaced a trusty Jonsered 621. Saw's been running great and has cut approx. 25 cords of firewood here in Minnesota. My buddy just bought a tach; we checked the saw; and running wide open with chain and bar -14,200 rpm. We tried to dial it back but hit the infamous limiter's limit.

We tried prying the cap off, but I said I didn't want wreck anything, so I took it into the local dealer. The regular guy wasn't there, but the tractor mechanic on duty cleaned the air filter, pryed on the limiter tab for a minute or so, gave up and chopped a chunk of the tab off. It had slowed up about a 100rpm, and he said no big deal, it'll slow down when the weather warms up.

What's the advice out there? I have some searching, but the questions I have include:
Where can I find Stihl RPM specs?
How do I get the limiter cap off. My buddy had a crochet hook but it sure wouldn't get it off easily. Twenty years of farming gave me plenty of experience with, "if you can't fix something, break it, and then take it to the dealer."
Can you reuse the caps when you get them off?

Thanks for any help.

 

[THALL10326]

I've been reading stuff on ArboristSite for two months. This is my first post.

I've been running a MS360 for a couple of years now - it replaced a trusty Jonsered 621. Saw's been running great and has cut approx. 25 cords of firewood here in Minnesota. My buddy just bought a tach; we checked the saw; and running wide open with chain and bar -14,200 rpm. We tried to dial it back but hit the infamous limiter's limit.

We tried prying the cap off, but I said I didn't want wreck anything, so I took it into the local dealer. The regular guy wasn't there, but the tractor mechanic on duty cleaned the air filter, pryed on the limiter tab for a minute or so, gave up and chopped a chunk of the tab off. It had slowed up about a 100rpm, and he said no big deal, it'll slow down when the weather warms up.

What's the advice out there? I have some searching, but the questions I have include:
Where can I find Stihl RPM specs?
How do I get the limiter cap off. My buddy had a crochet hook but it sure wouldn't get it off easily. Twenty years of farming gave me plenty of experience with, "if you can't fix something, break it, and then take it to the dealer."
Can you reuse the caps when you get them off?

Thanks for any help.

Short and simple. Get yourself a sheetrock screw and screw it into the center hole of the cap alittle bit and pull on the screw, out pops the cap. Sounds crazy but it works. Max rpm for a 036 is 13,500. Your's is humming right along there at 14,200-14,100. Good idea on your part to set it back down to specs but dont be too alarmed. I had a 036 come in the shop not too long ago that was running 15,100. I thought oh sh-t. The guy said I didn't think it sounded right. It however showed no signs of any damage, he got it in the hospital right in time. We performed surgery on it and all went well, the saw is fine

 

[NWCS]

i do exactly the same thing for limiter caps, sheetrock screw, a rag covering any plastic that might get touched and a pair of pliars. they come right out. if you use a thin enough coarse thread sheetrock screw most of the times the caps do not get mangled at all and are fully re-usable.

 

[Minn-Pax]

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

I've got a few more questions, but I'll be a good citizen and make sure I continue to read some of the old discussions before I become a pest.

My experience with this saw was like that guy who was disapointed with a new 361. I thought the new $500 saw would outcut the 621. Ran a couple of easy tanks of gas through it, then sunk it into a 40" elm log. Bogged it down pretty good. I figured out for myself the trade-off of torque vs. chain speed. I got to where I really liked the saw.

Then one day I used my friend's Huskey 572.

Now the talk about saw mods gets my attention.

Dave

 

[Minn-Pax]

Oops. I think I meant 372. I'm bad with numbers. You ought to see me ordering chain.

All I know is whatever its model number, it had plenty o'power.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Myself, I like to use the Stihl limiter cap removal tool. It's about $5 from your dealer and it makes the job easy and worry free. And I've always been able to reuse my caps after removing them.

And as you say, you've learned about chainspeed. Need to just let these newer saws pull themselves through the cut, with no need to lean on them. They'll cut better if you let them.

Good luck.
Jeff

 

[West Texas]

372 has about 13cc more engine than the 036/360 so that should be a noticable difference. Ream out the muffler on that 036 and make a fine tune adjustment on the carb and that saw will cut a lot of wood. But, there is no substitute for a sharp chain either, hopefully you are using RS or RSC chain on it or equivilant.

 

[sugarbush]

I've been reading stuff on ArboristSite for two months. This is my first post.

I've been running a MS360 for a couple of years now - it replaced a trusty Jonsered 621. Saw's been running great and has cut approx. 25 cords of firewood here in Minnesota. My buddy just bought a tach; we checked the saw; and running wide open with chain and bar -14,200 rpm. We tried to dial it back but hit the infamous limiter's limit.

We tried prying the cap off, but I said I didn't want wreck anything, so I took it into the local dealer. The regular guy wasn't there, but the tractor mechanic on duty cleaned the air filter, pryed on the limiter tab for a minute or so, gave up and chopped a chunk of the tab off. It had slowed up about a 100rpm, and he said no big deal, it'll slow down when the weather warms up.

What's the advice out there? I have some searching, but the questions I have include:
Where can I find Stihl RPM specs?
How do I get the limiter cap off. My buddy had a crochet hook but it sure wouldn't get it off easily. Twenty years of farming gave me plenty of experience with, "if you can't fix something, break it, and then take it to the dealer."
Can you reuse the caps when you get them off?

Thanks for any help.

check your spark plug, if it's a nice chocolate brown don't change a thing, other then see if it'll pull a 8 tooth sprocket. those rpm's won't hurt it unless it's running lean. if you've cut 25 cord of firewood without any damage you have a fine running 360. a lot of guy's go to a lot work and expence to get gain's you have from the factory.