Stihl MS241C M-Tronic review :)

[BloodOnTheIce]

Actually, does Stihl make a 16", .325, .050, 3005 mount bar? My dealer tells me no, .063 only.

As far as I can tell they don't make ANY .325 bars in .050 gauge, or that's listed in our dealer manual, and available in the northeast.

If this saw comes to the US, a nice setup would be a 14" or 16" reduced weight bar in running
that 3/8" lo pro chisel chain

 

[blsnelling]

As far as I can tell they don't make ANY .325 bars in .050 gauge, or that's listed in our dealer manual, and available in the northeast.

If this saw comes to the US, a nice setup would be a 14" or 16" reduced weight bar in running
that 3/8" lo pro chisel chain

That's what I would run. I don't know why people poopoo that chain. It's not a safety chain like in years past. It's just one little hump ramping up to the raker. I just posted a thread with a vid of that chain on my Poulan S XXV CVA.

 

[MCW]

Hi guys.
Thanks for all the input on bars and such.
For those guys in the states who'd like one of these try to grab one online at the link Rudy posted earlier to a UK store.
They have been great to deal with and I highly doubt those in the US will have an issue with dealer rules etc because let's be honest it isn't released in the US anyway.
You'll be looking at somewhere around USD$650-680 (maybe less) landed as the VAT tax gets removed with non UK sales and they only charge cost on postage.
They have been excellent to deal with and customer service is extremely helpful and friendly.
I can highly recommend this model saw and being from Europe you're likely to find it won't be tuned to make dolphins smile and jump for joy unlike US delivered saws. In fact the polar ice caps are likely to melt overnight if they are tuned like the little saw in the video I posted earlier.

Brad, I sense you'd like to mod one of these? A mini 441...

 

[MCW]

That's what I would run. I don't know why people poopoo that chain. It's not a safety chain like in years past. It's just one little hump ramping up to the raker. I just posted a thread with a vid of that chain on my Poulan S XXV CVA.

Everybody has a different opinion of that chain Brad but safety or non safety I just didn't like it and found the standard LP semi cut faster and lasted longer. I haven't had much time on it but others I've spoken to that have used it have echoed the same thoughts.

 

[gcsupraman]

Hi guys.
Thanks for all the input on bars and such.
For those guys in the states who'd like one of these try to grab one online at the link Rudy posted earlier to a UK store.
They have been great to deal with and I highly doubt those in the US will have an issue with dealer rules etc because let's be honest it isn't released in the US anyway.
You'll be looking at somewhere around USD$650-680 (maybe less) landed as the VAT tax gets removed with non UK sales and they only charge cost on postage.
They have been excellent to deal with and customer service is extremely helpful and friendly.
I can highly recommend this model saw and being from Europe you're likely to find it won't be tuned to make dolphins smile and jump for joy unlike US delivered saws. In fact the polar ice caps are likely to melt overnight if they are tuned like the little saw in the video I posted earlier.

Brad, I sense you'd like to mod one of these? A mini 441...

And what happens if I need parts for it?

I think the best way to get it is to show Stihl USA that there is demand for it in the US. If you have a facebook account, visit their page. I posted on their wall about the saw and got a response. It would be hard for them to ignore several people requesting that saw.

-Greg

 

[MCW]

And what happens if I need parts for it?

I think the best way to get it is to show Stihl USA that there is demand for it in the US. If you have a facebook account, visit their page. I posted on their wall about the saw and got a response. It would be hard for them to ignore several people requesting that saw.

-Greg

If you need parts you do what I do. Simply get online and order them from overseas just like I do with all of my saws - I haven't ordered a part for any of my saws from an Australian dealer for ages. The same company the link was to can get all the parts as well.
I don't have to campaign the US Stihl Facebook page now, I've got one coming I'll leave the campaigning up to the guys in the US that want one of these.

 

[blsnelling]

Brad, I sense you'd like to mod one of these? A mini 441...

I'd love to check one of these out, but not for $670. Yes, I'm spoiled by US saw prices.

 

[MCW]

I'd love to check one of these out, but not for $670. Yes, I'm spoiled by US saw prices.

Why yes, it would seem so And here I am thinking $670 is an awesome deal

 

[deye223]

Hi Guys.
Have spent the last 3 days at a forestry felling course where the training organisation have all their saws supplied free by Stihl Australia. They are even supplied saws that haven't hit the market yet.

gday matt i was talking to a bloke that runs felling corses over here (forest tec) same thing here saws suplyd free they got 3 241 and they love em . asked him about large tree felling courses he said no probs no shortage of big timber over here

 

[MCW]

gday matt i was talking to a bloke that runs felling corses over here (forest tec) same thing here saws suplyed free they got 3 241 and they love em . asked him about large tree felling courses he said no probs no shortage of big timber over here

Yeah Stihl have got those training organisations well and truly stitched up.
When you say large tree to you mean the advanced course? The intermediate allows you to fell reasonably difficult trees to 40m in height whereas the advanced goes larger and also involves jacking, heavy leaners, "dangerous" trees etc etc.
There are still a few larger softwoods left but in basically all states of Australia except Tasmania naturally occurring hardwoods are fully protected. With courses like this you really need a minimum of 100 trees available for a group of 3 guys to gain accreditation.

 

[deye223]

i see em often so next time ill ask them

 

[MCW]

i see em often so next time ill ask them

Yeah ask them mate as it would be good to know. One of the major Queensland training groups have been doing a lot of training in Papua New Guinea. A guy I know is the head Occ Health and Safety guy for one of the gold mines over there and he is the middle of doing his tree courses which he's loving. He reckons the black fellas are taking massive big fig trees etc down with just machetes to clear the mine pads. A number have been crushed and killed which just seems second nature to them apparently. His job is to train them so they don't die so often
I'd be interested to know where Forest Tec are doing their advanced courses. The competency code for that course is FPIFGM 3205A.

 

[deye223]

Yeah ask them mate as it would be good to know. One of the major Queensland training groups have been doing a lot of training in Papua New Guinea. A guy I know is the head Occ Health and Safety guy for one of the gold mines over there and he is the middle of doing his tree courses which he's loving. He reckons the black fellas are taking massive big fig trees etc down with just machetes to clear the mine pads. A number have been crushed and killed which just seems second nature to them apparently. His job is to train them so they don't die so often
I'd be interested to know where Forest Tec are doing their advanced courses. The competency code for that course is FPIFGM 3205A.

i know hes gunna ask me have you got the tickets you need to so you can do advanced

 

[MCW]

i know hes gunna ask me have you got the tickets you need to so you can do advanced

Yeah he probably will

So far I've done the basic course (FPIFGM2208A), the intermediate course (FPIFGM3204A), and the Pole Saw course (FPICOT3238A).
You also have to do the basic chainsaw competency course before you can even consider the other courses (RTC2304A/FPICOT2204A).

Too many numbers + about $3000 all up...

 

[deye223]

Yeah he probably will

So far I've done the basic course (FPIFGM2208A), the intermediate course (FPIFGM3204A), and the Pole Saw course (FPICOT3238A).
You also have to do the basic chainsaw competency course before you can even consider the other courses (RTC2304A/FPICOT2204A).

Too many numbers + about $3000 all up...

i did a corse back in 1995 yep in the 19 hundreds bloody old codger thought i'd beat ya to it no numbers. loging operations ,produce, goverment department blah,blah,blah front end loader

 

[Stihlman441]

Nice vid Matt,dont ya just love that green Redgum,she looks like a ripper and will only get better with some more fuel through it,muff modd ?.
441s little baby brother.

 

[MCW]

Nice vid Matt,dont ya just love that green Redgum,she looks like a ripper and will only get better with some more fuel through it,muff modd ?.
441s little baby brother.

Hah hah. You beat me to it mate as that video only uploaded last night and I just got home from work to post it It's bog stock mate and completely untouched. I won't be modifying it - I have to keep at least one quiet(ish) stock saw! She is loud though mate for a stocky.

I'll also post it in my "Today's Job" thread.

Her she be. You can hear the saw performing better and better as the video goes on. This thing is a very impressive little unit and I'm glad the one I used at the forestry course wasn't a one off As you've mentioned Andrew with your 441C they seem to like a lighter hand as they compensate by revving more. I ordered a 14" bar as all indications were that it was 3/8"LP. When it arrived in .325" I was a happy little camper but wished I'd ordered it with a 16" in hindsight. 14" bar nice though.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LUtGaleuKB4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[David (saltas)]

What are the buggs? you nearly cut one in half at 7:15
What is growing in the back ground?

Nice saw

You may need a doc to check out that twitch in your index finger

 

[MCW]

What are the buggs? you nearly cut one in half at 7:15
What is growing in the back ground?

Nice saw

You may need a doc to check out that twitch in your index finger

Not sure what the bugs are but they are a true bug (Hemiptera). I see them a lot in native Eucalypts. They stink like sh*t if you accidentally squash one.
They are winegrapes growing in the background - basically anything you can see in the video that is a bright green is winegrapes of varying varieties.
That "twitch" was actually to play with the throttle response. At the start of the clip you can see it's sluggish but by the end it was fine - I presume as the computer adapted and did it's thing.

Interestingly I emailed Wayne (gmax) last night as he is an absolute workshop and IPL manual guru. Within a short period I'd received all the info I needed on this saw including the very interesting workshop manual.

For those interested on the diagnosis of the M-Tronic system there is a small, dual wired plug on these saws. Now I'd have expected something fancy to plug in but that's not the case. All that goes in there is a plug that joins to two banana type terminals. Outlined in the manual are a whole swag of voltages and impedance ratings so all you do is hook up a meter to these. Funny thing is that if the saw has a problem with the carby ohm ratings the workshop manual fix is...

REPLACE THE CARBY!!!

No joke.

In fact the general rule of thumb in the workshop manual is to replace anything that is outside of spec.

The manual is too large to attach here but for anybody interested if you can get a copy of the 241/441 workshop manual you can basically diagnose any issues with these saws by using a simple, cheap meter!!! The inner workings of the M-Tronic system are actually quite simple when you read the manual although there is no such thing as "fix". Everything is basically "replace"...

 

[MCW]

For example...
(an extract from the workshop manual)

– Connect M-Tronic test lead to
multimeter
: Insert black plug (1) in the "com"
/ "ground" jack and the red
plug (2) in the "volt" / "ohm" jack
– Set multimeter to "diode test"
: Test diode on
switchgear (3) (microswitch) in
accordance with multimeter
instruction manual
If the switchgear (microswitch) is
intact and the Master Control lever
is set to the} position, the
following target values will be
attained:
– Measurement in direction of flow,
target value: 0.3 volts to 0.7 volts
– Move the Master Control lever to
position F
– Measurement in direction of flow,
required: 1.2 volts to infinity
– Observe display, e.g., (O.L.)
or (1.)
– If the required values are not
attained, replace switchgear and
repeat test procedure, b8.4
– If the required values are not
attained again, replace wiring
harness; it may be possible to
reuse the previous switchgear,