Terrible Dilema

[Kenskip1]

Delima

I have a question that is most relevant to this thread.Does your wife have a sister?Ken

 

[John D]

Buddy you got a keeper! You better take good care of the Mrs!

 

[GitWood]

My MS 261 was LEAN LEAN LEAN on the H needle with the factory limit stop setting. That being said, there is NO REASON to 'modify' the limit caps on this saw. If you use a 2mm allen wrench, you can reach right 'through' the alloy limit cap and shift the limit cap's range of adjustment.

Lets say you open the H needle until it stops and this is truly 3/4 turn open from a fully closed needle. Your range of adjustment would be from closed to 3/4th turn open. If you then insert the 2mm allen, and open the needle 1/4th turn further (it jumps splines on the limiter cap when adjusted this way), your adjustment range would be from 1 full turn to 1/4th turn open. Did that make sense?

For me, a simple 'calibration' makes much more sense than modifying this type of limit cap.

FYI, this is the wrench I use to reach through the limit cap. If you look around, you can find cheaper alternatives to this one that would serve the purpose.

Thorp Hex Driver, 2.0mm
by Moores Ideal Products (MIP9008)

Thank You! This sounds like the perfect solution to me.

 

[s219]

My MS 261 was LEAN LEAN LEAN on the H needle with the factory limit stop setting. That being said, there is NO REASON to 'modify' the limit caps on this saw. If you use a 2mm allen wrench, you can reach right 'through' the alloy limit cap and shift the limit cap's range of adjustment.

Just checked, and this works on mine as well -- great discovery! Whether this is part of the intended design or not, it works well.

 

[s219]

Buddy you got a keeper! You better take good care of the Mrs!

Yeah, that gal is definitely a keeper.

OP, I think you'll like the 261. It's 50cc on paper, but easily runs with Stihl's older 55cc saws, and appears to have the fuel economy of Stihl's older 45cc saws. Be sure to max out the oiler screw. The default setting doesn't oil enough in my opinion.

I finally got to try a 346 last week, and it's also a great saw. But it definitely lacks the "heavy duty" feel of the 261. I can see that being a plus to some and a minus to others.

 

[smilin possum]

Man you can keep the saws and I'll send ya some more! What you want for the woman that'll buy saws. I can really use one of them!!!

 

[russhd1997]

I wouldn't worry about what to do with 2 50cc saws. I have 3 and use them all. When others sharpen or swap out chains when one gets dull I swap out saws and keep cutting. Sharpening gets done at home or on my lunch break at my 8 to 5 job.

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Sell'em both. Get a 5 cube.

 

[sunfish]

I had the choice and got two 50cc saws, well had the first for
10 years and the new one for a year.

I'd keep the odd ball saw and the wife. :msp_smile:

 

[sps3172]

Just checked, and this works on mine as well -- great discovery! Whether this is part of the intended design or not, it works well.

I didn't actually 'discover' this....I could swear that I read it somewhere on AS. For the life of me, I can't find the thread. The OP had pictures of both a Stihl Limiter removal tool and one that he said would reach through the cap. That tool looked just like a my 2mm wrench so I tried...and it worked. I was thrilled that I didn't have to buy the Stihl tool.

I've just been passing on the info whenever I noticed the question. Hopefully, word will get out around here that people don't need to waste time modifying the 261 caps.

Based on the fact that Stihl offers a 2mm wrench to dealers, I suspect that they intended the dealer to calibrate the mixture (with this technique) to the specified 14K (still very lean) for the user, when 'prepping' the saw.

As a sidebar, I've employed a similar approach on my new MS 441. The caps are a different design, but I noticed that they lifted easily to a certain point when you try to pull them. If you pull harder, they come off. If you reach 'through' them at that point with a small flat head, you can move the needle while the limiter stays against the stop. Then simply push the cap back down and your range of adjustment is shifted just like on the 261.

Peace and bacon grease...

- Steve

 

[holeycow]

Will that technique work on the ms362?

 

[young]

Will that technique work on the ms362?

362 has the red limiter cap on the high. same red cap as in 440/460/660 etc...

 

[sps3172]

Will that technique work on the ms362?

362 has the red limiter cap on the high. same red cap as in 440/460/660 etc...

If that's the case, the technique that I mention using on my MS 441 (also with red limit caps) should work. Pull the limit cap part way out (limit 'tang' still engaged), reach 'through' with small flat blade, and reset to desired adjustment range. When finished, push limit cap back down.

 

[young]

If that's the case, the technique that I mention using on my MS 441 (also with red limit caps) should work. Pull the limit cap part way out (limit 'tang' still engaged), reach 'through' with small flat blade, and reset to desired adjustment range. When finished, push limit cap back down.

yes

......

Pictured are the:

Large outlet, dual port casing muffler (1122 140 0603)
Limiter caps (4203 121 2700)
Limiter cap puller (5910 890 4500)