The new Stihl MS201T sucks

[heromaker]

Stilh rep

After having the saw re-tuned twice by my local dealer, I decided to contact STIHL directly to complain. I was put in contact with the regional sales manager for STIHL, who then had the Technical rep contact me. This guy was awesome, Norm Olynuk is the STIHL Tech Rep in British Columbia, after listening to my complaints, he contacted the dealer to get their input & then made arrangements to come out on site to see exactly what was going on with the saw. The long & short of this was, the new MS201t has a specific tuning procedure that must be followed, due to the new ignition system. After pulling the carburettor off the saw, he removed the limiter cap & reset the high speed & lowspeed adjustment ( 2 turns out form the seated position on the h speed & 1 1/4 turns out on the low speed. after re-assembley he performed what is called a "lean idle drop off setting" this where the new ignition system comes into play, it has some internal programming that requires you to let the saw return to idle for 20 seconds after revving the saw before adjusting the carb (Norm said it is critical to let it idle for at least 20 seconds as it alows the ignition timing to return to the base setting) after he finished, the saw was a completely different machine. Norm also told me that the break-in period on this saw is a lot longer (at least 25 tanks of fuel) 2 weeks later, my 201 T easily outperforms my old 200T. :msp_smile:

Actually I put in a complaint on a Stihl website and got a call from a big time rep that said he contacted my local dealer and he said basically the same thing you are conveying. I don't have a backup climbing saw right now so I have been putting off taking the saw in. I have to say that I'm very impressed with Stihl and now hearing your story even more so. :msp_thumbup: Thankx for the feedback.

 

[jeepyfz450]

Its funny when the 201T came out all the 200Ts fell of the face of the earth. i have been on the hunt for a new one. no luck ANYWHERE.....

 

[blsnelling]

Variable ignition timing and a spark interruptor ( which is the reason for the 20sec reset)

So, are you saying that the saw in question had never been allowed to idle for 20 seconds?

 

[Michael16]

A lot of the tree clearing guys around here were 100% against them when they came out, said they would never buy them and the worst thing stihl has ever made etc... A few of them eventually had to break down and buy one when there old saws kicked the bucket, or fell out of the tree haha. All of them seem to enjoy them now though, just a little bit of tuning and adjustment to them and they are awsome saws, and pretty efficient too. No complaints from actual owners to date though, just complements...

 

[Steeltech]

201t ignition

the 20sec reset comes into play when trying to adjust the carburetor the Stihl rep told me this likely the reason the saw was out of adjustment.
. When you put a tach on the saw and start adjusting the carburettor, when the rpm exceeds 14k the tach is no longer able to give an accurate reading, so then you need to let the saw return to idle for the ignition to reset itself

So, are you saying that the saw in question had never been allowed to idle for 20 seconds?

 

[user 64030]

Its funny when the 201T came out all the 200Ts fell of the face of the earth. i have been on the hunt for a new one. no luck ANYWHERE.....

Yes, I put a fellow AS memeber onto a dealer here in my area that had two. He paid for them over teh phone that day then drove in from 3 states (NC to Louisville (area) KY) just for two saws.

I look everytime I go into a dealer just to see, and no NOS 200Ts around.

dw

 

[pdqdl]

Its funny when the 201T came out all the 200Ts fell of the face of the earth. i have been on the hunt for a new one. no luck ANYWHERE.....

I just accepted an almost unused 200T in trade as full payment on a lawnmower repair bill of about $130.00. We have been holding the mower for at least two summers, but it has been dragged into use a couple of times by my employees. OH YES! We are going to make sure the lawnmower runs right.

Just to let you know: there are still 200T's out there!

 

[SCHallenger]

I just accepted an almost unused 200T in trade as full payment on a lawnmower repair bill of about $130.00. We have been holding the mower for at least two summers, but it has been dragged into use a couple of times by my employees. OH YES! We are going to make sure the lawnmower runs right.

Just to let you know: there are still 200T's out there!

I'm guessing it is gone already!

 

[pdqdl]

After some reservation, we accepted the lady's offer. She wants her mower back, I want to get paid, and I have a marked fondness for 200t's.

I didn't explain to her that she could probably list it on craigslist and get enough money to buy several new mowers. Nope! Never crossed my mind to bring that up.

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

After some reservation

Didn't you mean "After some academy award level acting"?

 

[pdqdl]

No, I wasn't there when she brought it in for trade. My mechanic finished the deal. I am pretty sure that he told her I was coming out ahead, and that he would make sure that she got a good mower back and that I would deliver it personally.

The guy that stuck me with the mower used to work for me. We did the original repair for his friend/landlord on a non-profit sort of arrangement. He was getting a bit old, he had lost one leg (before working for me), and had uncontrolled diabetes. I was trying to work around those problems and be a nice guy keeping him at work.

He ended up just kind of giving up on life and his daughter put him in a home. The friend/landlord never came in to pay the bill, couldn't run the mower or even pick it up, so it sat around forever being ignored. She recently talked to him and he advised that she swap the 200T for the mower repair. I am pretty certain that he still understands that a 200T is a premium saw.

My former employee also kind of stuck me with some work-related problems prior to his departure, so it would have been no problem at all for me to profit on him with no remorse. Hiding my relief at not being asked to make another bad deal would have required some acting, though.

When she proposed a chainsaw trade, I was imagining an old McCulloch Eager beaver.