Screamer or Grunter?

[Nanuq]

I read a thread yesterday lambasting neighbors who run their saws too rich, and at partial throttle. So it made me think...

I've got an 044 Magnum with skip chain and most of the time I run it like I used to run dirt bikes ... I blip the throttle enough to keep it cutting well and grunt through the wood. I never keep the throttle pinned and engine screaming to cut. I mean, holy cow! Once in awhile I'll give it some revs between or after a cut, just cuz it sounds nice.

Except once... this week I had a huge piece of old spruce that was FULL of knots and sap, and refused to split. So I cut it lengthwise, and wound up using full stinking throttle. WFO. It was marvelous. At the end, the muffler was smoking, and that made me think I'm getting buildup... and that made this topic.

So. Revs or Grunt?

 

[stevetheboatguy]

W.F.O. unless the situation is special. Who has time for part throttle?


Steven

 

[Marshy]

No harm running a saw wfo in the cut, they were designed to do that actually. I don't run it any other way. If it's a small branch I'll blip but it's a wfo blip.

 

[lead farmer]

W F O for the win [emoji38]

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Brushwacker]

W.F.O. unless the situation is special. Who has time for part throttle?


Steven

Who can keep up that pace long enough to cut up a truck load of wood. May be cutting up already limbed large logs for a while. Try it it cutting firewood in a oak tree top.

 

[stevetheboatguy]

Who can keep up that pace long enough to cut up a truck load of wood. May be cutting up already limbed large logs for a while. Try it it cutting firewood in a oak tree top.

For me. That would be a special situation.

P.s I got the 680 safe and sound. Appreciate it. Even though my buddy backed out on it. I think I have a nos top end coming for it, if I can get the piston situation resolved. Maybe he will pony up the cash after It's done and running again. It would be cheaper for him than buying propane hahahaha

Steven

 

[GrassGuerilla]

With the design of the carbs on most any chainsaw there's only two positions the fuel and air are mixed correctly. Wide open, and idle. Everything in between is a compromise and generally should be rich.

 

[1Alpha1]

I wasn't sure if this thread was about chainsaws or women.

 

[Brushwacker]

When I am in the main stream in a big cut its wide open, the end of the cut I normally slow down for control, directional falling I can control the placement of the fall much better as it begins to fall. Cutting logs or firewood to length that is laying on the ground about the same deal, I slow down going through the bottom, that way I find it easier to stop before hitting dirt and if I do its seldom enough to dull my chain much in 1 hit. Cutting up small diameter firewood with a healthy 50 + cc chainsaw if its easy to walk and maneuver and off the ground ( which I'd say about 50ish% is for me) then I can keep it wide open through nearly all the cut until I myself start exhausting which is long before I run a tank of gas. Big logs off the ground I can handle wide open for quite a while or most cutting with small saws under 50cc. A majority of my cutting about 75% of the cut is wide open, 25% mid to low range. I feel much safer, this style then trying to cut all wide open and it never has caused me any problems I am aware of.

 

[atpchas]

Keep in mind that the more the engine slows (below WOT), the more chance the clutch is slipping. Nothing good comes from a slipping clutch. It can generate immense heat in a short time, enough to melt a plastic case or cause aluminum transfer/scoring. A little throttle blipping at the end of a back cut or the end of a bucking cut is almost certainly safe, but less than WOT in the middle of a cut, especially if really bearing down on the cut, is just asking for trouble.

 

[Brushwacker]

Keep in mind that the more the engine slows (below WOT), the more chance the clutch is slipping. Nothing good comes from a slipping clutch. It can generate immense heat in a short time, enough to melt a plastic case or cause aluminum transfer/scoring. A little throttle blipping at the end of a back cut or the end of a bucking cut is almost certainly safe, but less than WOT in the middle of a cut, especially if really bearing down on the cut, is just asking for trouble.

I agree WOT in the middle of the cut is normally where you should be, especially in felling.
I have cut thousands of hours, never remember burning up any thing from the clutch slipping.
Seems to me the clutch engages at fairly low rpms and has a good hold above half throttle. Any way as much as I run mine less then WOT, clutch slipping hasn't been a problem so I don't worry about it.

 

[wood4heat]

I have a background racing 2stroke MX so I love a screamer! If you want grunt go drive a tractor!

 

[Nanuq]

@wood4heat there's the thing... my background was in Honda CR500s, hence the grunt.

 

[Little Al]

With the design of the carbs on most any chainsaw there's only two positions the fuel and air are mixed correctly. Wide open, and idle. Everything in between is a compromise and generally should be rich.

Totally correct, Idle or Full Gas with the the design of saw carbs that's the only settings the mixture is as tuned, between can be anywhere regarding mixture

 

[Ryan'smilling]

They're designed to be run WOT. If WOT on a 440 is too fast and loud for the wood you're working in, pick up a smaller saw. Feathering the throttle is a no-no in my book.

 

[lone wolf]

@wood4heat there's the thing... my background was in Honda CR500s, hence the grunt.

Saws are designed to run WFO in the cut do it! That smoke you saw was from it not getting up to operating temp and gumming up.

 

[mu2bdriver]

My saws have two settings: idle and full throttle. Anything else is just a transition to get to one of those settings. And like Will I was hoping this was a thread about women with pics.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

Totally correct, Idle or Full Gas with the the design of saw carbs that's the only settings the mixture is as tuned, between can be anywhere regarding mixture

Please feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken, but shouldn't anywhere else be running rich due to throttle position indicating acceleration anywhere between idle and WOT?

 

[Brushwacker]

If I am not mistaken when you are wide open and let off the throttle your at your leanest until it is down to idle. Your at a high volume of firing with low volume of gas to oxygen making a hotter burn. I remember at least 1 motorcycle that seized that way for me. I seized a couple straight gassed saws over the years and it came when they were idling down. If you were just holding it half throttle, different story, not sure. I never noticed a rich problem as much as I am not at wide open.

 

[Little Al]

Totally correct, Idle or Full Gas with the the design of saw carbs that's the only settings the mixture is as tuned, between can be anywhere regarding mixture

Please feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken, but shouldn't anywhere else be running rich due to throttle position indicating acceleration anywhere between idle and WOT?

It is dependent on saw/carb the original diaphram was an idle/ WOT job the 2 correct settings else ware was hit & miss some modern carbs have gizmo's to try to keep the mixture near to tune They could well run rich but a hesitation in throttle opening on rev up requires the L mix screw to be set richer pointing to a weak mix at that throttle position at just north of idle than at Idle its self It's a bit of a dark art trying to work it out the thing is if you get it to work OK go with it