Critique my tuning.

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2broke2ride

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Does this sound about right or should it come up a bit more?
346xp, new ring, light porting, base gasket deleted (still ended up with .026 squish) muffler modded, timing advanced half the keyway. Still on the first tank.
I dont have a tach so I'm tuning by ear. I had it an 1/8th turn leaner and it cut like crazy but I was a little afraid that it was too lean.
 
Yeah I always wonder how much 2 stroke in the wood is correct. Of course it depends on the saw loading. Like if a saw is cutting a branch half its capacity should it 4 stroke in the cut. If your saw two strokes cutting any small limb that is too lean I would guess. But bar buried in a large log should not 4 stroke ?
I dunno as you can tell. but I am curious/
 
Sounds about right, although, you didn't spend much time at wide open and no load.
Tune in the wood.....when its good and warmed up make several cuts and simply lift the saw to take the load off and then get right back into the cut.
When the load is taken off the engine the sound will change. When loaded it should be a good clean smooth running sound and when load is removed there should be a burble or miss sound to the exhaust note.
 
Sounds pretty good, can hear a slight 4 stroke out of the wood, I'm used to hearing a bit more but mine don't rev up that high.

Steve
Kind of the problem I'm having, I'm used to tuning my old Macs lol, they sound different!!
 
You guys really think I'm lean? I thought if anything I was being conservative lol.
I will give it a little more and try it then. I actually fattened it up to where it is now. In the wood it makes a lot more power an 1/8 turn leaner than where it is now.
This isnt my saw and I really dont want the guy that runs it to burn it up right out of the gate but he's looking for a hot little saw hence the work lol.
 
Sounds a bit lean for a work tune.

I'm curious about the timing advance. 1/2 key is quite a lot for any saw. Most that I know don't advance the 346 at all.
I read about the timing advance on here. May have been Mastermind???? I dont remember. It seems to run good.
This is my first attempt at modifying a saw.
 
I think that was that guys first build. Some saws love timing advance. The 346 isn't one of them in my experience. You don't want it advanced if it's not doing you any good.
Fair enough, your word is gospel. I have a stock flywheel, I will put it back to stock.
 
If the saw spec says it produces power at 9600rpm, can you tune to that IN the wood and you should be good?
Or do elevation and humidity variables negate this?
 
You guys really think I'm lean? I thought if anything I was being conservative lol.
I will give it a little more and try it then. I actually fattened it up to where it is now. In the wood it makes a lot more power an 1/8 turn leaner than where it is now.
This isnt my saw and I really dont want the guy that runs it to burn it up right out of the gate but he's looking for a hot little saw hence the work lol.


Don't confuse RPM with sawing speed. most will saw faster in big wood with more fuel. 4 stroking as soon as you let off a bit . Steve
 
It’s a little lean.

More importantly: Don’t start the saw like that, especially with the brake off, unless you want to get cut. Not that there aren’t other ways to start it other than on the ground, but do not let your hand off that top handle.
 
It’s a little lean.

More importantly: Don’t start the saw like that, especially with the brake off, unless you want to get cut. Not that there aren’t other ways to start it other than on the ground, but do not let your hand off that top handle.
Thanks for the input, sorry you don't approve of my starting technique, it is how I was taught (on old Macs that didnt even have a brake) and it's a hard habit to break (for me anyway)
The old Macs lacked a throttle lock and would not start at idle so you had to start them that way, that is how the instruction manual for the saw said to do it lol. Times sure do change.
 
Well, I ended up giving it an 1/8 turn out on the high jet and put the timing back to stock. Still seems to cut really well. J gave the saw back to the guy tonight, hopefully he doesnt blow it up in the first week lol.
 
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