Port my 361 or get a 462??

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kielbasa

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Hi guys, I'm debating whether to port my existing 361 (nice, low hour saw) or use that $$$$ towards a 462??
First of all, I only need to be able to pull a 25" buried bar decently through hardwood, nothing bigger is necessary.
I guess my biggest question is whether porting makes THAT big of a difference on the 361? To me personally (because I have MS and my left arm is weak), I like the idea of a light saw, but with shipping, etc, I'll be halfway to the price of a 462....any thoughts/input appreciated, THANKS!
 
Hi guys, I'm debating whether to port my existing 361 (nice, low hour saw) or use that $$$$ towards a 462??
First of all, I only need to be able to pull a 25" buried bar decently through hardwood, nothing bigger is necessary.
I guess my biggest question is whether porting makes THAT big of a difference on the 361? To me personally (because I have MS and my left arm is weak), I like the idea of a light saw, but with shipping, etc, I'll be halfway to the price of a 462....any thoughts/input appreciated, THANKS!
Depends on if you are comfortable with the added weight of the 462. Have you tried one? I would go with an 044 slant fin.
 
Ok then port the 361. They are a great saw, non strato, good air filtration that is much easier to clean than the HD2, spring AV, good power with just a muffler mod and they have port timing that works well with a simple pop up piston.
Sounds acceptable to me under the conditions he stated. Good to be lighter when injured It know! I have wrecked my back from years and years of picking logs up.
 
ok, thanks for the suggestions so far.....maybe my real question is how much difference in performance (with a 25" bar) would there be between a ported 361 and a stock 462? anyone have experience running a ported 361 vs a 70cc saw?
 
I can’t make the comparison that you want, but I have a work ported 361 and love it. I cut a fair amount of large diameter hardwood and I occasionally cut large stuff with the 361 (example pictured below). Though I am one of the few who assert a 60cc saw is the ideal one saw plan* and that a 25" bar is not overkill for bucking with a 60cc saw**, I would nevertheless opt for more displacement if the primarily intended use of the saw is buried 25” in hardwood. Bigger saw most certainly for falling stems of that size.

A red oak sliced with a ported 361 20" bar.
IMG_0927.JPG

First load - for scale the trailer tires are around 32" and sides are 25" or so.
IMG_0944-001.JPG

Ron

* To date - can’t wait to check out a 500i which may change my opinion.
**In my experience with a stock 036Pro and two stock 362s, they are close to even with my ported 361 with a 25" bar (a well running 362 might actually have a slight edge). With a 20" bar it is no contest, the ported 361 will eat their lunches.
 
My ported 361 Mofo would cut consistently faster with the same 20” bar and chain than my 462. However, I never ran anything larger to compare them. I installed the HO Oiler from a 460r and it oils a 28” bar fine. I’ve never tried anything longer.

I sold the 462 and kept the 361. Here are empty weights. If that helps. I just noticed that you might need to add a little to the 361 since it’s missing bar nuts F08629BD-90AF-424B-87FB-FFC431D23A21.jpeg4678353C-AE8F-416B-A7F8-103B50E1D8E1.jpeg
 
ok, thanks for the suggestions so far.....maybe my real question is how much difference in performance (with a 25" bar) would there be between a ported 361 and a stock 462? anyone have experience running a ported 361 vs a 70cc saw?
The shorter
My ported 361 Mofo would cut consistently faster with the same 20” bar and chain than my 462. However, I never ran anything larger to compare them. I installed the HO Oiler from a 460r and it oils a 28” bar fine. I’ve never tried anything longer.

I sold the 462 and kept the 361. Here are empty weights. If that helps. I just noticed that you might need to add a little to the 361 since it’s missing bar nuts View attachment 793221View attachment 793223
Ill take the lighter of the two thanks.
 
ok, thanks for the suggestions so far.....maybe my real question is how much difference in performance (with a 25" bar) would there be between a ported 361 and a stock 462? anyone have experience running a ported 361 vs a 70cc saw?
@huskyboy did.

I’d vote 462 personally. It’s not much bigger.

Here is a 361 done up with an 044 carb. It’s a pricey build and took a lot of time and money to get it to this. It’s in hardwood, still fat and not broken in, and only has the 361 oil pump on it in this vid. It now has the bolt on 460 pump and oils the 28 much betterer now.

It beat a muff modded new 572XP and a 441 Stihl with a 28” bar.

 
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