7900 or 385xp

[sILlogger]

never ran a 7900. but have ran 385's i'm sure they are good saws but personally don't lke them all that well. i'm just used to running 395's and 066's this is personal preference. i do like the air filters on them there huskies. around here there would be no competition because there aren't any dolmar dealers around.

 

[B_Turner]

I vote 385...I'm not a Dolmar fan.

I know you don't like the way they feel in your hand, (I didn't) but have you run one in wood? Pull the trigger on one and it tromps the 460 or 385 (stock) fairly bad. Motor kind of bouncy when reved, but settles down nicely in the cut. You got to feel that broad powerband to appreciate it, I say.

And I don't mind the longer dogs as I am running a 24 inch bar on one and a 28 inch bar on the other,although they are kind of a fruity design.

I'm a west coaster so I do cut softwoods sometimes, but since I chase wood for turning, most of what I cut is wood like locust, oak, etc. Urban trees, mostly. The 7900 pulls a 28 inch bar just fine in black locust with a sharp chain, as I can testify during the last couple of days.

Course with the long bars I opt for my 066 or my even more favorite 395.

 

[ChuckinOhio]

The head to head stock saw thing would just about settle the questions, and would make for some interesting info.

Chuck

 

[SinglerM]

Good point.

Boy, I'd like to tell you PS7900 all the way, and I would, but I wonder if jumping from a 70cc saw to an 80cc saw is going to be enough for you. I think I would skip up to 90cc for what you're after. Other than that, I'll see if I can dig up the torque figures on both saws.

I agree. 70cc then 90cc is a good spread.
Add something 90cc.

Mitch

 

[SawTroll]

.... The weight and price make the 7900 a steal compared to the 385. The extra power (if any) and 2 lb lighter weight and great AV are just extra bonuses.

I wonder about that AV, as they are discussing if it should be banned from professional use, because of excessive vibes in Germany.......:bang: :bang:

They say it is mush worse than the MS460, but I don't really believe it

- the vibe numbers is one thing, but I believe they doesn't tell the complete story......:bang: :bang:

 

[Big Neb]

I hate to admit it but I just bought a 7900 off of ebay the other day and it should be here later this week. I would have bought a new one but have you guys seen their prices? PM me if you know where to get one cheaper.

As such, It is the older model with the red top and the European sized dawg on the engine side. Where can I get the larger American dawgs? I'll let you know how it runs.

 

[tonka]

Well shortly after posting the question, I bought a 7900. I've got to say this saw really cuts. And it does it so smoothly. There may not be much of a cc diffference between a 372XP and the 7900, but the 7900 is much more powerful. My 372 doesn't get used anymore. The 7900 has become my go to saw. I've also added a 5100s for the lighter stuff. My 5100 came with 325 chain and I'm thinking about switching to 3/8. Seems like the saw has more potential than what the 325 is allowing. And I did get rid of the factory chain.

 

[FSburt]

Well I know this is a old thread but since I became the new owner of a Husky 385 and I also have a Dolmar 7900. I like to power and light weight of the Dolmar since I usually go out a fall on fire assigments during the summer. I got the 385 in trade for a Stihl 460 after we aquired a large batch (40 saws) of these huskys on excess property list from Guam. They have never been ran and were all crated up and sitting on a pallet in a wharehouse over their since the mid 2000's. I have a 36" bar on it and and run .63 guage 3/8 chain on it and really need it for the occasional big ass ( 70"dbh + trees we usually have fall on lightning fires. I could probably get it done with Dolmar with the 32" bar I cut with but I lean towards the less exposure time under a burning tree the better. I have not ran a Husky since 2000 when we got rid of all our 372's and switched to stihl 440's because the bottom end crank bearings would not hold up on the 372's too bad they were nice running saws.

 

[Andyshine77]

Well I know this is a old thread but since I became the new owner of a Husky 385 and I also have a Dolmar 7900. I like to power and light weight of the Dolmar since I usually go out a fall on fire assigments during the summer. I got the 385 in trade for a Stihl 460 after we aquired a large batch (40 saws) of these huskys on excess property list from Guam. They have never been ran and were all crated up and sitting on a pallet in a wharehouse over their since the mid 2000's. I have a 36" bar on it and and run .63 guage 3/8 chain on it and really need it for the occasional big ass ( 70"dbh + trees we usually have fall on lightning fires. I could probably get it done with Dolmar with the 32" bar I cut with but I lean towards the less exposure time under a burning tree the better. I have not ran a Husky since 2000 when we got rid of all our 372's and switched to stihl 440's because the bottom end crank bearings would not hold up on the 372's too bad they were nice running saws.

A lot has changed in the past 10 years. The 385 is gone we now have the 390, the early 385's had bottom end issues as well, both the 390's and 372's seem fine now. The new 372's are now strato saws. The 7900 is now the 7910 and the price has shot up.

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Archives FTW.

 

[blsnelling]

A lot has changed in the past 10 years. The 385 is gone we now have the 390, the early 385's had bottom end issues as well, both the 390's and 372's seem fine now. The new 372's are now strato saws. The 7900 is now the 7910 and the price has shot up.

Shall I interpret that for you? 390s rock

 

[FATGUY]

FWIW, my dolkita bb was neck and neck with OhioGregg's 385 last year in fair sized wood. The 390's my favorite of all the 90cc saws I've run but the 7900 is my favorite model.

 

[deye223]

shall i interpret that for you? 390s rock

yes they surely do

 

[SawTroll]

According to my brother, the 385 has mush better Cylinder porting than the 7900, and even the stock 385 porting is better than it is possible to make the 7900 BB kits - not enough materiel to work with on those.
What keeps the performance of the 385 down is the small carb venturi and the small and choked up muffler. I understand the 390 isn't as nicely ported as the 385, and can gain more from port work - but the other restrictions will still be there.....

 

[Jwalker1911]

Ive never run a dolmar but I can attest to the fact that the husky(for myself at least) has way better antivibe and the balance is light years ahead of stihl...this coming from a guy who owns one husky and several stihls....for the time being..

 

[FATGUY]

According to my brother, the 385 has mush better Cylinder porting than the 7900, and even the stock 385 porting is better than it is possible to make the 7900 BB kits - not enough materiel to work with on those.
What keeps the performance of the 385 down is the small carb venturi and the small and choked up muffler. I understand the 390 isn't as nicely ported as the 385, and can gain more from port work - but the other restrictions will still be there.....

the big bore kits are NOT high quality units at all, that being said, they still make more than reasonable power.

 

[SawTroll]

the big bore kits are NOT high quality units at all, that being said, they still make more than reasonable power.

They do, but only with extensive port work - again according to my brother. :biggrin:

 

[nstueve]

.... i doubt that underwater part.... and snow too... heck, i even doubt if stihls will run well in any given condition :jester: :jester:

Maybe with a snorkel it could... I know I'm adding a comment to a 5+year old post... :msp_tongue:

the big bore kits are NOT high quality units at all, that being said, they still make more than reasonable power.

Devils Advocate chiming in...

What BB kits are you guys looking at? Really cheap Chinese units? I just got a nikasil plated kit from Northwoodsaw and have been very impressed with the quality of the kit. The piston was a good cast. I cleaned it up with a dremel a little and thats all. It comes with a skirt coating for breakin... Cylinder casting was very close to some OEM cylinders I have seen and the power it produces was pretty substantial. I haven't run it neck and neck with a 7900... yet... But can't see the 7900 running much harder.

Also I know this thread is really old but nobody mentioned the HD air filter kits now available. I've been in a few huskies and the HD filter for these 7900's is as good as I've seen!

 

[FATGUY]

They do, but only with extensive port work - again according to my brother. :biggrin:

actually, at the time it ran against the 385, they cylinder was unmodified.

Maybe with a snorkel it could... I know I'm adding a comment to a 5+year old post... :msp_tongue:



Devils Advocate chiming in...

What BB kits are you guys looking at? Really cheap Chinese units? I just got a nikasil plated kit from Northwoodsaw and have been very impressed with the quality of the kit. The piston was a good cast. I cleaned it up with a dremel a little and thats all. It comes with a skirt coating for breakin... Cylinder casting was very close to some OEM cylinders I have seen and the power it produces was pretty substantial. I haven't run it neck and neck with a 7900... yet... But can't see the 7900 running much harder.

Also I know this thread is really old but nobody mentioned the HD air filter kits now available. I've been in a few huskies and the HD filter for these 7900's is as good as I've seen!

the first one I had was one of the first from a site sponsor. The roof of the combustion chamber was was not shaped properly and the piston skirts had to be modified so that they would clear the pork chops. The ports were small and rough, but like I said, it made more than enough power. I do have one in my shop now that came from a site sponsor in AUS. and I can tell you it's leaps and bounds ahead of the one I had. Of course, like the majority of my saws, my dolkita is in pieces under a bench waiting for my lazy ass to get to it...

 

[nstueve]

actually, at the time it ran against the 385, they cylinder was unmodified.


the first one I had was one of the first from a site sponsor. The roof of the combustion chamber was was not shaped properly and the piston skirts had to be modified so that they would clear the pork chops. The ports were small and rough, but like I said, it made more than enough power. I do have one in my shop now that came from a site sponsor in AUS. and I can tell you it's leaps and bounds ahead of the one I had. Of course, like the majority of my saws, my dolkita is in pieces under a bench waiting for my lazy ass to get to it...

I guess not seeing a OEM 7900 jug side-by-side with a BB jug I wouldn't have noticed the shape of the roof being different. And i will conceed that the transfer ports were on the small side. I would have opened mine up if I had the proper equipment to do so... I also noticed the squish was pretty high on my jug so I took out the OEM base gasket and used yamabond to seal the cylinder down. My squish is now at 0.0235-0.0242 (ish) without the base gasket. I just retuned my saw to 13,150rpms (from a fat 10,500) and believe (for the money) the BB kit is a great bolt on.

Wouldn't mind seeing some other peoples comments about the northwoodsaw kit...

Also like to see how someone would port the BB kit from northwoods and see the b4 and after timed cuts, and the changes made to the P&C.