Beefing Up a saw, squeezing more power out of it

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oceancruze1

oceancruze1

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Can someone give me some tips on hotrodding or squeezing more power out of a saw, i.e. boring out a cylinder or putting a new jug on to increase the bore size.

I have an MS250 and want more power out of it. Can I put a 260 or 026 cylinder and piston on the block to increase the bore size??
 
woodgrenade

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I have an MS250 and want more power out of it. Can I put a 260 or 026 cylinder and piston on the block to increase the bore size??

No....

You can try your hand at porting it. (Do a search on the site for specifics)

In then end though you will feel the need to acquire a bigger saw (60cc+).

Let me list a few for you:
Stihl: 361, 362, 440, 441, 460, 660, 880
Husqvarna: 372, 385, 390, 395, 3120
Jonsered: 2165, 2171, 2186, 2188
Dolmar: 6400, 7300, 7900

Enjoy!!
 
MS460WOODCHUCK

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Open up the muffler and readjust the carb and you will be impressed with that little saw. It won't be a 70-90 cc saw but it will be a big increase from the power it has now.:chainsaw:
 
oceancruze1

oceancruze1

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Open up the muffler and readjust the carb and you will be impressed with that little saw. It won't be a 70-90 cc saw but it will be a big increase from the power it has now.:chainsaw:

Thanks for the response. I have heard that before that the cat robs its postential power output, may try that but I am intimidated with screwing with a saw that runs well right now and I have not had luck adjusting carbs. Can you suggest a foolproof or easy method to follow? I have read things like back the low and high speed screws all the way in and then turn them out 1 or 1 1/4 turns as a start then start by adjusting the low or idle screw by ???
 
matt9923

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Thanks for the response. I have heard that before that the cat robs its postential power output, may try that but I am intimidated with screwing with a saw that runs well right now and I have not had luck adjusting carbs. Can you suggest a foolproof or easy method to follow? I have read things like back the low and high speed screws all the way in and then turn them out 1 or 1 1/4 turns as a start then start by adjusting the low or idle screw by ???

Don't touch the saw, if you tune it right its going to fail. Sorry but you just said you don't know how to do whats required.... do you have a welder or know how to braze? Finding a shop that will tune in a muff modded saw will be hard.
A good tach is $70-100.... how much experience do you have running saws?
 
oceancruze1

oceancruze1

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Don't touch the saw, if you tune it right its going to fail. Sorry but you just said you don't know how to do whats required.... do you have a welder or know how to braze? Finding a shop that will tune in a muff modded saw will be hard.
A good tach is $70-100.... how much experience do you have running saws?

The local dealer has been really good helping me out with things but do you mean once he has an incling that its been modded he won't touch it?? What if I don't mention it?

I have torn down and rebuilt the top end of saws so I am no novice. I know a tach is the proper way to do the adjustment but is it really necessary?

Carl
 
rms61moparman

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oceancruze1,

Your best bet will probably be to find someone from the site in your area, or a small engine tech close by that knows 2 strokes in general and chainsaws in particular, and let them show you how to tune a carb.
Then have them watch you tune one, several times if necessary, until you get the feel and sound in your head.

Saw carbs aren't rocket science, but you do have to develop a feel for them.
The problem is there is a point that you can easily cross and if you do and don't rectify it very soon there is no going back.
Search "Lean seizure" and you will find out more about what I mean.


Mike
 
oceancruze1

oceancruze1

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oceancruze1,

Your best bet will probably be to find someone from the site in your area, or a small engine tech close by that knows 2 strokes in general and chainsaws in particular, and let them show you how to tune a carb.
Then have them watch you tune one, several times if necessary, until you get the feel and sound in your head.

Saw carbs aren't rocket science, but you do have to develop a feel for them.
The problem is there is a point that you can easily cross and if you do and don't rectify it very soon there is no going back.
Search "Lean seizure" and you will find out more about what I mean.


Mike

Yes I have read about seizing a saw due to running it too lean, on this site I beleive. Maybe that is why there are so many part saws on Ebay and that is why I have not screwed with the carb till now.
 
TommySaw

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Yes I have read about seizing a saw due to running it too lean, on this site I beleive. Maybe that is why there are so many part saws on Ebay and that is why I have not screwed with the carb till now.

there is a good vid from Brad Snelling in the 3120 gone wild thread that is a good demo of what to listen for and how to do it, but if you are not sure then find someone who can help you out.
 
matt9923

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there is a good vid from Brad Snelling in the 3120 gone wild thread that is a good demo of what to listen for and how to do it, but if you are not sure then find someone who can help you out.

he has a better video on how to tune WOT and in wood and what to look for.
 
matt9923

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The local dealer has been really good helping me out with things but do you mean once he has an incling that its been modded he won't touch it?? What if I don't mention it?

I have torn down and rebuilt the top end of saws so I am no novice. I know a tach is the proper way to do the adjustment but is it really necessary?

Carl

Some wont, if you hurt yourself cause the saw has more ballz you could blame them an sue... many things that make them not want to touch it. If they don't notice a Muff mod then you don't want them touching your saw.

If you brought it to me it would be a cash deal no receipt thing. But unless I knew you i probably wouldn't touch it either.
 
woodgrenade

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Courtesy of Brad

Another awesome video helping out all newbies.

There's more to tuning a chainsaw than just adjusting the high end, but this is a start. It also gives an excellent example of what 4-stroking sounds like.

In the first cut, the saw continues to 4-stroke, even towards the bottom of the cut. That's a little too rich. It should run clean all the way through the cut once under load.

After that first cut, I tune the H screw. I turn the H screw in clockwise until the engine peaks out and is totally 2-stroking. No 4-stroke at all. I then quickly richen the mixture back up by turning the H needle counter-clockwise. Immediately you hear the engine begine 4-stroking again.

The next cut you can hear the engine immediately clean out once underload, and stay that way for the entire cut. After that cut I rev the saw and you can hear that it is still 4-stroking at WOT. It's important to check for that after a cut, since that's when your saw will be its hottest and leanest.

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I'll try to make a more detailed tuning how-to video that includes L and LA adjustments.
 
edisto

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send it to one of the porters on this site.

You are supposed to send things by porter, not to porters.
attachment.php
 
computeruser

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The surest way to get more power out of an MS250 is to sell it and buy something else.

Tuning a saw is something that needs to be done from time to time, and if someone has cut for years and years and never tuned a saw...getting a more powerful saw isn't the answer. Learning how to get the most out of the one you have already is. You don't need a tach, necessarily, just a good ear. There's nothing to it - no accelerator pumps to fiddle with, no timing to adjust, no advance curves to tweak.

As for the top end rebuild claim, I'm left to wonder exactly how one goes about rebuilding a saw and not tuning it afterward.
 
fredmc

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The surest way to get more power out of an MS250 is to sell it and buy something else.

Tuning a saw is something that needs to be done from time to time, and if someone has cut for years and years and never tuned a saw...getting a more powerful saw isn't the answer. Learning how to get the most out of the one you have already is. You don't need a tach, necessarily, just a good ear. There's nothing to it - no accelerator pumps to fiddle with, no timing to adjust, no advance curves to tweak.

As for the top end rebuild claim, I'm left to wonder exactly how one goes about rebuilding a saw and not tuning it afterward.

C'mon now it's no fun to point out the obvious! (sarcasm)
 
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