Best way to break in a chainsaw??

[7sleeper]

Todays production techniques are so good that run in is way overrated. The power output difference between "careful run in" and just "run and use em" is marginal. Most users will never notice any difference. Marginal power variances are much more often normal in production cycles.

7

 

[Full Chisel]

Tune it a couple hundred RPMs rich and GO CUT WOOD!

Ding ding ding! Tune it to where it still 4 strokes a bit in the cut and let 'er rip, tater chip!

 

[7sleeper]

Tune it a couple hundred RPMs rich and GO CUT WOOD!

Ding ding ding! Tune it to where it still 4 strokes a bit in the cut and let 'er rip, tater chip!

Tune a autotune saw?!?!

7

 

[blsnelling]

OP didn't mention the model.

 

[cedarhollow]

I'm a newby just learning about saws but have rebuilt outboards since 1989 and as a rule with them I would always use double oil for first 10 to 20 hours, with cast pistons I would idle for 1 hour with goosing it a bit every 15 minutes or so then run it with forged/wiseco pistons I would Idle for at least 3 hours with some slight goosing every now and then to clear out excess oil buildup, then run easy under a load for a couple/few hours then take it out, get boat on a plane and vari the throttle for next few hours or so. The forged pistons swell when you hit the throttle and have to be bored aprox 0.001" over on a 3.5" bore. I have been boring and honing blocks since 1992 and only had one motor go bad and it was for a wannabe commercial fisherman. But my business was built selling to commercial crabbers cuz my motors would last twice as long as a new stock motor according to the crabbers.
I don't know how much of this 2 cycle stuff pertains to chainsaws but I learn something new every day

 

[CR888]

I could not think of a worse way to break in any piston/cylinder than do as stated above idling engine for first hour. For good break in the window of opportunity is quite small. After a brief warm up, you want to create as much pressure as you can to get the best ring seal. Its gas pressure that seats rings and letting a engine idle won't endorce the conditions for good ring seal. Lots of wives tales on this subject have been published and passed down over the years. Its really quite simple when understood properly.

 

[cedarhollow]

Thats what a lot of experienced saw guys are saying to richen high side of carb a bit let saw warm a minute then get to cutting with sharp chain and clean filter. Does that sound right?

 

[TBS]

As said before tune the saw a little rich and run it, most saws aren't broke in until you run more than a few tanks through them. My 543xp needed ten tanks to fully seat the rings.

 

[SeMoTony]

I had noticed that, and was going to ask the Shop guys this, but would the 8 pin work for both 20" and 36", and if not, IS there a sprocket that would work for both?

8 pin for the shorter bar to make the best use of the available power. 36' bar in a 27" cut milling would over strain with an 8 pin sprocket IMHO. I have run 7 pin on ms-460 mmed with a 60" bar, but at that time it was spinning a loop of skip chain which cleared the chips better than standard ripping chain. Mill safe & enjoy. Oh yeah the time I used the 460 with 60" bar is shown in my avatar.

 

[cedarhollow]

I just built my first saw, a 044, replaced block, crank bearings seals went to 52mm piston/cylinder. poped on first pull of cord started on second pull, I shut it down after just a few seconds till I get bar and chain on it. It felt good. Ive got some mature dead ash that needs makin into firewood, will give it a good workout.

 

[Jtheo]

I just bought a new 372XP C torq. The owners manual says to go easy on the saw for the first 10 hours. I always go by the owners manual on a new saw, and have never had any trouble with one. I have broken in a bunch seeing as how I bought my first one, a Sachs Dolmar new in 1987.

 

[Jasonrkba]

Now thats an old thread.

 

[Jtheo]

Now thats an old thread.

True, but I just bought the 372XP X Torq yesterday. Break in reccomendations seem to change with newer saws.

 

[TBS]

My suggestion was going to be hit it with a 16lb sledge, but then I saw that he said break in not break.

 

[Jasonrkba]

I run them like the rest. I use stihl HP ultra.

 

[SimonHS]

I'm surprised that no-one mentioned using mineral oil mix for the first tank or two, to help bed the rings in, and then switch to synthetic oil mix.

 

[edisto]

I'm surprised that no-one mentioned using mineral oil mix for the first tank or two, to help bed the rings in, and then switch to synthetic oil mix.

Probably because it wasn't the only break-in thread going at the time. There was this one too:

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/new-p-c-break-in-period.106155/post-1663826
And these a couple of years later if you are a glutton for punishment:

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/breaking-in-new-rings.183038/post-3215437
https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...-to-running-a-rebuilt-saw.161763/post-2712365

 

[William Wallace]

On buying a new Husqvarna 572xp and 550xp mk2 my dealer told me the "autotune calibration procedure" which is to start saw, blip throttle and let it sit on low idle for 5min, that calibrates the low jet, then take the saw (find a long enough piece of wood that will allow it) and go directly into a full-throttle rip cut for at least 75 seconds.. full throttle IN the cut.. that apparently calibrates the high jet, and upon doing that you can hear the saw adjusting the settings.. I find this as relevant to this old thread because he was adamant that I MUST do this in order for the engine to function correctly, and I would think that if full throttle long cuts are so bad for the new engine they would develop a different autotune calibration procedure.