Dark side finally struck 346 xpne!

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indiansprings

indiansprings

Firewood Purveyor
Joined
Dec 15, 2008
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SW Missouri
After putting it off for a year finally broke down and bought a 346 xpne, it was an ordeal to get it bought from a dealer who probably won't see much of me in the future. The saw is fantastic for it's size, excellent throttle response, it came set up with a 16" bar with .325 safety chain. It really seems like a smaller version of the efco 56, same throttle response, and nylon filter set up.
I am impressed with it's performance and know it will only get better with a few tanks of fuel.

How can you tell if you have the cat muffler or not on this saw without removing it?
The dealer wouldn't pull the limiter caps, got the ole, "It will cost us 30,000 dollar speech. Guess I'll take care of that myself. The dealer only carried safety chain, the kid that sold me the saw might have been twenty, really didn't have a clue, they sell both Husky and Stihl, he done all he could to try to steer me to the 260. Didn't have time to get to the woods today, but I think this little saw will work out great as a limb and trim saw.
 
Brad, thanks for the info, just looked , has e-tech green cap and the dreaded cat on top of the muffler, looks like it'll head to surgery tomorrow, we don't need to heat things up any more than we needed too. While I'm at it, I'll make it breath easier.
It'll take time to get use to the weird on off control lever after thirty years of orange and white.
 
indiansprings said:
After putting it off for a year finally broke down and bought a 346 xpne, it was an ordeal to get it bought from a dealer who probably won't see much of me in the future. The saw is fantastic for it's size, excellent throttle response, it came set up with a 16" bar with .325 safety chain. It really seems like a smaller version of the efco 56, same throttle response, and nylon filter set up.
I am impressed with it's performance and know it will only get better with a few tanks of fuel.

How can you tell if you have the cat muffler or not on this saw without removing it?
The dealer wouldn't pull the limiter caps, got the ole, "It will cost us 30,000 dollar speech. Guess I'll take care of that myself. The dealer only carried safety chain, the kid that sold me the saw might have been twenty, really didn't have a clue, they sell both Husky and Stihl, he done all he could to try to steer me to the 260. Didn't have time to get to the woods today, but I think this little saw will work out great as a limb and trim saw.
Click to expand...

Didn't the dealer know....:jawdrop::jawdrop:


Brad is right anyway! :chainsaw:
 
I absolutely love my 346ne. It is my number one go to firewood saw. I cut up to 12 to 18 inch firewood with no problem. I have a non cat model. It does not have the green fuel cap and does not say e- tech on it. I like mine so much Iam going to get another one in the spring. I know my chances are that Iam going to get a cat model. That will be removed quite quickly.
 
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Dealer was one of the one's that emulate the big box store's. It's ironic the closest town big enough to have a saw dealer has two dealers, one that is Stihl /Echo and been in business since dirt, I've been doing business there for over 30 years. A new farm store opened up and carries Husky and Stihl, has a kid running the department, the mechanic at the old store says their business has actually increased since the new shop went in, the new guy when ask what's the best price just says whatever is on the hangtag, the old shop haggles.
The old shop doesn't carry safety chain, the new store it's all they carry.
The new shop can't even make up a loop, the old shop does it all the time.
It's a stark contrast in the way to do business, seems like the new shop just uses Husky to sell Stihl. No demoing a saw at the new shop, at the old one fire one up go out back and cut a couple of cookies. The old shop if they know you well will jerk the limiters and tune the saw the way it needs to be tuned.
The new one just made sure the saw started, no big deal in my case as I can tune my own saw, but for newbie it could be a challenge. Didn't offer to go over the saw with me at all, just wanted the cash. It's sad that lack of personal service is the trend today.

By the way does a half sized sqrench mean it's a half sized saw? My boy gor a kick at how little the sqrench was.
 
It's probably the same one that came with my 372. It's only about 6" long. The one that came with the 390 is the same length as a stihl scrench.
 
Mod that muffler per Brads instruction and watch Dr Jekyll turn into Mr Hyde. Truly profound and well worth the ~$20 in parts and time.
 
Wow, haven't been able to show this for about a week:cheers:
picture.php

Grats on the new saw and succumbing to the power of the Dark Side:D
 
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Congrats on a great saw. I ran the first tank of gas through my 2153 this weekend and was more impressed than I thought I would be. I can't wait till it gets broke in.
 
Congrats on the 346. We have both the 260 and the 346 and I am mostly a Stihlhead and I think you made the right choice. So far the 346 lives up to it's reputation on this forum. I tired to open the cat muffler up and ended up where I should have been the first place, back at the dealer picking up a non cat muf. Seems the muffler is common to a bunch of Huskies so he just went to the parts pile and pulled out a used one. $10 and a drill bit later we had an awakened 346 on our hands.
 
indiansprings said:
Dealer was one of the one's that emulate the big box store's. It's ironic the closest town big enough to have a saw dealer has two dealers, one that is Stihl /Echo and been in business since dirt, I've been doing business there for over 30 years. A new farm store opened up and carries Husky and Stihl, has a kid running the department, the mechanic at the old store says their business has actually increased since the new shop went in, the new guy when ask what's the best price just says whatever is on the hangtag, the old shop haggles.
The old shop doesn't carry safety chain, the new store it's all they carry.
The new shop can't even make up a loop, the old shop does it all the time.
It's a stark contrast in the way to do business, seems like the new shop just uses Husky to sell Stihl. No demoing a saw at the new shop, at the old one fire one up go out back and cut a couple of cookies. The old shop if they know you well will jerk the limiters and tune the saw the way it needs to be tuned.
The new one just made sure the saw started, no big deal in my case as I can tune my own saw, but for newbie it could be a challenge. Didn't offer to go over the saw with me at all, just wanted the cash. It's sad that lack of personal service is the trend today.

By the way does a half sized sqrench mean it's a half sized saw? My boy gor a kick at how little the sqrench was.
Click to expand...

They are probably doing everything by the book, no questions asked for a while, and might not know any better. If they are a fairly new business, the owners probably have most of their money and life in it, they might not want any hic ups...but I do hear what you are saying. It reminds me of a few 5100 threads I was reading about...:hmm3grin2orange:


Awesome saw...!
 
SawTroll said:
Good, I hoped he didn't put an extra sticker on that weak "silver" paint - but the Total bar indicate that the dealer sell Jonsered (from Tilton) as well as Husky - or I may be totally off?????
Click to expand...

No, the sticker was by the primer bulb but looked terrible so I moved it and it looked less so and now it's gone altogether. The Total bar-and Carlton chain-are from a J-Red dealer but I bought them afterward and the saw is from a separate Husky dealer.
 
TommySaw said:
No, the sticker was by the primer bulb but looked terrible so I moved it and it looked less so and now it's gone altogether. The Total bar-and Carlton chain-are from a J-Red dealer but I bought them afterward and the saw is from a separate Husky dealer.
Click to expand...

Get rid of the Carlton, and get an Oregon LP/LPX instead - or a Stihl RSC...:)
 

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