Do new saws really get better after a few tanks?

[bwalker]

Out of interest, what's the benefits of a domed piston and a regular one? More power?

Stronger and there are a few other factors that vary with design.

 

[ray benson]

My favorite 50cc saw is the ole Binford, 254XS with 20" 3/8

I'm sure the 550 has better AV.

The only Binford chainsaw I'm aware of is this one.

 

[MichMich]

My MS461 really looks more powerful or torkey now, after rhougly 1 year and around 15 tanks, while my MS261 still feels the same. Will see if the conversion to 3/8 will make any changes

 

[MooneyPilot]

Yes, on a new saw a few tankfuls of hard running will wake up most saws a little bit.

if you are underwhelmed by a 261 now, don’t run a 241. If you do, you’ll want to set your 261 innthe shed and leave it there.

 

[Ian178]

I really did notice my echo 620 being more powerful after it broke in. It changed enough that I had to turn the screws on the carb because the chain was turning at idle, so something changed.

The jury is out on my 461, i've barely run it.

 

[ken morgan]

I have two 372's at the moment, both were ported by Miller Saws. I put new cylinders pistons and rings in both prior to sending them out for porting. one was a single ring piston set and the other was a double ring set. the single ring set broke in quicker. it actually took longer than I thought it would for the double ring build to come up in compression but once it did they both run amazingly well. mind you neither was a dog when I got it back but I had to adjust both of their carbs a couple times as they broke in.

 

[chipper1]

The only Binford chainsaw I'm aware of is this one.

That's awesome!
Where did they get that name from.

 

[cookies]

Has anyone else actually measured cranking compression changes from new to broken in? My 462 gained about 5psi. I've seen cranking compression vary more due to atmospheric conditions and engine temp. Also, cranking compression isn't running compression. When the engine is running 12k rpm, there isn't very much time for compression to leak past the rings. Just a tiny fraction of a second. Contrary to what most believe, cast iron rings actually seat pretty quickly against freshly honed nikasil. The stuff about 15 tanks...no. They're pretty well seated within a couple tanks of fuel. Don't believe me? Pull the jug and take a look at the rings.

Confirmation bias is a real thing. People believe what their preconceived ideas have told them to expect. How many here notice the difference in their saws performance between a 20* day and an 80* day, for those that live in the north? The math says that's a 6% difference in power output (.25 hp on a 261), if air pressure and humidity remain the same. I'll be honest...I can't tell by feel or sound. There are too many variables between each time I cut.

Why don't you time your saw against your uncle's, same log, both brand new chains, back to back, and see the results for yourself. If Redbull were still around, I'm sure we could get him to do a test.

Last year I had a jonsred tophandle with a scored piston dumped in my lap, 80 psi compression. Cleaned it up and put a new piston and rings into it and it blew 160psi before I even cranked it for the first time. After 3 tanks it was pumping 172, after 6 tanks it hit 180. After every tank I had to adjust the H needle because it kept running lean. I built a modified ms390 in september that pumped 165 before being ran the first time thats still breaking in after 6 tanks of fuel and 4 H needle adjustments pushing over 185psi now. The jonsred was done in a 2 day window, the stihl was done and 2 tanks run through it in the same day, 3 days later ran 4 tanks through it with every tank refill stopping for half a hour to cool. I am about to finish breaking in a ms460 and I expect it to do the same thing, It will snatch the D handle out of your hand and hurt your feelings when trying to start it up after only putting 2 tanks of fuel through it.

 

[ken morgan]

That's awesome!
Where did they get that name from.

I never got lucky enough to watch Tim Allen in that program, they never had it playing out in town here. But looking at the it looked suspiciously like a Husqvarna to me

 

[chipper1]

I never got lucky enough to watch Tim Allen in that program, they never had it playing out in town here. But looking at the it looked suspiciously like a Husqvarna to me

That's what YouTube is for, you guys have that there, right .
It does look like a 3120, my buddy has a few of them and 880's, this is one of his "small" saws, a 395 iirc.

Here's an actual Tim Allen saw I used to own, it went to Nova Scotia, that's right by Japan right .

 

[chipper1]

Last year I had a jonsred tophandle with a scored piston dumped in my lap, 80 psi compression. Cleaned it up and put a new piston and rings into it and it blew 160psi before I even cranked it for the first time. After 3 tanks it was pumping 172, after 6 tanks it hit 180. After every tank I had to adjust the H needle because it kept running lean. I built a modified ms390 in september that pumped 165 before being ran the first time thats still breaking in after 6 tanks of fuel and 4 H needle adjustments pushing over 185psi now. The jonsred was done in a 2 day window, the stihl was done and 2 tanks run through it in the same day, 3 days later ran 4 tanks through it with every tank refill stopping for half a hour to cool. I am about to finish breaking in a ms460 and I expect it to do the same thing, It will snatch the D handle out of your hand and hurt your feelings when trying to start it up after only putting 2 tanks of fuel through it.

What oil and at what ratio.
Not to start an oil thread, just curious.
I like to run a couple tanks of Dino oil thru my saws now and then.
I run maxima k2 at 40:1 with a dash of anything with a bit more dye in it in all my saws.

 

[cookies]

What oil and at what ratio.
Not to start an oil thread, just curious.
I like to run a couple tanks of Dino oil thru my saws now and then.
I run maxima k2 at 40:1 with a dash of anything with a bit more dye in it in all my saws.

in warm temps i run vp synthetic at 40 to 1 in temps below 40f i run schaffers 9000 synthetic 2 cycle racing oil at 40-1

 

[BradSt]

Last year I had a jonsred tophandle with a scored piston dumped in my lap, 80 psi compression. Cleaned it up and put a new piston and rings into it and it blew 160psi before I even cranked it for the first time. After 3 tanks it was pumping 172, after 6 tanks it hit 180. After every tank I had to adjust the H needle because it kept running lean. I built a modified ms390 in september that pumped 165 before being ran the first time thats still breaking in after 6 tanks of fuel and 4 H needle adjustments pushing over 185psi now. The jonsred was done in a 2 day window, the stihl was done and 2 tanks run through it in the same day, 3 days later ran 4 tanks through it with every tank refill stopping for half a hour to cool. I am about to finish breaking in a ms460 and I expect it to do the same thing, It will snatch the D handle out of your hand and hurt your feelings when trying to start it up after only putting 2 tanks of fuel through it.

Those are significant gains. Was a brush or hone run through the bore, or was it left as is? I've found that freshly honed nikasil seats the rings much faster than not honing it.