Downsides to ported saws?

[modder]

I only picked up the 36 for ripping some poplar for a few guys and the dealer had the bar for more than a year, so he gave it to me for $45 with a thin cut chain and another full chizel chain for $20. I got the great idea to take down a few of the giant maple with it. Live and learn. The 570 did ok ripping the poplar but it was a bit slow. It was worth it to help out some friends in need.

 

[Locust Cutter]

Money is being ponied........
Sometimes things just fall in place.

Although, that wasn't ever my issue. Guess that just wont get through to all, but hey, I'm the one who hasn't run a saw worked over by one of the saw gurus on here. And even then, what will 1 saw, by 1 tuner prove?

Its pretty amazing that NO-ONE who has run a ported saw chimed in with any downsides, no cases of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Oh well, as they say - time to find out for myself. Or at least wait a couple of weeks for it to wing its way to me!

5 cube minimum... Even some of those don't oil enough...
If I'm running a 36er, I want the Exxon Valdez pulling it...
Just sayin...

The MS660 does a decent job w/a 36" bar. If you want a GOOD saw get a 394/395xp or a N.O.S. 9010 Dollie or bigger... There is no replacement for displacement. I love smaller, light, lightening quick saws for general firewood limbing/cutting (50-70cc class) preferably ported. However, if you're talking about 32"+ work, you should be grabbing for a 90cc + saw as their displacement and oilers are built to do that. Or you could heed RandyMac's advice and "Go forth 6-cube and fear no evil"!!!:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[87stocker]

Weather anything I own needs it or not, its modded and usually louder.
Truck - headers and exhaust tune and intake ported throttle body
Cars - X pipe and mufllers intake and tune engine work ported throttle body
Sled - x-Pipe, pipe and can
Bike - full exhaust and ported head and cams
Both saws - transfer port and muffler mod

Why..... cause its better than it was. There is always room for improvment

 

[Mastermind]

Seriously........after running some well ported saws, a guy is ruined. Never again will he be happy with a stock saw. We traded for a nice 372XP a few days ago, I hand it to Jon and say "here man, try this one out". He started it and made one cut, brought it in and sit it on the shelf. I asked what he thought? He said "well, it runs, but it's slow as ####".........


:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[belgian]

I "port" mine by keeping the chain sharp.

I would say the amount of energy/horsepower waisted daily because of dull chains is a zillion times more than the powergains from modding :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[modder]

I think those of us that grew up tearing things apart just to see what makes things work, are genetically prone to taking something that already works fine as it is, and trying to make it work better. I've learned a few lessons the hard way because I couldn't just leave things alone. If it aint broke, dont fix it, didn't make sense to me if I thought I could make it better. I still have the odd relapse.

 

[Stihlman441]

I would say the amount of energy/horsepower waisted daily because of dull chains is a zillion times more than the powergains from modding :hmm3grin2orange:

Mmm doesnt sound like you have any ported saws then.:smile2:

 

[weedkilla]

Thanks to everyone who replied, while it turned into a ported vs stock thread that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to go into the world of ported saws with an open mind.

After starting this thread a Wicked work saws husky 385 pretty much fell in my lap at a fair price, direct from Terry.
It is a very impressive saw, then I got to run a stock 390 and 395 on the same day. I hadn't wanted to post until I at least had a good few jobs under its belt - but I had quickly figured it was something a bit special when I first tuned it. I went to a mates place and started into some big, dry oak. Then moved onto some real old, dry redgum. I swear it didn't notice the difference!

Everything positive in this thread was made very clear when I got to use the two stock saws. The 385 ate both for breakfast. If it used fuel a bit faster, or was a bit noisier then I didn't care. A saw that size makes me need a break before it runs out of fuel anyway!

Its done a few storm cleanup jobs, and I truly believe I'm getting the work done MUCH quicker. The last one was 6 big stringybarks, all 2' across, all across tracks in steep country, pouring rain and slippery mud. Getting it done and getting home was the priority. Semi chisel chain, a 24" bar, a 7t sprocket and rakers at 25thou is a joke in green timber. I don't know how far it'll go, but I'll be trying an 8t sprocket for use with the 24" bar, and might be bringing my rakers down too.

The saw is easier to use, forgiving if you bog it a bit too hard, and felling with it makes me feel safe as I can cut faster than stuff wants to fall.

It does take some grunt to start, it is noisy. They are the only practical downsides I see. Oh, and of course I want everything ported now!

 

[weedkilla]

Oh, I managed to crack a rib a week before it arrived, 3 weeks later I think that it will be a lot easier to start in another few weeks....

 

[Big_Wood]

while I absolutely love my 372 (which is ported) I have never seen any of the fallers out here run ported saws. my buddy vern has a fleet of 5 390's (one ported) and he says he don't run ported saws in the bush. I have many other buds who run stihl and husky in the woods with the same feeling. it may be different depending on the way it is run. the way they do it here is they have a location where they land in the heli. at this location there is a fueling station and hot lunch station. from there each faller walks to different sections of the stand to work alone. they have to walk back to the fueling station to refuel each time. to me this seems a bit stupid and inefficient as I would rather carry a 5 liter can and jug of oil with me as not to walk back up but this is the way they do so that's the way it goes. vern tells me that his ported saw does cut faster but has to be refueled more often which means more hikes up to the fueling station. at the end of the day his stock saws will actually cut more then his ported saw. ported saws sure are fun though

 

[weedkilla]

I'm sure that in some situations the increased fuel usage would be a problem, but not often for me, not in my work.
When it is an issue I use a 3l fuel bladder in a small backpack with a 1L bottle of bar oil. I posted a link earlier in the thread.

I'm the boss, so I make the rules, and I have other saws to choose from.
With 4 guys on saws, its always the same one who runs out first and needs to fetch the fuel anyway!

 

[modder]

The only other down side that no one has touched on is, poor porting. If you do a poor job yourself, you could have a crappy running saw and it could cost you a few hundred to get back to stock. I messed one up by getting greedy. I was lucky enough to have several spares and the one I went too far with already had a little scuffing so other than wasting time, I wasn't out much. When it comes to a new saw, or its your daily money maker, send it to a pro.

 

[MCW]

When it comes to increased production, all I've ever heard is second hand testimony, hearsay and what amounts to guessing. I truly wonder how big of a role perception plays when it come to increased production? What I'm saying is just a guess as well, so hopefully I'm wrong, as I sure do like a strong ported saw. I like asking the hard and unpopular questions, how else are we going to learn?

Andre.

Hi Andy.
I thought we'd run through this before regarding stock vs. ported in a felling type job? If you've forgotten then yes, my ported 7900 put far more trees on the ground in the same time period as my stock 7900 More wood on the ground per fuel unit too. Recorded as well so I can back it up with hard data
So there you have it - first hand not 2nd or 3rd.

I'm sure that in some situations the increased fuel usage would be a problem, but not often for me, not in my work.
When it is an issue I use a 3l fuel bladder in a small backpack with a 1L bottle of bar oil. I posted a link earlier in the thread.

I think you'll find that the extra fuel usage seems more obvious because you are looking at run time per tank. When you look at the amount of wood cut in that time I'm pretty sure you'll get a smile on your dial.
Also whereabouts in South Oz are you? I'm gathering with Stringybarks you're down Mt Gambier way? Come for a drive one day and we can do some saw racing and stuff - I'm in the Riverland. I have a few ported saws including a 390XP - great saws.

 

[weedkilla]

Also whereabouts in South Oz are you? I'm gathering with Stringybarks you're down Mt Gambier way? Come for a drive one day and we can do some saw racing and stuff - I'm in the Riverland. I have a few ported saws including a 390XP - great saws.

I'm in the Adelaide hills, so a drive to the riverland is rare - but not hard.
If nothing else, I need to get in touch about chain.

 

[Termite]

you are corect ser
that is why i don't use cheap aftermarket parts.

l
i have a early non decomp 440 ported with around a 25%gain that has to have over 10,000 hours on it.
runs as good today as it did new . ported new out of the box.

I know you wouldn't exaggerate but that is five years of running 40 hours a week, 8 hours a day?

 

[MCW]

I'm in the Adelaide hills, so a drive to the riverland is rare - but not hard.
If nothing else, I need to get in touch about chain.

No dramas. Which part of the hills?

 

[bryanr2]

Im not going to read the thread since there is ONLY 1 downside to ported saws and that is the extra fuel they use- the bigger the cc the bigger they thirst.

 

[weedkilla]

No dramas. Which part of the hills?

Woodside - so Mt Barker, Hahndorf area

 

[MCW]

Woodside - so Mt Barker, Hahndorf area

Went past there yesterday