For all you saw tuning experts...

[spudzone]

Greetings from Hayward WI,

I picked up one of those little Makita dcs330TH saws from Baileys and I'm getting it dialed in. I'm not a tuning pro, so here's my problem for all of you:
The saw idles nicely at 2850-2900. It seems like I have to nurse it up wot gently or it will bog and die. Sometimes you can hit the trigger and it revs right up to wot, but not always. Once at wot, it seems stable with a hint of 4 stroke at 11,500-11,600 or so. It cuts well for a small saw at wide open but if you force it a bit too much, it bogs and dies, rather than just slowing and stopping the chain like I'm used to with bigger saws. The fuel is the same fresh 91 octane with Husky synthetic oil at 50:1 that I run in my 357 without any problem.

What do you suggest I do with my H/L short of dissecting my saw and trimming limiters etc.?

Many thanks

Chris

 

[chucker]

more like with it being new, the diaphram needs to be broke in more to supply mor fuel ? r,s seem to be right just the way of the little beast.

 

[blsnelling]

You need to trim the limiters, period. It sound like it's too lean on the L. That's why it's bogging when you give it throttle. Try turning the L screw counter-clockwise 1/8 turn at a time. Some saws cannot be tuned properly without trimming the limiters. I had a Dolmar 401 like. The saw was basically unuseable. No way should you have to put up with that. It's not a matter of breaking in, it's a matter of tuning, period. The H is likely lean too, thanks to the EPA. I'd recommend getting a tach and setting it per factory specs. Otherwise, you will have to tune it by ear. You should hear it "burble" a little at WOT out of the wood, no load.

 

[leeha]

I would open the low needle 1/8 turn
and see if the bog on acceleration is
gone. If it is barely 4 strokeing i would
open the high as well.


Lee

 

[spudzone]

Tach

I've got a tach that I've used so far, but it does seem like I get VERY LITTLE adjustment range from the H/Ls currently- to the tune of 1/4 turn if I'm lucky. Seems like too little adjustment range.

-Chris

 

[spudzone]

The limiter thing does make sense and here's why. The book says set at 11k rpm but the saw is running 11,500+ at max rich on the high screw with just a hint of 4 stroke burble. I can't even get the saw down to 11,000 at wot right now.

thanks
chris

 

[chucker]

you dont run a marathon in new shoes hey! you break them in first... streach, and tweak when losened up a bit.. everone seems to be in a hurry to get top end out of the boxxxxxxx?:bang:

 

[blsnelling]

you dont run a marathon in new shoes hey! you break them in first... streach, and tweak when losened up a bit.. everone seems to be in a hurry to get top end out of the boxxxxxxx?:bang:

That's why you trim the limiters and richen them up like they were designed to be! They're as lean as they are because of the EPA, not because that's where they run best. We're telling him to slow the saw down, not speed it up. So you think it's proper and normal for a saw to bog and barely be useable out of the box? I think not!

 

[spudzone]

thanks so far for the thoughts

I'll take a peek at the high limiters. On the low side, the screw goes plenty rich to bog to the point of quitting, so I think we're OK there- no trimming needed.

Thanks again
Chris

 

[spudzone]

update

You need to trim the limiters, period. It sound like it's too lean on the L. That's why it's bogging when you give it throttle. Try turning the L screw counter-clockwise 1/8 turn at a time. Some saws cannot be tuned properly without trimming the limiters. I had a Dolmar 401 like. The saw was basically unuseable. No way should you have to put up with that. It's not a matter of breaking in, it's a matter of tuning, period. The H is likely lean too, thanks to the EPA. I'd recommend getting a tach and setting it per factory specs. Otherwise, you will have to tune it by ear. You should hear it "burble" a little at WOT out of the wood, no load.

I had a chance to tear down the saw and pulled the carb out (not as scary as I thought it would be). The H/L limiter caps were seated dead flush with the metal body casting but had small slots on the side to extract them. They came out fairly easily and I didn't have to mangle 'em. I shaved the tabs off of both and reinstalled them. Interestingly, the metal screws below turned quite heavily, I think the caps could have been left off without the tuning vibrating out of adjustment.

So I warmed the saw up and tweaked the H screw. Pre-trimming, the saw tached at 11,700-11,800 with the H at max rich. Post trimming and more than 3/4 of a turn PAST the factory rich limit stop, it tachs at 11,000-11,050 with a nice rich 4-stroke sound. 11K is by Makita's book for this little saw. Their H adjustment range didn't even come close. I'll test it on some wood tomorrow.

Thanks
Chris

 

[dragrcr]

yep snelling is right, sounds lean at idle..

 

[blsnelling]

I had a chance to tear down the saw and pulled the carb out (not as scary as I thought it would be). The H/L limiter caps were seated dead flush with the metal body casting but had small slots on the side to extract them. They came out fairly easily and I didn't have to mangle 'em. I shaved the tabs off of both and reinstalled them. Interestingly, the metal screws below turned quite heavily, I think the caps could have been left off without the tuning vibrating out of adjustment.

So I warmed the saw up and tweaked the H screw. Pre-trimming, the saw tached at 11,700-11,800 with the H at max rich. Post trimming and more than 3/4 of a turn PAST the factory rich limit stop, it tachs at 11,000-11,050 with a nice rich 4-stroke sound. 11K is by Makita's book for this little saw. Their H adjustment range didn't even come close. I'll test it on some wood tomorrow.

Thanks
Chris

Tuning the H will not fix your throttle response problem. You'll have to richen the L needle to fix that. Set it where you have the best idle and throttle response.

 

[mountainlake]

That's why you trim the limiters and richen them up like they were designed to be! They're as lean as they are because of the EPA, not because that's where they run best. We're telling him to slow the saw down, not speed it up. So you think it's proper and normal for a saw to bog and barely be useable out of the box? I think not!

And if used like it is it will melt down in the 1st long hard cut. Steve

 

[pgg]

32cc Top handle saws aren't made for long hard cuts, it's BS using piddly powered saws for anything over 4 inches in diameter, a 32cc 1.2KW TH saw is strictly for small stuff and using a bar any longer than 10''-12" on such an underpowered saw is also BS. Especially a tinny department store makita. Classic case of using the wrong saw for the wrong job if it does melt down... Stick to small branches and she'll be sweet...

 

[mountainlake]

32cc Top handle saws aren't made for long hard cuts, it's BS using piddly powered saws for anything over 4 inches in diameter, a 32cc 1.2KW TH saw is strictly for small stuff and using a bar any longer than 10''-12" on such an underpowered saw is also BS. Especially a tinny department store makita. Classic case of using the wrong saw for the wrong job if it does melt down... Stick to small branches and she'll be sweet...

You got to be kidding, the 1st 10" hard wood will be a long hard cut for a 32cc saw. So your cutting away and have 3 10" cuts left are you going to get a different saw which may be a long way away or just finish with the one in you hands. These saws need to be tuned right , not on the edge of burning down like the Echo's that you ran were tuned and burnt down. Steve

 

[spudzone]

field test

Tuning the H will not fix your throttle response problem. You'll have to richen the L needle to fix that. Set it where you have the best idle and throttle response.

Thanks Brad. I richened up the L to the point of "loading" and then went back in a touch. It's very quick and consistent on the acceleration now.

Also tested the new H adj in some 3"-6" oak and some smaller ironwood and there is an amazing difference! No more low end bogging or quitting. Much more muscle all around. I'll be switching to the Oregon 91VXL chain from the stock homeowner chain in a few days, should be a good little screamer then.

This saw will mainly be used for maintaining my hunting and xc ski/snowshoe trails- so a very light and compact saw that will easily fit in a backpack is called for. I'd rather not lug my 357xp on extended work days on the trails. This Makita should be near perfect, short of spending on a pro climbing saw.

Thanks again everyone for all the thoughts.

Chris