High altitude cutting

[3000 FPS]

There is no short cut for a well set up high altitude saw. Why you do not have have four or five saws for the correct altitude seems unusual. One or two saws for 9,000 feet and above with the rest for 7,000 feet and lower. Auto tine will not tune any saw properly as with respect to altitude. All they do is adjust the carburetor so the saw will live. A high altitude saw needs compression at or near 10:1 or maybe 200 PSI. Timing needs to be advanced at least five degrees. My saws almost perform the same at higher altitudes then at lower elevations. I would never other than a small start up session run a high altitude saw at 5 or 6,000 feet or lower. Thanks

To get 200 psi at 9000 ft would require some pretty tight squish.
I have some saws at 160 to 170 psi that do just fine.

 

[Woodsman_26]

To get 200 psi at 9000 ft would require some pretty tight squish.
I have some saws at 160 to 170 psi that do just fine.

To get 200 psi at 9000 ft would require some pretty tight squish.
I have some saws at 160 to 170 psi that do just fine.

I will have to get a compression tester for it. I had one a few years ago but not sure if it's in storage or not. I have a background in heavy equip and industrial mechanics so I should be able to figure out what I need to in the future. I'll get a service manual so I know tolerances and such. The closest dealer that I know of is an hour to 1.5 hrs away so I'm pretty much on my own.

 

[ericm979]

If I may add: for me the Stihl 400C(comes standard M Tronic) with a 25” lightweight bar is the ultimate interior mountain west saw. Weighs about the same as your 361/362 and tons more power. I also own a 362 but the 400 with a 5” longer bar and full skip smokes it, almost feels less fatiguing because it cuts faster. Maybe that’s subconscious bias cause it cost more $$$ though who knows. One man‘s opinion.

I have a 362CM and if I was buying one now I'd get the 400 no question. My local dealer's web site does not even list the 362 now though they did a few months ago. Then the price difference was under $100. If I get around to it I'll sell the 362 and buy a 400.

My 362 will pull a 24" bar (Stihl call that a 25") with full complement chain but it's kinda slow. I usually use a MS460 for that length bar. An extra 12% displacement would make the smaller lighter saw viable for that length bar.

 

[3000 FPS]

I will have to get a compression tester for it. I had one a few years ago but not sure if it's in storage or not. I have a background in heavy equip and industrial mechanics so I should be able to figure out what I need to in the future. I'll get a service manual so I know tolerances and such. The closest dealer that I know of is an hour to 1.5 hrs away so I'm pretty much on my own.

I do not know if I would worry about the compression.
When saws get older there are a number of rubber parts in them that usually go bad.
Like fuel lines, intake boots, crank seals, and impulse lines. Then the carburetors have small rubber diaphragms in them that can get stiff and stop working very well. I would start with the carb and go from there.

 

[Woodsman_26]

I do not know if I would worry about the compression.
When saws get older there are a number of rubber parts in them that usually go bad.
Like fuel lines, intake boots, crank seals, and impulse lines. Then the carburetors have small rubber diaphragms in them that can get stiff and stop working very well. I would start with the carb and go from there.

When I go through the saw I will check compression to know where it's at since I Haven never checked. I do know I can hold the saw up by the pull cord and it will not pull out but holds there so I know it's not completely crap but not accurate either to know.

 

[3000 FPS]

When I go through the saw I will check compression to know where it's at since I Haven never checked. I do know I can hold the saw up by the pull cord and it will not pull out but holds there so I know it's not completely crap but not accurate either to know.

There are a lot of older saws that were made that did not have high compression.
Poulan 3400 for example, I have checked a bunch of them, and they are usually around 125 to 130 psi and they run perfectly fine. It is always good to know what the compression is because it does eliminate one problem from the equation when trouble shooting. I usually squirt a little fuel mix down the carb and if it tries to start and run, that tells me it has good spark and good compression.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

To get 200 psi at 9000 ft would require some pretty tight squish.
I have some saws at 160 to 170 psi that do just fine.

What I was trying to say was to get your compression as high as realistic. At sea level a high PSI reading is very possible. Thanks

 

[3000 FPS]

What I was trying to say was to get your compression as high as realistic. At sea level a high PSI reading is very possible. Thanks

At sea level I have saws that are more than 200 psi. But we were talking 9000 ft above sea level.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Nobody cares about what your saw runs like and where. Most saws run well at altitudes below 6,000 feet. Those that need to work above 6,000 feet can recover much of the lost performance if they increase timing and compression. BTW for lower altitudes too much compression and timing can destroy a saw in moments. Thanks

 

[bwalker]

The few autotunes I've run would go like a turpentine cat if they worked right, and they were fun to use. I think they tuned themselves too lean, though, at least at higher altitudes, When I worked at a Husky shop, the autotunes that came in with problems were a nightmare.

If I had to buy a saw for myself now, I'd probably have to get something used and isn't currently manufactured. A Stihl 046/ MS460 is a good saw for sure, and the basic 372 is really good too. I had a number of Jonsereds when I cut timber for a living, and certain ones are great saws. I'm glad I don't have to buy a saw now.

Maybe we'll get together and play with saws some day.

I only had one autotune saw. A 562xp about twonyears after it was released. I sold it with 300 hours on it IIRC and it was flawless. I even ran it at 20:1 with a 28" bar on a huge oak removal with excellent results. Just to see if I could.

 

[3000 FPS]

Nobody cares about what your saw runs like and where. Most saws run well at altitudes below 6,000 feet. Those that need to work above 6,000 feet can recover much of the lost performance if they increase timing and compression. BTW for lower altitudes too much compression and timing can destroy a saw in moments. Thanks

Alright Ted.

 

[Parkerpusher]

I only had one autotune saw. A 562xp about twonyears after it was released. I sold it with 300 hours on it IIRC and it was flawless. I even ran it at 20:1 with a 28" bar on a huge oak removal with excellent results. Just to see if I could.

Going back to some of the first posts from the op, I would take a 562xp for your cutting if your still looking for a husky specifically. Neither that or the 572 you mention would be great on an alaskan but either would get by for a few cuts. I wouldn’t get the 572 just with the mill in mind, because if you end up milling a lot you are going to want something bigger I think.

 

[bwalker]

Going back to some of the first posts from the op, I would take a 562xp for your cutting if your still looking for a husky specifically. Neither that or the 572 you mention would be great on an alaskan but either would get by for a few cuts. I wouldn’t get the 572 just with the mill in mind, because if you end up milling a lot you are going to want something bigger I think.

I actually just picked up a Stihl 400C.

 

[Parkerpusher]

I actually just picked up a Stihl 400C.

Nice saw. I wish they made a 3/4 wrap for it and I would order one.

 

[Harmon]

A guy can get a wrap handle for the 400c. There weren't any for sale when I bought mine, and they are not cheap but they exist.

 

[bwalker]

Nice saw. I wish they made a 3/4 wrap for it and I would order one.

They do. I just ordered mine. The 3/4 wrap for the 362 bolts right up.

 

[Parkerpusher]

Didn’t know that. My Stihl dealer said the 362 wrap wouldn’t fit it and that they didn’t currently make one for the 400. Good info.

 

[firekindler]

Hey all,

I'm in SW Colorado and cut in the mountains at carrying elevations(8500-11,000ft) and bring my logs back to 7800ft to cut them down or whatever I'm doing with them. I have been using a Stihl 034 for over a decade that I bough used for $250 and have had a Stihl ms361 for about 5 years I got used. My frame just broke on my 034 near the rear handle a d stress cracks in seam of the tank. So, I am parking it until I can get another frame for it. My ms361 started having issues where it would sometimes start and sometimes it wouldn't. I checked the basics with the plug and plug wire but never further. It left me stranded a couple times out in the forest so I had to park it until I could afford to work on it. So I was at a stand still the past few days without being able to cut my.own firewood or any for sale. Since we have a farm here I found someone willing to trade me rancher 450 for a farm animal that was bough last year and only had 2 cords run through it by some homeowner. My plan is to run this until I can afford a brand new pro saw of the husky line by May or June since I have been with Stihl my whole life and so has my dad and I have had some bad luck with Stihl saws. I am wandering with all my elevation gain and drop in one day, is the autotune the way to go for my cutting. Keep in mind I'm cutting beetle kill spruce and pine trees under 32" and cutting the trees down to 10-12 ft logs. I have been running my saws for years and lately it has become a chore in the winter and elevation changes. Thanks for any help.

I live in NW California, and usually work between about 1000 - 2500'. In 2002 I got called to work in SW Colorado as a hazard tree faller for your fire bust that year. I was at about 10,000', and my Husky 371 wouldn't do doodley-squat. I leaned out the high jet way beyond anything I'd ever done before and got it to just not do doodley. I met a local guy and asked for advice. He said he and his colleagues just kept leaning out out the high jet until it ran right. I held my breath and did the same. At barely below completely screwed in (Lordy, please forgive me) it ran fine. I ran it every day for about two weeks that way. When I got back to less Olympian elevations, I adjusted accordingly. That 371 (named Carlos, by the way), is still running strong today, with no major work on it.
That's all I know about it.

 

[12fergus]

My plan is to fix the ms362 and keep it as well as my 034. All I have ever had is old bear up saws which is fine. I have learned to work on them some and haven't had to worry about an old beat up saw. Since my cutting load is up at 50-60 cords and I don't mind felling larger diameter trees (bigger than 20") on the regular, I was researching new saws and wanted to go the husky route. At times I have found the ms361 to be underpowered with a 20" bar and full chisel. I'm wondering if I should look into more power for felling and just fix one of my old saws for bucking. I haven't mentioned that I previously bought a brand new Stihl 391 and was so disappointed I returned it. It was no stronger than my ms361 in the forest or at '7800. Not to mention it was a bear to start and I couldnt keep it running for the hole first tank. So I'm pretty fed up with Stihl as of now. Looking for advice and your own situations.

The 034 and 361 have identical motors almost. The crank and piston and jug are interchangeable. Fuel tanks are compatible with any strong two part epoxy and can be made stronger then oridgeinal part.

 

[bwalker]

The 034 and 361 have identical motors almost. The crank and piston and jug are interchangeable. Fuel tanks are compatible with any strong two part epoxy and can be made stronger then oridgeinal part.

I think you mean 341. The 034 is quite a bit different than the 361.