M-Tronic and Auto-Tune simply emission controls?

[Jensent]

Stopped by our local friendly Stihl dealer this morning and of course new saws were handled. When the subject of M-Tonic came up our dealer stated that M-Tronic and Auto-Tune were simply emission controls that prevented the saw from running rich, nothing more. Said that Intelcarb did the same thing. In other words compensating for a dirty air filter and nothing more. I thought that this equipment could enrichen the fuel air mix etc. Those in the know please jump in as to what M-Tronic and Auto-Tune are able to do for the saws.
Tom

 

[Jacob J.]

I think Auto-Tune is a form of mind control, because my auto-tune saws seem to cut really well and I want to keep feeding them wood.

The reality is, auto-tune supposedly keeps the carburetor in an ideal fuel curve. Both of my auto-tune saws still belch a little blue smoke from time to time though.

 

[Stihlman441]

With the 441M Tronics as soon as you muff mod them (i have done afew) they run richer which is a good thing anyway, but there is still way less fumes than say runing a 460.

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

opcorn:

 

[the westspartan]

Stopped by our local friendly Stihl dealer this morning and of course new saws were handled. When the subject of M-Tonic came up our dealer stated that M-Tronic and Auto-Tune were simply emission controls that prevented the saw from running rich, nothing more. Said that Intelcarb did the same thing. In other words compensating for a dirty air filter and nothing more. I thought that this equipment could enrichen the fuel air mix etc. Those in the know please jump in as to what M-Tronic and Auto-Tune are able to do for the saws.
Tom

It may be something inspired by emission control. But it is a feature that allows your work saw to run as strong and efficiently as it can at all times. Performance wise, put up an M-tronic saw against it's well tuned regular carbed version and the M-tronic will win by a fairly large margin. Your dealer sounds like the average dealer that doesn't really know what he has in front of him. I don't mean to knock all dealers, as there are some great ones out there. Blood on the Ice, Spike, to name a couple that I know personally, but they are certainly in the minority.

 

[Jensent]

I guess my question is can these systems prevent a saw from running lean? If so what else can it do for the operator?
Tom

 

[SawTroll]

It has something to do with EPA, as it keeps the manufacturers from having to put more or less"tamperproof" limiters on the carb - but it is much more than "simply an EPA thing"!

 

[XSKIER]

I guess my question is can these systems prevent a saw from running lean? If so what else can it do for the operator?
Tom

I think they "lean test" six times per second.

 

[mweba]

opcorn:

opcorn:

 

[groundup]

It can't be an EPA thing, I like M tronic and Autotune technology, and most certainly do not like EPA.

It would be like Rosie O'Donnell making a gun I like

 

[half_full]

It would be like Rosie O'Donnell making a gun I like

come on, that's not a fair comparison. She does not have the ability to run lean :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[KenJax Tree]

It can't be an EPA thing, I like M tronic and Autotune technology, and most certainly do not like EPA.

It would be like Rosie O'Donnell making a gun I like

Rosie O'Donnell and Rosanne Barr are the only 2 women I would like to punch right in the mouth.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Feedback fuel control, be it Autotune/Mtronic or EFI on your pickup truck, is there because of increasingly stringent emissions regs but that's not all it does. Both systems meter fuel in response to specific sensory inputs, whereas a conventional carb meters fuel according to air demand and manual adjustments. The best way to meet modern smog regs is to ensure that the engine has the optimal amount of fuel required for engine load and operating conditions. Too lean and too rich produce more pollutants than are permitted. Autotune/Mtronic can accomplish this much more easily than the "non-adjustable" carbs we've seen for the past 20 years or so. As with EFI, more power and easier starting are a pleasant side effect.

 

[Jensent]

I think they "lean test" six times per second.

The system is then able to correct a lean problem to some extent?
Tom

 

[XSKIER]

Yes, the system can compensate for changing conditions. Temperature, Altitude, fuel quality, and ethanol content would require mere mortal saws to be retuned for the day. The omniscient M-Tronic system will do it automatically several times per second. The end result to the user is a saw that will run repeatably well despite changing conditions.