Modding the new MS201T - The truth inside

[Young Mark]

Nice info' Cheers! I drilled a 5/16" hole in the muffler today, noticeable throttle response improvement. A guy should remember to remove the spark arrestor first so as not to drill through it like I did, lol. I had a heck of a time taking it out after I damaged it with the drill bit.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I read a recent article by Dr. Alex Shigo that said that the tree industry wouldn't be considered a true profession unless it had a code of ethics. What does everyone think the code of ethics would be and who would be responsible for making sure it would be inforced?

You could have gotten away with drilling a 3/8" hole but 5/16" will also work

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[mels]

So... Received my (Brad supplied) Snellerized '201t right around Christmas, but weather and other crap kept me from getting any time with it - until yesterday. Yeah, yeah, I know...

It was too windy yesterday (Nor 'easter spooling up off the coast) where I was in Bethlehem to do much more than work with what I'd dropped and left before the snow set in over the Winter. Still, I managed to run two tankfuls through it and while I never ran a '200 so I don't have anything in the same class to compare the '201 to, I just want to tell you this little guy does REALLY well. Tachs right up, and keeps those rpms up in most every cut I made in the walnut and ash I dropped last year.

Did I need this saw? No. I mean, I'm definitely not a pro, and I had a new cs341 Echo that I really was content with - or so I thought. When I ordered the '201, I gave away the '341 to a friend understanding that the '201 would replace it handily. Boy, was that ever an underestimation! I'm almost embarrassed to have given a real good friend such a lousy excuse for a saw, though I guess I won't let him know that. Hahaha.

I'd like to say, to anyone who's still on the fence about pulling the trigger on one of these, just go ahead and do it. I like mine enough to where I'm already thinking of asking Brad to pick up a rear handle '201 and doing the same mods to it that he did to this top handle - but with all the unused saws in my little collection already patiently waiting their turn in the sun I'd need it like a hole in my head. Although...

 

[alonfn4]

Just buy one already

Every homeowner asks me about my racing saw and then When I turn Around and they look at me funny holding this little chainsaw but it is a little monster

Thanks Brad

 

[SCHallenger]

So... Received my (Brad supplied) Snellerized '201t right around Christmas, but weather and other crap kept me from getting any time with it - until yesterday. Yeah, yeah, I know...

It was too windy yesterday (Nor 'easter spooling up off the coast) where I was in Bethlehem to do much more than work with what I'd dropped and left before the snow set in over the Winter. Still, I managed to run two tankfuls through it and while I never ran a '200 so I don't have anything in the same class to compare the '201 to, I just want to tell you this little guy does REALLY well. Tachs right up, and keeps those rpms up in most every cut I made in the walnut and ash I dropped last year.

Did I need this saw? No. I mean, I'm definitely not a pro, and I had a new cs341 Echo that I really was content with - or so I thought. When I ordered the '201, I gave away the '341 to a friend understanding that the '201 would replace it handily. Boy, was that ever an underestimation! I'm almost embarrassed to have given a real good friend such a lousy excuse for a saw, though I guess I won't let him know that. Hahaha.

I'd like to say, to anyone who's still on the fence about pulling the trigger on one of these, just go ahead and do it. I like mine enough to where I'm already thinking of asking Brad to pick up a rear handle '201 and doing the same mods to it that he did to this top handle - but with all the unused saws in my little collection already patiently waiting their turn in the sun I'd need it like a hole in my head. Although...

Don't worry about another "hole in your head" as long as your wife doesn't put it there! My guess is that you would like the rear handle even better than the T.

 

[mels]

Ooof. My Wife is definitely a pretty good shot...

Brad, thanks for figuring out how to eek the potential out of these saws. Looking forward to seeing how she sings a few more tankfuls down the road.

 

[SCHallenger]

So when you are taking the rev limiter out?... are you eliminating it all to gether to where there is no longer a way to adjust it?

I think you have the "rev limiter" confused with the limiter on the H needle which controls the air-fuel mixture. The rev limiter is in the coil & simply prevents the saw from revving beyond a certain RPM. The only way to eliminate the rev-limiter is to replace the coil. At this time there is no coil available for the 201 which is not limited. Removing the limiter on the H needle allows you to adjust your mixture richer (more fuel/volume of air) than is possible with the factory setting.

 

[burgz]

I think you have the "rev limiter" confused with the limiter on the H needle which controls the air-fuel mixture. The rev limiter is in the coil & simply prevents the saw from revving beyond a certain RPM. The only way to eliminate the rev-limiter is to replace the coil. At this time there is no coil available for the 201 which is not limited. Removing the limiter on the H needle allows you to adjust your mixture richer (more fuel/volume of air) than is possible with the factory setting.

Yea thats what I meant. Sorry

 

[burgz]

so when when removing the "limiter" on the H pin. Does that eleminate the peice with the flat head screw driver for the adjustment. Just making sure b4 I do this.

 

[SCHallenger]

It depends on how you do it. If you simply drill out the little pin or dowel which sits in the housing around the H needle which is ,in turn, enclosed in an alloy jacket, then you have removed the restriction, & the alloy jacket in which the screwdriver slot is cut does not have to be removed. This is the way Brad Snelling does it. This is very easy, & it gives you a full range of adjustment with your orange screwdriver.

 

[Grande Dog]

Howdy,
Stihl has a tool to remove them that has a left hand thread. I've done plenty of these with just a sheetrock screw. Insert the screw in the limiter, and turn clockwise until the screw gets a bite. Slowly turn the screw counter clockwise until you feel it hit the stop pin. Then just pull the limiter straight out. Now just push the stop pin out of the carb. Just push the limiter back on, and you're fully adjustable.
Regards
Gregg

 

[weedkilla]

Looking at the stihl USA website it looks like the 201 rear handle comes as an easy start saw now. Never being a fan of the extra weight and width of easy start stihls compared with their normal start brothers - is this true, have they always been delivered this way?

 

[SCHallenger]

Howdy,
Stihl has a tool to remove them that has a left hand thread. I've done plenty of these with just a sheetrock screw. Insert the screw in the limiter, and turn clockwise until the screw gets a bite. Slowly turn the screw counter clockwise until you feel it hit the stop pin. Then just pull the limiter straight out. Now just push the stop pin out of the carb. Just push the limiter back on, and you're fully adjustable.
Regards
Gregg

Yup. That's the other way to remove the pin. Either way accomplishes the same thing.

 

[SCHallenger]

Looking at the stihl USA website it looks like the 201 rear handle comes as an easy start saw now. Never being a fan of the extra weight and width of easy start stihls compared with their normal start brothers - is this true, have they always been delivered this way?

Yes. They have always been E-start. I don't know how much heavier it is than regular start, but I can't imagine you would find the rear handle model heavy. From my perspective it is well balanced (mine wears a 14in bar) & very comfortable & fun to use while still being capable of doing whatever you need to do up to the full capacity of the bar.

 

[weedkilla]

Yes. They have always been E-start. I don't know how much heavier it is than regular start, but I can't imagine you would find the rear handle model heavy. From my perspective it is well balanced (mine wears a 14in bar) & very comfortable & fun to use while still being capable of doing whatever you need to do up to the full capacity of the bar.

Thanks.

I didn't think it would make or break the saw, just prefer standard start if possible!
As I'm looking for a saw to put in a back pack it's probably the extra width that concerns me more.

 

[PainAndMurphy]

Thanks.

I didn't think it would make or break the saw, just prefer standard start if possible!
As I'm looking for a saw to put in a back pack it's probably the extra width that concerns me more.

As far as I know, the Easy2Start on the small saws, like MS192 that I have, is nothing like what's on the MS180C, MS250C, MS291C with the 'E', where you gently 'charge' the mechaism with tension until it jups on it's own. The small 'E' just increases the energy of your pull while softening the pull at the same time..

I myself tried to look for differences between non-'E' MS192 and one with it, and couldn't tell by countless inspections over the net, plus 3 saws I had.. now one remains - the rear handle one, and let me just say that if you know how NOT to pull hard like standart recoil, the 'E' on the 180/250/291 work fantastic. I had no issues. Was nice to start them on the bucket crane too.. efortless. And I don't tend to break stuff. That's just my personal take on that. Jo.

 

[XSKIER]

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the MS 201 C-E doesn't have the easy start recoil. Just a primer bulb and elastostart recoil handle.

 

[PainAndMurphy]

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the MS 201 C-E doesn't have the easy start recoil. Just a primer bulb and elastostart recoil handle.

Well, the bulb is indeed part of the 'E' package on the small ones. I do have it on the 192 (RH), but it pushes fuel, unfortunately, to the carb and not vacuum the carb like normal primer.. I fought to figure it out since I had to fix it..

Plus, no 'ElastoStart' since compression is ridiculous on the 30.1cc while the Easy recoil does the 'give' on the pull as if it was 'Elasto'.. I swear

If the MS201 has the 'charging' recoil? Probably not.. this one makes'em swollen. Yes indeed - it's probably the bulb-Elasto combo..

 

[dogdad]

It depends on how you do it. If you simply drill out the little pin or dowel which sits in the housing around the H needle which is ,in turn, enclosed in an alloy jacket, then you have removed the restriction, & the alloy jacket in which the screwdriver slot is cut does not have to be removed. This is the way Brad Snelling does it. This is very easy, & it gives you a full range of adjustment with your orange screwdriver.

Would like to see a video posted of this actually being performed ..

 

[SCHallenger]

Would like to see a video posted of this actually being performed ..

Look at post #4 on page 1. The first pic clearly shows where the little pin (dowel) is which needs to be removed.