mods to 260pro

[rmcfall]

I've been doing searches on muffler mods and the intellicarb feature of the newer Stihls. The link Glen sent me,
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=53547 , makes modifying the muffler and achieving better performance seem pretty easier. So I just drill it out to 7/16 x 1.5 inches. Am I am missing something here?

And as far as the carb, the saw runs and idles just fine. At least so far... Any point in swapping it out for an older style carb?

Finally, I think I read a post somewhere about an 026 than had been walkerized, and ran like an 044. Is this really the case?

Rob

 

[HUSKYMAN]

The reason carbs are swapped is because when you modify the muffler, the saw needs a bit more fuel to keep from leaning out. The "not so intellicarb" will not add more fuel than stock, and is a pain to switch the jetting, so guys have been putting the old carbs on that are adjustable

 

[rmcfall]

So there is no point in modifying the muffler until I get an adjustable carb....where is the best place to find one? ebay?
What a pain. I am happy with the performance of the saw thus far, however. Just hearing people talk about the gains from the mods makes me curious though...

 

[buckwheat]

That was probably my post you read about the Walkerized 026. The saw continues to amaze me and I am back again to thinking that I should just sell my 044. Last weekend a friend called to ask my help in cutting some stumps on property he is clearing. For whatever reason, I grabbed the 026 and a 25" bar and left the 044 sit. It just tore through these big locust stumps without a hiccup. The 044 is stock, except for tearing the baffle out of the muffler and drilling some extra holes in it.
I'm curious about what some of the other woods saw builders are doing, because their customers are claiming they make Walkers look pretty tame.

 

[rmcfall]

Buckwheat- so did your saw come with the "intellicarb" and if so, does it still have it? Or is it adjustable?

That is great that you now prefer it over the 044. A 25" bar...no kidding....

Just out of curiousity, had you done any mods to it before having it "walkerized"?

 

[ricksvar]

Hi Buckwheat,

I'am impressed!

My 026(not pro)is a impressive performer with a muffler shell and 3/8" pm chain,but there's no way it will cut with or near my stock 372xp in larger diameter wood.

You have a keeper 026W

Rick

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Rmcfall, look at your jets, are both screws there or is there only one, look for a little H and a little L.
If you modify your muffler you will need to adjust the carb, if you don't have the screw type adjustment, it gets somewhat complicated to change the jetting. That will mean you need to remove the carb and try out different sized jets, which you will need to buy.
It's been said here before but I'll say it again, intellicarb and fixed jet carb are two different things. The intellicarb is a good thing, it makes small adjustments to the fuel mixure as the filter gets clogged. Fixed jet is a bad thing, it makes adjusting the carb much more difficult.
You can have an intellicarb with or without fixed jets.
I imagine saw makers use the fixed jet to keep Johnny Homeowner from turning the little screws and blowing up the saw during warrenty, kind of a more complicated type of limiter cap.

When you send a saw off to a saw modifier, one of the big things that gets done is the muffler, by doing your own muffler mod, the idea is to save sending it off. The guys that do the mods, might say they'll get a 50% increase in power or cutting times, but 40% of that comes from the muffler. These numbers are just for disscusion and will vary, of course. The point is the biggest and easiest gain is the muffler, after that, each little gain is hard earned.

 

[rmcfall]

Mike-- unfortunately, I don't have a high speed adjusting screw. The saw only has the low speed screw and idle speed screw. Funny thing is, the H exists...as does the slot for the screw. But guess what..no screw. How aggravating.

Thanks for pointing out that intellicarb and fixed jetting are two different things. I guess all the NEW intellicarb saws have fixed jets? What a pain. Any thoughts on where to get an intellicarb WITHOUT the fixed jetting?

SO, there is a chance the fixed jet that is in my saw is the right size. How might I figure this out?


Thanks a lot.
Rob

P.S. can you explain what makes a carb an "intellicarb" since it seems like the impression is that it is the fixed jets? So what would an intellicarb without the fixed jets look like?

 

[buckwheat]

I purchased the saw from Eric (woodsjunkie) "used but like new". It was already Walkerized. It's an adjustable Intellicarb. I understand Walkers will sell you a modified muffler with a trade on the stock one.
I think I'd have to do some timed cuts to give a more empirical comparison of the 026W to the stock 044, but I know they are close. When given the choice of lugging four less pounds around for a day at roughly $150 less than a new 044, the modified saw is a no brainer. Two weekends ago I used the 044 with the 25" bar for the better part of an afternoon, and my arms and shoulders were hamburger. I had to stop for fear of getting hurt.
If I were making a new purchase or getting into projects where big wood is a factor, I'd be talking to Walkers, Grefford, Danny, Dunn or any others I might have missed.

 

[rmcfall]

Brian--sounds like messing with the fixed jet is something not to be done. How do you tell what size jet you need? Just trial and error?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If you can get he part number, you should be able to buy one new(adjustable carb). Don't know what that would cost.
You might be able to find one used, from an old dead saw, perhaps at a repair shop.
Trial and error is the way you would figure out what size jet is best, that and educated guessing. Both these steps will require you kow how to tune a saw.

 

[jokers]

The fully adjustable carb that you would want to buy for your 026 is a Walbro WT-426 which is a proprietary model. It is $65 US and comes with both the Intellicarb cover and the stock cover. I can get the part number if anyone needs it but your local dealer should also be able to get it quite easily.

I wouldn`t say that changing the fixed jets is something that shouldn`t be done, but as Mike Maas pointed out, you`d better know how to determine if your saw is properly tuned afterward. The jets are available but usually take a couple of weeks to get and unless you know where to look you won`t find the part number for a jet larger than a 56 which is the stock jet in every one that I have seen. The numbers are available in the archives here and a guy would be wise to look them up before going to the dealer or he will probably come away empty handed.

Russ

 

[glens]

Rob,

The newest models (270/280) have the Intellicarb&reg; <i>and</i> full adjustability (albeit with limiter caps).&nbsp; I've heard that at some point the production line will go back to "full" adjustability on the carbs for the 260 as well.&nbsp; The fixed-jet system probably works okay on the smaller "homeowner" saws (and the off-topic string trimmers), but for those tools that are expected to work hard and well (like the 260) it's probably too much of a butt-pain for the factory/mechanics.

Glen

 

[stihltech]

fixed jet

Email me and we will sort the great jet mystery out.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Can't we do it on the board?

 

[glens]

Mike, it's been done a couple of times on the board.&nbsp; stihltech should teach him how to "hack" the carb (as he's been accused - though I didn't take it at the time as him being called <i>a</i> hack) in private.&nbsp; The search engine here returns 19 threads just now (probably will be twenty with this post) for "hack", and 3 for "hack carb".&nbsp; The most informative one (as much as one <i>can</i> be with 116 replies) is probably <a href="http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7881&highlight=hack+carb">To those who like the Intellicarb...</a>.&nbsp; If that isn't it, try searching for "drill jet".

Glen

 

[stihltech]

jets

Nope, not any more.

 

[jokers]

Come on Stihltech, don`t take all your knowledge and go home just because Ben called you a hack,lol. Ben has called most people here something deragatory or atleast implied it so you would be left out if he hadn`t addressed you.

Mike, the info that Stihltech imparted to us in an earlier thread is that he has never failed to cure a lean running 026 by reaming the fixed jet to the next largest size, which in most cases would be .057 since most 026/MS260s come with a 56 jet installed. Please correct me if I am wrong Wayne. For the rest of you guys getting ready to whip out your drills and start reaming, note that I said 57 thousandths, not a #57 bit which is huge by comparison.

Russ

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

So are you saying your a bad mechanic, or the Husky is better?

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I would have to say that anyone who attempts and repairs a chainsaw on a private level is a good mechanic!!!


Now on a pro level this is a different story.



A little separation may be needed here.