MS-261 non m-tronic carb identification

[John Lyngdal]

I'm seeing ZAMA C1Q-S211 STIHL 1141 120 0606 as a possible carburetor for the MS261 and it looks like it has the same physical oddities.
It looks like your good friends in China will deliver one to your mailbox for $19
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carburetor...996586&hash=item1a7c9806fb:g:S7IAAOSwsxJa7WZf
Before ordering one, I'd pop the cover over the diaphragm and see if your saw has has a drinking(ethanol) problem.
A solution to your problem could be as simple as a partial rebuild of the existing carburetor.
This is super easy to do, and even a picture of the diaphragm would help determine if that is the issue.

 

[HarleyT]

So in your pic, you ground off the metal around the low screw?

 

[HarleyT]

I'm seeing ZAMA C1Q-S211 STIHL 1141 120 0606 as a possible carburetor for the MS261 and it looks like it has the same physical oddities.
It looks like your good friends in China will deliver one to your mailbox for $19
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carburetor...996586&hash=item1a7c9806fb:g:S7IAAOSwsxJa7WZf
Before ordering one, I'd pop the cover over the diaphragm and see if your saw has has a drinking(ethanol) problem.
A solution to your problem could be as simple as a partial rebuild of the existing carburetor.
This is super easy to do, and even a picture of the diaphragm would help determine if that is the issue.

Hell, I would sell him one of mine for a little bit more, and mine are OEM..

 

[Woodlarc]

Jotting down the carbs listed for each on the mediacat, some of the carbs are listed for both, which I assume are for the more basic MS261 and the MS271/MS279..

View attachment 798641

Hey Harley

well, was too embarrassed to mention it but but lost my right boot, girlfriend, and camera back down the trail so can't send picture but am minimally familiar with saw carbs and definately no c1q or other #'s. some boot leg pos . But yeh mine does look like your photo in that the H and L screws are encased in a metal cylinder so 2 bulky cylinders sticking out. Are you saying this is significant? How so? That feature is unique to ms 261 and 271 and so means will work.?

Thanks for that photo of handwritten notes. Can you say where you got the info? As I said I have an old IPL that shows a 178.179, 1nd 180 working so guess they are same carb . Is helpful to see the ms271 is identical to 261.

Your other photo is showing a C1q-S246, which is not in your handwritten list. Do you know that would work and do you have any tech data that shows a link between it and the other carbs in list. this S246 and a S252 are only carbs listed on ebay that sellers claim will fit but no proof.

 

[Woodlarc]

I'm seeing ZAMA C1Q-S211 STIHL 1141 120 0606 as a possible carburetor for the MS261 and it looks like it has the same physical oddities.
It looks like your good friends in China will deliver one to your mailbox for $19
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carburetor...996586&hash=item1a7c9806fb:g:S7IAAOSwsxJa7WZf
Before ordering one, I'd pop the cover over the diaphragm and see if your saw has has a drinking(ethanol) problem.
A solution to your problem could be as simple as a partial rebuild of the existing carburetor.
This is super easy to do, and even a picture of the diaphragm would help determine if that is the issue.

Thanks John, but WHY do you think this will fit my saw? The seller doesn't claim this, and even if they did there is no coraboration from any tech literature that I can find.

All that's needed is a list from zama or stihl showing all the Id's that have superceded the last

 

[furb]

So in your pic, you ground off the metal around the low screw?

Yeah. I bought that carb off of eBay and it wouldn’t clear the plastic. I figured if the grind didn’t work I’d put the kit in the out carb. The old carb had corrosion in it so at time I figured why not. It’s a Zama carb that cost $15, my dealer said around $25 for a kit. My only real concern was the screw moving.

 

[furb]

I’m gonna swap plastic pieces over tomorrow if I have time and throw the kit in a new style carb I have laying here.

 

[furb]

Woodlarc look at the plastic piece I have pictured. If the part number under the orange piece ends in 3005 the one pictured above should fit. Otherwise you could do what it did but Harley should be able to fix you up with whatever you need.

 

[HarleyT]

The carbs I have are from the newer MS271s, and the Mediacat that I give the other part numbers were from 2012, and these numbers change often. I wouldn't take too much stock with the carbs you see on a list of a bootleg carb salesman's ad...
But according to the old Mediacat, they used the same carbs. There may be some minor fitment issues over time, from what Furb has said.

 

[DND 9000]

@Woodlarc

If you would have answered my question, you would already know which carb you need. You can`t use any carb of the MS 261, it depends in the exact version of the saw.

Which saw of the MS 261 (exact version, year of manufacture, serial number) do you have?

 

[farmer steve]

Not sure if this new Ipl will help but it is the most recent. Like DND said you need what version saw you have.

 

[Woodlarc]

The carbs I have are from the newer MS271s, and the Mediacat that I give the other part numbers were from 2012, and these numbers change often. I wouldn't take too much stock with the carbs you see on a list of a bootleg carb salesman's ad...
But according to the old Mediacat, they used the same carbs. There may be some minor fitment issues over time, from what Furb has said.

Hi Harley, appreciate your offer. Do you have any applicable carbs that haven't touched Gas? and if so what is model? Would prefer a c1q-s178 or s211 as can still get a RB-176 kit from CTS. Newer carbs will fit but no proof the RB-176 aftermarket kit will work. Seems like market in this stuff ain't what I remember from 10 years ago.

Don't know what mediacat refers to

Please pm me. Don't see how to reach you even though went to your profile page

 

[Woodlarc]

Not sure if this new Ipl will help but it is the most recent. Like DND said you need what version saw you have.

Thanks Steve,

Looked at it briefly, enough to see it's too complicated for current issue but but bet there's info in there that will be helpful for other stuff later.

Got ahold of the 2019 Stihl technical reference guide which shows which older models were used. So hopefully Harley will have

Here's one of critical things---even if you could go down to a dealer (no dealer online sales) and order one they could only sell you the most recent version, which is c1q-100361. But you want to stash a couple aftermarket Rb kits for it for future problems, right? And only such kit being sold is RB-176 which not listed as covering the 100361 or it's predesessor, the C1Q-s252. Only older carbs. all the models listed will work but they have different rb kits. May still work but no written proof and my guide shows different RB kit part #s for two most recent carbs

walbro makes the same RB kit for a whole series plus they don't change models as much.

So have to buy oem rb kit from dealer and price probably up to $50 buy now instead of $7 . Currently is $30 for older carbs oem kits. For a few pieces of fiber!

Stihl bought Zama. They are locking it down. "It's a big club, and you ain't in it"

Hope this info helps others

 

[HarleyT]

What are the numbers on your carb?
The numbers to the left of the fuel nipple?

 

[HarleyT]

Here is a bulletin that may help.

 

[Woodlarc]

What are the numbers on your carb?
The numbers to the left of the fuel nipple?

No numbers. guess this must be common with aftermarket.

 

[Woodlarc]

Here is a bulletin that may help.

Furb --I didn't respond to your excellent comments about that shroud rubbing on low screw casting cause made no sense since didn't recognize the object in photo. later after studying Ipl realized this because I have no shroud!! Someone removed it, maybe to make a carb fit? Can't intuit just looking at innards that anything is missing.

My question for you or Harley or anyone is what function does this shroud perform? Will saw run fine without it? Now I know it's unlikely anyone has removed shroud to test, but still, maybe just looking at it on your saw you have wondered and formulated a guess. Especially if was rubbing on a casting.

Looking at a diagram or youtube frozen shot just don't cut it! haha

 

[Woodlarc]

Not sure if this new Ipl will help but it is the most recent. Like DND said you need what version saw you have.

I'd like to summarize this. Using 2017 and 2019 technical reference guide which can be googled up. 4 carb versions are listed for MS261. C1Q-S178, C1Q-S211, C1q-S252, and C1q-100361. Also a likely C1q -S242 for reasons will leave aside. The first 2 have a casting only around the H screw. The latter 2 are like mine, castings around both screws. They are sequential in time it appears.

So, have been comments that all non mtronic carbs for ms261 may not be interchangeable but my question is have you actually seen this and if so what was problem? did the choke, throttle or fuel lines not match? From what I can tell from diagrams etc they have same connections but of course that's not reality. You may know better.

Again, just discussing these 5 specific carbs listed under ms261 non mtronic. how could they stay in business if new versions were not backward compatible? near as I can tell they only make one version at a time, dumping the old.

Only obvious to me diff is later ones have 2 castings. If this interferes with my version of shroud I can just remove it? Could put a C1q-S 100361 in a very early saw that was issued with a S178 or vice versa
Learned a bit since started thread, perhaps not all correct. Please respond

 

[HarleyT]

Doing a new MS271 today. I will snap some pics, maybe it will help with a few of your questions.

 

[HarleyT]

A few more.