MS280 (with IEM) Newbie Questions

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coming from someone that has only ran one saw... yeah i like it... it kicks the CARP outta my friends 300 poulan... that oddly enough is a smaller saw and weights about the same with a 16" bar on it... which is what drew me to this saw in the first place was the ccs & weight of it.

if i could make it better would i, hell yeah.

staring at the specs of the ms362 would i rather have that, Yup.

i wish i could find someone that owns a ms280 on the forums that has done the mod... well i did: http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=58677 but he wont reply to the pm i sent... i'm a little afraid because of inexperience to do exactly what he did in that post...

i think if i do the mod and put the 3/8 pitch bar and chain it might be okay... i'd just HATE to be wrong and have to start all over with buying a ms362 saw lol... that would take a while to save up for... heh.

i'm sitting here at my desk job dreaming of tomorrow gathering firewood... something is wrong here.

:chainsawguy:
 
As I understand the IEM, it adjusts mixture based on engine RPM. (Doesn't sound really intelligent to me.) Unless it has some sensor that is detecting how much air the carb is sucking in, or how much O2 the exhaust is putting out, I don't see how it is going to keep your saw from getting lean when you open up the muffler. It may regulate RPM's by fattening the mix at high revs, but I don't see how it will compensate for increased airflow.
 
after reading stihl's claims in the IEM description: http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/IEM.html

i see what you're saying... ...i'm confused how IEM would even adjust for altitude without any kind of sensor as well...

The only explanation i can think of would be the RPM sensor it has... if it "knows" that at this amount of flow of gas it should be at X rpm, and it's higher or lower than that... then it needs to do _____ to fix it.

which actually sorta makes sense to me...

maybe there is other stuff they're not explaining that is going on in there as well...
 
the stihl 026 came with two different carbs. one with just a L screw and one with the L and a H screw. mine had the one with just the L screw. i opened up the muffler and it ran way too lean. i had to buy the other carb from baileys. maybe you can do the same for your ms280. i dont know. watch e bay to see what your saw is worth. you might be surprised what you could get out of it.;) or you could be like the rest of us and keep it and buy another. :hmm3grin2orange:
 
this is very true... (keeping it and buying another one)...

it's slightly too big for a short bar... and not big enough for the big stuff...

if i had my dream setup i'd have a top handle short bar'd saw to skirt trees (of course i need spikes and gear for that too), a carving saw (shoot me i'm a wanna be artist...), a good 16 inch saw, and one that can rock a 36" blade...

of course in my little dream world i'd need a saw more than once a month. lol.

i guess this saw could work as a 16" it's not TOO heavy and has some good power...

the ms280 is the only saw (that i know of) with IEM ... stihl probably ditched the idea already and either has moved on or found something better. if they liked it they'd put it on more "better" saws...
 
Whatever you do with chains, sprockets and bars you will never turn a 280 into a 361. It is a 50cc class saw, not a 60cc or 70cc class saw. A 20" bar with .325 pitch on a 280 it already pushing the limit of what the saw can handle.

Use RS chain and keep it razor sharp. Hand file with the chain on the bar and the bar in a vise.

The 280 tunes itself continuously as it runs. There are no carb screws, the IEM computer tunes the saw.

After you enlarge the muffler exhaust hole you are done. The saw retunes itself. I used a Dremel with a 1/8" carbide burr and enlarged the muffler exhaust opening under the deflector making it the size of the deflector (3-4 times bigger).

Runs like a scalded dog now with no adverse effects; I have run this saw a lot the last year.
 
awesome thank you for the input.... i ran it for about 6 hours today... with the few minute adjustments i made to going out and using my saw, it already has run like a champ. now that i know i can mod it - safely - it will run even better.

(adjustments were - keeping the filter clear, L screw adjustment...)

i like my saw again... i was RIPPING through 40 inch-ish rounds .... and i got a whole lot of those looks by other people around me as i did those cuts that could only be explained by :jawdrop: and envy. it was quite awesome... got another 1.25 cords of wood in 4 hours, with a bar flip and chain switch...

the saw seemed like it was EATING fuel today... barely had finished a wet pine 30"+ log that was about 16 feet long and i ran the saw dry... the saw had a brand new plug, new filter thought. a funny thing i've noticed is the bar gets low the SAME TIME the fuel goes low when the saw is running tip top... do chain saw makers aim for that?
 
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