While I havent put that much time on my 361, I havent noticed the idle issues you all have. Did you all experience the issue right away, or did it work itself into the saw?
MS361 idle problem
- Thread starter boilerhouse47
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Canyon Angler
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DDM said:
Maybe I should back off on the nitrobenzene and cyclonite mix in the 310...? :jester:
I’m running 93 octane gas(fresh) and Stihl’s low smoke oil at the recommended 50:1 ratio.
Maybe a minor point, but I believe my 361 owner's manual calls for 87 octane. Have you tried it? Higher octane fuel actually burns at a slightly slower rate to reduce the chance of preignition and detonation.
Also, stay with the 50:1 ratio. 32:1 is a leaner mixture and may make it worse. I tried 32:1 and felt there was a loss of power.
Just my 2 cents worth
Maybe a minor point, but I believe my 361 owner's manual calls for 87 octane. Have you tried it? Higher octane fuel actually burns at a slightly slower rate to reduce the chance of preignition and detonation.
Also, stay with the 50:1 ratio. 32:1 is a leaner mixture and may make it worse. I tried 32:1 and felt there was a loss of power.
Just my 2 cents worth
DDM
Addicted to ArboristSite
CaseyForrest said:
Yup problem from the beginning.I bought both saws new last december.1 is run 2-3 days a week.The other has not had 2 tanks of fuel thru it.I used the unused one today it has the same issues as the "broke in" one. Any Dealer have a new 036/360 still hanging around?
DDM
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buzz sawyer said:
Hmmmm I have no clue where the manual's went. Would this be true for the rest of the new saws?
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
It says 89 in mine...
I find the idle is just "bouncy" particularly after a long cut - it idles down to around 3000 for a few seconds, jerks around goes low (2450 'ish) then settles in a rougher (bounces a 100 or two rpm) more than the older saws. I see this more on the higher hour saw than the newer units. If the saw is set a bit lean (L) the idle is particularly rough (unlike the older saws where the idle just got slightly faster). Richen the L, turn up the LA to compensate. I usually set the idle to about 2950 'ish.
DDM - if your chain spins at your "idle" without the brake on, take it back... dragging the clutch will take out the drum and springs prematurely exacerbating the problem of chain movement. The increase I'm talking about (with LA, not leaning L) is only 150 rpm or so over what the ear might think as "normal" (2800) and ....the clutch isn't supposed to engage until much higher (3500).
I find the idle is just "bouncy" particularly after a long cut - it idles down to around 3000 for a few seconds, jerks around goes low (2450 'ish) then settles in a rougher (bounces a 100 or two rpm) more than the older saws. I see this more on the higher hour saw than the newer units. If the saw is set a bit lean (L) the idle is particularly rough (unlike the older saws where the idle just got slightly faster). Richen the L, turn up the LA to compensate. I usually set the idle to about 2950 'ish.
DDM - if your chain spins at your "idle" without the brake on, take it back... dragging the clutch will take out the drum and springs prematurely exacerbating the problem of chain movement. The increase I'm talking about (with LA, not leaning L) is only 150 rpm or so over what the ear might think as "normal" (2800) and ....the clutch isn't supposed to engage until much higher (3500).
DDM
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Lakeside53 said:
Ahhhhhh Okay .
boilerhouse47
ArboristSite Operative
Sawyer, my book says to use 89 octane or premium, this is why I went with the higher octane gas. I ran the same mix in my MS290 for 4 years and had no trouble with it.
Casey the original problem came about as the saw had more brake in time on it. 99.9 percent of the time it will not stall when it idles, it is just that it stumbles and ALLMOST stalls when you hit the trigger. It does it bad enough that you let off of the gas and then come in on it again to get it to rev. The dealer only made the problem worst with his adjustment.
The air filter on this saw stays alot cleaner than the 290, but I do blow the saw off with compressed air after every use. The air filter gets taken off and blown from the inside when I do this, so I don't believe it is part of the problem.
No one knows of anyplace that has hands on saw tuning in my area?
Would a good dealer be willing to teach me or would they refuse for warranty reasons?
Carl
Casey the original problem came about as the saw had more brake in time on it. 99.9 percent of the time it will not stall when it idles, it is just that it stumbles and ALLMOST stalls when you hit the trigger. It does it bad enough that you let off of the gas and then come in on it again to get it to rev. The dealer only made the problem worst with his adjustment.
The air filter on this saw stays alot cleaner than the 290, but I do blow the saw off with compressed air after every use. The air filter gets taken off and blown from the inside when I do this, so I don't believe it is part of the problem.
No one knows of anyplace that has hands on saw tuning in my area?
Would a good dealer be willing to teach me or would they refuse for warranty reasons?
Carl
wagonwheeler
ArboristSite Guru
A good dealer would show you. Might also recommend you buy a tach.
A bad dealer would refuse and say it was for warranty reasons.
Chaser
A bad dealer would refuse and say it was for warranty reasons.
Chaser
boilerhouse47 said:
Right on the 89 guys. It was too late to walk out the shop to double check.
manual
Addicted to ArboristSite
Lakeside53 said:
Right... quite right....you bloody well right. :rockn:
Guess what I have been running my saw on 87 octane.
Idles rough (bouncy) even shuts off only after the first cut. After that Just Bouncy.
Now I have changed my springs and drum because the chain would skip a little. Problem solved.
The only thing I can't get used to is that darn ringing sound.
When I changed the springs I thought would solve the problem.
I am begining to think that "It's a Sthil thing"
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
You really should change to 89 or higher octane... The local saw mill runs MS361 (a lot of them!) and a batch that came in for service a month or two back has excessively "white" plugs and hot muffler evidence... Nothing wrong with the carbs - they'd changed their gas supplier and went for the cheapest gas.. regular with 10% ethanol. They changed back to premium...
As for your clutch... it's not just springs that make the "ringing"... check the shoes for alignment and wear around the shoes particularly where they contact the center spider.
Just mod the muffler - you won't be able to hear the clutch!
As for your clutch... it's not just springs that make the "ringing"... check the shoes for alignment and wear around the shoes particularly where they contact the center spider.
Just mod the muffler - you won't be able to hear the clutch!
boilerhouse47
ArboristSite Operative
well I had my saw back to the local dealer again yesterday and had him look at it one more time, Told him his last adjustment only made the problem worst. So he takes the saw in on his work bench and goes after the adjustment screw one more time, and I say that I've never seen anybody adjust a carb on anything without having the engine running. This seemed to upset him a LITTLE BIT and he pulls out a ringed note book and says that the Stihl book shows the jets adjustments at 5/8 and 1 turn open for the high and low jets. He makes his adjustments and we go outside to a small log. I make 4 cuts and let it idle for a couple of seconds and when I give it the gas it stumbles before it takes off. I say it is alittle better but I don't think it is right yet. He says try it and if I'm not happy with it he will put a new carb on it. I called another dealer about 30 miles away and I'm going to take it to him in a couple of weeks because he is backedup with saw repairs at this time of year. My dealer had nothing but a mess on his work bench. Go figure! Hopefully when at at the other dealers he will show me how to make the adjustments I need. Other than this small problem I love the way this saw feels and cuts.
Carl
Carl
manual
Addicted to ArboristSite
Lakeside53 said:You really should change to 89 or higher octane... The local saw mill runs MS361 (a lot of them!) and a batch that came in for service a month or two back has excessively "white" plugs and hot muffler evidence... Nothing wrong with the carbs - they'd changed their gas supplier and went for the cheapest gas.. regular with 10% ethanol. They changed back to premium...
As for your clutch... it's not just springs that make the "ringing"... check the shoes for alignment and wear around the shoes particularly where they contact the center spider.
Just mod the muffler - you won't be able to hear the clutch!
Ok Ok stop twisting my arm. That carving dude lives on the other side of the lake tells me that all the time. To use higher octane.
I just feel that I go through enough gas that I don't lose the octane rating.
Muffler mod in the works I left the pipe at work last night. Step one done.
NOW Looking at the pull starters inside bottom corner that is closest to the gas tank.
The corner is starting to rub a hole in the tank. I have the rubber mount in my hand right now. that is above the cap and it looks good.
Has there been an issue with this?
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
I haven't seen the rubbing you describe but there was a minor update in 2005 to the stop buffers and annular buffer.
manual
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ok Looks like I am getting alot of play from the one over the gas cap
s/n 264269236
Annular buffer, I have the new one with stop.
the bottom bolt on pull starter closest to the tank is rubbing a hole in the tank.
s/n 264269236
Annular buffer, I have the new one with stop.
the bottom bolt on pull starter closest to the tank is rubbing a hole in the tank.
Last edited:
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
manual said:
You will on the older version.. Never have seen a problem though but maybe it use/temperature dependant. Just update the other two stop buffers - real cheap. Make sure your other spring buffers are not bent or twisted from some impact.
manual
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sorry see edit on my last post.
manual
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yea maybe the problem was the guy that owned it before is 6' 4 and about 280lbs or better. and has the power of an ox.Lakeside53 said:
no hole in the tank yet. lets out pressure when I open the gas cap.
boilerhouse47
ArboristSite Operative
Just wanted to let everyone know that I have taken my saw to a different dealer and he spent some time with me showing how to adjust my saw. Showed me a few tricks to tell if the saw was running to rich at idle. It was well worth the 30 mile trip to visit with this man. He said the low speed jet was set way on the lean side. Used the saw the other day, big difference! He had this handy dandy little tach that he just placed on the spark plug wire to check his adjustments. Does anyone know if this is a Stilh product or aftermarket, It was about the size of a Zippo lighter?
Thanks for your replies.
Carl
Thanks for your replies.
Carl
