My new toy- ms362cm 18b/c

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Thank you all for your feedback. I read a ton about Big Boring the Dolmar/Makita but I think in the end I have to make a choice on one or the other for now. Also I'm not sure I'm up to doing the BB myself & not sure I want to put money into this saw. So I listed it in my local classifieds for $275. While I guess I may regret selling it somewhere down the road as they do seem to have an almost cult following for those that want to tune & put BB kits on them.

That all said, I believe I will have to live with a single all around reliable saw & believe the 362 CM should fit the bill for many years to come. I am buying it with the 25" bar as it is much cheaper to add a 20" bar & chain rather than the reverse.

Thx again!

TOU
Wish I was close enough to take the 6401 off your hands!
I'm sure you will be very happy with the 362, great saw.
 
Congrats on the 461, I hear they are very nice saws! The closest I've run is my brothers 460, but I think the 461 is an improvement on it. What size bar? Give us some feedback, because I heard the 441 C is also supposed to be very strong.
I put my Sugihara 24 b/c on it and cut a 15" hickory but I only ran it wot a few times a few sec and ran 1/2 throttle or so for breakin. More torque than a 441c and cranks right up and idles like a dream at around 2500 rpm. I love the large clutch cover and 3/4 wrap bar. Cut that hickory up like it wasnt there! Very happy with the 461r.
 
I put my Sugihara 24 b/c on it and cut a 15" hickory but I only ran it wot a few times a few sec and ran 1/2 throttle or so for breakin. More torque than a 441c and cranks right up and idles like a dream at around 2500 rpm. I love the large clutch cover and 3/4 wrap bar. Cut that hickory up like it wasnt there! Very happy with the 461r.
Running at half throttle does more harm than good. Put her in wood WFO


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A few people had requested I post some pics for my muffler mod on the 362, so hear they are. Not as elaborate as KGs, but you can do it with just a drill and a piece of sheet metal. Also, if you ever want to restore it to stock, just replace the muffler cover. I cut the corners in the back of the deflector, bent the sides in, and bent the top down. It is firm against the muffler flange so it will stay down.

I made 3 port holes through the muffler cover, one 3/8" and two 1/4", all covered by the same deflector (more volume than a single 1/2" hole, but less likely to inhale debris).

I also removed the muffler screen, and if I wanted to vent it more I would add a few more holes next to the original port.

The noise level when operating the saw is basically unchanged, and the saw should run cooler (and now it has duel exhaust, much cooler)!

Nothing fancy, but easy to do w/o any sophisticated tools.


Ah, the area of a circle... It tends to deceive as many "inchers" have discovered. Lets look at your holes.
The area of a half inch hole is .785398 . When we add the area of one 3/8 hole and two 1/4 hole we get .8327 .
So we gained .0474 . If I did my math correctly that comes out to a 6 hundredths of one percent gain. Surprised?
 
Ah, the area of a circle... It tends to deceive as many "inchers" have discovered. Lets look at your holes.
The area of a half inch hole is .785398 . When we add the area of one 3/8 hole and two 1/4 hole we get .8327 .
So we gained .0474 . If I did my math correctly that comes out to a 6 hundredths of one percent gain. Surprised?

No, your computations match mine. The purpose of the 3 smaller holes (as is stated) is to make it less likely to inhale debris. My goal was to add the volume of a 1/2" hole (which more than doubles what the saw originally had).
 
No, your computations match mine. The purpose of the 3 smaller holes (as is stated) is to make it less likely to inhale debris. My goal was to add the volume of a 1/2" hole (which more than doubles what the saw originally had).
An alternativ idea to keep the debri & insects out would be to mount a small piece of stainless mesh underneath the cover. Would be a better way in my eyes. I got the tip from nmurph that a strainer is the ideal donor. Just don't let your wife find out... :D

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