sedanman
Just cut the piano!!
You're preaching to the chior brother.
Stihl 361 Problems
- Thread starter Noah
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MacDaddy
Addicted to ArboristSite
It does make a nice power increase but it is also louder so you have to make the choice on what you want also if you mod the muffler use a screan on the new port and it will take alot of the high freq sound waves out they are the ones that destroy your hearing
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glens said:
I think that all the newer saws will see a performance increase ( some, ever so slightly ) with a ported muffler.
Crofter
Addicted to ArboristSite
Has anyone had the muffler apart on the 361. The opening appeared quite large, but perhaps there was another restriction beneath the screen or perhaps restricted by baffles inside. It was quiet.
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Crofter said:
I would venture to say that the 361 muffler is probably quite similar to the inside of the 660 which has the ever restricting baffle in front of the exhaust port. FWIW this is not a new thing, an 028 that I opened the muffler up on had the same restricting baffle and that saw was 20 some years old!
Erik D. Schmid
ArboristSite Member
The muffler on the 361 does indeed have an inner baffle. However, my Dremel made short work of it. Now the little baby just screams.
Xtra
ArboristSite Operative
I bought a bunch of new Stihl equipment in July . . . Good News, Bad News.
Good News:
My two 361's w/ 20" bars have had no problems and cut great [knock-on-wood]. Make sure you check/clean the air filter every tank or so of fuel, they really fill up with dust & debris quick.
Bad News:
My HT101-pole trimmer cracked its plastic spacer holding the carb and the HL100K-extended articulating hedge trimmer had a bad magneto after 3hrs of use.
Also now my MS200T isn't running correctly. While idling if I point its bar down the engine speeds up and then dies and is hard to restart . . . too bad the warranty expired last month. If anyone has a suggestion on what could cause this PM me.
On a side note about Stihl bar oiling . . . .
This Summer I stopped using cheap bar oil (ie: WalMart, HomeDepot bar oil). I was burning up too many chains in Stihls with 18"+ bars. I now use premium oil (Stihl, Husky, Bailey's, etc.) and have not had any oiling problems.
Good News:
My two 361's w/ 20" bars have had no problems and cut great [knock-on-wood]. Make sure you check/clean the air filter every tank or so of fuel, they really fill up with dust & debris quick.
Bad News:
My HT101-pole trimmer cracked its plastic spacer holding the carb and the HL100K-extended articulating hedge trimmer had a bad magneto after 3hrs of use.
Also now my MS200T isn't running correctly. While idling if I point its bar down the engine speeds up and then dies and is hard to restart . . . too bad the warranty expired last month. If anyone has a suggestion on what could cause this PM me.
On a side note about Stihl bar oiling . . . .
This Summer I stopped using cheap bar oil (ie: WalMart, HomeDepot bar oil). I was burning up too many chains in Stihls with 18"+ bars. I now use premium oil (Stihl, Husky, Bailey's, etc.) and have not had any oiling problems.
lync
ArboristSite Operative
Picked up a 361 about 3 months ago it gets almost daily use. Running a 20 bar, seems to be a good bucket and climbers saw. Have not had an ounce of trouble. Plenty of
power and torque for its size.
Corey
power and torque for its size.
Corey
Erik D. Schmid
ArboristSite Member
Xtra, I have yet to experience any problems with dust and debris routinely clogging the filter. In fact it has been just the opposite.
Xtra
ArboristSite Operative
The 361 is a great saw for it's weight power and torque, but after bucking a large pine a few weeks ago, I had a cake of crud lodged between the top left hand corner of the filter and its housing (and I was using a new chain throwing large chips and the pine wasn't that dusty).
The new anti-vibration set-up of the saw is also a plus.
The new anti-vibration set-up of the saw is also a plus.
Erik D. Schmid
ArboristSite Member
I don't know what to say other than I have never experienced that problem no matter what I have been cutting.
Update
Update,
Thanks for the replies. I'm on the same page with all of you about this saw. I took it back to the dealer. He says that he hasn't personally "put his hands on it" yet. "That's not MY fault, I replied. etc.." He wants to work on it and fix it. I repeated what was said in my first two posts, and told him that its caused me a lot of trouble since day one. I asked for a refund, or a replacement and he got indignant and told me that people just don't go around getting replacements on things when they break down. He said that if I got a new Chrysler car, I couldn't just take it back and trade it in for a new one. I told him that if the car gave me as much trouble as this saw, they would. People do it all of the time, its called the lemon law, and that I wanted this lemon replaced or refunded. He told me that since it was starting with a cold engine now, that he wouldn't do that. He said that the warm engine starting problem was unrelated and that he would not replace it. We almost got into a shouting match and he's got my 361.
Again, I can't say that there wouldn't be issues that might show up later after the warantee expires, and neither can he. But I paid this dealer nearly $100 more than I would've paid another one across the border in a neighboring state who has a different distributer, because I like to support local businesses and on the recommendation of my cousin. Hindsite 20/20, you know the rest.
I contacted the distributer in Ohio. The guy tells me that "they've never gotten a saw in that they couldn't fix." I said that "a new saw shouldn't be broken when its sold and NEED FIXED! If I knew that it'd give me this much trouble, I would've bought a used 440 for less than half the price of this new 361!"
Stihl USA won't do anything about this. They say the saw comes from Germany, not USA.
I'm not downing Stihl, I got one on their reputation. I just can't see how they can maintain such a good reputation when they let problems go out and their reps (dealers) won't make the customer happy.
Update,
Thanks for the replies. I'm on the same page with all of you about this saw. I took it back to the dealer. He says that he hasn't personally "put his hands on it" yet. "That's not MY fault, I replied. etc.." He wants to work on it and fix it. I repeated what was said in my first two posts, and told him that its caused me a lot of trouble since day one. I asked for a refund, or a replacement and he got indignant and told me that people just don't go around getting replacements on things when they break down. He said that if I got a new Chrysler car, I couldn't just take it back and trade it in for a new one. I told him that if the car gave me as much trouble as this saw, they would. People do it all of the time, its called the lemon law, and that I wanted this lemon replaced or refunded. He told me that since it was starting with a cold engine now, that he wouldn't do that. He said that the warm engine starting problem was unrelated and that he would not replace it. We almost got into a shouting match and he's got my 361.
Again, I can't say that there wouldn't be issues that might show up later after the warantee expires, and neither can he. But I paid this dealer nearly $100 more than I would've paid another one across the border in a neighboring state who has a different distributer, because I like to support local businesses and on the recommendation of my cousin. Hindsite 20/20, you know the rest.
I contacted the distributer in Ohio. The guy tells me that "they've never gotten a saw in that they couldn't fix." I said that "a new saw shouldn't be broken when its sold and NEED FIXED! If I knew that it'd give me this much trouble, I would've bought a used 440 for less than half the price of this new 361!"
Stihl USA won't do anything about this. They say the saw comes from Germany, not USA.
I'm not downing Stihl, I got one on their reputation. I just can't see how they can maintain such a good reputation when they let problems go out and their reps (dealers) won't make the customer happy.
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Give this (jerk) dealer a reasonable amount of time to fix the saw, maybe 5 business days at the most.
If it is still unsatisfactory, send a short but detailed, unemotional letter of explanation to your state's department of consumer protection and any other consumer advocacy group you can. Close copy that letter to Stihl USA and the deadbeat dealer via registered mail. Document everything you've done & will do - every visit, phone call, "repair" attempt, receipt, downtime, etc.
If you bought it very recently by credit card, attempt to deny the payment.
I hate getting ripped-off, mostly because you have to conduct the fight by the rules, and the bad guy doesn't. Good luck.
If it is still unsatisfactory, send a short but detailed, unemotional letter of explanation to your state's department of consumer protection and any other consumer advocacy group you can. Close copy that letter to Stihl USA and the deadbeat dealer via registered mail. Document everything you've done & will do - every visit, phone call, "repair" attempt, receipt, downtime, etc.
If you bought it very recently by credit card, attempt to deny the payment.
I hate getting ripped-off, mostly because you have to conduct the fight by the rules, and the bad guy doesn't. Good luck.
Sylvatica,
Thanks for the advice. I might have to go that route. I lost a lot of hard woods that would have more than paid for this saw IF it had been working. Someone else w/a large enough working saw got them instead. There's mornings that I got out to a site and just had to pack up and do something else because I didn't have anything that could handle the big trees other than the one that would start.
Xtra,
I've had that problem too. A lot of dust caked up inside of the filter after every couple of tankfuls. I called the company about it and the tech said to make sure that the filter knob is screwed down ALL of the way, NOT just snug. I haven't used it enough yet since then to know if this helped. BTW, I asked why they put the cheap wafer filter on the 361 instead of the normal pro model filters. He said its for ease of removal and cleaning. I personally don't find one easier than another to remove and clean in soapy water.
I agree, the anti-vibration set up works great. It's smmoooth and a joy to use in hard or soft wood.
Thanks for the advice. I might have to go that route. I lost a lot of hard woods that would have more than paid for this saw IF it had been working. Someone else w/a large enough working saw got them instead. There's mornings that I got out to a site and just had to pack up and do something else because I didn't have anything that could handle the big trees other than the one that would start.
Xtra,
I've had that problem too. A lot of dust caked up inside of the filter after every couple of tankfuls. I called the company about it and the tech said to make sure that the filter knob is screwed down ALL of the way, NOT just snug. I haven't used it enough yet since then to know if this helped. BTW, I asked why they put the cheap wafer filter on the 361 instead of the normal pro model filters. He said its for ease of removal and cleaning. I personally don't find one easier than another to remove and clean in soapy water.
I agree, the anti-vibration set up works great. It's smmoooth and a joy to use in hard or soft wood.
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sedanman
Just cut the piano!!
Noah, What state did you buy this saw in? I am going to to be talking to guys from Northeast Stihl tomorrow and will discuss this.
Hi Noah,
I was a little spooked when I read your thread as I bought a 361 20" bar with 3/8" .050 RS chain two days after you started this thread.
My saw cold starts easy, 3pulls on full choke at WOT with DV in, then one pull on idle with DV in. Warm start is one pull on idle with DV in. I didn't like Stihl's recomend to fire the saw on WOT so I increased "L" 1/8 turn rich so I could start it on idle.
My 610 for the past 22yrs starts the same way, 3 choke, 1 idle.
Before you get too excited I'm at 1800ft and about 55º average so this may be why I'm having great luck so far. The coldest start has been at 45º. Typical is 65º. At 45º I did notice idle rpm greatly increased.
The bar ran hot the first two times then I increased bar oil to maximum and now have a cool to warm bar cutting in my saw buck. Wood is pine with alittle sand blown into the pores. The largest wood has been 12". I'm only cutting firewood.
I also didn't like the stock air filter and I bought a spare of the same type. I then see there is a option for a fleace filter so I'm going to exchange the filters. My wood is very dirty. In less than one tank the filter is clean.
I also bought the Elastro-start handle parts that is not needed with the decompression valve.
If I bought your saw on my Visa, it would be history!
I was a little spooked when I read your thread as I bought a 361 20" bar with 3/8" .050 RS chain two days after you started this thread.
My saw cold starts easy, 3pulls on full choke at WOT with DV in, then one pull on idle with DV in. Warm start is one pull on idle with DV in. I didn't like Stihl's recomend to fire the saw on WOT so I increased "L" 1/8 turn rich so I could start it on idle.
My 610 for the past 22yrs starts the same way, 3 choke, 1 idle.
Before you get too excited I'm at 1800ft and about 55º average so this may be why I'm having great luck so far. The coldest start has been at 45º. Typical is 65º. At 45º I did notice idle rpm greatly increased.
The bar ran hot the first two times then I increased bar oil to maximum and now have a cool to warm bar cutting in my saw buck. Wood is pine with alittle sand blown into the pores. The largest wood has been 12". I'm only cutting firewood.
I also didn't like the stock air filter and I bought a spare of the same type. I then see there is a option for a fleace filter so I'm going to exchange the filters. My wood is very dirty. In less than one tank the filter is clean.
I also bought the Elastro-start handle parts that is not needed with the decompression valve.
If I bought your saw on my Visa, it would be history!
The Sand Man
ArboristSite Lurker
I think You might want to contact Glens. He is very knowledgable about Stihls and may have some pull. Its worth a shot.
You may also want to find another dealer that will work things out or make it right.
TSM
You may also want to find another dealer that will work things out or make it right.
TSM
Sedanman,
Is Northeast Dist. located in Ohio? If so, this must be the same ones. I bought the saw in Morgantown West Virginia at Pass Equiptment. Morgantown is North Central WV, ZIP is 26505. I spoke to a couple of guys at the distributorship. The one who was helpful in trying to determine the problem was Nick. If you find out anything, feel free to send me to contact me in this thread, through a private message, or at [email protected] . I appreciate your help my friend.
T-Bone,
Glad to hear that yours has been working so good. I suppose that that is normal for the lot, but I ended w/a lemon. I don't necessarily think the same problems apply to all of this model, with the exception of the lack of bar oil. I've been running mine all the way turned up and check to see that the oiler isn't clogged. If you only run yours in the morning and afternoons you probably wouldn't notice sparks. I don't either, unless I'm cutting at dusk. That's when its getting dark enough to see the fireworks. Are you noticing dust build up under the filter? Mine did on one side of the air intake really bad. The filter looked like it was sealed all around.
Sand Man,
I didn't pay credit card, so no cc guarantees to work for me. It looks like it may turn into a legal problem if the dealer and distributor don't have the integrety to make their customer happy. They never fulfilled their part of the contractual agreement of providing me with a brand new working saw in exchange for my money. It never did work properly.
Is Northeast Dist. located in Ohio? If so, this must be the same ones. I bought the saw in Morgantown West Virginia at Pass Equiptment. Morgantown is North Central WV, ZIP is 26505. I spoke to a couple of guys at the distributorship. The one who was helpful in trying to determine the problem was Nick. If you find out anything, feel free to send me to contact me in this thread, through a private message, or at [email protected] . I appreciate your help my friend.
T-Bone,
Glad to hear that yours has been working so good. I suppose that that is normal for the lot, but I ended w/a lemon. I don't necessarily think the same problems apply to all of this model, with the exception of the lack of bar oil. I've been running mine all the way turned up and check to see that the oiler isn't clogged. If you only run yours in the morning and afternoons you probably wouldn't notice sparks. I don't either, unless I'm cutting at dusk. That's when its getting dark enough to see the fireworks. Are you noticing dust build up under the filter? Mine did on one side of the air intake really bad. The filter looked like it was sealed all around.
Sand Man,
I didn't pay credit card, so no cc guarantees to work for me. It looks like it may turn into a legal problem if the dealer and distributor don't have the integrety to make their customer happy. They never fulfilled their part of the contractual agreement of providing me with a brand new working saw in exchange for my money. It never did work properly.
