Stihl MS 241 C-M Problem

[Soren Conradsen]

Hi Arboristsite!

I've had my Stihl MS 241 C-M for aprox. 6-8 months now.
I run with both a 14" and 18" bar.
After I had my 18" bar for a couple of months my saw started bugging out whenever I used it. The saw gets really shaky and 'lagging' and the chain almost constantly jumps off. It doesn't jump off the bar completely but it jumps out of the bar groove probably half an inch and then starts twisting a tiny bit while it's stuck in the wood. I then have to manually pull the saw out and the chain immediately jumps into place again. It only happens on that particular bar. I've never had any problems while running the 14" one.
I did notice that my chain tightening mechanism is slightly loose but I don't know if that is what is causing it or if it's even uncommon at all (the white plastic block at the end of the tension screw can be moved up and down ever so slightly).
My chain isn't too loose nor are my rakers too low.
This is really frustrating as doing a simple notch and back cut takes almost twice as long having to constantly pull the saw loose.
I appreciate any inputs and ideas!

Thank you.

 

[svk]

Can you post pics of both the bar and chain (separately) that is giving you trouble?

 

[jackjcc]

If the chain is jumping the the rail it's either the bar or the user. Look down the bar at the rails, any wave or bends can cause more pressure on the side of the tooth in the cut. That side pressure causes the tooth to ride the angle of the cutting edge and pull the chain up out of the rail. It happens to me a lot when I'm shaving a notch by angling the bar to the wood.

Make sure the bar is straight and each rail is at the same height.

18"for low pro is a long run, sorta like 32" for 3/8ths, that's going to give you a fair amount of play in the chain even if it's at proper tension. For a shorter bar it's harder to get the bottom of the driver to clear the rails and come free.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Soren Conradsen]

Can you post pics of both the bar and chain (separately) that is giving you trouble?

I attached some to the thread. Will they do?

 

[svk]

From my small cell phone screen I can't see anything obvious. But if your other bar and chain runs perfect it's definitely something in your 18" bar or chain. As jack said it's probably the bar.

 

[Soren Conradsen]

I don't believe so. I forgot to mention that I had to different 18" bars. My first one I actually bought used and I had no problems the first two months or so, but then it started acting weird so I figured that the bar was either worn out or damaged or so. I therefore bought the one on the picture from new and I still had the same issue which makes me think it has got something to do with the saw itself.

 

[svk]

Have you experienced the problem with one chain or multiple different ones?

 

[farmer steve]

have you looked at the sprocket ? it should be ok if the 14 " works ok and the 18 doesn't.
and welcome to AS Soren. hope someone here can find a fix for your saw.

 

[Deleted member 135597]

Make sure chain is correct pitch and gauge

 

[hedge hog]

The drive links looks jacked

Both 14 and 18 are 3/8p ?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cuinrearview]

Make sure chain is correct pitch and gauge

The drive links looks jacked

Both 14 and 18 are 3/8p ?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Both of these. Plus make sure your chain width matches the bar.

 

[Sepia]

That bar appears to be 3/8" pitch. Doesn't a MS241 usually come with .325 pitch chain? If so, what pitch chain are you running. If you are running 3/8" chain, you need to change your drive sprocket to 3/8. If you are running .325 chain, you have the wrong sprocket nose bar.

 

[svk]

241 normally comes with 3/8 LP so it appears he's got that unless he somehow got a loop of .043 on his 18" bar which could cause problems.

 

[tacomatrd98]

Are you running the same type of chain on both bars? I'd personally switch to Stihl PS or PS3 in 3/8LP. Cuts much nicer than Oregon 91 IMHO.

 

[jackjcc]

The bar posted is 3/8P so that is right. All that's lefts is user error. If you are applying pressure with the dawgs, you could be twisting the bar in the kerf causing the same pressure. With one dawg it is possibly to cause a turn in the kerf. Really forcing it will cause a turn towards the clutch side and that could cause a problem too. It's obvious though, you would have curved cuts so I doubt that's the problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jackjcc]

That bar appears to be 3/8" pitch. Doesn't a MS241 usually come with .325 pitch chain? If so, what pitch chain are you running. If you are running 3/8" chain, you need to change your drive sprocket to 3/8. If you are running .325 chain, you have the wrong sprocket nose bar.

It's 3/8P from factory


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CR888]

The bar he posted is a 3/8 Picco Bar which is right. What's not right is the crack and chunk missing from the tip & uneven wear of rails around bar nose. Stop running that bar until its either fixed or replaced. Would be interested to see wear indicators on chain tie straps. At minimum from what I can see you need to smooth out the bar nose damage.

 

[jackjcc]

The bar he posted is a 3/8 Picco Bar which is right. What's not right is the crack and chunk missing from the tip & uneven wear of rails around bar nose. Stop running that bar until its either fixed or replaced. Would be interested to see wear indicators on chain tie straps. At minimum from what I can see you need to smooth out the bar nose damage.

Pics are hard to read but the bottom of that bar looks unevenly worn. If you haven't maxed out your oiler you need to do it. I doubt the saw was considered for 18" oiling. To me that is too much bar for the saw. When I run 18" on 50cc saws and feel I push the oiler and saw a bit hard, that's with .325 or low pro.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hedge hog]

Pics are hard to read but the bottom of that bar looks unevenly worn. If you haven't maxed out your oiler you need to do it. I doubt the saw was considered for 18" oiling. To me that is too much bar for the saw. When I run 18" on 50cc saws and feel I push the oiler and saw a bit hard, that's with .325 or low pro.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

True 441r cm. To 241 cm oilers don'tcrank what they should to keep the bar cool and lubed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jackjcc]

New saws from all manufacturers seem to skimp on oil. The 201tc uses 1/2 tank of oil per full tank of gas. My 200 is 1:1, more mess, but I don't have paint chipping and heat lines running along the rails on my bar like the 201.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk