Stihl newbie wants advice!

[birddog89]

Hello all,

I have been a "lurker" for quite some time and decided to make the plunge. I moved out of the city and into the country two years ago, complete with old farmhouse and 50+ acres. The house was so drafty, I installed a super-efficient woodburner last fall. To fuel it, I first was using an old hand me down Craftsman, 14", given to me by my uncle after a windstorm blew a silver maple onto my garage a few years ago. Long story short, after three trees the saw was toast. The local dealer (the only dealer within 80 miles) is a Stihl mecca, so my brand was chosen for me.

Well, after floating websites like this, I walked in and asked for a MS 361. The dealer, who is a super guy, was a little out of it - he didn't get to do his "sell routine"! 20" bar, three chains, case, oils, chaps, the works. Now, I usually buy everything the same way: spend once, enjoy a quality product, take care of it, pass it to your grandkids. My favorite pheasant gun? A Winchester Model 12 16ga my great grandfather purchased in 1925 - alot of rounds through it, and it'll still be passed down. This saw is the equivalent in my opinion. I don't have a ton of experience with saws, but this thing rocks! In the summer, some guys play golf, I like to cut a cord.

Enough rambling. Now that its pretty well broken in, what's next? No one, buys a Harley and keeps the stock pipes on, that's just dumb. Or, the carb, or the filter. This is the "Harley Tax". Are there things that I should be tweaking for more power like a Harley? Are there add on exhausts, or are stock ones altered? Is there a great oil (other than Stihl) out there? Better plugs? Bars (I'm thinking of going to 25")? Chains (I have the standard Stihl non-kickback)? Basically, I'm looking to milk a little extra out of it now, and obviously that doesn't mean an engine boring or anything. Thanks for your input guys - your advice was money in steering me towards that MS 361!

 

[wood4heat]

Do a search on muffler mods, lots of them on here and you may find one you like more than the other. Also Lakeside has a thread, "nice mod to a 361" I believe. It's about putting 441 bar studs on your 361 but your saw may already have them. I have the same saw with a 25" bar and it's a little nose heavy but still usable, just something to consider if you can get by with the 20" bar you have.

 

[cityboy]

Are there things that I should be tweaking for more power like a Harley?

A stock 361 has similar power to a Harley, muffler mod it (the 361) and it will probably put out more power than a Harley.

 

[computeruser]

It's a much happier saw with a 16" bar and non-safety chain. Happier still with a mild muffler mod. And it is very, very happy with a nice porting job.

361DN with 7-pin rim:


361DN with 8-pin rim:

 

[wood4heat]

Hey computeruser, what does the "DN" on your 361 designate?

Mine seems pretty happy with the 25" bar but I keep the chain sharp and cut mostly Doug Fir. I did cut up some pretty good sized Maple (18" or so) and it went right through it but used a LOT of fuel compared to the Fir.

 

[maccall]

It's a much happier saw with a 16" bar and non-safety chain. Happier still with a mild muffler mod. And it is very, very happy with a nice porting job.

Am I right if I say that the cut with the 8-pin rim is a tiny bit slower, or is it just the video and my bad watch?

 

[SawTroll]

It's a much happier saw with a 16" bar and non-safety chain. ....

True, a 20" bar is sort of OK, but really 70cc territory, at least in hardwoods.....

I mostly use 18" for felling, and 15" with 8-pin for limbing and most bucking (that is in mostly slow grown birch, about 20" and less).

The saw is a bone stock German made one. Chain is about 99.9% Stihl 36RSC.

The trigger response and accelleration of that saw is better than on any other saw I have used...

 

[bcorradi]

Hey computeruser, what does the "DN" on your 361 designate?

"DN" - Ported by Dave Neiger from Michigan
"EHP" - Ported by Ed Heard from Canada
"PP" - Ported by Dozer Dan from Pennsylvania.
"WHS", Washington Hotsaw Stage I, II, or III - Ported by Dean from Washington

 

[Just Mow]

Congratulations on your new purchase. If you are interesting in modding the muffler Lakeside53 has a thread in here detailing how to perform it yourself. Just do a search and you will find it, if you can't send him a PM and he will help. He is known for doing that.

 

[Mad Professor]

1) get some good chain, 33 rs or 33rsc

2) Muffler mod

3) port job

I'd stay away from 25" bar unless you have some really big stuff that needs cutting until you do 2 and 3 above.

 

[birddog89]

Thanks guys. Sounds like there is no aftermarket muffler system, boy, there's a ripe apple for some enterprising soul, considering the amount of discussion here. Porting sounds good, especially during a winter off. Looks like my 25" bar idea is kind of off the mark. 20" seems to be the max most people are going for with a 361. I'm cutting big cottonwoods and pretty good sized white and green ash for the most part. I wanted to go bigger - but, I neglected to say I have an old 017 a co-worker gave me for St. Criox rod I didn't use anymore. 14", it handles the little stuff. How's the Klassic Stihl chain? Looks pretty aggressive. Muffler mod, porting, 20" bar, with a Klassic chain - would this be an above average "bigger stuff" setup with this 361?

 

[SawTroll]

... How's the Klassic Stihl chain? Looks pretty aggressive. Muffler mod, porting, 20" bar, with a Klassic chain - would this be an above average "bigger stuff" setup with this 361?

I have never tried RSK, so I can't comment, except that it surely would be better for bore-cutting than the RS/RSC. Not a big deal to me though.

 

[rxe]

Enough rambling. Now that its pretty well broken in, what's next? No one, buys a Harley and keeps the stock pipes on, that's just dumb. Or, the carb, or the filter. This is the "Harley Tax". Are there things that I should be tweaking for more power like a Harley? Are there add on exhausts, or are stock ones altered?

Looks like my 25" bar idea is kind of off the mark. 20" seems to be the max most people are going for with a 361. I'm cutting big cottonwoods and pretty good sized white and green ash for the most part. I wanted to go bigger

You've got it bad enough already, so I'll begin. Others can follow...

You need another (bigger) saw. You probably need several, you just don't know it yet. Remember that the ideal number of saws is n + 1, where n is the number you have at the moment....

You'll be fine...

 

[bcorradi]

You've got it bad enough already, so I'll begin. Others can follow...

You need another (bigger) saw. You probably need several, you just don't know it yet. Remember that the ideal number of saws is n + 1, where n is the number you have at the moment....

You'll be fine...

I thought it was actually n * 2 ?

 

[Log Splitter]

Thanks guys. Sounds like there is no aftermarket muffler system, boy, there's a ripe apple for some enterprising soul, considering the amount of discussion here.

+1

 

[adkranger]

First thing I'd do is put the safety chain away and get a couple of loops of chizel tooth non-safety. Save the safety stuff for cutting dirty wood or yard/boundary line trees with "suspected" nasties inside.

I have a 24" bar for my 036 that I run occaisionally with skip chain for softwood, works fine. Is it ideal, probably not, but it can work OK. I'd say it will work for Cottonwood and probably Ash as well since it's not the hardest of hardwoods(especially if open grown). I've used mine on Pine and Poplar with good results(before I had a bigger saw). Plus if you get the bar now, it could always be applied to that larger saw that you will no doubt feel the undeniable NEED to have later from joining the AddictionSite.

You could always mess with the muffler and porting stuff in the "off-season". Great saw, congratulations.

Welcome to the Addiction........(don't let the wife know or look over your shoulder)

 

[birddog89]

Thanks for the nuggets of wisdom guys. One last issue I guess. How many tankfulls of gas/dinosaur based stihl oil should one go through before switching to the white containered synthetic? I know the break in issues are different with a two stroke, but I've always ran my vehicles 10,000 miles (motorcycles 2,000) before making the switch. What about Amsoil, anyone running it over the Stihl stuff?

 

[birddog89]

About the wife looking over the shoulder - I've dodged that bullet a few times in 8 yrs. of bliss. Early on I had her sold on the theory that hunting was one of the most productive things a guy could do with his time. Free meat!!! A few years back she started catching on though. Italian over/unders, shells, gas, feeding german shorthairs all year, e collars, dog repair bills, licenses... I'm wondering how long the shine of "free woodburner fuel" will keep her in the fog. Track record says I've got about three more good years. I better hurry. Sigh.

 

[adkranger]

Thanks for the nuggets of wisdom guys. One last issue I guess. How many tankfulls of gas/dinosaur based stihl oil should one go through before switching to the white containered synthetic? I know the break in issues are different with a two stroke, but I've always ran my vehicles 10,000 miles (motorcycles 2,000) before making the switch. What about Amsoil, anyone running it over the Stihl stuff?

High reving two strokes seat their rings fairly quickly. Some guys on AS really get into the oil thing, many debates ensue.... IMHO one or two of the orange bottles worth of mix through your saw is probably more than enough. Then get the Stihl Ultra and never look back. You don't have to do anything fancy in breaking in a saw, just use it, I just wouldn't run 'er high w/o a load.

I've had great success with Stihl oil over the years, mostly dino but have recently made the switch to Ultra. I'm sure others will pipe in with their recommendations, many good synthetics out there.

 

[SawTroll]

Thanks for the nuggets of wisdom guys. One last issue I guess. How many tankfulls of gas/dinosaur based stihl oil should one go through before switching to the white containered synthetic? .....

I believe the true answer is none, as most saws here are run on alkylate premixed with 2% synth oil from the outset.