346NE vs 254XP vs 55CP...Sibling Rivalry. Results are in!!!!

[Fruecrue]

So when Jon wins, there will be an asterisk
because he runs a real chain?

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

So when Jon wins, there will be an asterisk
because he runs a real chain?

He NEEDS that 3/8 to have a prayer against the legendary 346

Where is @sunfish when I need him.....

 

[skidder]

For all those following this smack talk fest. We WILL be doing our friendly race on this coming Sunday rain or shine, no excuses. Whomever doesn't show loses. A new addition to the race will be our younger brother @skidder with his freshly rebuilt and modded closed port 55. This is going to be very interesting, that 55 runs strong. I'll be getting some logs out tomorrow for the cookie fest. Going to grab stuff from 8 to 18" so we can compare cutting small stuff to bar buried power. The full bar test will be in Sugar Maple, a true test of a saws ability to pull through tough wood. The same bar and chain will be used on my 254 and Joe's 346. Jon's 55 is configured for 3/8 so that will be a discrepancy in the comparison.

@RIDE-RED 350r and @skidder acknowledge this plan for Sunday or consider yourselves the loser. Ba ha ha ha!

Challenge acknowledged and accepted. However, a time would be helpful so Joe and I don’t show up and we have already been DQ’d due to “not showing up”. Sneaky sneaky sneaky. Lol!! @XP_Slinger is setting us up @RIDE-RED 350r !!!!!!!

 

[skidder]

So when Jon wins, there will be an asterisk
because he runs a real chain?

There will be some sort of excuse if I do win I can hear it now. Lol!!

 

[XP_Slinger]

Challenge acknowledged and accepted. However, a time would be helpful so Joe and I don’t show up and we have already been DQ’d due to “not showing up”. Sneaky sneaky sneaky. Lol!! @XP_Slinger is setting us up @RIDE-RED 350r !!!!!!!

No not quite. We will start with a MANDATORY morning coffee BS session at 0800 and first cuts will be NLT 1000.

Changes reflected in CAPSLOCK @RIDE-RED 350r @skidder

 

[XP_Slinger]

There will be some sort of excuse if I do win I can hear it now. Lol!!

Nope no excuses if you win, your saw is strong.

 

[PA Dan]

And itching to teach a 346 a lesson in respecting its elders

Doubtful....[emoji849][emoji848][emoji33][emoji24][emoji22][emoji41]

 

[bryanr2]

I’ve got the 346>254>55

Are y’all sharing the chain or doing three out of the box?

 

[p61 western]

Same bar and chain for all the testing will show the real difference. Maybe less bickering at the end of it as well lol.

 

[Derf]

I’ve got the 346>254>55

I’d agree, in the smaller side wood I’d put my money on the 346xp: quad port flows better and revs faster, keeping chain speed up and out cutting the others. Then after a small time lapse the 254 will finish, then the 55, with times similar to each other but with the XP edging out the 55 as faster.

As the wood gets bigger I think the displacement advantage will kick in, and the 254 will nudge ahead of the 346, still with the 55 coming in last, but not by much, only because it’s pulling 3/8 chain instead of .325. Then everyone will guess where it WOULD have come in if it had .325.

Then we’ll all wonder how a broken-in 550xp would do. Then a RIChevy will be along to suggest that a Stihl would beat everyone.

 

[skidder]

I’d agree, in the smaller side wood I’d put my money on the 346xp: quad port flows better and revs faster, keeping chain speed up and out cutting the others. Then after a small time lapse the 254 will finish, then the 55, with times similar to each other but with the XP edging out the 55 as faster.

As the wood gets bigger I think the displacement advantage will kick in, and the 254 will nudge ahead of the 346, still with the 55 coming in last, but not by much, only because it’s pulling 3/8 chain instead of .325. Then everyone will guess where it WOULD have come in if it had .325.

Then we’ll all wonder how a broken-in 550xp would do. Then a RIChevy will be along to suggest that a Stihl would beat everyone.

I’m seriously considering picking up a .325 bar, chain and sprocket for the 55 but kinda shying away from it. It’ll be fun either way, and I have a 550xp with roughly 3 tanks through it that might come out Sunday too. Lol!!

 

[skidder]

I’ve got the 346>254>55

Are y’all sharing the chain or doing three out of the box?

Good question.

 

[skidder]

Ok, so I know my 550xp has a .325 with an 18” bar, would that swap onto my 55 for the competition purpose?? Does anyone know?? That would even out the field except that I’d be slinging an 18” instead of a 20” so it might be a wash and not worth it.

 

[Onan18]

Ok, so I know my 550xp has a .325 with an 18” bar, would that swap onto my 55 for the competition purpose?? Does anyone know?? That would even out the field except that I’d be slinging an 18” instead of a 20” so it might be a wash and not worth it.

They are both small mount so yes direct swap, just change the rim.

 

[skidder]

They are both small mount so yes direct swap, just change the rim.

Sweet, so I’ll just swap the bar, chain and rim from the 550 to the Squatch 55 for the shootout.

 

[Onan18]

Sweet, so I’ll just swap the bar, chain and rim from the 550 to the Squatch 55 for the shootout.

I am not sure if the rims are the same or not, I believe the splines are different.

 

[skidder]

I am not sure if the rims are the same or not, I believe the splines are different.

I’ll check it out. If it works then great, if not, I’ll still whoop some backside pulling a 3/8. Lol!

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

If you stop at Kahlers and spend 8 bucks on a .325 pitch rim for the 55, all things will be equal. The 346 and 254 are both running 18" .325 and both 7-pin if memory serves. All that would be needed to really level the playing field as much as possible is to use the same chain on all three. But is that necessary? We could all go get a new chain out of the box as Bryanr2 suggested.. I need to go grab a chain for the 288 and pick up that 359 gasket anyway. Saturday morning road trip @XP_Slinger @skidder ??

And you aint' wooping on nuttin' running 3/8 Remember, the closed port 55 isn't actually 55cc. I believe it only has a cc or two over my 346NE which is 50cc. Anyone know actual displacement of a closed port 55 off hand? Josh actually has the most displacement with the 254. Your 55 is definitely miles better than it was, but a stock 346NE is not to be trifled with either

I predict with three new chains out of the box and all three running 18" .325:
Small wood, say 10" or so- 346/55/254
Bigger, 18" bar buried- 254 by a nose/55/346

Using our chains as-is?? I think running the 20" 3/8 will take the 55 out of the game.

I don't think there will be any one saw that blows away the other two in either sized wood. I also think that the same saw will not win both races. Yes Josh, your logic does make sense about the 254 getting through a little faster with the bar buried But we'll see

 

[bryanr2]

I’d agree, in the smaller side wood I’d put my money on the 346xp: quad port flows better and revs faster, keeping chain speed up and out cutting the others. Then after a small time lapse the 254 will finish, then the 55, with times similar to each other but with the XP edging out the 55 as faster.

As the wood gets bigger I think the displacement advantage will kick in, and the 254 will nudge ahead of the 346, still with the 55 coming in last, but not by much, only because it’s pulling 3/8 chain instead of .325. Then everyone will guess where it WOULD have come in if it had .325.

Then we’ll all wonder how a broken-in 550xp would do. Then a RIChevy will be along to suggest that a Stihl would beat everyone.

Put a hda87 carb from a 262xp on that 254 and we’ll have a game changer.

 

[XP_Slinger]

We'll get the chain thing figured out. Pretty sure I can help get you set up with .325 Moose, or I can swap to 3/8. Either way don't matter.