MS661 Love/Hate

[rogue60]

Had plenty of issues with the one I owned for a short time. Coil, solinoid, intake boot....

Yes I remember that on AS you had a real shocker of a early 661.

 

[Funky sawman]

On otherhand, the wow factor of a stock saw was top notch for chain speed and pure power

 

[Adirondackstihl]

If they get 4 months out of a stock one i don't think a ported one is a good idea.

Does your's still run good ?

Sure does

 

[Brewz]

You will get nothing but praises on here this is a hot rod saw forum Brewz the guys take really good care of them in some cases even polish them, dont get me wrong not saying that's a bad thing its good to take care of something you paid for with ones hard earned money things last if you take good care of them and yes that's a good way to be.
To ask the same question on say a logging forum with high hr 661's you might be surprised by some of the answers full time work saw's don't get babied . Sure some get a good run out of them but then some don't. And yes what's up with the losing power had one do that and nothing I did fixed it got to the point a ms170 had more power? it had the 1st coil 4700.
Personally for myself having had run them all day for work b4 I'd rather use a 660 a work saw that never gives any trouble you just pick it up and use it thats the hole point of it. (add in) in the timber industry no one cares if whatever ported saw smokes whatever ported saw it's all about reliability they have work to do a saw giving trouble puts you way behind something you can't afford log truck waiting mills need logs, hang on guys I need to order a coil! hmm that doesn't really work out well lol
I asked a logger I met for the 1st time the other week what did he think of the 661? he said yeah he had one to try but now runs 395s that's in Aussie hardwood said the 661 would make a good pine saw (he's words)..

I love your way with words mate!
This is basically the situation.

His saws are not loved. He breaks them and brings them to me.

He has the one 661 which he hates and several 660's that are his weapon of choice.
His personal saw that he won't let anyone else use is an old flat top 066 which I recently ported.

I know plenty of service guys you couldn't give an m-tronic saw.

But some guys love em'..idk.

Exactly why I see these saws as having such a black and white love/hate following, and the hate bit is not brand related because most of the haters run 660's and say the 661 didnt last long before it started playing up, and no one seems to be able to fix them.

 

[Brewz]

He needs to have it fixed,probably the 15$ selinoid.
It will run circles around a 066 so if it's a dog and don't start well then it's broke or needs reset.

You wouldn't believe it, my earlier guess at a price was spot on
Just got quoted $120 for the 661 fuel solenoid PN: 0000 120 5110

 

[Adirondackstihl]

@Cobby08
Thoughts?

I know you've got lotta miles on yours!

 

[Cobby08]

Mine seems to be good... original 4700 module, updated intake boot, moob has fondled it a little. Oh and some half assed air box mod. Still on a HD2. Not sure how many hours are on it now but original solenoid. 50:1 STIHL ultra since day one with at least 93 non ethanol (rest of the time av gas). Randy said it looked great inside and that was around 70 hours or so on it. I use it just for blocking but seems to be holding up well. I think key is to have good fuel and treat them decent. Like they stated the solenoids went from like $20 here to $50 last I checked but I haven't purchased one lately. I know I'm not pulling a 4' bar like some but still seems to be holding up well.

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

We've sold a ton of them and none have come back with any problems. I haven't even seen one back for a service yet. Yes, they have been sold to loggers.

 

[MustangMike]

the solenoids went from like $20 here to $50

Glad I picked one up for $20 for the 362. I hear it is the same part to 261, 362, 441 and 661. Figured the latest version should work the best, but have not installed it yet.

 

[jake wells]

to expensive for me since all i cut is firewood
but my opinion is invalid since im not a logger or pro give me a ms 250 and i would be happy.

 

[Brewz]

He doesn't use it much.
I might get him to leave it with me so I can do some checks and test it

You have me thinking Rogue
I have done some porting of saws for this fella and he loves em.
Increased revs and power have increased productivity. I have also found ported saws have a wider power band

Perhaps the 661 has a peaky power curve and doesn't hold up as well when you load one up when using the dogs like a 660 will.

If porting widens the power band it may be the answer.

I might ask him if he wants me to mess with it and see if I can get it running better

 

[Brewz]

I just spent some time on the phone with the owner and he described the same as you say.
Said it is gutless when you lean on it compared to a 660.
He also said that if its reving over 11000 at WOT he would be suppressed which is a worry and if its hot weather it is an absolute bugger to start.
He stopped using it because it became dangerous when working up a tree, he needed it to start in a hurry and 10 pulls later it still wouldn't run.

He is going to drop it over tomorrow and said I can keep it and see what I can find.

I also have a theory on the power issue.

Its more overbore than a 660
larger bore, shorter stroke.

From recent discussions on here about this subject I learnt that a more overbore engine will want to rev higher but have less torque that a similar motor with smaller bore and longer stroke.
from memory the general consensus was that most would prefer a mm of stroke over a mm of bore and looks like Stihl has taken the 661 the other way.

 

[Deets066]

Like to see what you come up with brews as this is the first time I've heard that the 661 had less power than a 660. Seems everyone I talk to loved their 661's especially for the power. I know they have had their problems. Solenoid and coil should fix her up.

Just to be clear I do not have a 661, I've made a couple of cuts with one so it's hard to draw a conclusion from that.

 

[CR888]

I have wanted a 661 since before they were released lol! But as I have a good late model M/Mported 660, I was never in a rush & wanted to wait untill several production runs had passed to iron out any bugs and give time for issues to rare their head and be dealt with by Stihl. I have not been confident yet to drop the kind of coin one costs to have a saw that needs attention and what not. My 660 is a saw you pack to go to work and KNOW it will work the same as it has every other day its worked. I know any saw can fail at any given time but some saws give you confidence & some just don't.

 

[mdavlee]

I hope to get some run time on my 661 when I get home. I may see if the dealer has the tool to hook it up and see how many hours are on it.

 

[Adirondackstihl]

@Brewz

Check to see what style intake boot is on that bugger.
Also....change the solenoid and reset it.
I'm sure someone here could throw a solenoid in a padded envelope for ya at a fraction of your cost.

 

[Mastermind]

Good thread for sure. I'd rather have a real discussion any day than a sugar coated one.

I've ported 34 of these, and have not heard any real bad reports. One that I did for @treesmith fried, but it was an early version, and was not in his hands. I saved the jug and it's still going I reckon.

I bought me one to do some research on, but I'm not gonna put a chit load of time on it.

Thanks for the thread Tony.

 

[Cobby08]

Update: Just checked here and must be the solenoids went back down. MSRP for one is $25.99 and the Mike the solenoids are actually all the same for all M-tronics including the clearing saws.

 

[Cobby08]

Got to remember there are two completely different cutting styles the hot rod hold the dogs off look at the revs its holding on forums style used in that way yes the 661 seems impressive well it is it revs like a hot rod saw.
The 2nd style well here in AU anyway, the guys running them day in day out at work they use the dogs and work the guts out of them they don't feather them in the cut to hold max revs with dogs off they use the dogs and the revs get pulled down that's where fluffy showy revs don't add up too much in Aussie hardwood anyway, that's one of the reasons why (apart from the reliability issues) so many still like the 660 (basically the 660 doesn't bog as much when revs are pulled down its as simple as that) and going to the 395 over the 661 here in AU cutting very hard Aussie hardwood. That's what the logger I asked meant when he said it would make a good pine saw.
Over here the softer the wood the better the 661 shines as a work saw it seems. would it still out cut most saw's probably but not many really care if a saw can cut 10sec faster per cut working with them logging and the like.
Not trying to get hate just trying to answer Brewz question saying it like it is here in AU.
Now some do luv em but not many that I've talked to in timber industry here and this is all just my 2c not to be taken to heart.

I am ABSOLUTELY not going to say you are wrong but to me I found it was more able to be lugged down. But for the record I have NEVER ran a ported 660. Ran a bunch of 660's and a couple 066's but its always been in 20" Hard maple. From my point I do understand the undersquare/oversquare but an M-tronic would be able to adjust into a lugging situation. Like I said, I'm not saying your wrong just what I've found. This is also coming from a fool that runs a 20" bar on a 90cc saw so... I do use my dogs. I wish I had a stock one to run on the landing just to compare but unfortunately I do not. So maybe I don't have my memory correct as far as the stock form.

 

[Mastermind]

This one I have with the full circle piston sure seems bad ass.