husqvarna 550xp vs Stihl ms 261

[Simondo]

The MS261 hasn't cut a stick of wood yet. Still a virgin.
All this morning I was grinding stumps then after lunch I put the 550 to work removing a dead poplar to see what the reboot did.
Used my T536 Li XP on spurs cutting from the top down but left enough spar for the 550 to buck up plus a few bigger cookies .
The 550 was back to slow sputtering boggy warm up. When it finally got cutting without the lean condition it cut great.
Got her good and hot, shut her down and she immediately started on the first pull.

After 10 minutes of chipping limbs I grabbed the 550 again and tried to start it.
Had to choke it after noticing the primer bulb was dry. Pumped it up and choked more then got it going with same old bog condition.

After the job was done I threw a 14" diameter by 2 foot long block on the trailer and took the 550 and block to the tech at the dealer.
I talked to him in the shop, just a freshly trained young kid.
Just as I figured he had a little 6 inch diameter log in his sawhorse what he cut the 6 cookies with yesterday.
I stood the block on end and told him to make as many rip cuts as the 550 can make in 3 to 5 minutes, then shut it off, let it sit for 10 minutes and try it again.

With a laugh I told the kid "after you finish cursing go plug the saw in and call Husqvarna."

I suspect the carb's inlet needle is not set at the right height.

It really saddens me that some of these saws are still leaving production in this state !

 

[Willard]

It really saddens me that some of these saws are still leaving production in this state !

Yep, when I bought the 550 my dealer had 1 old 2014 and 6 - 2016 models still in their boxes all brothers and sisters built in the 31st week.
I thought for good luck I'd take the newest one, so I grabbed the last number. unit # 900.
Looks like I'll be cutting with the 261 tomorrow.
Here's a few pics from after lunch . 3 hour job but with a 1/2 hour fiddling with the 550.

Notice in the last pic where the 261and 550 are tucked away in a big hug
1 German and 5 Swedes

 

[Willard]

6am here and getting ready to go to work. Will know later today what's up with the new 550XP.
As I think about the saw, at least it's not setup like the older AutoTunes where when they get good and warmed up they dump extra fuel after shutting them off. Then you have to always set them on fast idle to start them after or else they flood.
This 2016 model appears to be the opposite. You have to pump the primer bulb and choke it after sitting for 5-10 minutes after warmed up.

Gotta find a happy medium there .....

 

[CR888]

How do you like the Stihl Picco tuning kit Willard? Maybe haven't used it yet. I have a 550 & a OE MS261 too they are a good 50cc combo very similar on paper totally different saw personalities.

 

[Willard]

How do you like the Stihl Picco tuning kit Willard? Maybe haven't used it yet. I have a 550 & a OE MS261 too they are a good 50cc combo very similar on paper totally different saw personalities.

Trying it out this afternoon, been out running around this morning doing estimates for new customers.

 

[Willard]

Trying it out this afternoon, been out running around this morning doing estimates for new customers.

Big day yesterday plus it was our 15th wedding anniversary so late night , no report.
Gotta go back to work will report later.

550XP is still sitting at the dealer, but the MS261CM put a smile on my face.
Pulled its top cover off and wow, everything the MS462 has from the pictures of it I posted a couple of years ago.
1 piece top cover with 1/4 turn locks, full HD air filter that screws off with 1/4 turn.
And a master control switch that puts the 550's to shame.
The 63PS chisel Picco cut real nice but 7 pin rim is too big , Stihl has got to make a 6 pin rim to get it down to the size of a .325 7 pin.
The 261 ran flawless . Beautiful running saw.

 

[Simondo]

Big day yesterday plus it was our 15th wedding anniversary so late night , no report.
Gotta go back to work will report later.

550XP is still sitting at the dealer, but the MS261CM put a smile on my face.
Pulled its top cover off and wow, everything the MS462 has from the pictures of it I posted a couple of years ago.
1 piece top cover with 1/4 turn locks, full HD air filter that screws off with 1/4 turn.
And a master control switch that puts the 550's to shame.
The 63PS chisel Picco cut real nice but 7 pin rim is too big , Stihl has got to make a 6 pin rim to get it down to the size of a .325 7 pin.
The 261 ran flawless . Beautiful running saw.View attachment 73324

Man ! do you ever have a good work place !

 

[Spike60]

Willard, does your dealer keep up with his service bulletins?

All 2016 550s with the AT-12 carb need to have the firmware updated and the fuel settings reset. I'm doing this at the time of sale, not waiting to see if a problem exists and make the customer drive back.

Something changed with the new carb and some new fuel parameters are needed. Very simple to do. Just update the firmware and then hit the default reset on the fuel settings. "L" values will show 90 and you're good to go. Funny that I noticed this thread cause I have to do 10 of them this morning on a fleet deal for a tree company. These 550's run the way they should have from the beginning.

And Happy Anniversary!

 

[Willard]

Willard, does your dealer keep up with his service bulletins?

All 2016 550s with the AT-12 carb need to have the firmware updated and the fuel settings reset. I'm doing this at the time of sale, not waiting to see if a problem exists and make the customer drive back.

Something changed with the new carb and some new fuel parameters are needed. Very simple to do. Just update the firmware and then hit the default reset on the fuel settings. "L" values will show 90 and you're good to go. Funny that I noticed this thread cause I have to do 10 of them this morning on a fleet deal for a tree company. These 550's run the way they should have from the beginning.

And Happy Anniversary!

Thanks Bob!
I'll show your post to the young tech. Your probably right they never updated their firmware.

 

[Willard]

Got my 550XP back from my dealer at the end of the day. Service manager said they did the updates and they really made the saw work in the wood this time.
I never had time to try it out but I trust they got it right this time.

Thanks Spike60 !!

 

[Willard]

Some more specs and pics between the .325 RS chain, rim and 63 PS Picco chain, rim.

63PS chisel Picco chain cuts a 0.300" kerf. It's .325 23RS chain cuts a 0.400" kerf.
The 7T Picco rim is 1.432" diameter.
Standard 7T 3/8 rim 1.382" diameter.
The 7T .325 rim 1.250" diameter.

I see the little saws like the MS241 and saws like the MS250 run the 7 T Picco rim and in my opinion that is way too big for these little saws.
Stihl needs to make a 6 T Picco rim to get the cutting torque and throttle response up.
Good reason why the 550XP comes ftom the factory with the smallest diameter .325 7T rim and narrow kerf H25 chain .
And everyone thinks the Rev Boost mode is why it's so quick in spool up to WOT.
Love the last pic. Looks like a mini MS462C.

HolmenTree

 

[Ryan Browne]

I'm not disagreeing with your recommendation for a 6 tooth rim, but one thing I'll ask is how many tanks you've got through the 261 so far? I really noticed mine woke up after 8-10 tanks. I'm at about a dozen now, and it's a lot stronger than when it started. I'm running full size 3/8 pitch RS with a 7 tooth rim on a 16" bar. It cuts very well. Having 12" of the bar buried in white oak is no problem, even with my rakers filed to the hardwood setting on my file-o-plate.

 

[CR888]

I think if you had a look at spur drums you 'may' find something with 6 teeth. But you want too run rims in a tree service setting where possible. I agree a 6pin should be available and with the smaller Stihl 'micro'™ spline size it should be possible to make fit. I've been looking at Oregon rims from the later ms260 pro's to see if they will work on a 261 so I'm not bound to purchase micro rims @$33 a pop from stihl. My 261 wears a Windsor speed tip 16".325/063 setup with RM chain which works well in our hardwoods.

 

[pro94lt]

6am here and getting ready to go to work. Will know later today what's up with the new 550XP.
As I think about the saw, at least it's not setup like the older AutoTunes where when they get good and warmed up they dump extra fuel after shutting them off. Then you have to always set them on fast idle to start them after or else they flood.
This 2016 model appears to be the opposite. You have to pump the primer bulb and choke it after sitting for 5-10 minutes after warmed up.

Gotta find a happy medium there .....

If you don't put them on fast idle they won't start when hot...

 

[Ronaldo]

If you don't put them on fast idle they won't start when hot...

This has been my experience as well...... most of the time.

Sent from my Z832 using Tapatalk

 

[Willard]

Yes my 562XP and early 550 runs the same way, needs fast idle to start after nice and hot.
A muffler mod helps and have yet to try out the vented top cover on the new 550.

Speaking of rim size gearing I'll dig up a video of myself cutting with my stock 562XP -18" Cannon with 23RS chain and a 7 pin .325 rim.
Will post it in a few minutes.

 

[Willard]

My 11 year old daughter and I made this video about 2 years ago.
This is my speed cutting trailer I built for a local timbersport competition I organize. I Alaskan mill up 10"×10" ×16' white spruce for competition wood.

My 562XP in this video at the time had close to 1500 hours on it. Completely stock except for a mild muffler mod. Saw is still running strong today.
Running a brand new Stihl 23RS chain on 7 pin .325 rim and 18" Cannon Super Mini bar.
I had a little pause at the start of the 2nd upcut. But this being my work saw I was running dogs on it.
Normally for cold start speed cutting I run a smooth aluminium bumper in place of the dogs which snag the log easily.
You'll notice at the start of my first cut I had to wiggle the saw a bit to clear the dogs from the log.

 

[sawmikaze]

241s have enough balls to run the P7 Rim after they get run in..they dont even blink...not to mention the instant chain speed.

 

[Willard]

241s have enough balls to run the P7 Rim after they get run in..they dont even blink...not to mention the instant chain speed.

Not disagreeing with you, but look how the smaller diameter 7 T .325 rim pulls on my stock 562 in my above video.
Experimenting is universal. Getting used to a certain size of rim sprocket gearing is like not regularly cleaning your air filter.
You get used to your saws performance as its air filter gets dirtier....until you put a clean filter on

 

[pro94lt]

I just run the 6 tooth rim on my 241. I get about a year on them but their under 20$ from stihl 55dl picco