“It ain’t got enough power”

[av8or3]

How many times have you heard that? I set saws up by the book and I get complaints about them not having enough power. I can’t count the saws that come in screaming, on the cusp of blowing up. I’ve decided as far as those saws go, I’ll not adjust them. But fir the ones I build I still think it’s best to stick with the specs. What say you guys?

 

[Duane(Pa)]

I only tune my own for the most part. If I had to tune for joe blow, master of sod cutting, It wood be rich and then some...

 

[Al Smith]

Well it's kind of hard to make a silk purse from a sow's ear they say .You get those big mystery questions on some forums that goes similar to this : "what's wrong with my saw " .How pray tell do you tell somebody why their super duper Stihl 290 won't out run an 044 . I gave up a long time ago .

 

[Dieselshawn]

I only tune my own for the most part. If I had to tune for joe blow, master of sod cutting, It wood be rich and then some...

That’s hilarious!

 

[5155]

I'm that guy that runs his too fuel rich.
Really should get a tach.

A tree cutter commented on my 034 being rich.
I handed to him, he opened the hi a little.
Noticeable as it blips. But not so much when cutting.

That one is running real good since the top end refresh.

 

[Coop The Cutter]

Most people need to learn proper chain sharpening and bar dressing more than they need extra power

 

[sledneck22]

Most people need to learn proper chain sharpening and bar dressing more than they need extra power

Exactly. Every. single. saw. that someone brings to me to "tune up" has a dull chain. The saws just scream when trying to test it in the cut if it starts. I tell people now, if I have to sharpen your chain, it'll be $20... But I do retune peoples saws after said "tune up". (usually just entails maxing out the limited hi-jet and properly tuning the low end).

 

[sawmikaze]

Most people need to learn proper chain sharpening and bar dressing more than they need extra power

This.

 

[Czed]

How many times have you heard that? I set saws up by the book and I get complaints about them not having enough power. I can’t count the saws that come in screaming, on the cusp of blowing up. I’ve decided as far as those saws go, I’ll not adjust them. But fir the ones I build I still think it’s best to stick with the specs. What say you guys?

Any Stihl I've run is a disappointment
But I have not run the new generation computer saws 462 500i .
Did run a strong 064 once but that's about it.

 

[Wilhelm]

Most people need to learn proper chain sharpening and bar dressing more than they need extra power

Exactly. Every. single. saw. that someone brings to me to "tune up" has a dull chain. The saws just scream when trying to test it in the cut if it starts. I tell people now, if I have to sharpen your chain, it'll be $20... But I do retune peoples saws after said "tune up"...

This.

So true!
Not that I claim that I actually know what I am doing, but whatever I do works for me and I am not craving more power than what I have and use.

As a firm principle I DO NOT MESS WITH OTHER PEOPLES OPE ANYMORE.
Once You touch it the owner holds YOU responsible for any issues in its future, including the chain being dull and rocked AGAIN - like how and why, You must have sharpenned it wrong!!!

 

[Dieselshawn]

My ms260 was a huge disappointment when I got it back from a Stihl dealer where it was sent for a carb clean and tune up. Also needed a front muffler cover.

The saw was quieter than it used to be.

Turns out the dealer put a single hole front cover on and tuned it for that.

It sounded so weak and I hadn’t cut wood yet.

Had the cover gutted, then a logger tune it for me. Much better.

 

[davidwyby]

When I have that problem I send them to @Benwa or @huskihl or buy my way into a @Mastermind saw

@Red97 how much power difference can you see on a dyno a little fat vs. perfect vs. edge of lean? A little fat doesn’t seem to slow my ported saws down. Especially not the 6100.

 

[Red97]

When I have that problem I send them to @Benwa or @huskihl or buy my way into a @Mastermind saw

@Red97 how much power difference can you see on a dyno a little fat vs. perfect vs. edge of lean? A little fat doesn’t seem to slow my ported saws down. Especially not the 6100.

Really just depends on the saw and the intended powerband.

98% of the time if the saw is tuned above peak power rpm 8-10k the graphs don't show any difference.

If a saw makes peak power at 9k and is tuned to 15k, it still isn't going to raise the 9k power number. Actually I have seen some lean saws lose power below the peak rpm vs rich saws.

 

[Al Smith]

Many people have a tendency as to take tach readings as "Gospel " .Truth be known it's going to run where it's going to run .Best to put the tach aside and tune by ear then if you want to check the R's go for it IMO .

 

[species8472]

Got to have fuel to make power.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

So true!
Not that I claim that I actually know what I am doing, but whatever I do works for me and I am not craving more power than what I have and use.

As a firm principle I DO NOT MESS WITH OTHER PEOPLES OPE ANYMORE.
Once You touch it the owner holds YOU responsible for any issues in its future, including the chain being dull and rocked AGAIN - like how and why, You must have sharpenned it wrong!!!

Really just depends on the saw and the intended powerband.

98% of the time if the saw is tuned above peak power rpm 8-10k the graphs don't show any difference.

If a saw makes peak power at 9k and is tuned to 15k, it still isn't going to raise the 9k power number. Actually I have seen some lean saws lose power below the peak rpm vs rich saws.

Best Answer material right here...

 

[Stem]

had 2 saws dropped off over the weekend, both Husqy's (had to get my jab in lol) a 455 & 460... the 455 starts but barely idles, the 460 "has no power & cuts slow."

guy that owns the 455 tells me he let somebody borrow it, and that person used SAE 30wt instead of 2 stroke oil mixed at 32:1... the spark screen was so clogged , worst one I've ever seen. I pulled the carb, cleaned it, replaced the fuel filter & spark plug, it runs fine now.

onto the 460. checked spark plug (clean), spark screen (clean) air filter ( kinda dirty so I cleaned it) starts easy & runs fine without a B&C on. I look at the chain which had some rust on it, 2 links were semi-stuck, but literally EVERY driver is burred up so bad. So I look at the bar groove & its filled with so much pitch and dirt, oiler hole is clogged and the sprocket tip barely turns by hand.

sometimes I just shake my head.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Yeah Sharp chains! It's weird how people are amazed by them.
Also what Al said, home owner saws being used in a industrial/Professional setting makes me a little crazy, the pro level saws even from the 70s walk all over the cheap home owner stuff and people just can't put 2+2 together about it?
Honestly most of the time I offer to let somebody run my 088 ,Super1050a, or 394xp while I'm standing by are frightened of them, *b-wording about power tells me there improperly using the saw.

 

[huskyboy]

Lean is only mean for a cut or two (racing). Heat kills power.

 

[Dieselshawn]

Yeah Sharp chains! It's weird how people are amazed by them.
Also what Al said, home owner saws being used in a industrial/Professional setting makes me a little crazy, the pro level saws even from the 70s walk all over the cheap home owner stuff and people just can't put 2+2 together about it?
Honestly most of the time I offer to let somebody run my 088 ,Super1050a, or 394xp while I'm standing by are frightened of them, *b-wording about power tells me there improperly using the saw.

Ive had that told to me too. I offered my friends and relatives to use the 660 several times.

They seem to have a hands off policy towards my saws except my little 026 and 260’s. Then cuss about how gutless their own saws are.