New saw, now what?

[livemusic]

A Makita 4300 (Dolmar 421) is inbound and once I get it, what then? Do you guys do a break-in on a saw? Most say remove the cat and retune and make it really cut good. From the getgo or after x-many tankfuls of gas? Overall, take it easy on it or let it rip?

 

[dmb2613]

I run em like I stole em

 

[HYPERSAWS]

Break them in the way it will be ran its entire life

 

[Derf]

Some people run 32:1 mix for the first few tanks but it isn’t necessary. Other people just tune the saw a little fat/rich for the break in period, but again, not necessary. The rings will seat over 5-10 tanks and you’ll notice more power afterwards.

Most important for a saw’s life, especially stratified cylinder saws, is removing excess heat, so gutting the muffler of a cat inside and opening up the exhaust port is helpful.

 

[Bigmac]

Break them in the way it will be ran its entire life

Piss reved and sitting on a shelf? Lol

 

[Adamski]

I have never done anything different than run 40:1 and I had a little Dolmar 421. I never got round to removing the cat. But it never once failed to start after 2 tiny pulls and cut like a champ from stock. I may go a little easy for the first few tanks, then I get bored and forget about break in... [emoji23]

 

[AlfA01]

A Makita 4300 (Dolmar 421) is inbound and once I get it, what then? Do you guys do a break-in on a saw? Most say remove the cat and retune and make it really cut good. From the getgo or after x-many tankfuls of gas? Overall, take it easy on it or let it rip?

I just start a new saw and let it idle for a bit with the same mix it will be ran with. Some people call it a heat cycle.

After that run it like you stole it. The 421 takes to the muff mod really well. You'll need to retune and those carbs need a Double D screwdriver.

The amount of heat the cat builds in those little saws is amazing. You'll notice a big difference after gutting that thing.

 

[livemusic]

I just start a new saw and let it idle for a bit with the same mix it will be ran with. Some people call it a heat cycle.

After that run it like you stole it. The 421 takes to the muff mod really well. You'll need to retune and those carbs need a Double D screwdriver.

The amount of heat the cat builds in those little saws is amazing. You'll notice a big difference after gutting that thing.

How long is "a bit?"

Is there any workaround if one doesn't have a "double d" screwdriver?

People are always saying "remove limiter caps" to tune properly. Anyone know if this saw has them?

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Carb Tool Set

I like this set, but there are others like it. The one tool in there is the 'Double D' shape, and should fit the 'tamper proof' head on your carburetor needles.

I don't think the 4300 has limiter caps, because it has tamper proof needles, so you should be good to go there.

 

[AlfA01]

How long is "a bit?"

Is there any workaround if one doesn't have a "double d" screwdriver?

People are always saying "remove limiter caps" to tune properly. Anyone know if this saw has them?

Pop it off and let it idle for a couple. Piss rev it a bit and let it cool. Then run that SOB.

 

[MG porting]

A Makita 4300 (Dolmar 421) is inbound and once I get it, what then? Do you guys do a break-in on a saw? Most say remove the cat and retune and make it really cut good. From the getgo or after x-many tankfuls of gas? Overall, take it easy on it or let it rip?

I mod them right away but that's just me. Lol

 

[SOS Ridgerider]

I'd say remove the cat, mod the muffler, re-tune, and you'll have a great little saw. Easy muffler to mod, to boot. These are one of my favorite saws.

 

[ammoaddict]

How long is "a bit?"

Is there any workaround if one doesn't have a "double d" screwdriver?

People are always saying "remove limiter caps" to tune properly. Anyone know if this saw has them?

They do not have limited caps because they have the double D needles. You can take them out and cut a groove in them to fit a slotted screwdriver. But you are much better off just getting the double D driver. They are pretty cheap on eBay and Amazon and they work great, they don't slip off the screw while tuning.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[BK13]

I've only bought one saw new, but I ran 40:1 for the first couple of tanks, let it idle for 15 minutes, the kind of babied it for the first couple of tanks. But my usage for it is probably a little different than most here, I'm just thinning my Christmas tree farm. So there's a lot of staring at trees while idling the saw, trying to figure out the best way to get my oversize body near the tree. LOL

 

[livemusic]

OK, hurrah, I actually received the saw yesterday, I like it!

- I like the blue color, myself. My gf said "Ooh, that's a beautiful saw" and I had made no comment, lol.
- The fuel/oil caps seem to cinch down snugly, yet, so far, not so snug I can't twist them. My little Echo, usually need screwdriver!
- I like how the fuel/oil cap has an S shape slot for a screwdriver end if you do need it, that's different.
- I really like the choke/on/off switch. Press down to stop and it reverts back to on, ready to be started again.
- The saw came with bar and not one but two chains!
- It started right up with about 3 pulls.
- It has a nice sound.
- It cuts great! It's a new chain (and safety chain, at that) but heck, it shoots quite a rooster tail of chips!

When I first got it, I was worried because I could hear something rattle inside. I took the fuel cap out, then the oil cap and it still did it. Finally figured out it was the fuel filter inside a reservoir that had no fuel in it (yet).

Today, I ran it even more and it was easy enought to start, but not as easy as yesterday, don't know why. But I did use 40:1 premix and even added some extra oil.

It came with 15 inch bar and I kinda wish it was 16 inch. I found a web page yesterday that indicated USA Makitas come with 16 inch bars.

Hopefully, I can figure out how to do a muffler mod. I do not have any welding equipment.

 

[Simondo]

OK, hurrah, I actually received the saw yesterday, I like it!

- I like the blue color, myself. My gf said "Ooh, that's a beautiful saw" and I had made no comment, lol.
- The fuel/oil caps seem to cinch down snugly, yet, so far, not so snug I can't twist them. My little Echo, usually need screwdriver!
- I like how the fuel/oil cap has an S shape slot for a screwdriver end if you do need it, that's different.
- I really like the choke/on/off switch. Press down to stop and it reverts back to on, ready to be started again.
- The saw came with bar and not one but two chains!
- It started right up with about 3 pulls.
- It has a nice sound.
- It cuts great! It's a new chain (and safety chain, at that) but heck, it shoots quite a rooster tail of chips!

When I first got it, I was worried because I could hear something rattle inside. I took the fuel cap out, then the oil cap and it still did it. Finally figured out it was the fuel filter inside a reservoir that had no fuel in it (yet).

Today, I ran it even more and it was easy enought to start, but not as easy as yesterday, don't know why. But I did use 40:1 premix and even added some extra oil.

It came with 15 inch bar and I kinda wish it was 16 inch. I found a web page yesterday that indicated USA Makitas come with 16 inch bars.

Hopefully, I can figure out how to do a muffler mod. I do not have any welding equipment.

You can do a easy mod to the muffler with just a drill and a flat blade screw driver .


Keep the bottom 2 items in the pic.

Find the spot welds ...remove the cat all in one bit...use the screw driver to lever open the 3 gills a little.
Keeps a stock look and makes a decent improvement.

Ps : don't forget to use the purge bulb each time you go to start the saw from cold the first time each day ..and.. if you run the saw out of fuel.