Saw builders chime in.

[Duane(Pa)]

I consulted @tree monkey on this same topic. Working nights right now with little to do, so I've been binge watching his latest build series. I'll probably take his advice and go the 261 route.

Unless. I did find a pretty clean 260 about an hour from me for what seems to be a reasonable price. $285. If it's still there when I get off nights, and I can work a deal with the seller, I may not be able to pass it up.

If that doesn't pan out, 261 it is.

 

[bwalker]

I’m with Treemonkey here on the quad vs dual transfer port theory. Perhaps the 550 does have more area when stock but after some work I cannot see how a dual will ever outperform a quad transfer , tho it can be made very strong. Only downside is the fuel mileage will most likely be less with the quad transfers but on a 50cc saw it really shouldn’t be an issue

With standard transfer layout you are correct. With these new strato saws Ai am not so sure.
I know one thing. In stock trim the Ms261 isnt impressive and the 500mk2 is.

 

[bwalker]

TreeMonkey won't steer you wrong.

 

[bwalker]

Truth. After porting my 026 it can't get enough air through a stock filter to even begin to accelerate and won't choke well enough to cold start.

I may have overdone it.

The filter on the 260 is garbage. Even with the winter filter its a bottle neck.

 

[TX_Welder]

I’m with Treemonkey here on the quad vs dual transfer port theory. Perhaps the 550 does have more area when stock but after some work I cannot see how a dual will ever outperform a quad transfer , tho it can be made very strong. Only downside is the fuel mileage will most likely be less with the quad transfers but on a 50cc saw it really shouldn’t be an issue

From what I gather watching his videos, the quad port is just a better more efficient design. More efficient burn, more power.

Truth. After porting my 026 it can't get enough air through a stock filter to even begin to accelerate and won't choke well enough to cold start.

I may have overdone it.

Time for a velocity stack and exposed filter.

I jacked the top cover up on my 462 so I chopped it and went to the wcs foam filter. It felt like it gained another muffler mod.

I'm getting tired of the exposed filter though. The foam actually lets some fines through also, which kind of surprised me. UNI foam filters were always the go in my offroad stuff.

Maxflo is supposed to be coming out with a filter for the 462. No release date yet though.

 

[Sloughfoot]

From what I gather watching his videos, the quad port is just a better more efficient design. More efficient burn, more power.

Time for a velocity stack and exposed filter.

I jacked the top cover up on my 462 so I chopped it and went to the wcs foam filter. It felt like it gained another muffler mod.

I'm getting tired of the exposed filter though. The foam actually lets some fines through also, which kind of surprised me. UNI foam filters were always the go in my offroad stuff.

Maxflo is supposed to be coming out with a filter for the 462. No release date yet though.

May come to that but I hope not. I wish there was an oiled foam kit for it that fits under the oem cover like I have on an 044.

 

[TX_Welder]

May come to that but I hope not. I wish there was an oiled foam kit for it that fits under the oem cover like I have on an 044.

Need somebody that's crafty with a 3D printer to make something like a maxflo for it. Maybe use the new style filters?

 

[Fabulous]

From what I gather watching his videos, the quad port is just a better more efficient design. More efficient burn, more power.

Time for a velocity stack and exposed filter.

I jacked the top cover up on my 462 so I chopped it and went to the wcs foam filter. It felt like it gained another muffler mod.

I'm getting tired of the exposed filter though. The foam actually lets some fines through also, which kind of surprised me. UNI foam filters were always the go in my offroad stuff.

Maxflo is supposed to be coming out with a filter for the 462. No release date yet though.

The maxflo is in the testing phase atm - should be out soon for the 462c and 400

 

[jacktheripper]

The filter on the 260 is garbage. Even with the winter filter its a bottle neck.

I gained 1500+ rpms in the cut by switching from a stock flocked 026 filter to a fine mesh 260 pro filter. I had to modify my top cover, swap for an echo tank vent, swap and modify the bolts, and plug the intellicarb hole in the filter. Ported, but still meh imo. I’d rather use my 242xp with the it’s rare KS cylinder pushing 200psi stock.

 

[Ketchup]

If quads are so much better why are many modern units duals?

 

[huskihl]

I don’t think it’s necessarily the quads that make more power, it’s the path of the air. The entire 5 series runs pretty decent with duals but they have good direction washing the intake wall. On a side fed dual, the air has to change direction too many times. Old school quads were mostly bottom fed. Pretty efficient design

 

[Ketchup]

Stihl splits the uppers, Husky doesn’t. Is one better?

 

[Sloughfoot]

I gained 1500+ rpms in the cut by switching from a stock flocked 026 filter to a fine mesh 260 pro filter. I had to modify my top cover, swap for an echo tank vent, swap and modify the bolts, and plug the intellicarb hole in the filter. Ported, but still meh imo. I’d rather use my 242xp with the it’s rare KS cylinder pushing 200psi stock.

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Dang. Gotta get a 242xp now.

 

[Fabulous]

If quads are so much better why are many modern units duals?

Generally speaking … Quads can give better flow , efficiency, scavenging and most importantly more power at “in the cut” rpm but are more complex / expensive to produce vs duals which are relatively cheaper to produce / less complex but can be trickier to coax the same “in the cut” type of power from.

 

[Jusgunn3]

Dang. Gotta get a 242xp now.

I want one as well, have a 543xp that is going to get messaged by @huskihl but have heard its not as impressive as the 242xp…I guess I will need one to compare

 

[bwalker]

If quads are so much better why are many modern units duals?

Times change.

Stihl splits the uppers, Husky doesn’t. Is one better?

Judging by how they run stock Husky is typically better running.

 

[huskihl]

I want one as well, have a 543xp that is going to get messaged by @huskihl but have heard its not as impressive as the 242xp…I guess I will need one to compare

I’ve never run a 242, but I would bet pretty good money that a ported 543 will hold its own against a ported 242

 

[Jusgunn3]

I’ve never run a 242, but I would bet pretty good money that a ported 543 will hold its own against a ported 242

Ok, I like that!

 

[bwalker]

I gained 1500+ rpms in the cut by switching from a stock flocked 026 filter to a fine mesh 260 pro filter. I had to modify my top cover, swap for an echo tank vent, swap and modify the bolts, and plug the intellicarb hole in the filter. Ported, but still meh imo. I’d rather use my 242xp with the it’s rare KS cylinder pushing 200psi stock.

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Shaving the choke down is also beneficial as is bumping the timing up.
Even after adding a winter filter, deleting the base gasket,shaving the choke, muffler mod, timing advance and a Walbro WT-194 carb you still have something that slower than a bone stock 346 and that coat significantly more money.
All this applies to a 260 Pro. Never fooled with the 026.
Also you can add 044 antivibe mounts. They last longer and are stiffer.

 

[jacktheripper]

Shaving the choke down is also beneficial as is bumping the timing up.
Even after adding a winter filter, deleting the base gasket,shaving the choke, muffler mod, timing advance and a Walbro WT-194 carb you still have something that slower than a bone stock 346 and that coat significantly more money.
All this applies to a 260 Pro. Never fooled with the 026.
Also you can add 044 antivibe mounts. They last longer and are stiffer.

Exactly. And worse, on the older 026’s you still have a continuously driven oiler and have to farther modify the saw if you wish to run a clutch driven oiler.