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Mastermind

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The main chainsaw forum will usually get far more traffic on any saw related thread. I can move this if you want me to.

For the next few days a lot of our members will be traveling to gtgs so I expect traffic to be a little slow across the forum.
 

Terrence Jefferson

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Well I ran this saw this weekend at a woodsman's competition and for a complete rookie I think I did ok. I was running against a bunch of 3120 on alcohol with my saw on pump gas. I did 9.3 with 3 cuts cold start in an 8x8 cant. This was all my work and needless to say I have slot of work to do and I will be building another saw for next year as well as working on this one. It's turning 14000 rpm and is strong in the cut just not fast enough. I need to find some race pipes for the 372 and the 385 that's going to be built for next season. Thanks for all the help and I will continue to learn and build better running saws.
 

Billy Currie

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You have a great platform to build for a 5 cube class, and where you compete may or may not have a 5 cube open class. If you are building it for the 5 cube open class that's fine. But, if your competition is already showing up with 7.26 cubic inches(or more) you may want to look into buying something with a little more size to it and start there. Almost everything you learn on the 5 cube can be applied to the larger saws.

One major thing I learned is the larger bore saws are more susceptible to damage due to making the exhaust ports too wide. My first 3120 (years ago) was idling in the parking lot of our shop after coming off a strong finish the following year. It was entering its second year of competition as it sat there idling.......then it suddenly stopped and it spit pieces of the piston out of the cylinder. What was happening is, as the ring passes by the open exhaust port, the ring will bulge out a little in to the exhaust port, then it will go back towards the piston as it passes the upper(roof), or lower(floor) portion of the port. It only does this a little bit, not much. But in my case that port was a little too wide, going back up its last time a ring struck the roof of the exhaust port and took out the whole top end. There is other port shapes that will help keep this from being a common occurrence, one would be an oval shape, but once you are too wide, port shape will not be there to save you.

My recommendation is to work on displacement before you go further if you are running other saws that are not 5 cube. If there is a 5 cube class keep working on that one and pick up a used big saw if you can.
 

Terrence Jefferson

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Thank you for the information billy. I'm so new to all of this I'm not sure what you mean for a big saw? I'm building a 390 on a 385 chassis is that considered a big saw? Lol . Probably not but this saw was under the bench so I figured it was bigger than what I had.
 

mdavlee

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Thank you for the information billy. I'm so new to all of this I'm not sure what you mean for a big saw? I'm building a 390 on a 385 chassis is that considered a big saw? Lol . Probably not but this saw was under the bench so I figured it was bigger than what I had.

390 if it’s racing in the 6 cube class can be add fast. But your giving up 10 cc. 3120 i think he meant with the bored out 140cc plus ones you’re behind there too.
 

Billy Currie

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I'm in the process of building a 372xp for some competitions and I'm new to porting and such . I was wondering what would be good numbers to get for timing for a race saw ? It will be strictly a race saw as I have many other saws to use for fire wood. I'm getting a timing wheel and I have a Dremel tool and Burr bits. Just looking for some input from the seasoned pros.

Terrence

Your original post in the thread is what I went by........I thought you would have been racing a 372XP.
 

Billy Currie

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In short, what I'm getting at is it's hard to make up for cubic inches with a Dremel. A larger saw can be beat and they can be beat easily if they are not tuned correctly. I'm not sure when your next event is, but if it's once a year you have a year to prepare for it. In that case I would at least try to find the same cubic inches everyone else is running.
 

Terrence Jefferson

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I did for my first race. I didn't know exactly what I was getting into. Lol
I showed up with my saw and was immediately surprised to see a bunch of 3120's that were all on alcohol and the guy that I parked next to said his saw was 140cc. So I knew I didn't stand a chance. So now I'm building a new saw for next year and I know it won't be near what they have but I'm hoping it will be better than the 372.
 

Billy Currie

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http://opeforum.com/threads/090-stihl-race-saw-forsale.14747/

I don't know if this is still available.

Also, check "Competition Saws and Race Chains" on FB if you have a FB account......search this forum for "3120", "084", "880", "140cc", etc. You will get some modifications, but may run across one for sale. I would say now is a good time to start saving, or buying small parts here and there for next year. I started all my large cc saws by buying a used one and tearing it down and seeing what was salvageable......write off bearings and seals from the start if its real old. The guy that posted the saw for sale in the link above has the big pistons and Dave @ Chainsaw Conservation Components has a pretty good selection of parts also.
 
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Terrence Jefferson

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Gotcha. Thanks.
Unfortunately I'm on a budget as of rite now and that's way out of my budget. I'm just getting into this and I don't want to spend a fortune on it if it's something I'm not going to keep doing. For now I will build the 390 and try to figure out how to Port it for more rpm's and decent torque.
 

Lightning Performance

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Good to see the free advice thread ticking along nicely!

OP....do you have a video of that hot treeseventytwo for us unedumacated cave men? We like pics also.
 

Terrence Jefferson

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I do have a video it's not the best video but it does show how much slower I and the saw were against the 80cc 365 I was racing. I'll try to figure out how to post the video.
 

Terrence Jefferson

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Ooh I think I got it. That's me in the red shirt. I was using the original pull start handle so I had to turn it sideways so I could grab it. That's a 8 tooth sprocket with a 20" bar Oregon lgx chain. I did all the work to the saw myself and I'm open to any suggestions. This saw has no port work done to the cylinder either.
 
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Cut4fun

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Here is what a 372 with 375K work saw running on gas looks like compared to 376 alky 5ci class. One closest to ya. It could run pretty good in cut times with the thinned chain etc.

Then here is a 5ci 76cc if stroked could have been 81cc. The stroked one was just a hair faster. I opted to save my $ and didnt have mine stroked.

GL and have fun.

When's it's no longer fun walk away. ;)

work ported -----------------------------------------------race
h375dd.jpg h376.jpg

Work in video with race chain in 8x8 yellow poplar. Overlook operator as he suked at it.

 

Cut4fun

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IMO use the 372 for a 5ci build.

Here is same show in 10x10 with Helsel built hotsaws. Least get you a bigger saw to run in hotsaw IMO to learn with.

I started out with woods ported 084 on muffler. Then went to piped 084 on gas cocktail. Then went to alky 166, then the monster Helsel 3120+

Both Helsel saws in video. Difference in 1st to 5th.
I started my saw on idle in that race being first time running it. Yep I was scared of it. That saw kicked my ass later on with the power it had.


 
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