Anyone with a non mtronic 261 believe they run lean from the factory? I never really could hear it four stroking since it was new and the carb was up against the limiter, the plug was more grey than greyish brown. So now the waranty is off so I pulled the carb limiter and filed the tab off and have the high jet 1 1/2 turns out the hear it four stroking from the max if 3/4 with the carb limiter. Just have to test it in the wood pile now. Has anyone else found these saws to run lean from the factory? It is a great saw and don't want to run it lean and burn it up.
Altitude can affect the tune, maybe the dealer never set it properly? Did you buy it online or at a local dealership?
Bought it from the local dealership a few years ago, It was set as rich as it could be with the limiters on from the start. With the emissions the way they are now I think they are a bit lean to pass emission tests.
That could very well be, fellas. We already know they choke half the power out of these new saws at the muffler to pass emissions.......
I had one that only had a few tanks through it when I got it and it four stroked with the best of them. Elevation is a good point Scotty.
Not so universally true anymore Scotty. While that was very true during the late 1990s and 2000s (think of the subtle changes to muffler made on 046 vs MS460 and similar) these days only the saws using catalysts in the mufflers are really being limited by the muffler. Since the advent of Stratocharged engines from some OEMs, the mufflers have gone to far less restrictive designs. Often they are just empty cans like my 261. Of course there are still some gains to be had by doing a muffler mod but the difference isn't always as dramatic as it used to be. Now about that muffler on my Echo CS490.....
Agreed for most manufacturers, yep. The 460 was one of the worst for restrictions when comparing old vs. new. My first 460 rebuild had a pencil-sized opening. I bought a Hyway dual port for that. Saws that are still adjustable carbs are probably not tuned "perfectly" by the shop.... hopefully they're close enough to avoid a lean seize or other issues.
You touched on something important here: Fuel quality varies by region so much that it's impossible for a manufacturer to factory tune the engines perfectly. This was a big factor driving the development of M-tronic and AutoTune carbs, plus EFI in the demo saws. It's also the very same reason that box-store saws can suck so bad right out of the box. Dealer prep, or lack therof, goes a long way towards a customers first impression of a product or even an entire brand. On a stock saw, it would have to be terrible lean (like barely, if at all usable) to cause serous engine damage unless there were other contributing factors. Clogged cooling air intake grilles and fins also play a large part but none are so guilty as the venerable dull chain. High-RPMs, poor cooling, and lean (hot!) combustion is a very cruel method indeed to euthanize a saw.
The 261 definately likes a bit more fuel to run at thier peak. The last one I did it is almost 2 turns out and is a touch over 14k. I like to run them a tad rich for the first couple tanks.
OK I am glad I am not the only one that has the high jet out quite a bit more than the 3/4 that the carb limiter allows to feel confident that it isn't running lean. I really should invest in a tach to see what the RPMs are now. I think it should be 13800 to 14200
Well said... exactly my experience as well. That 460 thread from the old days was the inspiration for my build--- noticed the same things. A few more 1128 builds later and I still can't believe that oem muffler outlet. Yuck.
