Contemplating on buying another saw but I'm not real sure yet What is the m-tronic engine management. Sounds to me like something is a pita and shouldn't be on a chainsaw that is exposed to dust and sometimes harsh conditions Tell me about it good bad im leaning toward why take something that worked great and screw it up with sonething that the avg joe can't fix and will likely screw up Any opinions
M-Tronic (and Husq AT) are nothing but good for 99+% of users. They adjust the tune on a continuous, < 1 second, basis. Takes all the guesswork out. Unless you want to do something unconventional, like running rich whilst milling tough wood, MT/AT is the way to go. That said, I think I'll keep my non-M-tronic 461 just to buck the inevitable progress of time. Kind of like keeping an older normally aspirated inline 6 BMW vs/ a more fuel efficient tubro I4. Sometimes it's fun to be a dinosaur...
I love my M-tronic... no tuning just start and run the saw... less chance of "human error"... but then again the M-tronic is yet another thing to break down... but until then I love the little magic box in that newfangled saw! ~Nathan
I passed on the 461 because it wasn't mtronic. But I tend to be in favor of new tech on my gear as long as their is a clear benefit to it. The 441 has a lot more modern tech on it than the 461. It will keep a cleaner air filter, transmit less vibration, use less fuel, and run the same in January as it does in July without user intervention (carb adjustment). The 461 is very similar to the 460 but has an improved engine that delivers a broader torque curve (I think it's got a bit more grunt than my 460 did) and a bit better fuel economy. It's also a simple machine to work on while the 441 is MUCH more complex. It also has a slight edge in the power department over the 441. As to the Mtronic tech itself, it's been extremely reliable, and available for a couple years now. Every saw that's received the upgrade has been a noticeably better saw for it.
Rather than retrofitting existing models, they seem to be favoring introducing it on new models like the 545/550/555/562. The 576 of course is exception.
The m-tropic system sounds like it has its advantages for sure and im not ruling it out. Another quick question though. If sonething persay did go wrong with the M-tropic system does anyone know the costs of fixing is it. Can it be fixed by the avg joe in the garage or are we talking going back to the dealer and paying a couple hundred dollars to fix it Sorry im just trying to weigh out all the options im sure this one has been beat to death
How are autotuned saws designed to respond to an air leak, extremely dirty filter, compromised carb diaphragm, etc. that makes proper adjustment impossible? Do they beep a warning? Kill the ignition? In my imagination this technology sounds luxurious, but there might be hazards inherent in conditioning users to not pay attention to how the saw is running, especially after the saw gets some years on it. Do the manufacturers have this covered somehow?
Dollars to donuts, "fixing" it is going to be a matter of removing and replacing a module, turning a few screws and manipulating a few wire connectors. Even dealers aren't going to be soldering new chips onto circuit boards.
I guess it's realky a waste of my time because you can't stop technology. I don't mean that to sound sarcastic but in a few years who knows how much more they will have advanced technology. Sometime again down the road I will have to buy another saw and im sure it will be way more advanced than what we are discussing now
So far I love my 441 m-tronic and as you say... you can't fight advancement in technology. After researching the saw, I bought one. Not much to report as it is only on tank number 3. What I can tell you... this is the most fun I have had cutting wood in a long time
My understanding is that the system goes full rich and the saw runs accordingly. Experienced users will know something is up. I haven't had one fail for me yet! Now a problem with the m-tronic system itself could make it a non-runner and then the "fix" is as Jon stated, narrow it down to either carb module or the ignition coil, and replace. Dealers can plug into the saw and check the system for errors and I imagine they would offer this basic diagnostic for minimal cost, if any. Traditional problems are still diagnosed and repaired with traditional methods. The MS461 is purpose built for folks who are unsure/unwilling to jump the tech gap. It's a great saw built with simple, proven technology, that won't disappoint you in the power department. It's not a dinosaur either, the quad ported engine is a great runner, stock or modified, and it shouldn't be as thirsty as my 460s were.
I have a 261 cm and i love it, its light powerful and it cut really well. I bought the 261 cm because i wanted a lighter saw then my 038 and I pick up the 261 cm more the 038... Of course i get into anything over 20 plus inches i get the 038 but other then that the 261cm is now my fav.
You have given me a lot to think about thank you for helping out. I Am leaning more toward the 461 though This last year has been a perfect storm so to speak. Up till now my current saws have and still serve me well. I didn't have to fell a lot of trees most of my cutting has been downed trees or trees pushed out with a dozer or excavator I was able to pick the wood I wanted and leave the wood I didn't want. I bought a new splitter not long ago the old one was horizontal only so with that said I picked wood that I could handle by myself and not kill myself lifting onto the splitter. Now I have one that goes vertical So now im able to cut bigger wood and have means of loading with equip and hauling and have a splitter that I can use to split it. I now need a bigger saw long story short lol