I think i saw a posting not long ago, that said, all Stihl's like the 260 or 261 are considered "Pro'' saws, is this true? Because i see some with a "Pro" sticker on them, some without. Are they actually mechanically different, inside, or are they all built equally the same, with some getting the sticker, some not getting it? Thanks
Yes an 026, ms260 or ms261 are all pro model saws. Same with other sizes of pro model Stihl. 036, ms360 ms361 ms362 are the 60cc series. Same with 70cc 044, ms440 ms441. Some but not all of Stihl homeowner or farm/ ranch saws are ms170, ms180, ms210, ms250, Ms 310 ms391. By no means a complete list but it's a start.
I think the only difference is a decomp valve on the Pro model. The above answer is correct for the pro grade vs homeowner saws. The engines on the home owner stuff is a "clamshell" crankcase & more difficult to work on. There are many weight to power improvements in the pro grade saws as well. If the saw has an odd model number ie MS 170 it's homeowner, MS 180 is a pro saw etc. Then there are variants in the specific models as well. Do a search & you'll find enough reading for a lifetime of useless info. Run what you like & don't worry too much.
That I didn't know, thanks. Both my 026's do have the adjustable oiler so must be that changed when the MS 260 came around?
026 pros have adjustable oiler and a decomp. I think all 260's have both. That being said the standard non adjustable oiler oils better than the pro
Yep, my 026 oils like crazy! I just have to make sure I dont run out of oil before i run out of gas! 260 has decomp valve, but if you need a decomp valve on a 260 you shouldn't be running a 50cc saw!!!
Yeah, I have not posted here in some years now. Just logged in to see if this place was still burning. Apparently it is. I have owned over a dozen 026 and 260 saws. PRO and non-PRO. They are all professional model saws with aluminum lowers and bolt on cylinders. The only difference between the PRO model and the non-PRO model on both the earlier 026 and later Ms260 is the adjustable oil pump and decomp button. And the PRO sticker. That sticker makes all the difference! not... These 50cc size saws are not that hard to start (if you drop start them like the were designed to be started) and so a decomp button is not really needed. The oiler on the non-PRO model runs all the time, so it will puddle if you set it down at idle. The PRO model runs the oil pump off the clutch so it stops oiling when the chain is not spinning. An advantage for some, not for others? A non-issue in my book with a 50cc saw. There are a lot of differences between earlier and later model 026 saws. Early models had an aluminum top handle, a more open muffler, a metal starter cover, a different tank vent and some really early ones had a red selector lever. They early 026 also had the best Walbro carbs in them, the fully adjustable WT-194. The later 026 saws had poly-carb top handles, more choked up mufflers, and some had fixed H jet carbs (the EPA models). They also had plastic starter covers and a different tank vent. Then the main difference between the 026 and the 260 is the engine, which are actually interchangeable between the two models if you replace/swap the P&C&rings as a set. No other modifications are required. The 026 (and some early 260 saws) had a 44mm piston, and the 260 had a 44.7mm piston. 260 saws made in Germany with serial numbers below 162154675 and 260 saws made in the US with serial numbers below 262167361 are 44mm (PRO and non-PRO). They have the same stroke. Some claim that the 026 engine has better porting and is better for porting. I have not seen that much difference running them myself. If you want to make an 026/260 scream, run it with a Picco (low profile) B&C& rim setup. They sell them in Europe on the 261 this way but not in the states. The 026/260/261 takes a large mount bar so the smaller mount picco bars do not fit it. But the narrower picco kerf means less wood to cut through. I switched an 026 that I have over to .050 Picco and have never looked back at .325 or 3/8 std B&C on it. I love this saw with this setup. I have a 16 inch Stihl 3003 000 6313 Picco bar on it and I run Stihl PS non-safety full chisel chain on it. Its a PRO saw... even without the PRO sticker. It puddles a bit at idle though.
