A question for the chain saw mechanics

I been running my 372 x-torq lately. More so than my others. The saw is bone stock and, runs great. However, the more I run it it the more irritating the erratic idling is to me. I never really paid a lot of attention to it before but, when cutting wood in the last week or so, I've had to set it down a lot and wrestle blocks around. Doing so has made this trait more apparent than ever. It accelerates great out of the hole and has great power in the cut. So, I have it adjusted correctly. I just don't like the idle. And, I can't get it to clean up as well as my other none XT's.

I have read in the past there are some slight modifications that can be done to the intake boot to cure the erratic idle. I'm not sure now as I can't find the info to verify it. Am I correct in thinking this? If so, any of you guys ever do that before? How did it work? If not, let me know what you did do to rectify this.

I'm not interested in modifying this saw to increase performance. I have one 372 built with the NWP big bore kit that will hand this one it's rear end. But, this saw is dang near brand new. I intend to run it that way until it requires rebuilding. As it does fine the way it is. So, I'm just looking for a quick easy fix to tame out the idle on this saw. Thanks and God Bless

 

If you make a short video of it idling away, or cold start/warm start turn saw on sides/nose up/nose down kinda thing maybe someone could start guessing?

For sure the saw is tuned right? Too rich or too lean on the L carb setting can make a saw run goofy. Is the intake boot thing you mention a known problem for these saws?

 

Yep. The saw is tuned. Done the sides, upside down, etc.... to test the tune. It never dies or acts any different than when it's setting on the ground idling. Comes out of the hole just as fast in these positions too.

Cold start: It hits the first or second pull on choke. I knock it off and it cranks the next pull.

Warm start: It starts the first pull with the choke off.

Idling. It is just erratic and rough. Surges back and forth. I haven't tached it as I shut my tack up in my truck door and busted it several weeks ago. But, I'm guessing the surges cover 300-400 rpms. Saw moves all over the place when setting and idling. Pick it up and shoot the throttle to it and, it goes with zero hesitation.

I have witnessed other XTs doing this in the 372's. I have read on forums in the past of people addressing it. I just can't be 100% certain what they did. There are some of the best saw tinker's and mechanics in the world on this forum. Before I go to changing things based on internet knowledge, I want to hear if they have done this and, how they accomplished it. If I get no answers, that is ok too. It isn't the end of the world. Just something I thought I'd fix when I tear it down for a good cleaning. God Bless

FWIW, for the life of me, I can't post pics on this forum. It just doesn't work with my equipment.

 

Samsung laptop computer. Windows 7. I phone 5S. Couldn't post with my 4S either. I posted one pic a while back from my phone. It was about my 400th attempt. I have never gotten one to come through before, or since then. Ole Tom posted a few for me when I'd text them to him.

Where is Tom?

God Bless men

 

I've not worked on this model much. Not many of my friends and family run them. So I'm afraid I'm no use with this one since it's model specific. I do know the early stihl 661's were doing something similar. It was also the intake boot. Stihl redesigned the faulty intake boot and it fixed the problem.

MasterMech have you run into one of these 372xt's behaving like this?

If nobody chimes in here, you may consider heading over to the ope forum and asking over there. Lots of good people with lots of chainsaw knowledge. I bet someone over there has had the same problem. Sorry I couldn't be more help my friend.

 

Hey Barcroftb, you did help. Thanks for the advice.

The way I understand this issue is, the 372 XT's have basically been neglected by most builders due to the ease in turning an ordinary XP into one wood chip throwing machine. Other variables are at play as well. It just doesn't appear to be a poplar modification due to aftermarket supplies, costs, etc..... With that said I did find the literature I was speaking of earlier. It appears the intake boot was the issue the fella addressed. However, he did some jug transfer port work too. I am uncertain if the boot mod would fix it without the other stuff too. So, I might just have to learn to live with it. God Bless men

 

An intake boot is uaually fairly cheap. Might be worth getting another intake boot and trying the mod to see if it addresses the issue. If it makes things worse it'd be an easy fix to go back to normal.

 

From what I've read about the 372xt's they can be a little funky idleing. If it runs good and doesn't die I'd just let it be. I believe there was a coil & carb update a few years ago if you have an older model. The other fix is to gut the strato tract in the carb & boot. There's a thread on forestry forum describing the process.

 

They do have a little odd idle. If he power if fine then I wouldn't worry. They can be made strong running saws with a little work.