Stihl saw carb

notjustair

Well-known Member
I need a new saw. I can't recall what it is called, but what are the opinions on the new self adjusting carb? The guy I was talking to didn't seem to be worried about them at all.

They aren't on the "0" series are they? Something tells me I should hurry up and buy one without that carb if I can.
 
Self adjusting carbs aren"t new at Stihl they have had carbs that adjusted for a dirty air cleaner for a long time on the upper end saws. I assume you mean the electronic version? Jury is still out as far as I am concerned, you read both good and bad about them. You can still buy a new saw without them. I have Husqvarna"s electronic version on a 550. Thought I liked it a lot until last time I used the saw and it took 15 minutes to get it started so the jury remains out there also.
 
intellacarb is what its called. some saws have had them awhile. nothing to worry about. what size saw are you looking for ?
 
I'm looking seriously at the 250. It seems to have a good weight to it and is heavy duty enough for what I do. I don't heat only with wood. I only cut a couple of cords a year.

I would spring for the farm boss but it is heavier. I'm not sure the trade off is good enough for me. With my arthritis I don't want to have a heavy saw wear me out. I am concerned about all of the things I read about them flooding easy and being hard to start.
 
I have a MS-250 and if had to do it over again I would by the MS-261. The MS-261 is a Pro saw and a little heavier than the MS 250 but lighter than the MS 290. The MS 261 puts out 3/4 of a horse more than the the MS 250. I have used both the MS-250 and the MS-261 and find the MS- 261 to be a better balanced saw and it has a compression relief which the MS-250 doesn't have.
 
I just picked up a Stihl MS461 with a 28 inch bar with that Intelli Carb and has a large air cleaner. Needs to warm up a little to try it out. It is the easiest of all my Stihls to start and time will tell how good that system works. I couldn't pass this saw up I bought the saw on an auction sale for $410.00 with less than three hours on it ( gentleman had passed away and bought it new).
 
My 390 has the intelli-carb, never any issue in 11 years, seems like a good one to me. You can tell the difference when the air filter loads, 2 things I will say, keep your chain correctly sharpened/sharp etc. and clean the filter often, they do seem to load up, more so in dead/dry wood. They start easier, and run very well when you look after these 2 things. I've heard good things about the stihl pre-mix fuel in the can, one from a dealer, was his preference having liked the product for what he owns and uses, was not trying to sell me. Long time friend runs it sometimes, he liked it, just on a limited basis. I'd still mix my own, cut too much to pay for that, but this canned stuff might be good for running right before it sits off season, would be worth a can or 2 then.
 
If you will keep the saw for years, I would get the Pro level saw with compression release. I bought the MS-026 Pro in 1998 and it still runs like a top. Never have done anything but replace the filters and spark plug. I would not have saw without the compression release. I think the MS-261 is the new model pro. Tom
 
the stories about those saw flooding easy is from people who pull them on choke to much. never pull more than three times on full choke. the ms 250 is one of our best sellers next to ms290. the ms 261 is a good saw as well but if you don't want to spend extra. get a easystart. only trouble is easystarts only come with tooless chain adjuster.
 
Hi all, I have a O26 Stihl for many years, never a problem. I also have a MS270 but it came with a little skinny bar and chain. I had them put on a heavier bar and chain when I bought it. I have an orchard and use it for pruning. Never had trouble with it. Don't know what carb either have. Just keep sharp and always use TCW3 oil. Ed Will
 
Have the same saw and everything you said is SPOT ON!! Esp. the air filter. I bought an extra one so I can have one clean while im washing the other out. Also have you tried the chisel chains.. HOLY COW.. wont go back to traditional again.
 
I run the yellow Stihl chain, the green chain is not as aggressive, I have yet to try skip or semi skip, I've split some rough square blocks of elm on the splitter, for hardwood cribbing, which is always useful and to remember something of these elm trees that succumbed to dutch elm disease. Dealer has to order those, less cutters= less hp, but I intend just to do some ripping, then will use the power hand plane to true em up. Yellow does cut nice, just set that dog, and it pulls in nicely, you can tell when they start to dull, I touch them up and or sharpen on my bench/bar file guide, with the occasional visit to the saw shop for a $8 dollar sharpen, soon as one starts to not cut straight, makes all the difference that and cleaning the air filter, mine has the original one on it still, time for a new and a spare ! Decent size saw, its getting a 25" bar after I do the modification, next saw might be bigger, professional grade, for felling I really need that 25" bar, most trees are in that diameter, real big ones, just work from both sides in the face cut, but most are just beyond the 20" bar. Dealer that I spoke to about the canned fuel, did not think a heck of a lot about the red/orange handle and or white handle stihl's, he said following the care you give yours, fussy about fuel and making sure the mix is accurate each time, and routine maintenance, they'll last a good long time, I don't run the heck out of mine on RPM's and it hot sweltering summer weather so after 11 years the 390 was worth what I paid for it, my friend has the MS 360 with a 25" bar, nice firewood and general purpose saw. I recentely aquired a fixer upper, well it does run, 015R, should make a nice limbing saw, can't go wrong for $30 and it runs.

With the chains its just dangerous and foolish not to run a sharp chain, have spares to change out, last one I had started cutting funny, even after a sharpen, makes it so much harder on the saw, and when felling hardwood trees, you just don't want a chain doing that, it will bind, cut will be off, could run rough which is more stress on it/saw, hate to snap one of these at high rpm, so much better to switch it out.

With the chisel, I believe those require or there is a more to sharpening those, I can imagine full chisel being really nice, but when it comes time to sharpen, not sure I am set up for those, if I recall correct, there are quite a few chains in the catalog, yellow is pretty good, you could take the rakers down more, but they have to be done evenly, lot to this chainsaw business LOL, but I enjoy a good part of it still so I like the discussions on it here, learning new and better ways to use these etc.
 
We just got a 180 ez start actually my wife picked it up. She does some of the trimming around here so I wanted to make sure she liked it. She does. I trust our local dealer to no end and they know us well. They showed her everything and she started it @ the shop and is happy, The 029 farm boss was getting heavy for the both of us so we opted for a smaller handier saw. We still have the bigger saw for other jobs but this littler saw will be easier to handle. All we ever did to the 029 was change the plug, clean the filters and sharpen the chains, and do I dare say it always had gas in it, if it'd sat awhile I dumped the old out and put in fresh and it always started.
 
You didn't like the Micro chain and bar? I have a Micro chain on my MS-170 and love it for cleaning up tops once the tree is on the ground.
 
few years back bought chain sharpener from H.F. Works well once I found out the tricks to it. Not a well built piece but works pretty well. My dad just got a 260?? I believe. Nice light saw but prefer mine. I thought of the 25 inch bar. But stayed with an 18 and 20. As you said one side then the other. Dont use mine as much in summer but in the winter use it most weekends just fell a big elm thanksgiving weekend that will keep me busy for a few weekends cutting up and splitting Had a cotton wood few years back fall. That sucker had a 48"+ base on it. Used the 20 until I couldnt go any further.. So pushed the rest into the draw..lol Burn most of mine in fireplace.
 

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