Anyone buy a new Stihl chainsaw?

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Couple of things in the literature are putting me off:

1) No more adjusting screws for the carburetor. A solenoid automatically adjusts it for conditions.

2) A port for plugging in a diagnostic cord so technicians will know what is wrong with it.

So I cannot adjust it and it is so complex that an experienced tech cannot diagnose it without a computer? I guess technology is here to stay and I won't beef about it, but are these things worth buying?

As an aside, I took an old Farm Boss on approval last year and had the shop give it the once over. They hit me for $35. The only thing they could say was that it was 30+ years old and should be replaced with a modern machine. They openly admitted they could not diagnose the unit. Likely they could not find where to plug in their diagnostic cord.
 
I am not sure about that type of carb. One of the logging companies by me has Huskies and the one model has the auto adjust carb. Every couple of months they get a new saw because the carb screws up and the engine locks up
 
I've used a couple of Stihl saws for the last five years or so and never felt the need to do any adjusting. They always just run like they're supposed to.
 
I've just been looking into them myself.
Not all of the Stihl chainsaws come with the "M-Tronic".

Myself, I have been considering the STIHL MS 241 C-M, which does have the M-Tronic non-adjustable carburetor.
Its very pricey!

STIHL does have many of their saws with adjustable carburetors also; usually a bit cheaper.
There have been many rave reviews on the MS 241 C-M.

STIHL is also promoting their pre-mixed fuel, to be used with these.
If I buy one of these, I will post a review on here.

I like STIHL; I still have an old STIHL 024 AV Super (1980's era), which has been a great saw.
When you step up into the "Professional grade" saws, you are getting a much better saw than your "Homeowner or Farm use" saws.

The MS 241 C-M is a "Pro saw".
Hope someone here chimes in that owns one.
Review
 
As said below Stihl still makes saws with out the auto adjust carb. I have 4 Stihl saws ( MS-170,MS-250,MS-310 and MS-461)the MS-170 and MS-310 have adjustable main jets but MS-250 and MS-461 had preset main jets. I have never had any carb trouble with any of my Stihl saws. The MS-170 is 15 years old and the MS461 is 1 1/2 old and the other two saws fall in between.
 
It's not Stihl but rather the federales.

The new Stihl saws, e.g., the **1 versions, have the electronic carburetor.

I bought an MS251 about 18 months ago because it ws a better deal than the MS250 that I wanted. I do not like it at all. It is a cost reduced MS250 with the so-called intelli-carb, which requires proprietary software for proper adjustment. It also will not take throttle for 20-30 seconds after start-up and sometimes will not start when hot.

It's still in warranty but my dealer has not been able to get the software from Stihl to service the carb.

One wonders what it will cost to repair it when it is 10 years old and the carb needs work.

Should have bought the 250.

Dean
 
The EPA is mandating non adjustable carburators. It is difficult to find any small engines with adjustable carbs.
 
I've had one for 8 tears ms390. Great saw.. it has a none adjusting carb and calibrates the air and gas mixture until the point that your filter gets plugged up.. LOL.. and that is so true.. can be running along then it seems like all the sudden doesnt run as smooth or at all.. just replace the filter and away you go. Dealer told me about that when I bought it. Their right. On mine the air filter snaps apart and you can wash them. I keep two for the saw.. usually after I use up the second and its dirty Im done for the day anyway.. Also look into the chisel chain when/if you buy one.. cant beet them..
 
Dean,

The MS 251 in the link below does not list it as having the "M-Tronic" carb.
Is the "intelli-carb" you refer to in your MS 251, something different than the "M-Tronic"?

I always thought the "C-M" suffix after the Model number meant it had the "M-Tronic" (computerized) carb.
Not sure which carb the OP is referring to.
MS 251
 
I love my MS-250 . It a great running saw that I do most of my normal cutting up to 18" in dia with. But it is the hardest starting saw out of all my 4 Stihl saws( hard to pull through,lot of compression). It will out perform my MS-310.
 
Dave H (MI),

Here are more "up to date" reviews on the STIHL MS 241 C-M with the "M-Tronic" carb.
They are built (or assembled) in the USA!

http://www.stihlusa.com/home/built-in-america/
More Reviews
 
I have an MS-250 with the EzStart. I love it. For $39 extra, it's well worth it.
 
I have no idea what the M-tronic carb is but the so-called intelli-carb carb on the 251 is enclosed within a cover that must be removed with tools and has a pleated paper non washable air cleaner. The carb is electronically controlled and adjustments require proprietary software which my dealer has not yet been able to obtain.

Thanks, feds.

Dean
 
I brought the cheapest home owner saw they got. I think its a MS170. I use it for trimming low limbs and such. I sharpen the chain now and again and have replaced the chain a couple of times. I've had it about 8-9 years and have not had to do anything other than clean it up and adjust the chain. I paid a 149 bucks for it, I think they go for about 179 now days.
 
The fact that Stihl is automatically adjusting the carb is a tribute to them because all saws are going to have non-adjustable carbs, most with no compensation. It's is your tax dollars at work to save the planet, hypothetically. If you are not a gov't approved agent, you have no business adjusting anything.:)
 
Dave, you are not that far from Gregory. Gordie at Gordies Power is a great guy to buy from. He tells you how to fix things yourself. He sells Dolmar (they invented the chainsaw)(made in Germany), Dolmar spends more money on engineering than advertising. (My opinion) and I love the Dolmar I bought a year ago this spring. Its a high quality cutting fool of a saw, I got the 510. His number is 734-498-2200. Go over and see him, you'll be happy you did. (He's right at the junction of M-36 and M-106 in downtown Gregory). And if you go over today, check out Daves Bargains, a real neat store!
 
I have had engines with a starter like that and they where good until they got some age on them and then they became a pain in the neck. I have had my MS-250 back to dealer dealer and was told it had more compression no than when it was new. They said that they have seen this happen in some saws.As long as it runs good I will put up with the hard to pull through.
 
Stihl is the saw of choice among the many loggers I know who own more than 5 saws. Mine is 15 years old and starts the first pull, but I dont use it as often as they do. As a mechanic I dont like anything that locks me out, but thats how it is done now, look at your new farm equipment.
 
All this Info. Very helpful... As Im Needing a Stihl Saw... BTW if anyones Interseted I have an O31 AV with about only 10Hrs Run time with Case in EXCELLENT Cond, But the COIL is bad Im TAKING Offers??? Never Abused very Good for Parts Or Repair... Larry 770 654 6941
 
Little history of chainsaw! The first development of chainsaws was started in 1920 by Wolf (USA), Westfelt ( Sweden), and Stihl ( Germany). Stihl put its first chainsaw on the market in 1926. Dolmar developed their first petrol chainsaw in 1927.We have no Dolmar dealers in this area so you don't see very many around here but the guys that do have them like the saw.
 
I have a Dolmar that is the cat's meow. I absolutely love it. I can't recall right off the top of my head what model (maybe 7 years old) but it has an 18 inch bar. It's the first saw I have ever had that I have trouble bogging down. It also has NO handle vibration. I own Stihls and it is 10 times the saw. If I run fuel with stihl oil mix it can set for up to a year and start on the third pull and run like brand new. Can't say enough good things about them. They are worth every penny.
 
1. I never been a stihl fan 2. husky and jonsered are all going or gone to the same general idea. dolmar has not yet done so.
 

I will continue to buy and use saws from the 60's-90's and be perfectly happy without EPA mandated saws. This is such a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of the emissions produced that mandating controls for it are ludicrous.
 

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