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Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

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Old 21st December 2009, 08:40 AM   #1
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Default Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

OK, this is a spin-off of the hyjacked Husky 346xp thread. Post your 026 port and mod stuff here. I will start with some photos of the different muffler types on the 026 that I have (I have 5 or so 026s of various ages and styles).

Here is my original pair of 026 work saws that I have. Photo will have to wait. I am getting a MS error...
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Old 21st December 2009, 09:23 AM   #2
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Here it is...



These are both 026 non-PRO 'early' versions. The lower saw is a newer version with the carbon fiber handle. The top saw is the older version with the aluminum handle. The aluminum handle is better at dampening out vibration, but they are prone to denting. Some of these saws have clear gas tanks, and some have solid white ones. Some have tunable carbs, some have fixed H jet carbs (mine are all tunable). The top saw has a .325 B&C on it. The lower saw has a 3/8 std. B&C on it. I really cannot tell the difference, but many claim that the .325 cuts faster. The only real differece is that the .325 has more cutters per inch of chain.
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Old 21st December 2009, 11:52 AM   #3
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

The one I just picked up has a metal handle with ribbed grip. Also black wire mesh air filter.
I am being told it is a early 026. Light little bugger.
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Old 21st December 2009, 11:53 AM   #4
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Default Muffler mods

There are a few types of stock mufflers out there on the stock 026 and 260s. Some are more open, and some are all choked up. There are also a few types of covers, and some have larger holes and some have smaller ones. Here are a couple of photos of stock 026 mufflers that I have on mine.

This ons is fully open in the muffler, and farily open holes on the cover. This is the best breathing stock muffler, and really does not need a mod:


Here is one that is choked up inside, and has small holes in the cover. this is the worst of the stock 026 mufflers and cover plates, and they beg to be drilled out.

I drilled five 3/16 inch holes in the end of the baffle inside the muffler, and 4 holes in the cover plate in the raised area so that the exhaust will still be screened (we have a lot of fire restrictions here in summer). Now that saw can breathe. It woke that saw right up. I did not take any 'after mod' photos of that one, and I sold it on an 026 a few weeks ago. I should have taken photos, but WTF. It is not the muffler that you want to run with or modify anyway. Get rid of them.
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Old 21st December 2009, 12:08 PM   #5
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Mine looks like the first muffler. Keep sharing the info.

I know the 500 5000 490 590 325 stuff like a old tattoo, but dont know much about the 026 stuff at all. Never had a desire to own one really.

Stock ones I have run, seem under powered big time compared to my other stuff in 49cc. Couldnt believe when this one had a 20" 325 on it .
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Old 21st December 2009, 01:10 PM   #6
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

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Originally Posted by Cut4fun View Post
Mine looks like the first muffler. Keep sharing the info.

I know the 500 5000 490 590 325 stuff like a old tattoo, but dont know much about the 026 stuff at all. Never had a desire to own one really.

Stock ones I have run, seem under powered big time compared to my other stuff in 49cc. Couldnt believe when this one had a 20" 325 on it .
Yah, I am used to running 60cc and 70cc saws myself (I still love my 361s), and I also had the 025 (45cc) as a toy limber. I got sick of the 1123 line of saws though, and sold them all off. Hard to work on, clam shell engines, cheaper plastic, and prone to grenading clutches and melted side covers. I bought an 026 for the same price that I sold my last 025/250 hybrid ($175) and never looked back. These things can really scream if you set them up right. They are light and fun to run, and they work well in the woods.

The 260 is an old design saw, and in reality Stihl replaced it with the 270 years ago. But they remained popular, and kept selling well, so they still make and sell them today. Why shoot the cow when she is still giving you good milk? The early 026 models tend to get tired/soft rings and lose compression. Or they have choked up mufflers. They wake up nicely with new rings and opened up mufflers. I sold my ported 026 with a 20 inch bar on it, running 3/8 standard chain. No bog down, and the saw sold itself in the cut (and the chain was not really that sharp).
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Old 21st December 2009, 01:17 PM   #7
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Here is the third and latest style muffler and cover on the later 026 and 260 saws.

This non-modified muffler is on a latest type of 026 (the same as a 260) with a 44.7 P&C.



This is a muffler that I modified from a later 026 model with the 44mm P&C. I drilled out a hole top and bottom of the stock one, the same size, allowing 3x the air flow.
Attached Thumbnails
Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-026-stock-cover.jpg   Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-026-opened-up.jpg  

Last edited by windthrown; 21st December 2009 at 02:40 PM.
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Old 21st December 2009, 02:00 PM   #8
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Default Early to late 026 models

Here are three stages of Stihl 026 saws. The last and missing stage would be the final 260 non-PRO model that is discontinued. The early model had riveted Stihl tags on the top and starter, and an aluminum handle. They also have the smaller air filter that is shared with the mid-year model. The early and mid models also have the 44mm P&C. Some mid-year models have the aluminum handle, some have the composit ones like this one does. The late model is really the same as the 260 made today, with the composit handle and the 44.7mm P&C, as well as the wider air filter and low profile tank vent. Some have clear tanks, and some have white ones throught all the model years. More on some significant tank differences in another post in this thread. Note that all the 026 and 260 models, both pro and non-pro, have plastic cased starter housings, rather than metal as is the case of the other stihl Pro saws. Some, but not all of the 036 saws also had plastic starter covers. Saves weight, and they seem to hold up well over time.

My Three Saws Far left: early 026 model. Middle: mid year 026. Right: late 026 model.
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Last edited by windthrown; 21st December 2009 at 02:39 PM.
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Old 21st December 2009, 02:21 PM   #9
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Default Handle, vent and filter differences on the 026

One weakness with the 026 and 260 are the air filters. They are the plastic snap together type used in many of the Stihl homeowner line of saws. They come in fleece and screen types, the fleece (or flocked) type is considered the better at air filtration. Both styles have a back baffle to keep gas from spraying out of the back of the filter, and an internal lever actuated choke that is activated by the thumb lever. The air filters do not interchange between styles of saws; the newer wide filter requires a short gas tank vent. The narrow filter and cover is the same on the early and mid year models, except the knob is slightly different. The late cover and filter is the same as on the 260. There is no difference between the pro and non-pro 026/260 models here, other than the sticker).

This is the old and mid year fleece style air filter, back cover and tank vent. Note that the old style filter is narrower. This is becasue the tank vent is tall and narrow. The older style air filter also has the filter screws that stick out to catch/lock the older style air filter cover in place.


This is the newer later style fleece air filter, back cover and tank vent. The later air filter is wider, and many say that it is better (though I have not noticed much of a difference). It also has the low profile tank vent. The tank vents do not interchange between new and the old type handles. The back cover has a neater flip lock lever that is easier to actualte, and the air filter screws are flush and the cover locks into the filter plastic rather than the aluminum screws like the older model filter.
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Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-early-026-af.jpg   Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-later-026-260-af.jpg  
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Old 21st December 2009, 04:02 PM   #10
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

The muffler that is on my 026, is like the third picture that you posted. I can't remember what the muffler looked like on my 024. I'll have to see what it looks like.
Here is some pictures of my muffler modification, that I did on my 026. I removed the front grill from the face plate of the muffler, removed the screen, placed a piece of metal over the hole on the inside of the face plate, and using my MiG welder, I tack welded it into place, from the inside of the face plate.
I then ran beads of weld, over the hole of the muffler, from the out side of the face plate.
Once I had everything covered with weld, I used my angle grinder, and die grinder, to grind everything smooth.
I then drilled 4 holes, in the corners of the face plate, with a 1/4" drill bit, and followed it with a 5/16" drill bit. After that I mounted the face plate back onto the chain saw.
That sure made a huge difference, in the performance of the chain saw, power, torque, and speed was greatly increased, from stock. Some day, when I get better situated financially, I'll be going to try and do some porting, but that is way down the road, and when I learn a little bit more on the subject. Thanks. Bruce.
Attached Thumbnails
Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-hpim0809.jpg   Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-hpim0810.jpg   Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-hpim0811.jpg   Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-hpim0812.jpg   Stihl 026/260 mods and porting-hpim0813.jpg  
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Old 21st December 2009, 06:45 PM   #11
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Your approach is novel. However, I can see some problems with that type of muffler cover. One is that it does not have a spark arrester, and thus you would be busted using it here in summer months. Another is the back pressure wave reduction by having a radial and open ports to reduce back pressure. You need back pressure to keep the intake fuel mix from all leaking out the muffler when the exhaust port is open on the upstroke from BDC (bottom dead center). For that reason most mufflers have ports near the center, or on the sides/back of the mufflers, or both. They also tend to have metal plates perpendicular to the direction of the escaping gases in front or behind them. The idea is that the pressure wave bounces off the muffler plates and keeps back pressure higher. For that reason you want to reduce the overall direct open exits in the muffler. I think that you would be better off with one large port at the lower right side, or in the center. Or you could weld in small raised plates behind or outside of the holes and reflect the pressure wave, while alowing the gasses to escape.

For those reasons, I keep the muffler mods to the area behind the spark screen, and I keep them to about 3x the original port size. I take the less is more approach from my experience with riding 2 stroke dirt bikes. I did not show it, but I also cut away some of the metal baffle just outside the spark screen to open up the exhaust deflector area on the other side of the muffler cover. I do not go past the outside edge of the inside plate holes though. The outer deflector plate acts to reflect pressure waves. There is a give and take aspect to opening up mufflers, and if you really want them as open as yours, you need a tuned pipe that reflects pressure waves to push back on the exhaust gasses from the open axhaust port (that is the principle behind tuned exhaust stacks on hot saws).

The idea of 2-stroke pressure wave tuned exhausts is shown on this site:
Two Stroke motor - an overview
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Old 22nd December 2009, 08:16 PM   #12
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Hello. re holes in muffler if i opend the way out the front myn is the one on the inside which has the little holes either side top and bottom but had a plate at front, is it weong to drill holes thru the outer skin this would mean fumes could just go through and through? I was unsure however mde an 8 mm hole at top left hand side cheers
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Old 23rd December 2009, 01:22 AM   #13
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Quote:
Originally Posted by windthrown View Post
Your approach is novel. However, I can see some problems with that type of muffler cover. One is that it does not have a spark arrester, and thus you would be busted using it here in summer months. Another is the back pressure wave reduction by having a radial and open ports to reduce back pressure. You need back pressure to keep the intake fuel mix from all leaking out the muffler when the exhaust port is open on the upstroke from BDC (bottom dead center). For that reason most mufflers have ports near the center, or on the sides/back of the mufflers, or both. They also tend to have metal plates perpendicular to the direction of the escaping gases in front or behind them. The idea is that the pressure wave bounces off the muffler plates and keeps back pressure higher. For that reason you want to reduce the overall direct open exits in the muffler. I think that you would be better off with one large port at the lower right side, or in the center. Or you could weld in small raised plates behind or outside of the holes and reflect the pressure wave, while alowing the gasses to escape.

For those reasons, I keep the muffler mods to the area behind the spark screen, and I keep them to about 3x the original port size. I take the less is more approach from my experience with riding 2 stroke dirt bikes. I did not show it, but I also cut away some of the metal baffle just outside the spark screen to open up the exhaust deflector area on the other side of the muffler cover. I do not go past the outside edge of the inside plate holes though. The outer deflector plate acts to reflect pressure waves. There is a give and take aspect to opening up mufflers, and if you really want them as open as yours, you need a tuned pipe that reflects pressure waves to push back on the exhaust gasses from the open axhaust port (that is the principle behind tuned exhaust stacks on hot saws).

The idea of 2-stroke pressure wave tuned exhausts is shown on this site:
Two Stroke motor - an overview

To be honest with you (don't take any offence here please, and I don't want any hard feelings caused here), but, I got the instructions, for doing all my muffler modifications, to my chain saws, from a guy in Nova Scotia, that probably knows more about engines, chain saws, engine porting, and modifications to mufflers, of engines that you and I both put together.
He is a machinist, and a mechanic by trade. He has done muffler modifications, to all of his chain saws, and quite a few for others. He has also done a fair bit of engine porting gobs as well.
He has done a lot of extensive research on the subject, and a lot of testing, of his own to see what works best, for what particular engine.
He has an MS 440, that he has turned down crank shaft, to make it lighter, shaved the piston to do the same, and he dropped his cylinder, and opened up all the ports.
He also has the timing changed, and the carb bored, and he has installed a K&N filtering system. His chain is also race prepared.
Now with this particular muffler modification that I did, he told me that I could open up my 4 holes to 3/8", and still have more than enough back pressure for the chain saw to run without any problems with the air, fuel mixture intake, from leaking out, like you suggested above. I stopped at
5/16" with mine.
As for the spark arrest, I have to get some screening, and that will solve the problem, like you suggested above, and tack weld it into place for all of my mufflers.
Thanks. Bruce.
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Old 23rd December 2009, 08:28 AM   #14
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Well, I belive that you need more back pressure than you will get by having open ports like that in mufflers. That is my opinion, and my experience and education with 2-stroke engines, thermodynamics and modifications. One big reason that I do not post more of this kind of stuff is that I get a lot of conflicting posts, or feedback that contradicts common porting and muffler modding methods that are proven to work. It has lead to flame was on other forums, and well, what's the point in that?

Muffler mods and porting is an art. There are indeed various ways of doing the same thing, but some things can and will plain and simply ruin your engine, or cause them to have very little gains, or cause the, to run worse than stock. I have seen and run poorly ported engines, and I have seen and run screamers. The devil is in the details, and unless you can explain why you have done what you have done, or at least tested it with timed cuts or some method of verification of the gains in the mods, then it is hard to say that the saw mod has really done much.
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Old 23rd December 2009, 08:38 AM   #15
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

I forgot to add in post #9 above that the late model 026 and the 260 with the larger air filter also have the Stihl IntelliCarb compensating air intake hole in them. The intellicarb is designed to complensate for dirty air filters by adjusting the metering diaphragm in the carb to lean out the mix.
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Old 23rd December 2009, 10:07 AM   #16
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

windthrown, I was looking over the 026 when moving it today to put a 084 on the bench.

The black plastic wire filter looks like it is to open to me for any real filtering duties. is there suppose to be some kind of media stuff (fuzz) on the wire mesh screen to help keep out fine stuff?

What is a better filter for the early 026 where the screw stubs stick out like you stated?
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Old 23rd December 2009, 02:58 PM   #17
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Hopf View Post
The muffler that is on my 026, is like the third picture that you posted. I can't remember what the muffler looked like on my 024. I'll have to see what it looks like.
Here is some pictures of my muffler modification, that I did on my 026. I removed the front grill from the face plate of the muffler, removed the screen, placed a piece of metal over the hole on the inside of the face plate, and using my MiG welder, I tack welded it into place, from the inside of the face plate.
I then ran beads of weld, over the hole of the muffler, from the out side of the face plate.
Once I had everything covered with weld, I used my angle grinder, and die grinder, to grind everything smooth.
I then drilled 4 holes, in the corners of the face plate, with a 1/4" drill bit, and followed it with a 5/16" drill bit. After that I mounted the face plate back onto the chain saw.
That sure made a huge difference, in the performance of the chain saw, power, torque, and speed was greatly increased, from stock. Some day, when I get better situated financially, I'll be going to try and do some porting, but that is way down the road, and when I learn a little bit more on the subject. Thanks. Bruce.

Quote:
Originally Posted by windthrown View Post
Well, I belive that you need more back pressure than you will get by having open ports like that in mufflers. That is my opinion, and my experience and education with 2-stroke engines, thermodynamics and modifications. One big reason that I do not post more of this kind of stuff is that I get a lot of conflicting posts, or feedback that contradicts common porting and muffler modding methods that are proven to work. It has lead to flame was on other forums, and well, what's the point in that?

Muffler mods and porting is an art. There are indeed various ways of doing the same thing, but some things can and will plain and simply ruin your engine, or cause them to have very little gains, or cause the, to run worse than stock. I have seen and run poorly ported engines, and I have seen and run screamers. The devil is in the details, and unless you can explain why you have done what you have done, or at least tested it with timed cuts or some method of verification of the gains in the mods, then it is hard to say that the saw mod has really done much.
If you would take the time, to read the Last paragraph, in this post I made above (in red), you would see that I did note a huge difference with my muffler modification, before I did the modification, and after I did the muffler modification.
The gains after the modification, of power, torque, and faster cutting, after I did the modification. I did note this as well in my post, above. So I can say that yes that the modification to the muffler the way that I did mine, has increased the preformance of this chain saw greatly after the modification, and No it is not hard to say, that the modification to this muffler, has done much. Thanks. Bruce.
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2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
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Old 23rd December 2009, 11:00 PM   #18
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

I believe you Bruce. I did up a stock MS290 with just a muffler mod and gained 23% in quicker cut times after carb re-tune, in just a 20 min muffler mod for no cost.
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Old 24th December 2009, 06:42 AM   #19
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Quote:
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windthrown, I was looking over the 026 when moving it today to put a 084 on the bench.

The black plastic wire filter looks like it is to open to me for any real filtering duties. is there suppose to be some kind of media stuff (fuzz) on the wire mesh screen to help keep out fine stuff?

What is a better filter for the early 026 where the screw stubs stick out like you stated?
The wire mesh ones are only supposed to be used in winter conditions, like in snow and ice, or when sawdust is not an issue. They should be avoided unless you have some clean cutting conditions. That may have led to the unusual demise of your piston there, sucking up some bits of sand or something like that. The 361 has a similar optional wire mesh filter, as do many other Stihl saws.

On the early model 026, the fleece air filter PN is 1121 120 1612 and on the newer 026/260 models with the intellicarb it is 1121 120 1618. They are about $30 each from dealers and online (spendy). I got some aftermarket ones for less than half that online that seem to work OK. Not as good for build quality maybe, but they work. These are the generic ones I got on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Air-Filter-for-Stihl-024-026-1121-120-1612_W0QQitemZ370267990417QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5635b12991
The ad says that they are the newer style, but they are not. They are the older style. I corrected the Bailey's error on their filters listed on their site. They had not accounted for the intellicarb changes. Note also that the 024 has a shorter stubby AF that should be avoided, as the surface area is a lot smaller. I do not go into the 024s here, as they are uncommon.
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Old 24th December 2009, 07:23 AM   #20
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Hopf View Post
[/COLOR]


If you would take the time, to read the Last paragraph, in this post I made above (in red), you would see that I did note a huge difference with my muffler modification, before I did the modification, and after I did the muffler modification.
The gains after the modification, of power, torque, and faster cutting, after I did the modification. I did note this as well in my post, above. So I can say that yes that the modification to the muffler the way that I did mine, has increased the preformance of this chain saw greatly after the modification, and No it is not hard to say, that the modification to this muffler, has done much. Thanks. Bruce.
I did take the time, Bruce. Yes indeed, you make some qualitative statements about the improvements. But there is no quantitative information there as to what the improvements actually were. No measurements on any gains, before, after or otherwise. All I read here is that your saw runs better. No timed cuts, video, or measuements before or after. You show photos of the mods, and that is great. But there are no results that I can value the mods with.

What I am trying to avoid here is the issue where saws are claimed to run better, and indeed they seem to run better, but in reality they may or may not actually run better. Racing saws and timed cuts has the benefit of instantly tossing aside the BS factor. I see dubious claims in ads about new saws all the time. For example, the ads that claim that the 362 is so much better than earlier models saws. Ah, but no specific head to head comparisons by Stihl in the ad comparing the 362 to the 361. Why is that? I also see a lot of guys making mods to saws, and they claim that they run great. And the next thing I see is that they have the same saws for sale, or they want to trade for the exact same non-modded saw. Which gets me thinking that the mods they made were nor really that great, or they actually were detrimental to the saw in some critical way that they are covering up.

The reason that I get into this is that modding and porting can change your saw in a lot of ways. You can greatly change the power band in a two-stroke saw by porting it. Changing the mechanical timing in a saw can really do some interesting things in a saw. However, the changes may actually drop the power at WOT, or change the torque band, or drop torque in the cut at WOT while increasing chain speed. You can also screw usp a saw by porting it wrong, and by modding the muffler wrong. There are a lot of variables. I am interested in the changes that make the best improvements here, what the improvements are, and why. Which is the goal of this thread. My grandmother can drill random holes in a muffler, and it may actually improve its performance. But why, and what were the actual gains?
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Old 24th December 2009, 11:43 AM   #21
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Naw a c-clip came out of the 026 I picked up off last owner.

I could clean the piston up. But I want a new OEM for a piece of mind.
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Old 25th December 2009, 05:22 AM   #22
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

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Originally Posted by windthrown View Post
I did take the time, Bruce. Yes indeed, you make some qualitative statements about the improvements. But there is no quantitative information there as to what the improvements actually were. No measurements on any gains, before, after or otherwise. All I read here is that your saw runs better. No timed cuts, video, or measuements before or after. You show photos of the mods, and that is great. But there are no results that I can value the mods with.

What I am trying to avoid here is the issue where saws are claimed to run better, and indeed they seem to run better, but in reality they may or may not actually run better. Racing saws and timed cuts has the benefit of instantly tossing aside the BS factor. I see dubious claims in ads about new saws all the time. For example, the ads that claim that the 362 is so much better than earlier models saws. Ah, but no specific head to head comparisons by Stihl in the ad comparing the 362 to the 361. Why is that? I also see a lot of guys making mods to saws, and they claim that they run great. And the next thing I see is that they have the same saws for sale, or they want to trade for the exact same non-modded saw. Which gets me thinking that the mods they made were nor really that great, or they actually were detrimental to the saw in some critical way that they are covering up.

The reason that I get into this is that modding and porting can change your saw in a lot of ways. You can greatly change the power band in a two-stroke saw by porting it. Changing the mechanical timing in a saw can really do some interesting things in a saw. However, the changes may actually drop the power at WOT, or change the torque band, or drop torque in the cut at WOT while increasing chain speed. You can also screw usp a saw by porting it wrong, and by modding the muffler wrong. There are a lot of variables. I am interested in the changes that make the best improvements here, what the improvements are, and why. Which is the goal of this thread. My grandmother can drill random holes in a muffler, and it may actually improve its performance. But why, and what were the actual gains?
I never thought about making a before, or after video of the performance of my 026 prior and after the modification to the muffler.
However I did a comparison between my 024, and the 026. When I had my 024 all apart, to do the necessary clean up, and repaired a couple things on my 024, I did the muffler modification, instead of removing it again, and putting it back on the chain saw.
After cutting with my 024 for a while, I used my 026, and I thought that it cut as slow as Molasses in January, and was as lazy as a pet coon in February . Basically had no balls what so ever. Gutless as all get out.
But after the modification I did to my 026, the exact same modification to my 024, as directed to me by pioneerguy600 on AS (you probably know, or heard of him), that chain saw came to life, and grew a huge set of balls, to boot.
I've located another 026 parts saw, and what I might, and try do, is see if I can pick that 026 up, put the stock face plate from that chain saw, onto my 026, do a few cuts with a video, and put my face plate back onto my 026, and make a few cuts with it then, and show the difference in cutting speeds, between the two muffler covers.
Now with my 044, I did the muffler modification to it as well, prior to running the chain saw (had to put new main bearings, gasket kit, P&C kit), I too did the muffler modification to it, as directed by pioneerguy600.
I adjusted the carburetor, by ear, had a little warble to it at WOT, out of the wood) tested it with a friends digital ta ch, and it was 15480 RPM's, while stock is 13500 RPM's, so I'm going to see if I can find another muffler to fit, and do the same thing with it.
My 034, I have another muffler here that I will put on the chain saw, and do a couple comparison videos of it, and we'll see what the difference is between the two of them as well.
I'll let you know when I have the test videos done, and posted on You Tube, I'll post here, with the links. Bruce.
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Old 25th December 2009, 02:32 PM   #23
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

A video is nice. Hard to dispute them. Timed cuts like Cut 4 Fun posts are usually good enough though. I have done 290 muffler mods myself, and those saws wake up with muffler mods because the stock mufflers have really tiny exhaust holes in them. I am going to do a set of timed 026 cuts using the muffler mod from the 2 muffler covers in post #7 above. I will swap the muffler covers on the same saw, with the same B&C, and re-tune the carb after swapping the covers to 3300 idle, and 14,000 peak RPM out of the wood. Dead on one-one comparison. I did that with my 290 and I got 20% faster cuts. But the mod was not as aggressive as I could have done. I sold that modded muffler to an AS friend, and the ex has the 290 with the stock muffler on it.

I still have the stock cover for my 044, and the 046 factory dual port cover for it. I can do the same tests as the 026 on the 044 with both muffler covers. But then, this is the 026 mods thread...
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Old 27th December 2009, 01:40 AM   #24
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Smile Re: Muffler mods

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Originally Posted by windthrown View Post
There are a few types of stock mufflers out there on the stock 026 and 260s. Some are more open, and some are all choked up. There are also a few types of covers, and some have larger holes and some have smaller ones. Here are a couple of photos of stock 026 mufflers that I have on mine.

This ons is fully open in the muffler, and farily open holes on the cover. This is the best breathing stock muffler, and really does not need a mod:


Here is one that is choked up inside, and has small holes in the cover. this is the worst of the stock 026 mufflers and cover plates, and they beg to be drilled out.

I drilled five 3/16 inch holes in the end of the baffle inside the muffler, and 4 holes in the cover plate in the raised area so that the exhaust will still be screened (we have a lot of fire restrictions here in summer). Now that saw can breathe. It woke that saw right up. I did not take any 'after mod' photos of that one, and I sold it on an 026 a few weeks ago. I should have taken photos, but WTF. It is not the muffler that you want to run with or modify anyway. Get rid of them.
thanks for posting these mods i have 2 of wat you described as the worst mufflers so heres what i did in writing. Drilled and filed 90% of the front plate then put two 8mm holes at either side of top of the cover plate. Great sound both saws one a bit more worn than the other but both sound a bit like a 250 motor cross at the start line. I can always richen them out a little if they stop 4 stroking but they seem a lot quicker.
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Old 27th December 2009, 11:33 AM   #25
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Is it that hard to start a new thread on porting a particular type of saw?

I mean really, we go off on all kinds of tangents and people get lost in these long winded threads. I do not wanna wade through posts about Husky or Homelites in a Stihl 026 thread myself. To me that is the idea of having subject threads... If you wanna read about the 361 mods, go to the 361 options and mods thread. Ooooh la la! Lookey there, all kinds of stuff about the 361. If you wanna read through all kinds of insanely unrelated stuff, go to the Husky 346 thread.

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Old 28th December 2009, 08:04 AM   #26
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Sorry, but you made this an AS thread long time ago, when you bashed the way I did my muffler modification in your posts #11, #14, and #20. Just because that you are an engineer, doesn't make you a lot smarter that anyone else, or know more about a subject, than anyone else either.
I told you prior, that I got the instructions from a guy in Nova Scotia, that has been a Machinist, and a Mechanic for over 40 years, that has forgotten more about engines, engine porting, and muffler modifications, than you and I both put together, but you still insisted that the way I did my modification was no good. Didn't have enough back pressure you said, and kept at it.
How do you know if the way I did my modification isn't any good or not? Did you try and do your modification the way I did mine? If not, you had better go, and do one like it I did mine, and prove that it doesn't work, or have enough back pressure
Saying I believe that on idea doesn't, or won't work, or it's set up wrong, and not even trying to do your own testing, yourself on something, is something else. Research is one thing, but putting it into practical use is also another.
I too have a great deal of experience with engines. Gas Engines, Diesel Engines, Two Stroke Engines, it doesn't matter, I've been around them all of my life, here on the farm, worked on them, done complete over hauls on them, and I have ran them, for longer than I can remember.
Owned and operated my own trucking company for over 11 years, and I did almost 90% of all the work to my highway trucks.
Here on the Farm, I've done complete engine over hauls to diesel engine, gas engines, complete clutch, and transmission over hauls to tractors, and To many gas, and two stroke engines, so don't think that I'm going to be a push over, like you think I am.
Heck, I even have a Authorized Factory Service Certificate from Stihl Canada, and they just don't hand those anyone. They have to feel confident, that you know your stuff, and if their not confident that you don't know your stuff, it's see ya.
They will call the dealership, and threaten to pull out, if a person that is working for them, is not certified to work on their product, and equipment, they will pull out of that location. I seen it happen, so don't try and tell me any different.
I know that the way I did the modifications of my chain saws work, and why should I prove to anyone else any different? Maybe you don't know, or haven't heard this before, "There is more than one way to skin a cat", or more than one way to do a job. Have a good one. Bruce.
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1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).
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Old 28th December 2009, 01:22 PM   #27
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

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I feel you are one of the few here that act like AS types IMHO. If you feel its your little piece of sand box to play in have at it.
Yah, me and Eric here... and a few other trusted members in this sand box, indeed. And yes, we are trying to keep this place sorted out and a better place for people to use, and avoid the shit that goes on over on AS.

AS types? Oh man, that is low.... you come on here and wanna stomp around and pick fights already, eh?
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Old 28th December 2009, 01:52 PM   #28
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

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Sorry, but you made this an AS thread long time ago, when you bashed the way I did my muffler modification in your posts #11, #14, and #20.
Yes Bruce, I do have opinions about your mods that you cross posted from your thread to this one. I did not comment on your post in your own thread. I left it be. *You* cross posted it here. So I made my opinion known about it then. And I did that simply becasue I have never seen that type of mod, *ever* (I have seen hundreds of modified saws). It also goes against what I know about porting 2-stroke saws. In theory and in practice. I have also torn down a lot of engines, from tiny Cox 2-strokes to General Dynamics F-16 GE turbo fan engines. As I posted above, if your gains are that great, I suggested that you post the results of the gains. Instead of getting all hot and bothered about it, just post the results in terms of numbers. Its that simple. Walk the walk, dude.

If you want, you can also add me to your ignore list, and be done with it. It is that simple on this forum. That way you will not read my posts and be so personally offended by my opinions. I will not haunt you like your ex-GF, and I will not call at all hours of the night. And hey... this thread has gone to complete shit now. I guess that I will have Eric just remove it. I will leave the saw engine porting to all of you experts out there and leave it at that.
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Old 29th December 2009, 08:43 AM   #29
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

Respect others view please, moving on.....
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Old 30th December 2009, 09:39 PM   #30
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Default Re: Stihl 026/260 mods and porting

You know, I feel this thread needs fixing.

But I am out of my area of expertise to do it, and don't know you all so cant make the call.

I have one key thing to say.

Treeworld is here to sort shit from clay, if there's bullshit here it needs to be shown for what it is.

Anyone up to the task of fixing this thread? Pointing out the bullshit? Speak up, you'll get the job but you need to know your shit.

Sorry to be so blunt, but serious, we're adults here not 7 year olds fighting over lollies in a school yard.
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