Stihl V.S. Husqavarna

rbtree

Lots of talk in this thread that's wrong. As of 2010 or 11, the only current saws that will be in the lineup are the new XTorq Husky and strato charged Stihl models. Redmax had this first, and, so, Husqvarna bought Redmax. The current models include the pro 441 Stihl, and 575/576 Stihl. These saws run leaner, cleaner, sip less fuel, but are heavier than comparable older models. They also don't respond to mods as well. So, for people like me who mostly run ported saws, and like light weight, they are a disappointment.

rbtree

Not so.....I prefer the husky 338XPT and Jonsered CS 2139T. The latest saws are stellar, all the old problems are solved. My dual port muffler 2139 has a fair bit more torque and a bit more cut speed than a 200T with the screen removed. And costs $250 less. Great saws!

Personally, I own many kinds of saws and like most all of them.

Climb saws: 200T, 2139, both very good, 192T if ported is excellent, I've heard the Dolmar 3410TH is a fine saw....

3 cube: Dolmar 5100S, Husky 346XP NE are awesome...the old 346XP is phenomenal when ported...all are better than the venerable 026/260..Lightest of the bunch is the Shindaiwa 488...old design, well built.

3.5-4 cube: Husky 357 and 359 are good, the Stihl 361 is great. Ported by the right builder, and the 359 will come out on top.

4-5 cube: Solo 681 is the new kid in town, almost the same as the Dolmar 7900, a tad faster. Stihl 460 is good, Husky 372 is awesome, a tad slower, but faster than the discontinued star perfomer 044/440 Stihl....441 Atihl is too heavy as is the 575. The new 576 sounds great a tad lighter and peppier. Prolly a bit slower than the 7900.

5-6 cube: Husky 385 is good, but heavy, and slower than a stock 681/7900. The 390 Stihl apparantly, like the 372, makes monster gains when ported. (The 681 and 7900 are hotter in stock form, so gain less when ported.)

The 660 Stihl is great as long as the dual port muffler is added (same with the 460) Husky 395 is too heavy, but a torque monster.

Big saws: 3120 husky or 880 Stihl..very similar in power and build quality.




Saws in my arsenal:

Stihl

192T, one woods ported, one muffler modded
200T
034S mounted to my Simpson capstan winch
660
056 Magnum Super ll

Husky
335 Cali (2) muffler ported
346XP woods ported
357, 372, ported...both stolen Buying more from a friend who has gone out of biz. all are ported.
372XPG stock awaiting porting
3120 ported
3120 mounted to an Alpine Magnum stump grinder

Jonsered

CS 2139T muffler mod will be buying 1-2 more to beat the price increase...same saw as the 338, but available cheaper for some reason.


Dolmar/Makita

5100S ported
5100S muffler modded
7900 modded
7901 awaiting porting
6401 awaiting the 7901 mod

Shindaiwa
488, ported

Solo
651SP (in Crapsman green) ported

My friend has more saws for sale....if anyone's interested, let me know....346, 357, 372, 385, 395..prolly all ported.....and climb gear

SawTroll

Problem is that the extra torque doesn't show up in independent dyno tests - and Stihl has a similar design (MS441).


This really is about stratified saw engines, that are mostly made for environmental reasons (EPA etc) reasons, not as a true improvement vs. conventional designes.

So far, the "strato" saws have been a bit low on power to weight........

SawTroll

You are right again, except a small misprint (corrected in the quote )....

SawTroll

Corrected another misprint, in an otherwise great post - LOL.......

rbtree

Thanks Troll!! reckon this ole brain been's fartin' agin...

Grizzly

I've had my saw since 05 and I work them hard every day with a 3 man crew beating the hell out of my 200 t's and they are still running just like they did when I first bought them. Besides the wear and tear parts like cluthes covers bars and chains. They still whale.

__________________

mikesworld

i own a husky 55 cuts about 25 loads of fire wood a year no tree to small nor to big ,the const co i work for uses only stihls .2 pulls my saw starts crank till yer arm falls off on the stihls and running a stihl all day way too much weight .husky for the money hard to beat but watch youtube on that dolmar 7900 now thats a beast 499 and 109 bucks for the big jug and pistion 49 for the over sized filter at baileysonline just my 2 cents

arborjockey

So torn on buying a new saw. I've had my 338xp for 5-6yrs. Its used on side jobs only. For work i have always been issued a 200t. 100s of removals on the 338 and droped twice NEVER a problem not one. I run top dollar, motocycle synthetic oil in 92 octane/. I clean and sharpen regularly(not as much as i would like). Its definatly tired and needs a rebuild. I could send the barrel in to get recoated(better then stock) and pick up a piston/ring ect. But you know when i looked at the cylinder its great. Im sure the ring end gap is a little excessive and may catch a port one day but the ol girls doin fine. I'v been working with an old logger who litteraly owns 1,000s of saws and he hates the 200t for the simple fact that the ergonomics are the worst he has ever felt. Handle bar position and feel are horrible to him. He has a brand new one that i run because he wont touch it. George said he didnt care if that saw had 5hp he wold run a poulan befor the 200t. Oh yeah george is a die hard stihl guy. I will admit the 200t does out run my husky yet the husky has been 100% reliable were the stihls have let me down. Im sure their are 100 guys out there with the same story yet the other way around. This is just my experience. Know the price of the stihl is $579 and the husky went up extremely to $499. tough choice.


Can anyone lead me in the direction of a 440 size saw. I have a 361. The 440 im using(barrowed) is Great but now theirs a 441 that seems to be garbage. The 660 is out of price range. and last what is huskys answer to the 440? Go ahead and get technical im a master tech mechanic for honda pwr equip and certified by all major japanese motorcycle manufacteres. saws are my next venture

rbtree

You can't recoat a jug.

If you decide to re-ring the saw, check for crank bearing play first. One of mine, the old saw that was abnormally powerful, gave up a couple years back.

If the bearings are tight, dismantle the saw, and check the piston for wear. It may not need replacing, just the ring. However, you will have seen that the saw is a clamshell design, and must be reassembled with good gasket sealer, and well applied.

When that's done, port your muffler and the little saw will become a 200T killer. look for my video at youtube called "Climb saw comparison"

If you want a new saw, call Bob here:
Ashokan Turf & Timber, Inc. - Shokan, NY, 12481 - Citysearch Tell him I sent ya!!

He'll sell you a 2139T Jonsered for about $400. It's the same saw, but prettier in red and black!!

The best 5 cube saws are the Solo 681 and Dolmar 7900. Next is the 372 Husky. Last, and most expensive, is the 441 Stihl. The 460 is better. The new 576 Husky is lighter and peppier than the 575, but still is outshone by the Solo and Dolmar.
If you're on a budget, call all local Home Depots and ask when they'll be selling their rental 6400 Dolmars. Same saw as the 7900 if you buy a 7900 jug from a Dolmar dealer bud (also in NY state) or the cheaper oversize one from Bailey's. (Quality is still dubious) You might also find the 6400's on ebay.

__________________
http://www.??????.com/photos/rbtree

arborjockey

Thanx a million for the info I'll take as much as i can get. I have some mechanic friends that have been porting small engines for years. They race go karts in Northern california and are master tech mechanics for Suzuki. I was the parts manager for 2 years there. the old huskys gunnah get sent to them. Where do i get an exhaust pipe and why cant you re nickasil the cylinder?

rbtree

The 338 is a clamshell design. Can't deck the cylinder to improve compression and reduce squish. I had a couple of them ported, and it isn't worth it. The gains are minimal compared to the huge gain from porting the muffler.

Can't redo the chrome cylinder coating (or nikasil for that matter) Some racers send cylinders in to be redone, but it is cost prohibitive. Requires completely remachining the bore, and then recoating. Some do ceramics.

Besides, your cylinder is fine,as you noted. I've run these saws since they came out about 1996, and none ever have had cylinder damage or wear. And, its a lot of work to tear them down. I did replace piston and ring once.

By the way the new edition 338 and 2139 are more reliable than the first ones, which weren't much better than the early 335's, which were fraught with problems. No more!!

Have a welder add a short tube just below the existing port, 9/16th ID, facing 45 degrees down. Cut hole in plastic to accomodate. No need for it to stick out, so you don't get burned when hanging it on your hip. Retune carb to maintain about 13, 800 rpm and be amazed (I assume you watched the video....

__________________
http://www.??????.com/photos/rbtree

Bruce Hopf

Just a question, and don't take this the wrong way or nothing OK, but if you have that much experience with motorcycle engines, why wouldn't you go out and buy something that you can fix up your self, like an 044 or something along that line of power in a Stihl, Husky, or Dolmar.
I did that with all my Stihl chain saws, except my 026, it was a runner I picked up for a neighbour of mine, and he changed his mind after I got it, so I kept it.
I have just under $400.00 tied up in my 044, compared to a new chain saw. I put in a new P&C Kit (aftermarket), new main bearing and seal kits, carburetor kit, and a new chain and bar. Basically a new chain saw, for half the price of a new one. Just a thought. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
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).

arborjockey

I'v been searching craigs list for some time. Seems to be a tough battle. I have no idea what people run for fuel out here but most saws i looked at are shot. Theirs no way im caughing up as much $ as these people want for used stihl. The cylinders are scratched and the people are wanting 20% LESS THEN NEW. I understand Stihl is gods brand but ill get new for that. I travel so much its easyier to barrow or rent big saws. We have a big saw on the farm. But thats the farms. I agree with a fixer upper 044 magnum is my move but their hard to find The weight is enough to ship ahead of me. I had plans to modify my new 361 but its crap. DONT BUY A 361

kiwi_tree_steve

ok, ive always been a Stihl man myself...however, after spending the last couple of days on my new to me Huskie 288xp 25" bar with full chisel chain, that a mate practically gave me ($100.00). shes not bad im not realy sure it replaces any Stihl in my kit, but it defiantly has to be there!! saves lugin the 066 with the 33" bar everywere!

i kinda put in in between my ms460 and ms660 power wise

__________________
"You have to feel and touch a tree" Shigo

whitedogone

chevy... ford

arborjockey

Dodge or Jeep Wait they dont make those anymore

rockinsthil

sthil all the way

rbtree

Sorry to break this to ya, rockinsthil.....but it is spelled S T I H L

As for the rest of your moniker.....

I used to ski 50-80 days a year, most nights spent in my Dodge van in the Crystal Mt parking lot...
"Don't bother knockin' if this vans rockin' " was a good theme song....

Oh, this is not the molehill that is Crystal Mt, Mi... but the real one....with 40 chutes over 40 degrees...and runs like: Brain Damage, Lobotomy, Pinball, Exterminator, Twat Slot, Orgasm Meadows, Spook Hill, Rock Face.....and Death Chute..

__________________
http://www.??????.com/photos/rbtree

Rhett Nicholas

Dude what about the MS 640 and the Ms 650 dont you think they might give your 385xp a run for its money