Help me understand my stihl 066,660,and 661

[air1514]

My 661 has been junk from the get go. It's been to the dealer so many times. Stihl wouldn't trade it for a different saw. Anyway.... I took an early style 066 with the aluminum flywheel and the jug and piston from a 660. And put them together.  The saw is by far my favorite. It runs and pulls way better than my 660 or 661 ever have and I bought both new.   Why is this? Did I just get lucky? I've got 2 more aluminum fly wheel crank cases that I would rebuild if I thought they would run like this one does.

[air1514]

I rebuilt a 660 and it doesn't impress me at all. Not sure what I could've done to make it run better besides porting. It's got a cheap crank kit but a meteor piston and jug. A cheap carb and cheap coil. I bet the cheap coil is part of its problem

[HolmenTree]

Early 066 was the gangbuster.I got a 1992 066 Mag Red Light and a '96 066 with the first year decomp . The Red light is the strongest.
I've always bought factory OEM, except once a after market top handle  for my 066 and it bent like a noodle.

[starmac]

A friend of mine bought the first red light 066 sold in New Mexico, the dealer even tried to talk him out of ordering it, claiming it was not a proven saw. He was used to an 056 and the 066 scared him, I ran it the first two weeks or so much more than he did.

[jhoward60]

I was recently gifted an 066, and after a bit of clean up it runs great. It came with 2 32 inch bars, a 28 inch, and three chains. Your comment about that handle "bending like a noodle" would give anyone nightmares...glad you were not injured! Thanks to all here for your wisdom and experience!

[teakwood]

I have a 1997 066 and it is one heck of a saw! still runs strong and i have cut 1000s of fenceposts from ironwood 1000kg/m3 lengthwise 

[AdkStihl]

My 661 has been junk from the get go. It's been to the dealer so many times. Stihl wouldn't trade it for a different saw. Anyway.... I took an early style 066 with the aluminum flywheel and the jug and piston from a 660. And put them together.  The saw is by far my favorite. It runs and pulls way better than my 660 or 661 ever have and I bought both new.   Why is this? Did I just get lucky? I've got 2 more aluminum fly wheel crank cases that I would rebuild if I thought they would run like this one does.

How many tanks of fuel have you run through the 661?
What size bar you running on it?
There has been a coil update and an intake boot update. If your dealer was any kind of dealer, he would have swapped these items under warranty.
Maybe he could also try swapping the solenoid.
Love my 661.
Doesnt spool up as fast as my flat top 066, but it definitely has more broad power range.
Much smoother to cut with as well.

[knuckledragger]

I don't own a 066 or 661. The reason for my post is point out once again that, machines that are mass produced are subject to have problems. As cranky as the Stihl quality control people are Stihl will put into circulation one that is not just right. I'm not singling Stihl out. Stihl happened to be the brand in conversation. I associate with handful of loggers that run 066&661. These guys boast about the saws. It maybe that they are trying to convince themselves that the 066&661 can cut with my 064AV. Put the saw down for a while. Stop running the saw but don't stop thinking bout the saw. A solution will come, but it won't be the one you expect.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I had an 066 for many years. It was a powerful saw. Recently I went back to using a Grandberg chansawmill and 42" bar for milling slabs. The 066 died and I went right out and bought a 661 m-tronic. This saw is everything my old 066 was and more. I have no regrets about purchasing this saw.

[air1514]

I ended up taking the 660 that I had just rebuilt and wasn't impressed with apart and porting it some. I wouldn't call it porting... I just widened the in and out and the muffler hole and cleaned up transfer ports some. The saw runs awesome now!  I'm very pleased with it.   It's now my preferred saw.               As for my 661.... it's sitting on a bench, waiting for me to decide to mess with it.  I've got a pretty bad taste in my mouth from spending so much money on a saw I've had nothing but problems with.  I really like all the new features on the 661s but mine is such a rich running pig that it has no power in the cut. And the bog when coming off idle while limbing is more than I can stand at times.

[air1514]

I've read enough and been told enough about the 661s to be pretty sure that I just got a lemon saw. I've been told that all stihl saws have always been that way. Sometimes you get a good one sometimes a dud. The thing that really worries me is that I know a guy that has bought three 661s and two of them are junk. He says they run so rich that can't stand the exaust to run them.    So i think I'll just stick with my 660s, at least until my hands can't take the vibration any more

[wild262]

I’ve read enough and been told enough about the 661s to be pretty sure that I just got a lemon saw. I’ve been told that all stihl saws have always been that way. Sometimes you get a good one sometimes a dud. The thing that really worries me is that I know a guy that has bought three 661s and two of them are junk. He says they run so rich that can’t stand the exaust to run them.    So i think I’ll just stick with my 660s, at least until my hands can’t take the vibration any more

If that guys 661's are running that rich, that should be a relatively easy fix by adjusting the carb.  Unless its electronic.  If nothing else, do a muffler mod.  That should equalize it out some.    Just my 2 cents. 

[air1514]

They are electronic. That's the problem.  I'm gonna try porting mine some and moding the muffler.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

What does the dealer say.

Did you get the 2 year warranty?

Jon

[BLink]

I obtained a 660 Magnum and an MS660 today.
He felt the Magnum was dogging down and no longer has the power it used to have. He said it is a 2009 version.

The MS660 runs good, if it will start. Sometimes it will run fine but sometimes it will not restart after refueling or just shutting it off. It is less than a year old.

Any thoughts or solutions?