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Official MS261CM vs 550XP test

Started by HolmenTree, June 06, 2017, 10:46:34 PM

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PNWRusty

Quote from: HolmenTree on August 16, 2017, 05:24:26 PM
Good news !!  the general manager decided to replace my 550XP with a brand new one.

I thought they would come around. Too bad it took so much hemming and hawing though.

Now the official test can begin once again!   smiley_clapping smiley_chop smiley_bull_stomp 

HolmenTree

This new 550 will have some catching up to do, now that the 261 is near broke in. ;D
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Quote from: PNWRusty on August 16, 2017, 08:30:52 PM
Quote from: HolmenTree on August 16, 2017, 05:24:26 PM
Good news !!  the general manager decided to replace my 550XP with a brand new one.

I thought they would come around. Too bad it took so much hemming and hawing though.

Now the official test can begin once again!   smiley_clapping smiley_chop smiley_bull_stomp
Yeah I guess they couldn't  bluff or make anymore excuses once I had the general manager involved.

But I do know their shop was extremely busy this summer changing bottom ends on outboard motors.
This year our lakes were up 3 to 4 feet above normal hiding lots of rock reefs.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ButchC

You have been more patient with that dealer than I would have been but glad they are finally making it right.  Also hope you get a good one this time as my 550 gets a favored spot on the saw rack, been a good saw and handles nicely when working in the branches.
Peterson JP swing mill
Morbark chipper
Shop built firewood processor
Case W11B
Many chainsaws, axes, hatchets,mauls,
Antique tractors and engines, machine shop,wife, dog,,,,,that's about it.

HolmenTree

I think I got a good 550XP this time Butch.
This one is a April/May built saw. Unit #351 built in the 20th week of 2016.
Only put a tank of fuel through it so far today and it's meeting my expectations with a good strong high rpm WOT already.
This is it's first tree, a sappy white spruce dripping sap everywhere including on the saw on this hot day.



  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ButchC

Quote from: HolmenTree on August 17, 2017, 03:31:15 PM

This is it's first tree, a sappy white spruce dripping sap everywhere including on the saw on this hot day.


Yuk, I have worked in various Pine and Spuce just enough to be glad that 99% of my chainsaw work is in Appalachian hardwoods, ;D
Peterson JP swing mill
Morbark chipper
Shop built firewood processor
Case W11B
Many chainsaws, axes, hatchets,mauls,
Antique tractors and engines, machine shop,wife, dog,,,,,that's about it.

HolmenTree

About 80% of the wood I cut is spruce, pine, balsam fir and tamarack. My saws don't look pretty, I'd have to clean them every night which I don't  ;D

Not much to report today guys, I broke a main leaf spring on my work trailer last night.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

630red

glad you got sorted out in the end.but it was sloppy service on their side

HolmenTree

Quote from: 630red on August 18, 2017, 06:13:31 PM
glad you got sorted out in the end.but it was sloppy service on their side
Yes I'm not impressed either 630.
  I'm probably the first end-user they met in about 25 years who makes a living with a saw and had no idea how to handle me.

No wood cutting today or tomorrow, as I'm in the shop doing equipment repairs. Just a "mid  season getting everthing back in order."

I posted this on the 572XP thread but should be on this thread too.
This is what my 550XP owner's manual says how to start the saw after it's warmed up.
How can a company put a saw on the market for all these years now and expect the customer to go through all these steps to start it after being warmed up??
This new 550XP I just got runs alot better then the first one, but even after cutting up that one spruce tree....I had to set the fast idle to get it to start after fully warmed up.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ButchC

I agree, lots of steps and should be easier.. the model has been out too long to still be saddled with such things,
I have my 550 figured out, which frankly took a while and now I wont take it back for updates being afraid that they will screw up my routine.  Biggest hurdle I face is luke warm starts. Cold is easy, just like old times, pull to it pops, take choke off and it starts. Hot restarts are easy as falling down, pull the rope and it runs. The restart that will "get ya" is a luke warm one such as when the saw has sat for 15  minutes, It wont hit a lick on low idle, sometimes it will start on fast idle but most often you need to choke it for a couple pulls then take it off. If you choke waiting for it to pop you just flooded it. 

I like the 550 for a lot of reasons but it sure wasn't love after the first date let me tell ya.
Peterson JP swing mill
Morbark chipper
Shop built firewood processor
Case W11B
Many chainsaws, axes, hatchets,mauls,
Antique tractors and engines, machine shop,wife, dog,,,,,that's about it.

Woodcutter_Mo

 I notice it indicates not to use the decompression valve, is that common practice with all saws with a de-comp valve? I don't recall seeing that in any of my other saw manuals but maybe I just didn't read that far.  :-[
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

HolmenTree

Good post Butch.
My biggest dilemma with my 562 and 550 hot start issues is when they run out of fuel.

The AutoTune does a wonderful job of using up the last drop of fuel by adjusting the fuel delivery so efficiently that I don't notice it's running out of gas.

My older saws give me a warning, even my new MS261CM gives a quick High rev warning before going back to adjusting the declining fuel flow.
But when you run a Auto tune's tank dry they are really hard to stop from flooding after refueling.
I guess I have to pump the primer bulb 15 times to cool the carb down , from the latest information I found from Husqvarna.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Quote from: Woodcutter_Mo on August 22, 2017, 10:23:43 AM
I notice it indicates not to use the decompression valve, is that common all saws with a de-comp valve? I don't recall seeing that in any of my other saw manuals but maybe I just didn't read that far.  :-[
Just for the Husqvarna AutoTune as far as I know. Maybe some of the older MTronics
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

John Mc

Quote from: Woodcutter_Mo on August 22, 2017, 10:23:43 AM
I notice it indicates not to use the decompression valve, is that common practice with all saws with a de-comp valve? I don't recall seeing that in any of my other saw manuals but maybe I just didn't read that far.  :-[

I've been told that all saws fire better when the decomp is not used - assuming you can pull them over.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

HolmenTree

A little update this morning on the 550XP.
On stump removal  today but gave the 550 a good run yesterday in a half dozen spruce.
Only got up to a high of 70F and future forecasts doesn't show any more 90F, so the 550 may have dodged the test.

I'm a little spoiled after running the MS261C as the 550 master control switch takes that extra step to set the fast idle after setting the choke to start from cold.
550XP is only into its second tank of fuel and is starting to perform nice. First couple of trees I could hear the AutoTune was resetting itself with a little miss firing even when fully warmed but cleared out nicely into the other trees.
Got it good and hot and had no problem starting it on the first pull immediately after shutting off. Let it sit for a few minutes then the fast idle needs to be used.
Still too early to make any judgements, we'll get into that later.

I look at the 550XP and MS261C side by side and I see the 550 powerhead looks like a running shoe, with the muffler end being the toe.
Very nice streamlined design with the lower top cover and thinner diameter top handle. That right there makes the 550 look  less bulky then the 261. A design of saw that would enable the operator to delimb thick limbed conifer in the boreal forests of Sweden, Russia and North America.
But I do see a problem with the tighter quarters of the 550's top cover not allowing as much cooling air flow as the 261's cover and cylinder arrangement does.
Husqvarna has added a vent hole near the decomp valve. But they still have to upgrade the airbox partition in the top cover with a insulated membrane, like they did with their new 572XP.
Something they need to do with the 562XP also.

I have good experience with 3 other 550's over the last 4-5 years at my winter festival chain saw speed cutting competition. With their winter pre heater kits installed they ran perfect right down to minus -50 below wind chill as the last pic shows.
Very tough saw even in the hands of 50-60 competitors with some never using a saw before non stop over 3 hrs.


  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

I found two good sized paper birch for the 550XP this afternoon.
550 is on its 3rd tank now and starting to run the way it should. With a outdoor temperature at 77F I only had to use the fast idle once during a hot start.
Even started on one pull without the choke after sitting for almost an hour.

As these pics show this is where good old experience comes in ;D
I had to fall the 2 birch between the customer's septic tank and a pile of metal roofing.


  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

To add to my last post, I found this chunk of Chaga in one of the birch trees.
This stuff is worth its weight in gold. Big demand for this stuff.
A few years back I found a 5 lb chunk of it.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

barbender

Chaga is the rage around here, a few of our guys collect it and sell it too. I haven't yet, if I did it's another thing I'd have my eyes bugged out, scavenging for😊
Too many irons in the fire

Fishnuts2

We have a large Birch near our cabin that has a huge chunk of this black material growing from it.  Tree is dying, and I was planning to cut it down next Spring.  Now it is much more interesting than just which saw I should use to cut it.  Lots of knowledge in these forums!

PNWRusty

Quote from: Fishnuts2 on August 26, 2017, 09:50:52 AM
We have a large Birch near our cabin that has a huge chunk of this black material growing from it.  Tree is dying, and I was planning to cut it down next Spring.  Now it is much more interesting than just which saw I should use to cut it.  Lots of knowledge in these forums!

You can harvest the Chaga from the tree. The tree will still be infected but, depending upon how much life the tree has left, you may be able to make multiple Chaga harvests. It takes about 3-5 years for it to reach harvestable size.

btulloh

HM126

barbender

People make a tea out of it, it's supposed to have health benefits ranging from curing an upset stomach to raising the dead :D I was tild by one of the guys that collect it, that it tastes like dirt :)
Too many irons in the fire

khntr85

Well whats the chaga a fungus????

I want to try it now!!!

AnvilRW

Worth its weight in gold would pry me out of my Lazy Boy and get me headed north.  Unfortunately, you can buy it on Amazon for $4.50/oz.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KWQJO2
"A man with any character at all must have enemies and places he is not welcome—in the end we are not only defined by our friends, but also those aligned against us."

HolmenTree

Quote from: AnvilRW on August 30, 2017, 11:30:51 PM
Worth its weight in gold would pry me out of my Lazy Boy and get me headed north.  Unfortunately, you can buy it on Amazon for $4.50/oz.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KWQJO2
Chaga prices all depends where it comes from. The world's largest forest the Boreal forest of northern Russia, Scandinavia and North America grow the desired wild birch Chaga.
We have a family up here who harvest Chaga and birch sap for syrup and those trees are their weight in gold for them. Many other plants in the Boreal forest are a valuable commodity such as Labrador tea.

Not much to report on the 550XP and MS261C as this week I finished up a bunch of stump removal and starting renovations to my chainsaw shop.
This fall I'm starting up a chainsaw sharpening business. I will also offer a retail service selling sawchain, bars and sprockets. No saw powerhead repair.
Since moving to this most northerly city 3 years ago my winter off season is now 5 months long.
So time to step up and offer another service  :)
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

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