Stihl Break-In

[brettl]

This may be a subject that has been beat to death but I couldn't find in a search so here goes. My dad just bought a 180 and I have a 441 with less than 10 tanks. When I bought the 441 I was told there was no break-in period or method of operation required. I saw a post here that mentioned a saw is not broke in until 20 tanks or so. I've not used my 441 very hard yet. Should I continue this until I've used it a certain amount of tanks? Any information on my 441 and the new 180 will be much appreciated.

[turnkey]

Chainsaws and most 2-cycle yard/garden tools are meant to be run full throttle except for some exceptions.  An example would be finishing a cut on a log laying on the ground where one should "baby" the saw through the last little bit so the chain is barely turning when (if) it touches dirt.

Break-in does make a saw run better but there is no 'procedure' to follow other than running it as it should be, i.e. full throttle.   The MS310 was famous for being rather disappointing out of the box but turned into a fabulous non-pro saw after several tanks.

Harry K

[H 2 H]

The last two new Stihl I bought took about 15 tanks

But I modded them after just a few tanks  ;D

The 70 cc saw took longer to break in because I couldn't us it as much as the 50 cc saw

[brettl]

What kind of mods did you do and how did they effect the break in period?

[H 2 H]

Ported and MM  ;D

[pwheel]

Never run the saw wide open throttle out of wood, i.e., without load.

[Higgins]

Never run the saw wide open throttle out of wood, i.e., without load.

+1

This is generally the rule I follow, also.  Otherwise, have fun!

[CTYank]

Good idea to not run a new saw long & hard. Periodic "breathers" @ idle for short cool-down seem to help it. Sustained abuse comes later.
A bit richer for first couple of hours of runtime also a good idea. Tweak it later for optimum 2-/4-stroking later.

[brettl]

I appreciated the feedback. CTYank, I've wondered about the richening process. We always do this on our rc airplane motors, whether nitro or larger gasoline engines(I have a 102" P-51 with a Quadra 100cc), understanding full well that we'll foul plugs. Most of us burn 32:1 as well and that engine is on the front of an airplane traveling 0 to 100+mph with the propeller acting as a cooling fan. Pretty easy life compared to our saw engines that have a leaner mixture and  so much less cooling, which is why it goes against the grain when some tell me not to richen it a bit for break-in.

It's hard to be well-informed when listening to a select group in one city. Really great to hear from you all nationwide and hear what's worked for you. Think I'll richen the new 180 a bit for the first several tanks. Thanks

[7sleeper]

Run in procedure for me is

run WOT from the beginning, but only short burts getting always longer as I reach 15-20 refills. So that when cutting a trunk I don't go through in one session but depending on diametre I may let the saw idle shortly on 1/3 to 1/2 of the way. Or use the saw for the first few refills as a limbing saw.

There has been discussion if modern fullsynthetic oils will make run in time longer or good or possible at all, compared to dino oil. Don't know the answer to that one and I only buy full syn oil and I'm not fooling around.

7

[John R]

Never run the saw wide open throttle out of wood, i.e., without load.

This makes sense, but every saw I've ever got from the Stihl dealer was run WOT right out of the box by him before I even got to try it out.

[plt]

  If this is the case I'd better let my saw man know. He told me wide open is wide open. It doesn't matter. But not to let it idle for a long time. That will run it hot. I think a lot of us equate all engines in one lump sum.

  My wife Malibu's had instructions to "break it in". My Dodge diesel, I was told to drive it like I stole it.

[Ianab]

General consensus with modern engines seem to be, run them in the same way you intend to use them.

With a car, that might be 1/2 throttle @ 60 mph out on the open road, as that's where it's going to spend most of it's life.

With as chainsaw, that's wide open, with a normal cutting load, where it's going to spend most of it's working life.

Giving it a quick run wide open will let the dealer know if it's tuned right. If he doesn't do that, he's not checked it properly. Running in on those engines is more about the engine freeing up, and then maybe needing a re-tune once it settles down. I'm sure we have all noticed they run slightly better after a couple of days use, so something is changing inside the engine.

Also, chainsaw carbs are pretty basic, they are designed for 2 states. Idle or Wide Open. In between, yeah, hopefully they work, but they aren't designed to handle that. Mixture may not be perfect. So don't
"Baby" then on 1/2 throttle thinking you are helping the saw.  A car carb (or fuel injection) is designed to run best at part throttle, as that's where a car spends 99% of it's time. Chainsaw, it's designed to run at full revs and cut.  ;Di

Ian

[thecfarm]

The saws that I have always brought are tuned by the dealer wide open,under no load. It's only for about 30 seconds,a minute? but each time I hear it like that, it seems a LONG time.
I have heard of only 2 speeds on a chainsaw too. Wide open,under a load and idle.

[Oliver1655]

During the first 10 tanks or so while the rings are settling in even though you cut at WOT, let the saw cut it's way in to the wood & do not add more than a moderate pressure.  If you feel it takes more pressure to get it to cut, it is time to sharpen the chain/adjust the rakers/depth stop.

[Ianab]

During the first 10 tanks or so while the rings are settling in even though you cut at WOT, let the saw cut it's way in to the wood & do not add more than a moderate pressure.  If you feel it takes more pressure to get it to cut, it is time to sharpen the chain/adjust the rakers/depth stop.

100% true, but it's also the case the rest of the saw's life too. When it's not cutting properly, time to sharpen. Which goes back to "run the saw in under the same conditions that you will be using it under"

[CTYank]

  If this is the case I'd better let my saw man know. He told me wide open is wide open. It doesn't matter. But not to let it idle for a long time. That will run it hot. I think a lot of us equate all engines in one lump sum.

  My wife Malibu's had instructions to "break it in". My Dodge diesel, I was told to drive it like I stole it.

Actually, 2-strokes run COLD at idle. Back in the day, a co-worker said that his 850 cc SAAB would never get near operating temp @idle. Simply would not warm up doing that.

[CTYank]

The saws that I have always brought are tuned by the dealer wide open,under no load. It's only for about 30 seconds,a minute? but each time I hear it like that, it seems a LONG time.
I have heard of only 2 speeds on a chainsaw too. Wide open,under a load and idle.

Some dealer types insist on adjusting high-speed mixture so that engine speed @WOT meets some spec. An indicator of incompetence, IMHO. No-load @WOT is abusive. Like with auto-tune, mixture should be set for max speed UNDER LOAD. One easy test @WOT if it's right: 2-stroking under load, light 4-stroking when you lift.

Two dealer monkeys insisted on the WOT unloaded speed thing. EPA would have busted them- the engine ran STINKY rich. When I could adjust the carb, 1/2+ turn in got it dead-on. 2-stroking, then, and the 4-stroking transition. It now sings. Beware of dealer "geniuses"- the deaf ones.

[Andyshine77]

?

[Andyshine77]

The saws that I have always brought are tuned by the dealer wide open,under no load. It's only for about 30 seconds,a minute? but each time I hear it like that, it seems a LONG time.
I have heard of only 2 speeds on a chainsaw too. Wide open,under a load and idle.

Some dealer types insist on adjusting high-speed mixture so that engine speed @WOT meets some spec. An indicator of incompetence, IMHO. No-load @WOT is abusive. Like with auto-tune, mixture should be set for max speed UNDER LOAD. One easy test @WOT if it's right: 2-stroking under load, light 4-stroking when you lift.

Two dealer monkeys insisted on the WOT unloaded speed thing. EPA would have busted them- the engine ran STINKY rich. When I could adjust the carb, 1/2+ turn in got it dead-on. 2-stroking, then, and the 4-stroking transition. It now sings. Beware of dealer "geniuses"- the deaf ones.

It's completely acceptable and the norm to tune a chainsaw at WOT without load, in fact it's the best method for non rev limited models. However running the saw at WOT for 30 seconds or more, is not advisable, 5 seconds is more than enough. Tuning with a tachometer also requires you to run the saw at WOT without load. Tuning in the wood is fine if you have experience. 

As far as I know, no dealer has been busted buy the EPA for tuning a carb rich for the first few tanks, that's what I do and everyone I know who works on or ports chainsaws. Again rev limited saws are a different story, but you can still set the RPM's just under the limiter, this still requires a WOT run and a tach. One also has to have a good feel of how a saw behaves during testing, some like more fuel than others, some less.

http://youtu.be/ulY5sU4axFQ

[AKDoug]

Guess what... That new Stihl you just bought was run at WOT at the factory before it was shipped.

[Al_Smith]

.
I have heard of only 2 speeds on a chainsaw too. Wide open,under a load and idle.

That's my thoughts .Mine spend very little time at idle .If they don't restart in  one or two tugs I find out why .

I've only owned two new saws in my lifetime,both Poulans but I've rebuilt dozens .What I do is run them a tad rich for a few tanks then lean them down and run them like I stole them . Come or bleed, if she blows she blows .Once the piston rings get fully seated then it sings a new tune  .

[thecfarm]

Al did you mean, come, skin or bleed. My Father would say that.
On the WOT while tuning it,probably 5 seconds is right,as I said,it seems like a long time.  ;D

[Al_Smith]

Oh I was mentored by tough old hard drinking hard working WW2 vets .Tough as nails but they had a heart as big as Texas .You never knew what they are going to say .I find myself just about like them now of days .I never know myself .It just comes out verbally or slowly typing with one finger at a time . ;D

[H 2 H]

Anyone seen how they brake in new motors cycle engine for mini sprints ?

They run a different oil in them a brake them in

Then they change the oil to a synthetic oil