Stihl 046/MS 46 Questions

[Bronco]

I've been looking at purchasing a used 046 for use as a felling/bucking saw and would like to request some advise.

What are the common modifications and how do you recognize them?  

Considering the use of the saw, I figure on a full wrap handle and double "dogs".  Any other suggestions would be great.  

Is the decompression valve manual?  Is there anything that can go wrong with it?

Any other advise would be helpful.

[Hunter]

The 046 is a great saw. EHP has one now that he just ported and it turned out to be a monster.
You could PM him, you can look for EHP in the performance shop thread.
He is one very knowledgable builder and can get the most out of a saw.
Hunter

[Kevin]

Why would you want the full wrap bars?
The decomp valve is just a manual button, I haven't heard of any problems with them.
The one mod you might consider is the muffler for cooler operating.
What size of wood will you be cutting?

[Tillaway]

Over sized air cleaners are a common modification out here.  You pretty much find all the falling saws here have full wraps.  When you work on really steep ground, sometimes you can only get to one side of the tree, also they give a certain amount of protection incase you try to crunch the thing under a log.

[Tillaway]

Oh yea, the muffler thing too, there is an after market muffler that does increase performance.  Everthing else is internal that I know of.

[Preston]

HHHHMMMMMM! the ms 460 ok just bought one and still the same factory default as the 046! Well easly fixed! We have all our saws hopped up by a guy that loves to do it his name is Brad! The problem is how mod. do want it our saws are very touchy and we run into the problem of them running away with you when it is half throttle! Well do to the hop job Brad fixed it very fast it was the new carb our old 046 didn't do it but the new 046 and ms460 will do it depending on the hop job! Brad fixed ours with an older carb a few mods and it run like a screamer! But I remind you its all in who mods. it! There is alot of good guys including some fellas on this forum that are good! Well thats our experience and we also put on a maxi-flow air filter system that Madsens out of centrilia Washington sell very good guys to work with!

[Preston]

OOHH one thing one the decompression release button re have had experience it leaking before and it will leak in time if you use it! Brad just puts a bolt in replace so this does not happen but its all in your opinion!