How did you like your first mtronic or autotune saw????

[khntr85]

  Hey guys just wondering what your experience with your first auto tune or mtronic saw, things you liked, things you maybe didn't like and everything in between???

  I got a ms261c and it's my first mtronic saw....i have to admit I went in open minded and I so far really like the saw!!!

  It starts right up and cuts great, it's still not fully broke in maybe 5-6 tanks ran threw it so far.... 

[Hilltop366]

Same saw, same results.

[lxskllr]

My first pro saw was a 362cm, and I later got a 661cm. Both are flawless. I pull the cord and they Just Work™

[beenthere]

Have the MS261c and really do like it, and it has always performed very well. Summer and winter, when I need it, it starts and runs well. Also the same with my MS362c. 

[caveman]

We have a couple of Husqvarna 545's and 572's.  The 545's sometimes run a little goofy for the first few minutes until they figure it out.  The 545's are about 10 years old and with a sharp chain, they are a joy to use.  I suppose they adjust to humidity, temperature and maybe a few other parameters.  The 572's seem to get right to it.  

Our older 3 series saws sometimes need a little tuning between summer and winter.

We don't have any Stihl saws.

[khntr85]

Same saw, same results.

Definitely some differences...

[doc henderson]

I did not and took it back for an 880.  It was a 661.  my 261 is great but the dealer fixed the solenoid even though it tested normal and no further problems for about 3 years.  hope the bugs are all worked out.

[Hammerheadc4]

I got my 572xp in 2019, it's been great.
I just got a 550xp this week and so far so good.

I did want a ms261c, but both of my local dealers were out of them. 
Since Husqvarna was having the 20% off sale on pro saws, I picked up the 550xp M2.

My other saws need a small adjustment every once in awhile, but it's no big deal.

[trapper]

241 is a great saw'  261 is temperamental When it starts it is a good saw normally takes about 10 pulls to get it started.  Two dealers say nothing wrong with it.  With decompression on 241 seems to have more compression when starting

[barbender]

I have a Stihl ms261cm, it has been flawless. I've had it about 6 years, but it doesn't get used a lot. Which is really more of a testament to the fact that the saw self tunes well. I might use it in the summer at 80° and high humidity, and the next time I start it it might be 5°. It starts after 3 pulls and goes to work.

My Husky 562 has been bogging a little bit as of late, but I haven't even bothered changing a fuel filter or anything. I'm just waiting to see if it tunes itself or if I have something else going on.

Last but not least I picked up a Stihl 500i. I really haven't even run that saw enough to have an opinion on it.

[WLzM1A]

Agreed

[khntr85]

241 is a great saw'  261 is temperamental When it starts it is a good saw normally takes about 10 pulls to get it started.  Two dealers say nothing wrong with it.  With decompression on 241 seems to have more compression when starting

10-pulls, ya there is a problem.....I wonder if that "reset would help your situation???

[doc henderson]

trapper take it back and tell them you know of others that the solenoid tested fine, but a replacement fixed it.  that is what my dealer did cause after being told it was fine x 2, and taken back the third time, he believed me more than the test they do.  it fixed it.  The dealers are hearing of this as well.  he got reimbursed from his rep.

[barbender]

Yep Trapper, that's what I'd do too. I know how frustrating it can be to deal with a dealer that doesn't "get it". Tell him if it doesn't start from cold in 3 pulls, it ain't fixed. If they won't take care of it, write Stihl.

[mudfarmer]

572 has been a very nice saw, but only have had it for a bit over a year. I would buy another one tomorrow with no concerns It has only cut something like 11mbf of saw logs and 30 cord of firewood logs. I do use a smaller saw for limbing, the 572 gets used for felling and bucking logs as well as firewood rounds. It starts and runs very well no matter the conditions so far from below zero to above 80.

I like your comment about going in open minded, that's the way to go.

[DHansen]

A few years back I was worrying needlessly about the auto tunes.  With advice from this forum, I purchased a 550XP and have not had any Auto tune issues.  Since the 550XP I have also added a 572XP and a 592Xp.  I have been very happy with all three and can see the benefits of the auto tune.  I did learn my lesson on running the 550XP out of fuel while I left it idling on the ground.  As the saw was running out of fuel the auto tune corrected the fuel ratio. Caused a hard start and poor idle.  A quick reset and all was back to normal.  

[khntr85]

572 has been a very nice saw, but only have had it for a bit over a year. I would buy another one tomorrow with no concerns It has only cut something like 11mbf of saw logs and 30 cord of firewood logs. I do use a smaller saw for limbing, the 572 gets used for felling and bucking logs as well as firewood rounds. It starts and runs very well no matter the conditions so far from below zero to above 80.

I like your comment about going in open minded, that's the way to go.

Yes sir, no reason to not give it a chance sometimes change is good!!!

[khntr85]

A few years back I was worrying needlessly about the auto tunes.  With advice from this forum, I purchased a 550XP and have not had any Auto tune issues.  Since the 550XP I have also added a 572XP and a 592Xp.  I have been very happy with all three and can see the benefits of the auto tune.  I did learn my lesson on running the 550XP out of fuel while I left it idling on the ground.  As the saw was running out of fuel the auto tune corrected the fuel ratio. Caused a hard start and poor idle.  A quick reset and all was back to normal. 

That's a good way to put it "needlessly worrying" basically what I did for a few years....at this point in my life a $600 saw won't break me so as they say it is what it is....im ahead from rebuilding saws and sharpening chains, so it all comes out in the wash!!!!

[hedgerow]

I have had a MS261C for a few years now and really like it. The two guys that help me do my wood cutting have learned not to run it out of mix. It's a bear to get started if you run it out of mix. If you fuel up before its out starts right back up. Like most things there is a learning curve. 

[Fishnuts2]

My experience with my new 2253 at the time was informative because it showed me what a proper tune sounds like and how much better it ran than my fat tuning!  I've got a couple more autotunes now but never had a Stihl with it. 

[teakwood]

My one year old 500i is a beast and i works flawlessly, i'm impressed and don't look back to regulate carburetors. pump the prime bulb and 3-4 pulls and your working, when warm it's 1 pull.

I have heard the horror stories of people run out of fuel and not being able to restart the saw, i tried to avoid that but eventually it happens. happened twice and i had no problem to restart the saw 

[khntr85]

My experience with my new 2253 at the time was informative because it showed me what a proper tune sounds like and how much better it ran than my fat tuning!  I've got a couple more autotunes now but never had a Stihl with it.

Funny you say that you can really hear the difference, especially if you run 2-saws in the same day...

[khntr85]

My one year old 500i is a beast and i works flawlessly, i'm impressed and don't look back to regulate carburetors. pump the prime bulb and 3-4 pulls and your working, when warm it's 1 pull.

I have heard the horror stories of people run out of fuel and not being able to restart the saw, i tried to avoid that but eventually it happens. happened twice and i had no problem to restart the saw

Ya I have heard a few guys say that, I will try to not run her dry, but you know how it goes!!

[NE Woodburner]

I got my 572xp in 2019, it's been great.
I just got a 550xp this week

I am running the same two saws. My 572 is about as old as yours and just picked up the 550 last fall. I really like the 550 for small stuff and limbing - a lot easier on my shoulders now that I'm getting just a little older. I take out the 572 for felling and bigger stuff. I really don't need anything bigger than the 572 often enough to justify another saw.

I've always owned Husky saws starting back in the 80's running a 266. Nothing against Stihl at all - we have a couple at work and they are nice saws. I've been using the same chain and file type for so long now I don't want to change.

[Greenhighlander]

So as someone who has never owned one of these saws , I feel the need to play devil's advocate. 
This is not in the slightest intended as any type of dig or insult to any of you who have had great experience's.  
Technology is great when it works.   When it doesn't you are completely and totally at the mercy of those tech " gods " .   Where I live the dealer support is pathetic at best , in regards to the pre auto tune saws. I feel even less confident when it comes to running the software required , for these new saws. Seeing as how he is well above my age and not even slightly computer savy.  

This is a long winded way of me saying I believe this is just another way important knowledge on how to do things for oneself , is being lost and becoming more reliant on the system .    

I get the benefits of auto tune and the technology , I guess I just also see the downfalls of it as well. One more tiny notch in us becoming completely reliant on someone or something else.  

At 43 most people my age have no idea how to even use a chainsaw , let alone tune one . Hell even I can barely do either of those two......

[peterpaul]

Well I just pulled the trigger on a new 261 CM as my 30+ year old 036 pro finally called it quits. Whether the auto tune is good or bad only really comes down to my experience whether I get a good one or a lemon.  At 71, I need something a little lighter.  I like technology, try to stay current and embrace it.  I like my truck with nearly 100K miles on it, it's almost broken in, haven't had to do a brake job yet. 

With this in mind, I remember an interview on the radio, in Maine back in the 70's.  The radio host was interviewing a local 93 yr old bachelor who had just announce his plans to get married.  The host asked "After so many years as a bachelor, why get married at this late date?", the response was something like:  "Ayuh,......... well if I get a good women, she's worth waiting for, if I get a bad one,..... I won't have so long to live with her.  

[customsawyer]

I have had a few of the saws. Most good and one bad. I compare these saws to when fuel injectors replaced carbs on pickups and cars. Folks were scared to get some of the first ones, but look where we are now. The first one I was involved with was a '85 F250 with a 302 engine. Last I seen of that truck was when it was sold with over 400K miles on it.
Could you imagine one of these modern mechanics trying to tune a carb in a pickup now days.

[caveman]

I was thinking along the same lines as Customsawyer regarding vehicles with fuel injection rather than carburetors.  My first fuel injected engine was a 2.9 liter v-6 in an '86 Ranger.  The other similar advancement to fuel injection would be electronic ignition.  I only have points in one vehicle now ('68 Bronco).  The electronic ignition is pretty much trouble free.  

[lxskllr]

In the bad old days you could fairly easily work on any part of a vehicle. Problem was you were always working on vehicles. On the side of the road, in the garage before you got groceries, in the coldest days of winter, and the hottest days of summer. 100k miles was an old vehicle and ready to be sent up the road. When was the last time you saw a dead car on the side of the road? It hardly happens anymore. 

I'll trade all that nonsense for blackbox reliability every time. Yea, it can be a bit of a mystery when things go south, but that doesn't happen much. If my computer saw has to go in the shop, I'll pay the money and put it in the shop. Otherwise, I'll just run it, and it'll work great. No twiddling controls when my real purpose is cutting wood. I suppose some people enjoy the process of getting machines to behave. I'm not one of those people. To me, fixing machines is a tedious chore.

[doc henderson]

The problem is when you take it to the expert and they run a test that they do not understand, and the computer says all is well, and they send you home with a machine that still does not work.  You take it back and they say, "we can run the test again, but the black box say it is working fine."  now what?  I guess I should be honored that Stihl has recruited me at my expense to do research and development for such a prestigious company.  

[lxskllr]

Well, that's a dealer/mechanic issue. There's been bad mechanics since the first machines were created. I've run into them on dead simple vehicles like an aircooled Vdub. If you can't diagnose and fix one of those, you have no place in the business.

[DHansen]

Understand how it works and repairing it is a whole lot easier.

[doc henderson]

I think when they came out, they had some glitchy ones, and the techs got reports and learned to do the test.  but if the test was normal, they could not go beyond that.  even great saw mechanics were at the mercy of the technology, and Stihl prob. had not really fully developed the tech in the saw and had not fully trained or developed the testing.  I have had two saws with a bad solenoid.  one I traded in after 3 dealer visits full credit towards and 881, and the other they changed to a newer solenoid despite a normal test.  It was not covered under warranty because the test was normal, but the dealer got it approved from some regional rep.  It has worked ever since.  so, the company problem was, for a while they denied there was a problem.  so, in my case it was a company issue, and the dealer saved my ash.  I have a JD dealer that now carries the saws a few miles from me, and I still drive 20 miles to the Amish dealer. there is good and bad to nearly all new advances. 

[Hilltop366]

To me as a former equipment dealer if the saw is not working well and test good the next step would be a call to the manufactures service department and make them understand that it is not working right. The next move should be to be told to swap out the suspected component with a known good one to test then narrow down from there. 

The problem is especially with newer designs and issues or older designs that get get manufactured out of tolerance due to equipment wear (I've seen both issues)  the dealer ends up caught in the middle and can end up the biggest looser if the manufacture is not stepping up. Options are satisfy the costumer at dealer's expense or not satisfy the costumer at dealers expense.

[Hilltop366]

I will also add (and I'm sure I said this before on here),

I like to be on the trailing edge of leading technology.

[barbender]

 I do too, but once it's working I'm not going to be a dinosaur either. Husky had the 562's out for probably 10 years before I got one.

[khntr85]

Well taking the 261c with the 18" bar to cut up white oak tomorrow, can't wait to see how she does

[Spike60]

My shop was in the prototype program and I got an early look at most of the AT saws. Not counting the 576, the first eye opener was an early 560XP with a gray top cover. Upon removing that cover, my immediate reaction was, "look at all those wires!"  The next stage was getting the little black box and plugging saws into the computer. OK, I guess things are going to be different from here on out. But there was never any hesitation to embrace these changes. On the contrary, we jumped in knowing we'd be ahead of the other shops.

There were some hiccups as all this was rolled out to the market. Keep in mind that in addition to the AT, the rest of the saw was also radically different from everything else in the catalog. And most of the issues with the early 562's were not AT related. Things like adding the extra case screw to prevent the oil leaking past the gasket under the muffler, and some bearing/seal or heat problems had nothing to do with AT. Some were vendor problems, such as seals with bad lips. 

Some new carbs and coils quickly arrived to address things that could be considered AT related, such as hot starts on some saws. Many restart problems were the result of what you guys have already mentioned: running the saw out of fuel. 

But of course any unexplained problem was immediately blamed on AT. if the radio reception in your truck was bad, it must be that dang auto tune!. Also has to be remembered that most saws ran fine, and many still do. But there were issues that occurred frequently enough that they needed to be addressed at the manufacturer level. 

Thing ya gotta keep in mind is that every new design goes through some teething issues. Log into service documents, and you'll find service bulletins and IPL updates for every saw you can think of, even our favorites, that we don't remember. All of these saws are fairly well sorted out at this point. Just enjoy them and not worry about carrying the little screwdriver in your pocket. 

[teakwood]

If i remember correctly Stihl did several years of testing before the 500i was even available for a normal customer. i remembered some Sweds loggers making youtube vids about the 500i they where testing for Stihl and how impressed they were. Stihl sent saws all over the globe to do testing and they sure had their flaws in the first versions. When the saw came available it was pretty much bullet proof, at least mine is. i think the 500i is quite the success story for Stihl