Use that saw to groove those tars
Dad was a Poulan dealer and "inherited". about a dozen of those (mashed/mangled or burnt up)... and I managed to make 6-7 runners, which he promptly sold.
I run a 25" bar with a 3/8 skip tooth chain on my 461. I feel like that combo performs best on a 46 size saw. I grew up with a dad that logged and then later did tree work. I've always based the bar off of what the saw performed best with, until you get to a bigger saw. I run a 20" or 25" on an 036, 25" on 461 (like Matt said, I also prefer a 25" because it makes cutting up wood on the ground a lot easier on my back), and my 066 and 880 go between 25", 33", and 44" bars, depending on what I'm cutting.
Keep it and run it a bit and see it you start to love it. I’ve had everything from the tiny little MS140 to an MS661 (and the Husky equivalent of an MS880), but my go to is my old 046. The 046/460/461/462 size saw is my favorite.
I will. But if it doesn't run/start any better than my 066 it'll have to find a new home.
It will. I'm with Matt. 46 is my favorite Stihl. I share your same love hate relationship with my 066.
I bought a 661 Mtronic so I wouldn’t have to deal with that. Sucker cranks great!
Have you had it in to test the compression on the top and bottom end? A while back when my husky was giving me fits it was the exact same scenario and wound up being a jug issue (starvation due to the carb leaning out) causing scoring. Replaced the top end and carb, and it’s like a new saw. Went kinda cheap on parts but it is still going strong. I think I had $75-80 into it.I bought a 661 Mtronic so I wouldn’t have to deal with that. Sucker cranks great!
Then runs for 4-5 minutes and dies. Won’t crank back up for another half hour. Every dang time I’ve used it in the past year.
It's a fairly new top end.
I was quoting Matt. Sorry for the confusion.
It had less than 1hr on it when I got it. Now it might have 2hrs. Compression is stupid high. It’s also professionally ported.
Check the little ferrule or whatever its called on the side cover where the rope slides through. There shouldn't be anything wearing on it. If I remember right, I replaced the pull cord on that one before I sold it to you. The one on my 046 looked 15 years old and original in 2007 when I bought it, and it held on another 10 or 12 years after that, so they should last a pretty good while.
I actually had that replaced last year when it ate a rope. I noticed it was worn. This time I put a new rope on and it exploded the pawls and the wheel. Luckily I had a cheap Chinese knock off and was able to cut the tree down yesterday. the knock off the pawls don't eject right so I have to monkey with it to get it to catch. I'm becoming a firm believer of getting it done right these days. I think the saw is somehow catching the wheel and snapping the rope. The last one it ate did that.
My dad bought my 066 with a busted case from being dropped. We replaced the case and rebuilt the saw. It pretty much does the same thing. When it runs, it runs great. It just doesn't like to run when I like for it to run, so it sits on the shelf and the 880 gets brought out. I can't say anything bad about the 880, except for it being heavy. Starts every time. If you pinch the bar, it'll just shove itself out. Its a lot of fun to run. But the 461 is always my go to unless it's big hardwood.I bought a 661 Mtronic so I wouldn’t have to deal with that. Sucker cranks great!
Then runs for 4-5 minutes and dies. Won’t crank back up for another half hour. Every dang time I’ve used it in the past year.
