cmonSTART said:
I would be careful characterizing this as "back and forth" between computeruser and I because folks can get the wrong idea about that. He knows a lot about saws, probably more than I, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for him. We just have different opinions about some things.
The company I work for invites everyone who purchases a saw from us to bring it back after they've run a bunch of gas through it for a quick tuning and adjustment. At that time, I usually pop the high speed mixture and richen it up until I hear the RPM decrease and just barely start to stutter. Some saws it's almost a full turn on the high speed. One of the manufacturers, Stihl or Husky (I forget which right now) says to richen it up so the RPM falls _____RPMs from peak (I forget that also right now). When I'm happy with the adjustment, I push the limiter back into place, making sure it's in the middle of it's travel range.
Adjusting the saws like this allows them much more lubrication and cooling, which extends their life dramatically.
Good post! Thanks for the kind words, too!!
I am reading your post to say that you guys are taching the saws, in addition to tuning by ear, right? Do you offer any particular guidance to customers on how to adjust their saws on their own, or what fuel/oil mix to use (or not use)?
I think that a lot of the differences in opinion that arise on these sorts of issues - saw choice, saw tuning, upkeep, performance requirements - arise out of the particular person's vantage point. As a saw user, my point of view might differ from someone who is a saw fixer or a saw seller. I know that the things that matter to me differ from those that matter to the owner of my friendly local saw shop. Heck, for some time I've been meaning to get a decent "loaner"/"helper" saw for friends and family to use, and my priorities in chosing such a machine are markedly different than those I would use for a personal saw.
The importance of the proper tuning of saws is something that many consumers and even many retailers don't fully understand. With saws choked down for EPA compliance, running lean carb settings and restrictive mufflers, making sure that your saw is tuned to its sweet spot is more important than ever. Limiter caps, tiny muffler outlets, cat mufflers, all contribute to reduced life expectancy of modern saws. Some manufacturers are better than others because of how they achieve their EPA compliance. Echo, for example, runs saws sickeningly lean to meet clean air regulations. The saws run hot, run weak, and die early. Opening their restrictive muffler up and adjusting the carb back to where it should be really perks the saw back up.
If you look at how long some of the older saws last compared to the new ones, it is amazing just how much good a rich oil mix and a right-on or slightly rich mix can do. I picked up a Remington PL-5 earlier in the year, and though I still need to split, bust out the Dirko and re-seal the crankcase (leaky fuel tank seam...), the piston and cylinder on this clearly well-used saw are like new. Ditto with my much-used Ford Eagle II. I also picked up an Homelite XL-12 that was so carboned up on the exhaust port that I had to chisel the carbon buildup away, but the piston and cylinder were glassy smooth. On these older saws, with adjustable carbs, air filters that rapidly got dirty (reducing intake airflow and creating a rich condition), and much lower RPM than current machines, there was a lot more room for imperfect tuning.
The reality is that they don't make saws like this anymore, and that we are stuck (for better and for worse) with higher-revving, tighter-tolerance machines. Good gas, good oil, conservative tuning, and a good ear for changes in how your saw is running can do wonders to keep a saw running for decades. If money is no object, throw a fast-refresh tachometer into the mix, but if not, using your ears and paying attention is a pretty safe bet.
