New Stihl 362

[Riff]

Have been looking at getting a pro grade saw for a couple of years now just never pulled the trigger because I could get my Husky saws to do almost everything I needed. But even my wife was behind the idea of getting an upgrade so kinda just kept my eye on them over the last couple of years while trying to find a reason to justify dropping the money. Yesterday she kicked me out of the house and told me to go look. Thought I'd just heft it and get a feel, I've used 261's and 462's fairly extensively but never a 362. Anyways as the salesman was unlocking the cable holding the 362 to the display he mentioned it was 10% off. Some customer appreciation day they were running yesterday.
Gotta say, it sure runs nice and was making short work of some maple this afternoon. I will still use the 455's for some things, like bucking up logs at home, but it'll be sure nice to have that 362 in the woods.

 

[ABMax24]

Don't ever let her go, she's certainly one of a kind.

Your wife, not the saw.

Oh, and congratulations on the new saw.

 

[Ashful]

Nice! What size bar did you put on it?

 

[ericm979]

It will perform even better in about 5 tanks worth of time.

When you're done making a cut and want to shut it down, let it idle for about 10 seconds. If you shut it down right away the ECU thinks its still WFO and will give it too much gas when you go to start it.

 

[Ashful]

I learned a new acronym tonight. I always used WOT, but I like yours better.

 

[Eman85]

What 2 stroke oil are you using in it? They still offer the increased warranty if you use the silver bottle oil?

 

[Ashful]

What 2 stroke oil are you using in it? They still offer the increased warranty if you use the silver bottle oil?

They offer the extended warranty if you buy their Platinum oil, no one says you have to use it. There are many claims out there that this oil has been causing premature failures, although I have no idea of their merit. I do know the stuff stinks worse than any other 2-stroke oil I've ever used, so I've switched back to buying other brands, just to keep my wife happier on laundry day.

 

[Eman85]

They offer the extended warranty if you buy their Platinum oil, no one says you have to use it. There are many claims out there that this oil has been causing premature failures, although I have no idea of their merit. I do know the stuff stinks worse than any other 2-stroke oil I've ever used, so I've switched back to buying other brands, just to keep my wife happier on laundry day.

I guess there's no oil police to be sure you use the oil that they sell you. I've been using Stihl orange bottle and Husky oil for years and they both stink. I get done and leave my clothes out on the porch to air out for a day or 2 before they get near the laundry basket. I have recently tried some Echo red oil and it doesn't stink as bad.

 

[ericm979]

I switched to Redline Allsport for motorcycle competition (observed trials) when other competitors complained about the stink from my bike. Allsport makes the exhaust smell a lot better than the Motul I was using. The engines I have torn down (for reasons other oil failure, none of that with the Allsport) have been in pretty good shape inside.

I used race oil for race engines but saws make mildly tuned trials bikes look fierce in comparison so a non race oil is fine.

 

[Riff]

What 2 stroke oil are you using in it? They still offer the increased warranty if you use the silver bottle oil?

Warranty was doubled if you bought their premix. Considering the store had a gallon for half off the normal price and ethanol free is a pain to get around here I just picked up the gallon of premix.

 

[Riff]

Nice! What size bar did you put on it?

20". I've heard mixed things about a 25" bar on the 362 and 20" will do just about everything I need.

 

[Riff]

It will perform even better in about 5 tanks worth of time.

When you're done making a cut and want to shut it down, let it idle for about 10 seconds. If you shut it down right away the ECU thinks its still WFO and will give it too much gas when you go to start it.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[ericm979]

I bought my 362 with a 25" (really more like 24") bar. I had a really big branch that fell off an even larger fir tree onto my lawn that I needed to cut up and my MS250 wasn't going to do it. The 362 was the smallest saw that Stihl said would handle a 2' long bar. The 362 did it but it was slow. I have since bought a larger saw which is what I use when I need a 24" or longer bar. The 362 works great with an 18 or 20" bar. I think a 400 might handle a 24" bar well.

 

[Ashful]

20". I've heard mixed things about a 25" bar on the 362 and 20" will do just about everything I need.

You made the right choice. No way on earth would I put a 25" bar on anything under 75cc or 80cc.

I actually shortened the exposed length of the 20" bar on my 036 PRO to 19", by installing longer felling dogs on the saw, because I found it lacking a bit when burying a full 20" to the nose in oak. The 036 Pro is the slightly larger displacement, similar horsepower, older variant of MS 362.

 

[SWVA Farmhouse]

Warranty was doubled if you bought their premix. Considering the store had a gallon for half off the normal price and ethanol free is a pain to get around here I just picked up the gallon of premix.

I have mixed feelings regarding Stihl's warranty. I purchased a Stihl weedeater after one full season, it started leaking gas out inside the engine body. I took the cover off looking for an obvious area of leak (like the tubing) and didn't see anything obvious, so I took it to the closest Stihl dealer for repair and was told it would be $120 just to look at it. I said it is still under warranty and was told that Stihl wouldn't cover fuel related warranties which made me pretty angry. I was told that unless I can prove I used the canned premixed stuff all the time and could prove it, they wouldn't cover it. Of course I told them to pound sand as I only paid $199 for it new. I purchased a Husquarvna weed eater and the Stihl is sitting in my shed until I decide to tear down after viewing some youtube video's. I am sure that the premixed canned fuel works well, but in my situation, it would cost me a fortune ($16 gal). I probably use 10 gallons or more per year in my saws, blower and weedeater.

 

[Ashful]

Seems to me it would be impossible to actually prove beyond all reasonable doubt that you only ever used one type of fuel. How would anyone even go about doing that?

Did you actually read the warranty statement yourself, or are you just taking this one dealer's interpretation of it as gospel?

 

[salecker]

Seems to me it would be impossible to actually prove beyond all reasonable doubt that you only ever used one type of fuel. How would anyone even go about doing that?

Did you actually read the warranty statement yourself, or are you just taking this one dealer's interpretation of it as gospel?

Yes to this...
Move up the food chain when a dealer doesn't honor warranty...