Talk Me In/Out of the Stihl MS261

[5030]

And I bet that MS261-CM is $40 more than it was before Jan. 1, 2024.

Probably. One of the main reasons I like Echo's. They actually have carbs and adjustments. Kind of like the new tractors in a way and not a good way either. Read that the American Icon, Oreo's have went left as well. Guess they get to find out like Budwieser that left don't work with consumers today.

 

[5030]

One of many anymore. Been going on for years. Some just dont want to admit it.


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Bet none of those 2 'sales associates' even know where the spark plug is.......

 

[koshari]

Time marches on. I was in my Stihl dealer shop today for filters and they don't have a new MS261 like mine, only the MS261 C-M which has a microprocessor controlled fuel system. It has no carb adjustments. I looked at the Stihl website and the regular MS261 is now shown as "Not Available".

i have the pre mtronic version of the 261, had it for about 8 years, its a fine saw, i wouldnt be detered getting an mtronic, if you ever had any real issues ( unlikely) just swap the carby back out, all the rest of the saw in the same,

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m not aware of 1 box store in PA/DE/NJ/MD that sells Stihl.
That Rural King Store might be a “chain”, but if their focus is farm & ranch supplies, that passes the smell test for me as a legit Stihl dealer, especially if they repair them and offer parts.

 

[WinterDeere]

I’m not aware of 1 box store in PA/DE/NJ/MD that sells Stihl.
That Rural King Store might be a “chain”, but if their focus is farm & ranch supplies, that passes the smell test for me as a legit Stihl dealer, especially if they repair them and offer parts.

I'm not sure where the line is on defining a "box store", but as noted, our local Ace is one of the (if not the) biggest Stihl retailers in our area. They need at least one Stihl-certified repair tech on staff, although I think our local Ace has at least a few.

I actually bought my Stihl Kombi stuff at Ace, as well as my handheld blowers (BG-86's), but I choose a local saw shop for my saw stuff.

 

[xyz123]

Our local ace hardware stores have stihl dealers too. Worthless, one local. From another junk chainsaw thread here last year =
Local guys saw he said stihl dealer been trying to fix for 2 years. Told him get it back I'd like to check it out. After fixing another saw for him.

Echo 3000 that has been at the local stihl dealer up north of me. I went into this same dealer once years back and never went back. I had seen enough just checking on parts for saws.

This is that guys echo TH that he said they have had 2 years throwing parts at it. Tag shows 3 years.

Took me all of 5 seconds to tell him whats wrong. Low psi scored I bet right while still there. I just SMH.

They put new carb, new coil, new flywheel etc etc. Think you get the point. = worthless

 

[KennyG]

Stihl does seem to have a restrictive dealer policy. My dealer is a very large outdoor equipment store that does a lot of business with local lawn care guys. My John Deere dealer is also a Stihl dealer. After that you have to travel some distance. According to the dealer map there is an Ace store about 30 miles away that is a dealer.

 

[xyz123]

Stihl dealers are like drug stores here. One on almost every corner. 5-6 off top of my head.

This saw come to me from a stihl dealer that also sold kubota. Yes one down the road from him that sells JD too. 2 on same road.

They couldnt tune the saw right. Needed to remove L side epa stop to get right.
But before I touched the saw I told them take it back and have them install the air filter they left off.
Told them have them check saw to see if hurt intake side of piston after what they did to them.

 

[Hay Dude]

My opinion is, just like everything else, is that it changes from town to town.
But as far as I know, Stihl is the only major brand left that is mostly sold by licensed and authorized dealers.
Echo & Husky are sold anywhere & everywhere. I know there’s still some other smaller brands, I’m talking readily available.
That doesn’t make Stihl perfect, it just means there are more dealership regulations on where their saws are sold. I think it’s a good thing.
My Stihl dealer has been pretty good over the years. Never waited more than a week for a repair. And few repairs have been needed.

 

[5030]

I have to say I've NEVER taken any of my saws back for repairs but then I'm capable of fixing any issue that may arise.

it's a know issue that Echo has fine debris issues with their OEM flocked air filters but it's an easily fixable issue with either the addition of 2 common sized 'O' rings or complete removal of the OEM air filter and the install of the 'Red Beard' velocity stack and oiled foam air filter (which is what I did). The cheap way around the issue is of course, the addition of 2 'O' rings, one on the intake stud that secures the air filter and one over the intake snout. That eliminates the fine dust issue with the stock, flocked air filter entirely. In my case, I went with the Red Beard aftermarket setup because I've always like oiled foam air filters, just a personal preference but both fix the issue.

The other underlying issue is Echo's penchant for additional baffle plates in the exhaust. Like Stihl, they like to add additional baffle plates to curb the ignition noise so I removed the last baffle plate entirely and opened up the muffler a bit as well and that really woke up the 590. Sure it's a bit louder but I do own it so that was my choice entirely. I tend to wear ear protection when running any saw, anyway, along with proper PPE.

 

[5030]

Stihl dealers are like drug stores here. One on almost every corner. 5-6 off top of my head.

This saw come to me from a stihl dealer that also sold kubota. Yes one down the road from him that sells JD too. 2 on same road.

They couldnt tune the saw right. Needed to remove L side epa stop to get right.
But before I touched the saw I told them take it back and have them install the air filter they left off.
Told them have them check saw to see if hurt intake side of piston after what they did to them.

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I'd never allow any of my saws to collect that much intake debris, ever. That is frankly, disgusting.

 

[xyz123]

I'd never allow any of my saws to collect that much intake debris, ever. That is frankly, disgusting.

Thats called stihl dealer leaving a air filter off the saw! Thats the bigger issue there.

 

[5030]

Thats called stihl dealer leaving a air filter off the saw! Thats the bigger issue there.

All I can say is WOW, but then again, you will NEVER find any of my saw's intakes looking like that and if I was the customer, I would have taken off the shroud and had a look-see prior to but then that is just me (and probably you) but not the average consumer. Not that I would ever have any 'dealer tech' work on my saws in the first place. besides, if I need any OEM parts for my Echo's, I just have the parts counter supervisor order them and I pick them up, other than spark plugs which as of late seem to be getting counterfeited by the Chinese. I only use yellow boxed NGK's btw.

I will say I've had very good luck with the HF 'Torch' plugs and I presume they are Chinese. The 'Torch' plug I have in my HF pressure washer is the original one and other than gapping it rarely, it's been in the motor since it was new, 10 years ago and I use it a bunch. In fact, it's on it's second pressure pump. Oil gets changed yearly and the AF gets blown out and that is it. Amazing little Predator motor.

 

[JeepHead]

Picked up two more saws today!

 

[JeepHead]

So, has the price gone up, stayed the same or gone down since they have been discontinued?

The same it seems.

 

[xyz123]

All I can say is WOW, but then again, you will NEVER find any of my saw's intakes looking like that and if I was the customer, I would have taken off the shroud and had a look-see prior to but then that is just me (and probably you) but not the average consumer. Not that I would ever have any 'dealer tech' work on my saws in the first place. besides, if I need any OEM parts for my Echo's, I just have the parts counter supervisor order them and I pick them up, other than spark plugs which as of late seem to be getting counterfeited by the Chinese. I only use yellow boxed NGK's btw.

I will say I've had very good luck with the HF 'Torch' plugs and I presume they are Chinese. The 'Torch' plug I have in my HF pressure washer is the original one and other than gapping it rarely, it's been in the motor since it was new, 10 years ago and I use it a bunch. In fact, it's on it's second pressure pump. Oil gets changed yearly and the AF gets blown out and that is it. Amazing little Predator motor.

Torch is China and if your NGK plug dont have Japan on plug. Could very well be China in yellow box too.
They like to hide it by putting only the ones made in China, Malaysia, Taiwan only printed on box.
So if your plug dont have Japan on it prob a China NGK plug too. Yes they come in yellow boxes too.

 

[5030]

NGK just put out a bulletin on how to discern a China plug from a real NGK Japan plug and it's quite enlightening. The go into great detail on how to determine that, from the printing on the insulator to the machined ring above the threaded portion to the wire elctrode and how to tell.

back in the day, a plug was a plug. I guess now you can counterfeit just about anything and I knew Torch was a Chinese brand. HF would never use a domestic plug, not that there are any today anyway. Had a buddy that worked at Champion before they sold out to a Chinese firm.

 

[5030]

Picked up two more saws today!

Picked up one as well, an ancient Dolmar with a cracked case. May give it to a friend who collects old saws (strange hobby) in as much as the case is cracked, no big deal actually. I can TIG weld the case if I can get it clean enough that is. issue with welding any aluminum or magnesium alloy stuff is getting it squeaky clean and especially getting any oily residue out of the pores in the metal. If there is any oil residue left in the metal, it will result in a bad weld.

 

[Hay Dude]

Running the 261C through pine & cherry logs today.
Effortless, one-handed operation. I’m cutting with my left hand, taking photo with right hand. The saw is cutting in the picture as you can see the chips flying out in the air.

 

[WinterDeere]

@Hay Dude, forgive me if you already posted it on the thumb thread, but is the thumb on that loader purchased or home grown? I just bought a new fork and frame for my CUT, and am already turning thoughts toward thumbing it. I move a lot of logs around, and the old chain choker slings on bucket hooks are getting slower and heavier, each year.