Really frustrating that a lot of the bigger named chainsaw companies are making computerized saws. Hard to work on out in the bush, and expensive. Anyone explain the benefits of doing so? A lot of guys in bush villages are going to Echo's professional line when their non computerized old Stihls and Husqvarnas give up the ghost.

A major reason chainsaws are becoming computerised is because of ridiculous EPA standards that make the manufacturers have to limit emissions from chainsaws.

Keith

They run better that way. Nobody who isn’t a professional timber cutter or a really good saw mechanic ever tunes a carb correctly, so the computer ensures the saw is running at it’s optimum, and stops ding dongs from turning them up too much and toasting the top end, as well as preventing you from fouling plugs if you go the other way.
Edit: if you buy a pro saw for cutting firewood it’ll live as long as you do. I put a few thousand hours a year on a saw cutting timber, that would be a whole lot of cords of firewood.

Why can't we go back to 1980 and stay there? I would gladly give up all this tech crap. Well, except trapperman.

If I had to pack an 056 around, I would retire tomorrow

Agreed.

Because nothing says “rugged outdoor tool” like needing a laptop to troubleshoot your chainsaw in the middle of nowhere

No need. Just buy a 200 or 300 series Husky or Stihl equivalent. I haven’t heard anyone complain about the auto tune saws or the injected 500i. The 500i is capable of some real grunt with a bit of work, but is already way too much saw for the average guy cutting a few times a year.

Computerized chainsaws… because obviously what you need deep in the woods is a check engine light on your saw

When you are camping out by boat or snowmachine on the Yukon River, spent 9 dollars a gallon in gas to get where you are going and haul your gear there, every piece of equipment you have with you cost an arm and a leg on shipping to be flown or barged out to the bush village you live in, and you waited the weather out to make the trip for whatever task is at hand, it sure stinks when your chainsaw gives up the ghost due to a computer problem. That means at best you are miserable for the rest of your trip, being cold without a fire or keeping a bonfire going since you couldn't cut logs into rounds to split. At worst, if you cannot finish the task at hand, like clearing land for a church youth camp 60 miles downriver, or logging for firewood, you cancel the trip and go home. If the internet is working, you spend hours researching the potential problem, and frequently have to fly the chainsaw back to the road system 400 miles away to the dealer to fix the problem for exorbitant amounts of money.

I’m in southeast, so it’s pretty much the same situation. Reliable is king, and the pro model stihls are exactly that.

I heard EPA is the reason, but can't verify that.

It seems to everyone here on the Lower Yukon, including myself, had to work on chainsaws less when it was just mechanical issues to deal with, and not electronic issues... and we could fix them ourselves. If a person pays good money for a piece of equipment, he also has a right to tune it however he wants, even if he tears it up. I never messed with a chainsaw to gain more performance myself, I just maintain them, and fix when broken. But I guess I'm just stuck in the last century, I like to be able to work on my own things without having to run to the internet that doesn't work well out here, or go to a dealer 400 miles away by plane.

And computer or not, it’s a 2 stroke engine, there’s only so much to break on them. My outboards give me far more headaches than my saws ever have

Well i have bought three 500i so far and they put out just as much pollution as any of the others, so im not thinking its a epa thing , but they shore do run good and smooth and i never have to touch them with a screw driver , but im not mechanician on them anyway i just use and abuse them. im starting to not like anything with a carburetor. come to think about it lower emissions is probably a good thing for the user , i come home ever day with burning throat and lungs and as far back as i can remember all my family was loggers and died with lung cancer or lung problems. i guess hanging your head over it all day gets to working on you.

When I run aviation fuel I don't stink like 2 stroke exhaust at the end of the day or have issues on a larg cut when close to the ground with asthma from the exhaust. I didn't remember how nice it was untill this year when I went back to 92 no alcohol gas when the local airport said they no longer sell carry out fuel and cant sell it unless it goes directly into an air plain. I'm working on my 2nd 5 gal since the switch and think it's worth the hour drive to the shop I can buy it aviation fuel from just becues of the way it burns and lack of stink.

The switch I was not worried about since in running through more 2 cycle these days and it is not sitting around going bad. Ave gas has a 5 year shelf life so when not using it a lot was worth the extra money not having gummed up carbs. I figured no big deal I'm burning more and will save money with the switch back anyway. But after years of aviation fuel going back and the dang stink and smoke is a big no thanks. Even my daughter noticed last week when I came in from cuting wood saying you stink.

Captive audience when they control the diagnostic tools needed to repair what they sell you’re at their mercy.

After running computerized saws there's no way I would go back. The new saws work and work well. You can't really expect anyone to cater their market to those who live off the road system. I've found the computerized saws to be far more reliable than any previous manual adjust saws.

I live off of the road system, and I run new saws and would never go back. I have 1 of my old 660’s left in the saw shed, I sold the rest the instant 661’s hit the market. I pick it up once in a while just to remind me that it’ll never leave the shed again lol

I have ONE and for the price thought it would have auto-cut.
Kidding, I shopped and got 70cc for 800 bucks.
It is a tool.

Why? Cause the days of gear heads tuning engines are gone.