Far as i know the boogie man ( lead ) is still in the AV gas. Might be why they arent allowing carry out purchase. That being the low lead 100 as I understand it. I have it here for my airboat and been running it as first and last tank of season in my snow blower and lawn mower. It is definitely different than the 92 they call recreational fuel here. I run the 92 in most my small engines and my old airboat mentor said I could run it as a mix in my airboat. But the airboat engine still needed the the lead in the 100AV gas for octane?? and valve cushioning?? So was best to not run more than every other tank of fuel with 92. The guy that set my boat up said wasn't worth gambling running the 92 so I never have. But I have run the 100 AV gas in couple of my small engines. It just stores way better..

Mac

I have a 076 and a 038 super from back in the day when I was young and strong. I really liked the power and handling of the 038 super, but parts are hard to come by. Like even an air cleaner. I bought a new MS 400c, and I love how it is always jetted perfect for whatever the temp is. It screams and is a joy to cut with.

I just got my 032 AV cutting again in the last few days. Been going strong for 40 years and I finally had to replace the crankshaft seals. I was disappointed they weren't under warranty still.

Been considering the ms 261 just in case my 032 dies before I do.

The way I understand it..........a guy can replace certain injection modules on the 500i but it still requires dealer calibration or registration ....after that . Is that correct ?

I also have a Husky 266XP that is about 35 years old and runs like a scalded ape ! Heavy but it cuts like dream.

Also, if you are still running carbureted saws, and living away from a dealer.......I suggest you invest in a small wireless tachometer. It may sound great to your ear but chances are it is running too lean if it "sounds great."

I have no idea what it takes to make a 500i work, all I do is pull the cord and run the saw, that's all I've had to do to it for years of use minus obvious bar and chain work.

Run a Stihl MS 462 & MS 261....Both manual carb, and that's the only configuration I want.

No problem tuning & maintaining a manual carb whatsoever, so easy a caveman can do it, Lol.

If you have zero mechanical ability a electronic saw may be your ticket, but when they crap out (and they will crap out eventually)....Your up a creek without a paddle, IMO.

Correct, a tach is the only way to tune one properly, even with a trained ear I’m usually off by a few hundred rpm’s from where it should be. And the proper range varies by saw, the old 044’s like to turn about 14,000 rpm when the throttle is pinned, in comparison, you’ll scatter an 066 across the mountain if you go over 12,000

I put a lot more hours on a saw than the average guy, and you sir are incorrect. The newer saws have been a lot less maintenance than they used to be in my experience. I still have the original 500i I was sent to demo in early 2019, it’s cut over 10 million board feet and all I’ve done to it is replace the clutch and a few spark plugs. I still fire it up to cut firewood. I have several others that are less worn out, but still seen a ton of use, and every single one still works. One of my 462’s is carbureted, that was accidental, I meant to order an m-tronic one (because I liked the one they sent me to demo, for a small saw)

Ok... I get that a lot of you WANT to hate the newer saws with technology because it makes you feel good or whatever. I didn't read every post but I didn't see any where someone had one and hated it because it was nothing but problems. On the contrary, there's two guys that seem to live with a saw in their hand and both say they're way better than the old saws. So... wouldn't a smart man say "ok, maybe I was wrong about em" but NOPE! lol. They double down instead.

Yeah I was trying to understand. The middle of nowhere excuse doesn’t work either, because I am in the middle of nowhere most of the time. I spend the majority of my year on a rock in the pacific, and the rest of it is spent a decent snow machine ride from the nearest drivable surface

I hear you, but sorry there are multiple reports of M-Tronic problems all over the arborist sites & carb saws too. Glad they're working for y'all, but I don't buy into it on any level.

But that's okay, we're all happy with our choices it sounds like.

Yeah, buy what makes you happy, by all means. Not gonna tell anyone how to live their life, I’m just saying that you’ll never meet someone who runs saws more than I do, and I have zero issues with the new ones that aren’t attributable to regular wear and tear. Arborists are a whole different world, that’s a crew of guys who know more about different tree species and the inside workings of what makes a tree tick than they know about saws or killing trees. So if anyone is going to have issues it makes sense it would be them, their saws are getting used more than your average firewood burner uses theirs, but are the property of whatever company they work for, so they abuse them and don’t maintain them like they probably should. I own all my gear, so I’m motivated to care for it and keep it running optimally, I’m also paid based on the board feet I produce, so efficiency is everything. I’ll say it a hundred thousand times in my life, the number one saw killer is a dull chain.

I have a hobby of tinkering with chainsaws. I have over 20 running saws. All except one are old school, and the one that has an electronic carb is a Husky 550xp. I was telling my local saw shop owner this year that there are two things I hate about that 550. First one is that I cant work on the fuel system much. The second is that it is the fastest, smoothest, most reliable saw I own, so I have never had a reason to tinker with it. I want so much to hate that saw, but it wins in every category over my old non electronic saws.
Im seriously considering a new Stihl m-tronic because the pros like AK Timber Tramp and my local buddy who runs saws for a living say they wouldn’t go back for anything.

Only thing stopping me is I know it will just scream for years. Boooooring. I like them to break down once in a while so I can tinker….

You're a masochist.

What makes me happy is those Stihl MS saws firing off when I pull the rope, and that has not been a problem so far....Always keep the chains clean & sharp, keep a clean air filter, use good bar oil and good fuel oil & non ethanol gas mix.

Use Stihl chain, 3/8 pitch .063 gauge on a Stihl .063 Rollomatic ES bar that gets cleaned and dressed often....Cut 10 cords a year of white oak, red oak & hickory.
...I'm not a pro logger, but a little more serious than your average country boy, so my uneducated opinion carries less weight, so let me ask you how is that M'Tronic going to improve my situation when I paid less for these carb saws than what a electronic version costs up front, plus I can tune, adjust, and rebuild my own carb cheaper right here at home...No saw shop labor costs, or wait time, and the most important of all. I understand how that carb works, how it's made, and what it needs.

Do you understand the M-Tronic inner workings? ...Can you rebuild one at home?...What's it going to cost to have that miracle machine worked on when it does go south?

Just not a believer at this point.

It’s never been a problem, you start them on choke and let them idle for 60 seconds on choke and they tune themselves based on elevation, humidity, fuel, how clean or dirty the air filter is, etc. and then they cut. As far as working on the m-tronics, I have a literal fleet of m-tronic 661’s, and I’ve never had a single problem. The saw will be worn out before you experience an m-tronic failure. And I’m in a harsh, humid, salty environment. Again, do what works for you. All I’m saying is guys just need to admit they prefer old stuff, rather than putting false information out there that the new stuff is all junk. It’s the same concept for a lot of things, I have a 1995 12 valve that I love dearly, I will never part with that truck, but my 2016 Cummins will blow the doors off of it, and I’ve never done anything to it aside from maintenance and optional upgrades, the 1995 has over a half million miles, so it’s on its 3rd clutch, 2nd transmission rebuild, 3rd set of injectors, second rear end, and I don’t even know how many water pumps, lift pumps, alternators, etc. and then I had to pull the head and do the top end. Just because I love it doesn’t make it better

What about a EMP being set off over Alaska? ..You going to wrap that M'Tronic in tinfoil? ...Lol, just kidding, and you might be right "if" the electronics never fail you win in my view.

Guess it's one of those things I need a few more years of time proving the longevity on that design....Cowboys probably balked at automobiles, but here we are.

In the meantime, color me a dinosaur chipper...A diehard carb devotee.

Fair enough, if it’s working for you, don’t change it. For the record I got my first m-tronic 661 in 2014/2015 I think, so it’s not really a new idea at this point. I was mis trustful at first, I won’t lie, but I have yet to be disappointed. I even still have that original 661 still (it runs, but it’s absolutely clapped out, there isn’t one part of it that’s not held together with zip ties and helicoils, maybe a half pound of JB weld lol)

I got a fleet of stihls. Ms 180, Ms 230, Ms 250, 038 AV magnum and a 661cm. The best saw is the 30 year old 038. The worst is the 661cm. It's one of those Mtronic saws and I'd gladly trade it for a 066. When it works it works real good but when it doesn't it is just another piece of junk. The 038 has never missed a beat.

I’m officially blue in the face, if you guys like old heavy junk, run it. But if your m-tronic saws are giving you problems, it’s because you didn’t read the manual that explains how to let it self adjust, it’s not the saws fault. But I probably haven’t learned enough about saws living in logging camps my entire life, good call.

I was given a brand new Stihl cs261 with the m tronic. It was hands down the worst saw I ever had... after six months spending $450.00 dollars on parts that the dealer on the road system swore up and down would get it running, he finally had me ship it over to the road system so he could work on the electronics... 6 months later, I get a call, it was supposedly running, I owed him $600.00. I told him to keep the saw. With The new regulations on flying gas engines on Lynden and RAVN, I can no longer ship a used motor back and forth easily. I had a friend last summer pick up a brand new weed eater in Anchorage, when he went by Lynden, they told him it wouldn't fly on a cargo plane till he took it by a business that purges gas tanks. I'm glad y'all had good experiences with the electronic saws, but that is my experience. I did everything the dealer said to do, and it still didn't work. I just got a new Echo 620p in the mail (Funny they can mail you a new gas engine, but the same cargo hauling C130 that brings the mail won't let you put an engine on the plane if you buy it in Anchorage without getting it inspected and tagged at a different business.). Hopefully it will run better, and if it don't, at least I can work on it.