New Stihl 046

[bill chasser]

Well i finally broke down and purchased a new ground saw today. Was going to originally get a ms440 until I seen how stihl managed to ruin a once great saw. They have changed the design to make more husky ish (why, I haven't a clue) but all they did was take a strong saw and turn it into a cheap plastic piece of ------. I ended up spending an extra c- note and bought a ms460. Has the original design of the old 044 but with more umph. Should be a good workhorse with a 36" bar for limbing. My ms 200's have been upgraded as well. The venerable 066 has been giving me fits lately with recurrent carb issues if its left sitting for more than a month. Only use it when felling and bucking big wood but my back doesn't like lugging it around much. The 090 is soon to be freshened up and retired to the fireplace mantle along with a set of throwing axes that were awarded to me years ago and been collecting dust in the attic.

[sawcollector]

Bill, one thing for sure about STIHL is every model is constantly getting upgrades and improvements and eventually will be replaced by a new model.
I have a MS 441 and side by side with a 440 it cuts a little faster, gets much better fuel economy, like 20% better, is much smoother ti run, which is easier on my old body, and does have a better filter system even if it is copied from a Husky. Yes it weighs more, but nothing I can do about that. It is a very nice saw to cut with.
The EPA has caused major changes to small engines and every STIHL saw model out there is eventually going to be replaced with a stratified scavenge design like the 441. And every other builder out there has to do something different with their saw to meet the EPA guidelines. This is the world we live in and truth is I love little motors and want them to stay around for the future and I also want the world to survive so if we have to run saws that are a little heavier to be a lot cleaner exhaust wise I am OK with that.
In the meantime enjoy your 460 and just bear in mind that sooner or later you may have to try a new technology saw and they aren't all bad!
Eddie

[Patrick62]

I don't know anything about that new fangled 441. I have heard it is as heavy as a MS460.... why?

I run both a older 440, and a 460. Both good saws, but I prefer the lighter 440.

-Pat

[Peter]

Bill,

I think you make a good choice. It looks like all the MSxx0 saws do less work than the corresponding older 0xx Stilh. The law is the law. Too keep the same performance will mean stepping up a size. I think the weights have been slowly coming down a bit, so a size up is not a killer. The money yea, that hurts! I took a double hit and went from 028 super to an MS260. Less power, less weight, less dollars. I can go a bit slower on the big cuts but make time with less fatigue later. I was in heaven when I had my old 020 AVP as my small saw.

The noise level is a lot better on new saws. I started a fire cutting a stump with my 056 one time. I think thats just a straight pipe.

Its always something. the 020AVP came form the time period when Stihl had reliability problems with ignition. Ever wonder why Stihl offers a life time warranty on ignition. Becasue those ignition problems killed thier reputation and Husky started to kick stilh butt. Like Toyota and GM. That was hard to forgive or forget, but I did get over it. I gave a freind the 020 and he fixed it and still runs the saw.

We have a guy here doing a good business rebuilding the old 0xx stilh saws. I will probably trade in my dead 028. Its just like the old toilets, there is a good market.

I was reading about the 4Mix stihl 4 cycle trimmer engines. I like the technology. If the saws end up going that way, I think Stihl has a edge on the competition there. Maybe there is a down side, but just as an example of engine technology it looks great to me.

[bill chasser]

saw collector
I have no problem with Stihl in general as they are my exclusive saw in all my applications. I was just dissappointed with the new design. the new ms441 just didnt appear to be made a well as the old 044. I'm like you as far as the weight issues are concerned. That is why I bought the ms460 because my 066 is just too heavy and thirsty for me to drag around all day. It has been relegated to standby statis for my big wood situations now. The ms460 is now my ground saw of choice. It was $100 more than the ms441 but has more torque and hp. Put a 36 bar on it and look forward to using it soon. All the manufacturers are having to meet ever stringent epa standards and I too worry when the day comes that the standards just can't be met.

I guess I was trying to say that if I want ed a hsukyish saw I would go by husky. Stihl is a brand that has no true competition anymore and I was just disappointed that they had taken cues from what I consider a lessor brand. Thanks for your comments

Peter
I have a lot of 4mix units, FS250, HT101, HS75 . Took some getting used to. They all perform well for their intended uses. We use the bio oils in all our equipment to try to keep the emission and evironmental impacts to a minimum.


Peter
The new saws are definately quieter. I hear more intake noise than exhaust. The ms460 seems to have good response and hope to put through its paces shortly.

[Patrick62]

My MS460 got "modified" about a week after I bought it.
My 440 came to me "modified".
My 260 was "modified" before it ever cut a stick.
My 064 came back to me slightly "modified"

By "modified" I mean the muffler was opened up a bit. Nothing terribly radical. I keep the spark screen intact.

Yes, they are louder than stock. Chainsaws are loud anyway, and I like power.

Open that 460 up a bit, and watch it "get with the program"

-Pat

[bill chasser]

My 066 was used as a competition hot saw and was really worked over. Porting, wiseco piston, sealed power rings shaved cylinder expansion chamber exhaust. It really let the chips fly.

Yeah the ms 460 is wat too quiet and acts choked up. Sounds like a miserable husky too. The muffler has to go and Im sure that alone along with an airfilter chage will wake it up a bit.