361 muffler Mod

[arborworks1]

I modded my 361 muffler over the weekend. Wow what a difference it makes. I cut all the guts out of it and enlarged the exit hole. It sure is a pain to take that muffler apart. If I do that again to another saw I will just add the pipe to the side. I have it running just a hair rich.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cool. All chainsaw sellers outta offer/be able to do mods like that. Sweet.

 

[arborworks1]

It would be nice. Even if one of the techs did it on the side. Most commercial warranties are up in 90 days anyway, so whats the big deal.

 

[SkwerI]

EPA laws prevent them from messing with the exhaust. I got my last saw from Madsen's and they shaved the jug and ported it, but they couldn't mod the muffler. I had to do that myself after I got the saw.

 

[arborworks1]

Wow isn't that quite round about. They still increased the output(emissions) but they couldn't fix the muffler for you.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I did a muffler mod last week on the 036, can't get any response from the high speed jet, so I can't tell you how well it worked.:roll: The 036 muffler is just an empty can. It definitely moves more air, it's turning 15,500, just got to get it tuned now.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

15,500 is a bit high for that saw WOT, but I reckon you know that Dave.

What do you mean you can't get any response from the hi jet? I'd say it turing 15.5k is a response...unless it was turning that beforehand.

The other thing Dave, is that depending on how old your 036 is, it may be like the older 044's in that they breathed pretty well on their own. The muffler mods we do now on 440s pretty much just take them back to what they were stock "back in the day." Could be your 036 was breathing happily as it was. I dunno...just thinking out loud.

 

[High Scale]

I just got a year old 361 and was contemplating a exhaust mod, has it made a major difference?

 

[woodworkingboy]

I did a muffler mod last week on the 036, can't get any response from the high speed jet, so I can't tell you how well it worked.:roll: The 036 muffler is just an empty can. It definitely moves more air, it's turning 15,500, just got to get it tuned now.

If I'm not mistaken, the stock 036 factory spec max rpm is 13000. It's hard to fathom 15,500 rpms just with a muffler mod. Even those saws in that series that have an internal baffle in the muffler, they aren't all that stuffed up.

Normally with a muffler mod...a good one, you can expect an increase of 400-500 rpms, and still be reasonably safe four stroking. 15,500 rpms ....your tach imust be reading way high....or your saw is on borrowed time. I'd tune it by ear instead of a tach, if the readings are suspect.

 

[Al Smith]

A little pipe out the side won't help it any ,may make it look cool but it's just decoration .

RPM's in the air is just noise,doesn't help a thing .It's what it does in the cut that makes the diff . The reason a muffler is altered is so it can move more air through the system .More air ,more fuel ,more power .

With any engine and especially a two cycle you kind of work backwards .If the exhaust can't get out fast,the air /fuel mixture can't get in fast .Nearly every saw will benefit at least some from an altered muffler .Just be sure you don't over run the carb and get a lean out condition whereby you could damage the engine .

Believe it or not in most cases just a simple rework of the exhaust sytem will show the greatest initial improvement to a saws performance and with 90 percent of users this is enough to satisfy them .Plus the fact you don't have a dime in it ,just a little time .

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I just got a year old 361 and was contemplating a exhaust mod, has it made a major difference?

The 361 responds superbly to muffler mods. Do it.

 

[Frans]

Believe it or not in most cases just a simple rework of the exhaust sytem will show the greatest initial improvement to a saws performance and with 90 percent of users this is enough to satisfy them .Plus the fact you don't have a dime in it ,just a little time .

I have often thought that Al, it is a pain in the rear to send a saw out of state to get the jug shaved, but re-working the muffler is easy to do by myself. Adjusting the carb is really a matter of learning how to listen to the saw and can be done with a bit of practice.

 

[Al Smith]

Well it tickles the chit out of me when some so called builder makes a big deal of porting the stupid thing so somebody will have bragging rights .All along just a little work done on the muffler gets the job done for most and anybody with just a little bit of mechanical ability can do it .

Now,I like a modded saw,don't get me wrong . I do my own with pretty good success .However ,side by side in a days work you wouldn't see so much diff in output to write home about it . Some yes but not earth shattering .Arguments might ensue but hey,I've been down that road before . The big deal about a highly modified saw is you can pack a bigger punch in a lighter package which is worth something .

In my little life though if I need a larger saw I just trot off to the shed and snatch one ,I have a few .

 

[Cut4fun]

. I got my last saw from Madsen's and they shaved the jug and ported it, but they couldn't mod the muffler.

Didn't know Madsen's did that. So what kind of money did they get you for?
Is it a similar porting work Walker's does?

 

[SkwerI]

I think it was $120 or $125. But that was on a new saw that I purchased from them. I know almost nothing of their policies so I suggest contacting them directly if you have questions.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Well it tickles the chit out of me when some so called builder makes a big deal of porting the stupid thing so somebody will have bragging rights .All along just a little work done on the muffler gets the job done for most and anybody with just a little bit of mechanical ability can do it .

Now,I like a modded saw,don't get me wrong . I do my own with pretty good success .However ,side by side in a days work you wouldn't see so much diff in output to write home about it . Some yes but not earth shattering .Arguments might ensue but hey,I've been down that road before . The big deal about a highly modified saw is you can pack a bigger punch in a lighter package which is worth something .

In my little life though if I need a larger saw I just trot off to the shed and snatch one ,I have a few .

Working in big wood, or say your consistently limbing downed trees....the saw is running constantly during a days work, my impression is that when you figure in the weight factor of a well done modified lighter saw, when compared to a larger stock saw that can put out equivalent power, you'll definitely get worthwhile bang for your buck by the end of the day. The relationship with a modded saw, the ongoing process of probing the depths of the subject of two cycle engines, makes life more interesting too, especially when you've done it yourself....imo.

 

[Dave Shepard]

15,500 is not the four stroking number, that's what it turns after the muff mod. I can't get a response from the High speed jet, meaning I can't get the rpms to come down. I'm waiting on the weekend to dope it out some more. The saw was running fine before the muffler mod, so I don't know what's wrong with it. The stock rpm is 13,500.

 

[SkwerI]

Either it's slightly plugged or else the carb jetting just isn't big enough. On some of those newer carbs your only choice is to richen up the low end to assist the high end.

But I have horrible luck with carbs and usually just replace them if they give me too much grief. For $60-$80 I can usually just bolt on a new carb and it's fixed with less than 5 minutes work. I suck at rebuilding carbs.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I cleaned the carb, which was pretty much spotless anyway, and put a new fuel filter on it. I've yet to check the impulse line and carb boot. It would surprise me if there was an air leak, as it has been running fine since it got back from the saw shop last winter for a "do whatever it takes to make it run" visit. I was told it got a new fuel line then.You wouldn't think such a small enlargement would overtax the carb. My current muffler outlet is just under .5 inches square, and the exhaust port is something like .87" square. I'll know more later in the week. Could always put a bigger carb on it. They're pretty cheap at Bailey's.

 

[Cut4fun]

Did you pull the carbs plastic stops off to try and tune?

Mine adjusted fine after the muffler mod and pulling the H side plastic carb stop.

361 without a muffler mod is a dawg. But the muffler mod made it turn into a real saw for 59cc's.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Oh yes, the limiter caps have been bypassed.

 

[Al Smith]

Well don't over look a scorched boot .Recently I had one and it make a monkey out of me ,not to be confused with "Old Monkey "

 

[High Scale]

Hmmm, I recently modded a friends 026 exhaust by opening out the inside and slightly enlarging the exit hole, it didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference, maybe the 361 will respond better.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Dave....you've probably checked it out already, but cylinder head bolts can loosen up, causing an air leak. Are you working on an 036? They came with limiter caps?

 

[Dave Shepard]

I haven't gotten any further than the carb yet. I'll be looking "under the hood" next. Yes, it's an 036 with caps. Saw must be close to ten years old now.