Carb tuning, ear or tach?

[Timbertrail]

Over the weekend I was tweaking the carb on my saw and I found myself in a bit of a pickle, should I trust my instincts on the sound or should I whip out the tach for some precision?

What do you typically do when tuning carbs? Any handy tips for balancing speed and smooth running without losing your mind?

 

[LogLife]

I’ve had my share of experiences with my old chainsaw. Initially I tuned it by ear just like my dad showed me. But after one unfortunate incident where I ran it too lean and ruined a piston I started using a tach. Now I listen to the sound first and then confirm with the tach to make sure I’m doing it right

 

[Leon Couper]

I tune by ear as some of those tachs I am not to sure how accurate they are.
I have always got the low jet were it is running nice and smooth then on the high jet
give it a burst of full revs take it up to peek revs and them back it off and leave it a bit rich.
When you hear the motor 4 stroking this means it is a bit on the rich side.
I have always tuned this way and never had a problem yet.

 

[STIHLTECH]

Tune by ear. Just use the tach to check top and idle speed to keep it in range.

 

[Alan]

Yeah, most people just tune it by ear and then double check with a tach.

 

[Jeff_W]

hmmm, you should always use both your ear and the tach, but for different things.
use your ear and instincts for the low-speed L mixture. You want the engine to idle smoothly, accelerate cleanly without bogging, and sound crisp.
use the tachometer for the high-speed H setting. This is important for engine safety!

 

[Alan]

Great advice. It strikes a perfect balance between intuition and accuracy. A fantastic approach to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely.