# Dolmar 5100 ?



## jolby (Sep 30, 2011)

Mostly as you can tell i just read and enjoy all of your informative posts but thought i should check with you guys before i make a purchase.  My 38cc Lowes poulan has quit on me so i called the Dolmar dealer about 12 miles away to ask about the 5100.  He said it is the 5105 now but didn't have any in stock.  He did have the 510 and said that would be the way i should go.  When i mentioned that the 5105 had 3.9 hp vs 510's 3.3, he said not to go by that but to focus on the cc's which are the same.  He also said that you have to be really exact when mixing oil and gas so as to not to damage your engine due to the high rpm's at 14,500.  He cautioned me about ethanol in the gas as well causing a hotter engine leading to damage.  He did say that he would order me one but he really thought i should go with the 510 and a 3/8" chain for cutting firewood.  I felt like he was sincere but was he really trying to unstock a 510?  BTW, he quoted me $495 for the 5105 and $415 for the 510.  Thanks for any advice.


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## Danno77 (Sep 30, 2011)

What's the warranty comparison on the two. If I was set on a Dolmar, I probably would go for the 510 assuming the warranty is the same, just because of the price difference.


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## Danno77 (Sep 30, 2011)

But he's full of bologna on the cc stuff. That 5105 cuts at a 1k Rpms faster and with more hp. That's a difference you can feel. Trust me.


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## TreePointer (Sep 30, 2011)

The 5100s is known for being tuned a little on the lean side at the factory just to meet emissions levels.  If you buy form this dealer, take it to another one to get it properly tuned (if you can't do it yourself).


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## jolby (Sep 30, 2011)

Thanks Danno77.  I need to check on the warranty.  I got the feeling from talking to him that the extra 1000 rpm of the 5105 over the 510's 13,500, made it a good bit more susceptible to operator error in mixing gas or using gas containing ethanol.  I had just read good things about the 5100 here when doing a search.  I guess anything would be an improvement over what i've been using.


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## Bigg_Redd (Sep 30, 2011)

jolby said:
			
		

> Mostly as you can tell i just read and enjoy all of your informative posts but thought i should check with you guys before i make a purchase.  My 38cc Lowes poulan has quit on me so i called the Dolmar dealer about 12 miles away to ask about the 5100.  He said it is the 5105 now but didn't have any in stock.  He did have the 510 and said that would be the way i should go.  When i mentioned that the 5105 had 3.9 hp vs 510's 3.3, he said not to go by that but to focus on the cc's which are the same.  He also said that you have to be really exact when mixing oil and gas so as to not to damage your engine due to the high rpm's at 14,500.  He cautioned me about ethanol in the gas as well causing a hotter engine leading to damage.  He did say that he would order me one but he really thought i should go with the 510 and a 3/8" chain for cutting firewood.  I felt like he was sincere but was he really trying to unstock a 510?  BTW, he quoted me $495 for the 5105 and $415 for the 510.  Thanks for any advice.



Sounds like he's not very interested in selling you a saw. . .


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## CTYank (Sep 30, 2011)

jolby said:
			
		

> Thanks Danno77.  I need to check on the warranty.  I got the feeling from talking to him that the extra 1000 rpm of the 5105 over the 510's 13,500, made it a good bit more susceptible to operator error in mixing gas or using gas containing ethanol.  I had just read good things about the 5100 here when doing a search.  I guess anything would be an improvement over what i've been using.



Bear in mind that most all the extreme engine speeds you see/hear mentioned, for production saws, are @WOT, NO-LOAD with only the drag of the chain spinning unloaded.

Typically, these speeds are way above peak-power and peak-torque speeds, which seldom exceed 10k rpm.


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## peterc38 (Sep 30, 2011)

If a dealer told me not to worry about HP and worry about cc's, I'd find another dealer pronto.


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## thinkxingu (Sep 30, 2011)

Funny--my experience is that Husky big-box stores know nothing about their saws, Dolmar dealers always seem to be stepping people down, and Stihl dealers always seem to be getting just right.

As mentioned--if a dealer ever told me not to worry about HP, especially when the option for a bigger sale is present, there's somethin' wrong.

S


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## Danno77 (Sep 30, 2011)

If your dealer wants to have his eyes opened to reality he can come use my Chinese "Blue MAXX" saw. 45ccs but feels like 1/2 the power of my Stihl that is pretty closely matched in CCs. For me it's HP first, RPMs next. I mean, CCs are important. You aren't gonna get the same HP out of a good 36cc saw as a good 125cc saw no matter how hard you try, but they aren't everything.


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## Battenkiller (Oct 1, 2011)

CTYank said:
			
		

> Bear in mind that most all the extreme engine speeds you see/hear mentioned, for production saws, are @WOT, NO-LOAD with only the drag of the chain spinning unloaded.
> 
> Typically, these speeds are way above peak-power and peak-torque speeds, which seldom exceed 10k rpm.



The 510 is supposed to be a real good saw, but the 5105 is a _great_ saw.  At the typical 9500 RPM cutting speed, I'd be willing to bet the 5105 will have noticeably more grunt and won't bog in the cut with the same size log.  The 510 is about a pound heavier as well.  The 5105 is pro-built, with a floating rim drive rather than a spur drive (will pay for the difference after four spur drums), magnesium cases rather than aluminum, closed port cylinder instead of open port, and at least half a horsepower more at cutting speed.  I haven't tried the 510 but I have used a 5100s on several occasions.  It is one sweet saw.

Bottom line, they're both expensive, and by next spring you won't notice the extra $85 doing anything to improve your life, but that 5105 will still put a smile on your face every time you pull the rope.

BTW that $499 price on the 5105 seems high.  I priced just a powerhead at the local Dolmar dealer 6 months ago and I have a quote of $399 down in writing.  Seems you could snag one with a bar and chain for under $450.


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## wendell (Oct 1, 2011)

If you are set on Dolmar, find a different dealer. This guy has no idea what he is talking about. Plus his prices seem high.

The 510 is a nice saw, the 5105 is a very nice saw. But at the price he is quoting you, the 346 is even a nicer saw.


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## jolby (Oct 1, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your replies.  Yeah i did another Dolmar dealer search and there's one 34 miles away.  I'll check with him next week.  I've looked at the Stihl 250 and 270 and the Husqvarna 353 and 346--all would be great to me i'm sure.  I'm just going to have one saw that's why i thought the 5105 at a little over 11 lb would be a good compromise for limbing and bucking.  Of course the others mentioned above would be too.  I'm not in a hurry as i've got my wood for this season and hopefully for next too but have some clean up i can do.  Thanks again for your time.


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## wendell (Oct 2, 2011)

If I was going to just buy one saw, it would be the new Husqvarna 555 (homeowner) or 562XP (pro).

I have a friend that just bought the 555 and it out cut his 357XP by 2 seconds in the cut. Very impressive!


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## thinkxingu (Oct 2, 2011)

One saw: 346 or 261 with 16/18" bar, especially if the 38cc Poulan was doing the trick and there's a Husky/Stihl dealer in good distance.

S


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## Bigg_Redd (Oct 2, 2011)

Agree with above posts.

If my best friend was a Dolmar dealer, and he lived next door, there's a good chance I'd have a Dolmar.  But never would I jump through my @$$ and drive half way across the county if there was a Stihl dealer nearby.  

Looks like the new 291 is over a pound lighter than the 290.  Might be worth a look.


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## Thistle (Oct 2, 2011)

wendell said:
			
		

> If I was going to just buy one saw, it would be the new Husqvarna 555 (homeowner) or 562XP (pro).
> 
> I have a friend that just bought the 555 and it out cut his 357XP by 2 seconds in the cut. Very impressive!



I must say,the 562XP sure looks good what I seen of it.Not in the market for a new saw right now but I'd lean towards that model if so.


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## MasterMech (Oct 3, 2011)

Sounds a lot like this guy would rather sell you a saw he stocks as opposed to one has to order.  If HP didn't matter then why do Pro's and Hearth.com members shell out the cash for a Pro saw over a Farm/Homeowner saw?  If cc's was all that mattered then nobody would buy the MS362 over the MS391, or the 562XP over the 560, etc....

Get the saw you want from whomever you are most comfortable buying from. (A dealer right? ;-))  Don't let anybody, including me, talk you down to a saw they think would be "okay" for firewood.


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## zzr7ky (Oct 3, 2011)

I went with the 5100, and would have a 5105 in a heartbeat!.   It's a great saw fpor firewood and is light enough to be a nice limb saw on the ground.


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## jolby (Mar 13, 2012)

Thought i would update my decision.  Found a 5100 on ebay used one season for 350.  Called the seller, Baker's Lawnmower in Liberty, Ky to ask about it.  He said he had a couple of new ones for 385 + 30 shipping for 415, so went with that.  It came with a Vanguard chain on it but i put the other he sent, Windsor 50APL72, on it since i wasn't familiar with the bent over depth guages of the Vanguard.  Mixed Woodland Pro Synthetic with regular ethanol free at 50:1.  Have recently cut 1 1/2 cords of oak and sweetgum with no problem.  When first cranking the thing last month i noticed how wobbly it is compared to my Lowes Poulan.  I started feeling sick, thinking i had a lemon unloaded on me.  I'm a little slow, ok a lot slow, but have learned to appreciate the shocks or anti-vibe springs.

CTYank, you're right. The max power at 10,000 rpm for the 510 is 3.3 hp and 3.9 fro 5100. Max torque at 7000 rpm is 2.9 Nm for 510 and 3.1 for 5100, whatever Nm is.

Other saws suggested are great and i'm just a stubborn sob who gets something on his mind and thinks he has to have it, even if reason sometimes tells him not to.  I do like the weight of the saw, even with the 20" bar it doesn't seem any heavier to me than the 16" Poulan.  Thanks again for all suggestions and advice.


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## wkpoor (Mar 13, 2012)

NM stand for neuton meters, metric version of ft/lbs.
I've owned 4 5100Ss. 5105s are a much improve version of the 5100 and solved some issues they had with the 5100 not to say it was bad as it was and is a great firewood saw. One thing to keep in mind with pro grade especially with that little screamer and I gave someone else the heads up on here about Dolmar 5100 and that is if you need a P/C down the road there is no cheap alternatives. Last I checked that kit will run you 189.00 from anybody you call. The 510 can be fixed for less than half that. SO before I would ever buy another stock saw new I would ask about piston and cylinder repairs parts pricing. The 6400 is a no brainer because Greg over at baileys is selling the aftermarket BB kits for 100.00. Can't go wrong there.


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## jolby (Mar 13, 2012)

wkpoor, that kind of puts things in perspective.  Thanks for the warning.  I guess the 5100 is more apt to fail than the improved 5105.  I'm currently running it at 14000 rpm instead of the 14,500 according to my TT-20K tach from Design Technology, Inc.  Is that a good setting?


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## wkpoor (Mar 13, 2012)

jolby said:
			
		

> wkpoor, that kind of puts things in perspective.  Thanks for the warning.  I guess the 5100 is more apt to fail than the improved 5105.  I'm currently running it at 14000 rpm instead of the 14,500 according to my TT-20K tach from Design Technology, Inc.  Is that a good setting?


Tuning should be done by ear. I like to hear a light 4cycle during no load WOT. Under load the saw will need that little extra fuel. If you rev it WOT and it sounds clean and smooth its too lean. Also I mix a little richer than the 50:1 recommended. I realize alot of people will say stick with mfg on this but they are saying that for EPA reasons more so than whats good for the saw. 40 or 45:1 isn't going to hurt a thing and in my mind is a little added extra protection. 14K is pretty darn fast and if you accidently mix a little leaner than 50:1 then what???? I dunno. Never seen a scored piston due to over lubing sure seen a few from under. Also try to located some fuel from stations that sell pure gas. A list can be found on pure-gas.org. Other option is AvGas but very few airports will sell. Some county airports might.


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## HittinSteel (Mar 14, 2012)

jolby said:
			
		

> Thanks everyone for your replies.  Yeah i did another Dolmar dealer search and there's one 34 miles away.  I'll check with him next week.  I've looked at the Stihl 250 and 270 and the Husqvarna 353 and 346--all would be great to me i'm sure.  I'm just going to have one saw that's why i thought the 5105 at a little over 11 lb would be a good compromise for limbing and bucking.  Of course the others mentioned above would be too.  I'm not in a hurry as i've got my wood for this season and hopefully for next too but have some clean up i can do.  Thanks again for your time.



The Dolmar 5105 is great

The 353/346 are great

The stihl you should be considering is the 261


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