Maximum Speed

Specification
Updated 2026-08-24 · Read this page as Markdown

The highest engine speed the saw is designed to reach, in revolutions per minute (rpm), usually quoted with the bar and chain fitted. It is the reference point for carburettor tuning and for the chain speed figure.

Maximum speed is normally given as the wide-open-throttle limit under no load, and running a two-stroke engine above it leans the mixture and risks seizure — which is why tuning by ear without a tachometer is a common way to destroy a saw. Peak power is produced somewhat below this figure, so a saw revving to its ceiling in the cut is not working at its best; you want it loaded down into its power band. Together with the drive sprocket size and chain pitch, this rpm figure is what determines Chain Speed.

This spec across the catalog

Recorded on 25 models in this database, from 6800 rpm to 13800 rpm, averaging 10700 rpm.

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Related terms

Decompression valve A small button-operated valve that vents part of the cylinder pressure during starting, making the engine much easier to pull over. It closes automatically as soon as the engine fires. Easy-start system A starter mechanism that uses a spring between the recoil rope and the crankshaft to store the energy of a slow pull and release it in one burst, turning the engine over for you. Manufacturers market it under names such as SmartStart, EasyStart or Soft Start. Engine Displacement The swept volume of the chainsaw's cylinder, measured in cubic centimetres (cc). It is the single figure most often used to place a petrol saw in its size class, because displacement broadly tracks both power and weight. Idle Speed The engine speed, in revolutions per minute (rpm), at which the saw runs with the throttle released. It must be set low enough that the clutch stays disengaged and the chain does not move. Power Output The maximum power the engine or motor delivers, stated in kilowatts (kW). It determines how well the saw holds chain speed when the cutters are loaded in the cut, rather than how fast it spins free. Power Output (HP) The same maximum power figure expressed in horsepower (hp) instead of kilowatts. One kilowatt equals approximately 1.34 hp.

See also

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