346 XP advice needed.

[blackjack]

Hi

I have an early 346XP that I got off eBay ,I expected it to be a pile of parts and it is.

It has a fresh probably Chinese top end in it, and runs erratically I suspect an air leak somewhere that blew the last top end and the seller fitted a new one without finding and fixing the air leak,I haven't got the kit to pressure test it or split the cases ,my question is roughly what the cost involved in worst case scenario having new crank seals and decent quality top end fitted? I know any 346 seems to be fetching good money on eBay as a repair project and I would deffo get my money back so could just sell it and put it towards a new one but I do like low tech and not sure about the new ones with auto tune and it not used that much just firewood etc.

[bmp01]

Dunno answer to question but worth knowing seals can be removed and new ones fitted without splitting crankcases.

Obvs that goes out of the window if you want new bearings and or new case gaskets.

Edit : theres been a few posts on here regarding 346 top ends, quite recently too, anything to be gleened from there ?

Edited January 18, 2021 by bmp01
Note added

[Paddy1000111]

Price wise I would say more than it would cost you to buy a pressure tester and some really basic tooling. Basic chainsaw repairs are very easy. Give it a good clean off and spend a day sat at the dining room table learning! Youtube has tonnes of videos about fixing saws. 2 stroke chainsaw engines are about as basic as it gets for repairs and learning to fix things like that helps with working out issues in the future, you could save £££ just by knowing basic stuff! 

[blackjack]

3 hours ago, bmp01 said:

Dunno answer to question but worth knowing seals can be removed and new ones fitted without splitting crankcases.

Obvs that goes out of the window if you want new bearings and or new case gaskets.

Edit : theres been a few posts on here regarding 346 top ends, quite recently too, anything to be gleened from there ?

Thanks ,that useful info,I have changed crank seals on air-cooled 2 stroke bikes before without splitting the cases just never worked on a chainsaw bottom end before.

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, blackjack said:

Thanks ,that useful info,I have changed crank seals on air-cooled 2 stroke bikes before without splitting the cases just never worked on a chainsaw bottom end before.

Just send it to Spud and get him to port it whilst its there . Jobs a goodun ! 👍

[blackjack]

1 hour ago, Paddy1000111 said:

Price wise I would say more than it would cost you to buy a pressure tester and some really basic tooling. Basic chainsaw repairs are very easy. Give it a good clean off and spend a day sat at the dining room table learning! Youtube has tonnes of videos about fixing saws. 2 stroke chainsaw engines are about as basic as it gets for repairs and learning to fix things like that helps with working out issues in the future, you could save £££ just by knowing basic stuff! 

Thanks , Idon't know what a decent pressure tester costs so that's one of the reasons ,I am after some rough costs.

[blackjack]

1 minute ago, Stubby said:

Just send it to Spud and get him to port it whilst its there . Jobs a goodun ! 👍

Deffo an option if he has time.

[Stubby]

Just now, blackjack said:

Deffo an option if he has time.

He will just put it in the queue .  He did my 346 years ago ( and most of my other saws ) . Money well spent . 

[blackjack]

1 minute ago, Stubby said:

He will just put it in the queue .  He did my 346 years ago ( and most of my other saws ) . Money well spent . 

Seems like a good idea as Im not confident on finding the air leak and decent top ends are not cheap if I get it wrong.

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, blackjack said:

Seems like a good idea as Im not confident on finding the air leak and decent top ends are not cheap if I get it wrong.

Give him a PM and see what he says . @spudulike

Edited January 18, 2021 by Stubby