550 XP on the spot buy..

[carlos]

1 hour ago, adw said:

Just a note, never run the saw without the bar and chain fitted and the clutch still on, it can and will spin off on the over run, highly dangerous.

ive never had this, although if iam running it with the bar off id only run gently on half revs, usually to see if its oiling.

[Guest Gimlet]

1 hour ago, carlos said:

ive never had this, although if iam running it with the bar off id only run gently on half revs, usually to see if its oiling.

That's what I did. Only gave it the smallest blip and oil appeared immediately. That was all I needed to know.

[Guest Gimlet]

Well I had another look today and I'm damned if I can find anything wrong. The bar is X-Force. No damage that I can see. No marks on the clutch drum or the brake band. Cleaned the bar again and checked the oil hole. All good and sprocket spinning freely. 

 

I did increase the oil flow but the screw doesn't just unwind. It only has two positions and clicks into place. I left it on the highest flow and it was leaving a better oil trail on the ground afterwards when the chain was spun.   

 

When I cleaned it down the other day I noticed a lot of thick white assembly grease everywhere around the clutch area and on the bar. And I found more today under the chain guide plate.

The only thing I can think of is that this grease was clogging the oil hole in the bar and gumming up the sprocket so it wasn't getting any oil.

To my mind this grease should have been cleaned off by the dealer when the saw was prepped for sale.

Edited February 3, 2022 by Gimlet

[Treerover]

Mine seems fine... [emoji38]

 

@ the OP: I recommend the narrow kerf .325 setup when you come to replace your bar. Much quicker cutting compared to standard

Hi Joe, does this saw not come as standard with the .325 chain ? I know mine did.

Much better though with the Stihl R/S 3638 000 0064 chain without the bumper drive links aye ? [emoji1307]

[spudulike]

Joe means a 0.325 pitch 1.3mm gauge rather than the normal 0.325 1.5mm gauge. 

I did a lot of trials of my own on the Oregon 95VPX 1.3 chain on my 357 and it was 15% faster.

You are basically cutting out a much thinner channel with the narrow kerf chain - like comparing a 1" wood chisel to a 1/8th" chisel - the narrower one uses much less of a mallet wallop!!

Oregon don't make the VPX anymore but I believe they do an alternative - you also need a ProLite bar to go with it or a suitable equivalent. 

[spudulike]

7 hours ago, Gimlet said:

Well I had another look today and I'm damned if I can find anything wrong. The bar is X-Force. No damage that I can see. No marks on the clutch drum or the brake band. Cleaned the bar again and checked the oil hole. All good and sprocket spinning freely. 

 

I did increase the oil flow but the screw doesn't just unwind. It only has two positions and clicks into place. I left it on the highest flow and it was leaving a better oil trail on the ground afterwards when the chain was spun.   

 

When I cleaned it down the other day I noticed a lot of thick white assembly grease everywhere around the clutch area and on the bar. And I found more today under the chain guide plate.

The only thing I can think of is that this grease was clogging the oil hole in the bar and gumming up the sprocket so it wasn't getting any oil.

To my mind this grease should have been cleaned off by the dealer when the saw was prepped for sale.

Sounds a little more promising. 

I am not 100% sure but...please stay with me.....some pumps use an angled shaft end and the adjuster moves its end further to the edge of the shaft to increase the shaft throw/movement thus increasing the flow or closer to the middle thus reducing the shaft movement/throw thus........ reducing the flow.

I had a 661 in recently and the request was for more oil usually done by bringing the adjuster closer to the edge of the shaft but the adjuster had two positions, high and low and the adjuster had two diameter ends both giving two oiler positions only.

My thinking is the MK2 550XP is probably the same....ADW will chime in soon if he isn't delving in to the Downton Abbey box DVD set again....or does he use VHS...maybe even Betamax

The grease is probably as you say, just assembly grease from around the oil pinion, clutch bearing etc...not had much new kit in tbh....most are old bangers!

[Guest Gimlet]

Well I've had no further problems. I think it was a case of assembly grease blocking the oil hole in the bar. 

 

But, though it's working ok now, I don't like this saw. It bogs down unless it's running at a million rpm and it's a PITA to start. It needs a decomp button and it takes ages to clear it's lungs. Hate this auto-tune crap. Give me a conventional carb so I can leave it warming up on half choke for a few moments so when I hit the trigger it's good to go without stuttering and stumbling.

My 365 is a breeze. Two pulls on full choke, it fires. One pull half choke it starts. Leave a minute on high idle, knock the choke off and off you go, running clean as a whistle. No pissing about priming. I can start, restart and operate the choke without taking my gloves off, and it never bogs down ever, just rips through everything you put in front of it. 

 

I get the throwaway thing now. This saw was designed to be started from cold once a day, used full throttle and flat out until the tank runs dry, then refuel and repeat, all day every day for 18 months until it's knackered, then chuck it and buy a new one. That's not how I work. No use to me.  

Edited February 19, 2022 by Gimlet

[gary112]

8 hours ago, Gimlet said:

Well I've had no further problems. I think it was a case of assembly grease blocking the oil hole in the bar. 

 

But, though it's working ok now, I don't like this saw. It's a PITA to start. It needs a a decomp button and it takes ages to clear it's lungs. Hate this auto-tune crap. Give me a conventional carb so I can leave it warming up on half choke for a few moments so when I hit the trigger it's good to go without stuttering and stumbling.

My 365, two pulls on full choke, it fires. One pull half choke it starts. Leave a minute on high idle, knock the choke off and off you go, running clean as a whistle. And it never bogs down ever. 

 

I get the throwaway thing now. This saw was designed to be started from cold once a day, used full throttle and flat out until the tank runs dry, then refuel and repeat, all day every day for 18 months until it's knackered, then chuck it and buy a new one. That's not how I work. No use to me.  

I got one of these last season and it’s the best hedging saw I’ve ever had to be honest,no autotune,starts first time every time and plenty power,got it from Shavey on here,cheaper than Husky/Stihl aswell 

[Guest Gimlet]

Which model is that Gary?

[gary112]

1 minute ago, Gimlet said:

Which model is that Gary?

EA4300,brilliant little hedging saw,just over £300,just can,t fault it,second season of hedging now and not missed a beat