Husq 340 and 346XP top end mod

[jimug]

I’ve seen a 340 that looks to be hardly used and runs well etc at decent money (150), and want a more capable saw than my 135. It’s still only for dealing with fallen limbs etc at the cave I look after, but after a morning clearing up a fairly sizeable ash today I felt like a longer bar than 14” would have been good for the main stem (which I left for now) and generally a bit more grunt/speed would have been nice. 
 

so a couple of questions, a: is the 340 worth a look and b: is the 346 top end mod fairly straightforward and worthwhile? 
 

When my mate came to do the climbing / felling at the weekend he managed fine with an MS261 so maybe I should hold out for one of those rather than risk spending whatever one would cost used trying to modify a saw that isn’t ideal in the first place?

[Stubby]

7 minutes ago, jimug said:

I’ve seen a 340 that looks to be hardly used and runs well etc at decent money (150), and want a more capable saw than my 135. It’s still only for dealing with fallen limbs etc at the cave I look after, but after a morning clearing up a fairly sizeable ash today I felt like a longer bar than 14” would have been good for the main stem (which I left for now) and generally a bit more grunt/speed would have been nice. 
 

so a couple of questions, a: is the 340 worth a look and b: is the 346 top end mod fairly straightforward and worthwhile? 
 

When my mate came to do the climbing / felling at the weekend he managed fine with an MS261 so maybe I should hold out for one of those rather than risk spending whatever one would cost used trying to modify a saw that isn’t ideal in the first place?

ADW will tell you if its possible or not @adw but if my memory serves me at all the 340 is a plastic crank case halves machine , The 346 is metal  and much more a pro saw . I would not do it . Save up for a 550 mk2 . This will run a 15" bar with ease and an 18" occasionally . If you need an 18" all the time then a 560 or 562 which will run a 20" on occasion .

[jimug]

Thanks @Stubby I felt like I’d answered my own question while I was asking it tbh but I’m a nightmare for buying cheap and then spending just as much fixing things or just ending up buying what I should have in the first place. 
 

this is very much a case of want vs really need, hence trying  to go cheap. I’ll save up!

[spudulike]

The 340 has the top crankcase moulded in to the lower part of the cylinder making it a typical "Clam" type engine so modifying it with a 346XP cylinder isn't possible.

The 350 however, has a separate metal moulding making up the top crankcase and this gives it a flat base where the 346XP cylinder can be fitted and is a known mod although I have never done this.

Both the 340 & 350 have a plastic cradle that the metal parts are bolted to and the lower crankcase is formed by the plastic cradle.

This IPL will show you what I mean: -

 

340_340Е_345Е_350.pdf

Edited April 12 by spudulike

[adw]

All as Spud said so little more to add, and as Stubby said just not worth the expense to do it.

[jimug]

Thanks  @adw @spudulike - the clam aspect would explain why the US posts I read talk about needing the cylinder base too. Just need to find a suitably good nick pro saw for the right money instead. Patience has never been a virtue of mine unfortunately