Husky 353 died!

[Poacher]

Hey all,

I was out with my 353 yesterday going through some 13" ash. Half way through my 3rd cut it stated bogging down and cut out. I tried to restart it and it would only start with some throttle so i finished off the cut and it died again. Now it wont start at all. When i try to start it it makes a few backfire noises and that it, any ideas to help me along?

Filters are clean and plug is a nice tan colour. Fuel is fresh and correctly mixed.

[Chris Sheppard]

Is it getting a spark?

 

Does it pull over the same as it always did or any easier/less easily?

[Poacher]

It is getting a spark but i wouldnt say it is a great one.

There isnt really a great difference in compression if i press the decompression button either.

[Chris Sheppard]

Might be worth taking off the exhaust and havign a look into the barrel at the side of the piston.

[spudulike]

Sounds like you have lost compression, most likely reason for this is a heat seizure on the exhaust side of the piston or a leaking decompressor valve.

The backfiring could indicate a crankshaft key has sheared - just fixed up another members Stihl 028 with similar issues.

If you get stuck then I am happy to look at it and advise a repair cost - you can mail it to me or bring it round if you prefer. I have done this for acouple of members now - both seem pretty happy:thumbup:

Spud

[Poacher]

Thanks for that but its a long drive from the west coast of Ireland! Lol.

[Roni Macdonald]

try changing the plug, backfiring sounds electrical.

[Poacher]

Dude, i hope so. I only just bought it off good old Fleabay and my wife will kill me if its needing a new Cylinder and piston!

[spudulike]

Dude, i hope so. I only just bought it off good old Fleabay and my wife will kill me if its needing a new Cylinder and piston!

 

Don't want to pee on the fireworks but on working on around 40 - 50 non runnig saws, I have never had to change a plug to get a saw running......sorry:thumbdown:

 

Worth taking the exhaust off and looking at the front of the piston through the exhaust port - a nice even grey or slight horizontal machining marks is good, any vertical scores or black carbon below the ring is bad. If this looks ok then you are lucky.

 

An even simpler check is to pull the decompressor out and pick the saw up with the recoil starter handle, if the saw falls to full extension in 4 seconds - this is bad, 10-12 seconds and all is good!

 

Only had one saw backfire on me - scared me X*7$less and found a sheared key on the crank flywheel end - not serious but will have the backfiring symptom but will NOT cause low compression.

 

Good luck with this - let us all know how you get on and will give advice once you have further info.

 

Spud

[Poacher]

And the grand answer is...........heat seizure!

Bugger, not sure what to do now. Dont think i can go back to the guy on ebay and say its seized and i want a refund.