Re: Wrong mix - rebuild

[nickf68]

Hi, got myself a used Husky 357xp with a 20" bar - was running fine & dandy until I made my own 2 stroke mix and the saw stopped working after about 5 mins running. I know I added the right amount of synthetic 2 stroke oil, but perhaps it just wasn't mixed in enough ? An expensive lesson learnt!

 

Anyway took it to the local Husky French dealer (I'm in France) who quoted €470 to fix it....I know I can get a new one for not much more, but wondering if it's worth buying the OEM parts off Ebay (piston & cylinder) & replace them. My questions are:

Is this worth doing?

How tough is this job?

Are there other things that will also need replacing at the same time as the Piston & Cylinder?

 

Any guidance much appreciated.

 

Nick

[Le Sanglier]

Hi Nick,

I am in france also, imho the 357xp is a flawed saw, the stories of their premature demise are legion, I have had 2 let go long before their time. A friend has gone through 4

My advice is to buy something else a 372 or the stihl equivalent,

I'm not anti husky, just this saw!

[spudulike]

The main weakness is the rubber carb boot, there are a couple of problems - the plastic attachment clip needs to be replaced with the metal one and the impulse join between the boot and the cylinder has a weakness so inspection and or replacement are recommended. If it is the EPA model, the decomp is best ripped out, the crank connector plugged and replaced with a standard decomp.

I would use a non OEM kit and find one with closed transfer ports if possible - ArbIreland on Ebay do one - Chris Shepperd has used one and think he got on ok in the end.

I would always pressure check the engine before running it up and tach the saw or tune it by ear if you have the experience.

[nickf68]

Thanks Stumpgrinder. I'll check out the 372 if I give up the ghost on the 357.

Spudulike, I think you pretty much lost me on EPA model & closed transfer ports. I guess there isn't a guide for dummies like me to do this ?

[spudulike]

Thanks Stumpgrinder. I'll check out the 372 if I give up the ghost on the 357.

Spudulike, I think you pretty much lost me on EPA model & closed transfer ports. I guess there isn't a guide for dummies like me to do this ?

 

You will find the 372 a fair bit heavier than the 357! The EPA model has a tube coming out of the decompressor valve and leads in to the bottom of the cylinder head - they usually leak - EPA is the American Environmental Protection Agency - messing up saws from the 90s onwards!!

Look at your decompressor - if it has no tube then you are fine!

Closed cylinder ports are where the walls of the clinder are solid and the fuel is moved from the crankcase to combustion chamber by way of a closed channel in the cylinder wall - most pro saws are like this, the MS200 is one of them.

Open ports are where this transfer channel is open and the piston closes it. I am sure someone will post some images for you - there is a limit to what I can do with a blackberry!

My opinion is your carb boot probably has a split in it, probably around the impulse connection, this has given you a weak mixture that has seized the saw. I would check this, get the cylinder kit from ArbIreland off ebay, fit it, if you cab- pressure check the engine and then run the engine up on a rich top end and run it in before leaning it off.

The saws are good when they are running but the rubber boot is always its weak point.

[Chris Sheppard]

I would use a non OEM kit and find one with closed transfer ports if possible - ArbIreland on Ebay do one - Chris Shepperd has used one and think he got on ok in the end.

 

Yep, I bought the ARB ireland kit, which is actually a 359/2159 kit so slightly bigger bore but goes on and only needs a little tweak of the screws after fitting. I bought mine blown up and traced it back to a split pipe on the auto decompressor - the good news is the replacement barrels are for the standard decomp so all you need to do is bung a normal one in and not have to worry about blocking up the other end of the pipe.

 

Mine's been running fine since I did it and will have felled a hundred or so tonne of Pine so far with no probs. I've not had chance to compare it against another 357 yet but I'm not conviced it's quite as aggressive as it should be, but pulls an 18" bar on a 7 tooth rim fine.

 

the 372 is a fairly big jump in size/weight even if it doesn't look much - as much as I like mine, I've just hardly used it since gettign the 357. They do go well though with a 15" bar and 8 tooth rim though

[Le Sanglier]

Yep, I bought the ARB ireland kit, which is actually a 359/2159 kit so slightly bigger bore but goes on and only needs a little tweak of the screws after fitting. I bought mine blown up and traced it back to a split pipe on the auto decompressor - the good news is the replacement barrels are for the standard decomp so all you need to do is bung a normal one in and not have to worry about blocking up the other end of the pipe.

 

Mine's been running fine since I did it and will have felled a hundred or so tonne of Pine so far with no probs. I've not had chance to compare it against another 357 yet but I'm not conviced it's quite as aggressive as it should be, but pulls an 18" bar on a 7 tooth rim fine.

 

the 372 is a fairly big jump in size/weight even if it doesn't look much - as much as I like mine, I've just hardly used it since gettign the 357. They do go well though with a 15" bar and 8 tooth rim though

Dead right, for someone like you who has the saw in their hands all day.

For me who (perhaps) spends more time doing tree surgery using the saw for preparing for the chipper, weight is not such an issue. Point taken though.