spudulike

When I get a 395 in I will do my patent method of getting the timing right and send you a pic along with the method of getting there. Just getting a shed load of 365XP Xtorqs in at the moment for conversion...and a brand new MK2 550XP.

Well shiver me timbers, is this an anagram, a euphemism or some sort of cryptic clue

I use my wife, she is temperamental, complains all the time, likes a slap up feed/drink so isn't cheap but she does like giving the customers abuse for non payment so it all works just fine.

Something like......

You only de-stress the main bearings if the cases have been split. You just tap both sides of the crank with a copper mallet until the crank is smooooth and doesn't feel tight. Very strange!

That's a strange one then....fuel line and fuel filter? I have had saws not make top revs and it is either too much fuel, too little fuel or engine wear although a faulty coil/spark can do it if you are loosing spark when flat out. My suggestion is to make sure all the fuel system parts are checked and then whip the cylinder off. Has anybody rebuilt the bottom end recently and not de-stressed the bearings? Is the saw easy to pull over with the plug out? How is the saw cutting, lifeless or full of go? Any history on the saw and what others may have done to it? Is the carb being held fully open by the throttle? These throttles do wear a fair bit on the plastic bit! I usually just pull it back a bit so it is a bit longer.

Sounds like lack of fuel, most likely cause is a blocked gauze filter in the carb, it may be a sticky or too low metering arm/needle valve as a second suggestion or beyond that, a dodgy solenoid but this usually lets the saw rev but will constantly die on idle.

The check valve is where the high speed fuel mix enters the carb throat. It is a valve that lets the venturi effect of the air ripping through the carb pull fuel through from the metering section but then seals in the opposite direction allowing the low speed circuit to control the mix at low revs when the throttle is closed. If this is stuck closed, you will fail to get high revs or power, if it is stuck open, idle will be non existent and the high speed will be very rich.

You can see the light bouncing off it in the last pic so it is definitely still in place.

If you have one turn out on the carb and it wont pull around 14krpm then something is tight, the engine is making very poor compression or the carb is over fuelling. The things that stop a two stroke revving are load, wear or fuel. It could be the check valve in the carb is stuck open. Have you checked the compression yet? I have had some very worn engines do the same as yours, not make top revs and lack any go. One other thought, someone hasn't swapped the original black coil for a limited one at 13Krpm...a 390XP at a guess?

Bloody hell Joe, top marks, top of the class and I never thought I would say that. Bang on my friend, the CAT is the limiting factor and it is still sat there with everything going through it.....and that is BAD!

Yup, think Stubbys been on the US sites!

Well it is bloody obvious to me, can't see why no one else has commented on it!

No, no, no, not the burning of ones kecks!

Sounds like we are getting there. Just need to learn about how to file which is pretty easy tbh, remember to take care with the depth gauges once the cutters start getting filed down significantly. All good and hope the thing is beginning to perform now. You could try a new chain and you will then see how a chain should cut although many will say they can file a chain to work better than that

Your "friend" is a very naughty boy. I have to climb a tree to test all the top handle saws I fix. Unfortunately, there are now no trees taller than 5 foot for a ten mile radius of my workshop because of this law. It is very annoying.

Ha, manuals are for girlies...we are men, and men don't need manuals

Lets see what JR comes back with on the chain tension, oiler efficiency issues and see where that ends up....hopefully after he has re adjusted his carb!

Word of mouth is probably the strongest marketing so you need to always go that extra mile to discuss the job, be pleasant and do what you say you will. Exceeding the customers expectations is always sound. Any reviews - Google, Forums etc are worth having. I guess Arbtalk is my website but it is worth having some sort of online content even if it is just a single webpage with a bit about you. Local papers are worth a punt.

Give the side of the muffler, just in front of the rib, a tap with a hammer, the front will come off revealing a couple of more screws either side of the exhaust port!

We may sort this before 2021....hopefully!

Firstly - TURN THE "H" SCREW 1&1/2 TURNS OUT.....failure to do this will seize the machine.........3/4s turn is with the limit "plastic" caps fitted. Sorry for shouting but I have seen MS880s seized like this and don't need the work! So, the machine runs better now and am not surprised with the carb being an extra turn out before. Check the oiler - just fire up the saw with the side cover and bar off, rev lightly and wait for a trickle of oil to make its way down the side of the saw. Check the oil hole in the bar is clear of chip - that's the little hole that is in line with the oiler channel in the bar mount on the saw. Once the bar is on etc, fire the saw up, point the end of the bar at something like a clean cut piece of wood, a piece of card etc, rev the saw and it should make a clear line of oil as it is thrown off the bar. Make sure you don't contact anything with the bar tip but this is a basic and best test for correct oiling. Finally, when you have tensioned the chain correctly, if you hold the shaft of a screwdriver behind one of the teeth and whizz the chain forward with it, should turn freely and carry on spinning for a short while (1-3 inches) and NOT stop absolutely dead. My tensioning technique is to put the side cover on, nip it up lightly so you can still move the bar up and down, tighten the chain until the bar tip starts to lift, hold the chain off the bar by resting your forearm on the chain brake lifting the chain between thumb and forefinger, aim for around 1cm gap between the chain and top of bar and tighten while still lifting. Once let go, the chain should be a light fit around the bar and the spin test above should work as described.

Air leaks from the clutch side crank seal and inlet manifold!

Nope!

Going back to my comments and the later comments about the bar and chain, one more thing to try, whip the bar and chain off, replace the clutch cover and then rev the saw and see if it sounds a lot more peaky and revs very much higher. The bar and chain do seem pretty tight, have you checked the oiler is throwing out decent amounts of oil? with no bar and chain on, it should dribble out of the bottom of the saw in good amounts if revved flat out for 5-10 secs.