spudulike

Well if someone threw one at me to go away, I wouldn't duck:lol: Nah - Rob always cuts a decent deal so I really wasn't asking!!

Having spent a bit of time on the US saw site, all I know is a lot of the US guys into tuning fit these bars on their saws and rate them highly! I gather they do a nice light-weight bar where the inner laminate is a metal latice instead of being solid making the bar lighter - not sure if Rob has these yet. Would be interested in trying one but not hinting:001_rolleyes:

Yup, no one could make those either - totally impossible:001_rolleyes:

Nice job, you kinda get used to running ported saws and everything else is a bit of a let down!

Nobody can make a set of pullers like that, it isn't humanly possible - only skilled Stihl engineers can make such things:001_rolleyes:

You should see the saws I use for my firewood, don't think anybody creates more chip and firewood in such a short a time:lol: I used a 345 Husky for a long time for firewood, really nice saw and never let me down - good punchy little saw - very 346 like at a lower cost!

Glad you enjoyed those photos:thumbup: Reckon those hooks should do it, those smaller seals are pigs, you are right about the seal to case damage being resealed and the crank damage being not good. Thought you may have trouble, it isn't easy with the pullers sometimes! It is possible to open out the top of the seal to weaken the wall and then knock a small screwdriver in between the seal and the crank case...carefully! Hope that the new seals do the trick, knock them in with a long socket that catches the outer wall of the seal and get the damn thing in square:001_rolleyes: Good luck - let us know if the issues are sorted out once this is done.

Only had a brief use of a 353 whilst repairing it, it seemed to be a bit gutless compared to my 346XP - just my opinion! I thought it would be similar but just didn't fly as I was expecting! Have you thought about the 350 Husky, good value, not a Pro saw but won't disappoint or just get a 346XP and smile each time you use it!

Havent heard from "Ihatesaws" for a while, hope the saw is well on the way to being mended??

You have two tests, the first is to rev the machine up to max revs and to snapon the chainbrake, it should stop the machine dead - there are specified times of braking but would be almost impossible for you or I to measure. The second one is the inertia test where you hold a saw horizontally above a log and allow the bar tip to fall on to the log and the brake should come on. I tend to do the first test and have only done the second if the saw is one of the older Huskys with the adjustment on the brake. For your own sake - DO NOT do this second test with the machine running!!!

In my experience you have people that need to be told everything, some that pick up bits and pieces and some with natural aptitude who can work it all out with just a little help. I have always had a bit of natural aptitude and inquisitive mind - I learn't a bit of the US site but mostly from fixing saws for myself and for sale. No easy magic app on this one.......now theres an idea:thumbup:

Few jobs this weekend, had a fourstroke Stihl pole cutter in, would fire but not running - adjusted the valve clearences and it started right up and idled fine. Lubricated and cleaned the cutters - seems fine now. Had a leaf blower in, not firing, there waqs fuel, spark and compression. Lots of fuel in the exhaust and dripping out of the plug hole. I suspected a leaking carb needle so took the carb off - the metering arm had sort of jammed on the needle so a bit of a prod and all was good, fired right up once all the fuel had been burnt out of the exhaust. An 020T carb for a rebuild, put it in the US cleaner, readjusted the metering arm, resealed the welch plug, jobs a good un! Stihl 010, not running well, sorted the breather, rebuilt the carb, sorted the throttle cable and it fired up sweet as a nut, just needs a new sprocket and a carb tune as it is four stroking heavily!

In short, Husqvarna came away from having a 1/4 - 1/2 turn adjuster that covers all lengths of specified bar. Instead they have an adjuster that screws in and can, in worst cases bend the oiler gear shaft that strips the worm drive oiler pinion or can be hit and miss as to its position and how much it is oiling. It is a weak point on the 335 & 338 - it is difficult to work on requiring a full strip down and is of poor design IMO.

Was too polite to point that out:blushing: Anyway, got the new piston fitted in the MS650, pressure and Vac tests were good, fired up on five pulls and all the signs are good. Pulled the seals out of the MS460, the clutch one had a slight leak but will only get worse, a look at the carb gave the reason for seizure - the H screw was set to 1/4 turn out.....ouch:001_rolleyes:

Noticed that myself

It's very possible to do but prefer not to experiment on others saws but do prefer to mod my own and then mod others to the same standard. The muffler mod is a pretty simple tool when used with the correct carb tweaks to get the best out of it. Not come acros the timing tweak but often move the coil to advance the timing a degree or two!

Ask the wife, think they call it the "G" something or other - believe I have one in the tool kit - will look it out for you:lol:

The 338XPT are fiddly little forkers, not easy to work on and I will be interested on how it goes now with a little modding - the oiler will be a revelation now - really pisses out oil like a goodun:thumbup: Only managed to cut a couple of bits of 10/11" poplar - went through it well for a 38cc saw!

Mmmm the joys of working on saws:lol: One thing may put you off the pullers - the £100+ price tag they come with - Got mine off the bay for half of that for the reason that I got fed up with pissin about in my workshop for hours on something as simple as removing a bloody seal:thumbdown: The one on the flywheel side is a small little critter to be sure - the seals will be a push fit and have no sealing compound to loosen so are just an interferance fit to the crankcase. You could try mashing the thing up to get it out but don't damage the seat or crankshaft - if you do that it will leak through the damage! A pair of quality pliers may just haul it out or a thin screwdriver - good luck with that one! You could ask your local dealer and buy him a drink! Thats why I invested in the pullers - putting some tools and money back in to what I do! Burrell liked them - did his 076 free of charge:thumbup:

Someone has been on AS and been looking at Brads post - what could go wrong...................its only drilling one small hole and a little tweak on the flywheel key:blushing:

The problem is that the world has gone Eco mad, the largest market for these saws is the US, they have a body called the EPA - Environmental Protection Agency and they deem two strokes to be dirty messy things. In short, yes they are, they inherently dump unburnt fuel in to the atmosphere due to the design of the engine, the Strato engines are an attempt to meet current lesiglation by pumping air instead of fuel/air in to the transfer ports so you get exhaust and air pumped out of the saw instead of unburnt fuel. The saw manufactures are putting all sorts of tech in to the saws to make them less dirty and unfortunately, some are making the saws tempremental and lacking in some areas. In other areas, two strokes are being kicked out and four strokes replacing them - look at boat outboards and grand prix bikes - both are moving over to four stroke motors as are some brushcutters etc. In reality, there are very few saws causing little damage to the environment compared to some of the things happenig in China and Russia etc but God bless the politicians - they know best:001_rolleyes: The best route is usually to find a reliable way of taking out the bad bits of the saw to give it a fighting chance of doing OK but again, once the Eco guys have their way, they will put legislation in the way of this also. I havent done much on the 201 but would guess the saws exhaust is restrictive, may have some sort of catalytic gauze in it and the carb tuned on the lean side from new! By the way - I have nothing to do with Stihl - just service and tune saws as a sideline!

The clutch could just need a bit of a clean/oil, my first fix would be a blast of carb cleaner, a blast of WD40, a bit of engine or chain oil around the sprocket bearing and fire it up again. If it settles in fine, no ting ting tinging from the clutch and no chain movement then all is fine, it the clutch is still catching and the chain still pulsing forward then change the springs - not good on the H&S side to have a chain spinning at idle and many wouldn't use it in that condition!

Personally, I strip them down, clean and lube the moving parts so they snap on and off nicely. No adjustment on this saw, only seen this on old Huskys with metal brake handles. The spinning chain is most likely the clutch springs!

Lever the little buggers out, just make sure that you dont damage the seat or the crank surface, I have drilled them before but you may well get debris in the bearing, you can puncture them with an awl and lever them upwards using a suitable fulcrum pivot. Sorry - I've got the Stihl tool, just pulled the seals on a MS460 in around 15 mins:001_tt2: Photo is of my 357 earlier this year:thumbup:

Yes - that would be a three hour vid then:001_rolleyes: