spudulike

Cheers Matt - wife a bit happier about the hedge trimmer, less so about the saw for fixing we are picking up when we are away and this one may be tha stick that broke the donkeys back:001_rolleyes: Anyway - back to the issue in hand - when you use rope, turn the engine over until the exhaust port is covered and then cram the rope in the plug hole - this is what would have stopped your issues happening:thumbup: You should be able to bolt the head back down and then use a socket wrench on the flywheel to turn the engine over to lower the piston and get to the bits of rope through the exhaust port - if the clutch has the hex nut on the end of it then you can turn the engine over with this - I haven't had a 390 in bits yet. If the head needs to come off then if you have removed the bolts and the head isn't moving, give it a tap with a mallet to shift it as it is probably bonded to the crankcase by the base gasket, moving the thing may be difficult if rope fibres are jammed down the side of the piston and turning it over with the clutch or flywheel may be a lot easier but go easy and hope it hasnt done any damage to the engine. Let us know how you get on!

Yup - that is what I said...or meant:thumbup1: to back this up, I have measured a number of chains and can confirm that the drive link gauge or thickness is the same thickness as the chain side plates/links - so a 1.3mm drive link chain will have links that are 1.3mm in thickness etc

Think we are all getting a bit confused on the points Alec was making: - I believe he is saying the chain gauge has a baring in the strength of the chain..... The chain "gauge" is the thickness of the drive link, the side plates are also of the same gauge steel and therefore a 1.1mm dl is weaker than a 1.3mm that is weaker than a 1.5mm that is weaker than a 1.6 etc. The chain "pitch" will have little baring on the strength - a 0.325 1.5mm should have similar strength as a 1.5mm 3/8" chain - probably in reality the 3/8 will be stronger due to less links! I think this is the point Alec was making - sure he will confirm if he is about!

Yup - Alec plays with the big stuff:thumbup:

The wife buys Equimins Leather Conditioning Cream - I think the horsy types use it but it is good stuff for softening and cleaning leather - It is like a more liquid dubbin! Other than that - used neatsfood, saddle soap and dubbin on my motorbike boots in the winter.

You cant get much better than this: - [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCkHOhTCzc]AC/DC Hard As A Rock, live in Munich, Germany 2001 (HQ) - YouTube[/ame] Other likings: - U2 - Magnificent Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence Linking Park - What I've Done

This is my usual port of call - OREGON® Hand Held Chain Saw Replacement Parts Oregon usually make good quality kit - you will need a 3/8 sprocket - either spur or rim drive, a 3/8 bar or solid nose bar where either will fit and a suitable 3/8 chain - better ask others as to what combination works best out in the field as I don't have cutting experience of these big uns!

Reckon Stihl cocked up on the design as my fault was down to the strength of the brake spring putting too much force on the spring location dowel that eventually broke the casting - sounds like there is another weakness as well - not very good!

Mmmm - the wife keeps falling over it:001_rolleyes:

Thats not right - you will have to check the mating surface - small imperfections can be ground out with fine emery on a flat surface - the crankcase mating surface is a different matter - the base gaskets are generally 0.5mm - a thinner gasket probably means that someone has done a bit of cylinder lowering:001_rolleyes: A little smear of blue liquid gasket will help seal the joint, a pressure check will always tell you if you have a good sealed crankcase or not. Symptoms of an air leak are intermittent idle, higher than normal top end revs and an idle that keeps increasing over time.

Yup - rule number one:thumbup:

Carb or cylinder base gasket? neither should have fuel in between them unless it may have spread by capillary action when you took the saw apart. The answer is to re-assemble and pressure check!

This is the only problem I have come accross - the front pivot dowel broke the rear of the castellated alloy mount - did a repair with a home fabricated dowel stuck in place front and rear with JB weld - was a strong repair in the end. Not sure of the part you mean:confused1:

Yes - the crankcase is shared item between the 340, 345 & 350 - new Husqvarna price £105 ex vat & del

Yeah - but the couriers charge £6.00 to ship accross the country - just need to know which one to go to:thumbup:

Sounds like an airleak, sticky throttle or a varying fuel volume in the carb metering section.

I believe the 362 has a vertical split crankcase like most pro saws but the 350 has a clamshell "style" engine with the plastic casing making up the lower part of the crankcase and the upper part being part of the cylinder head. This is the same as the 340, 345 and 350 which are not pro saws but are still good machines in their own right. I am not sure if they share the same lower casing but can find out if it helps. Husqvarna use engineering plastic for this casing - not sure if the Chinese will use the same grade of plastic - personally I would use a second user part as the saw has a good residual price of around £150 - £175 in good nick!

£200 for a gnarly runner - £250 - £300 for a decent runner with a half decent bar and good chain - the top price for a later model but I have seen two year old saws in worse condition than 8 year old ones. Ebay is the place to sell - just make sure you do a good listing - they will rob you of 10% and Paypal 4% so someone on here may be interested -

I have had a large number of seized or semi seized saws through my hands and know of only one that had a bent con rod - I did manage to straighten it to a point that the saw worked 100% fine. The point is that most of the time the saw bottom end survives but these would be heat seized rather than like yours. It is unusual that a bottom end or rod fails due to seizure but you would need to check thsi as previously explained - took me a while to appreciate why I was getting a rocking pop on turning the engine over and why when the head was tourqed down, it was so stiff to pull over! I havent come accross this sort of damage before and hope that you get it sorted - the shop/dealer that sold it to you should be your first port of call but make sure you keep a good record of how the saw died - samples of the sand, photos of the damage etc - hopefully Husqvarna will sort this for you. If you get nowhere and need a non OEM kit put on the saw then I can do this work if you can't or havent the time but goodluck with the warranty claim.

If you are going to do a few a week only then the Silverline one won't break the bank and it does the job - like any tool, you get to know the best way to use it with experience - the Portek disks fit but make sure you get the right diameter mounting hole - it comes with a 4.5mm disk for 3/8 chains and larger 0.325 ones! If you have more bucks then I believe the Oregon one is good but have no experience of it!

The Cylinder will be Nikasil plated and therefore cannot be bored out, hopefuly the crank and rod will be OK - you can tell when you put on the new piston and cylinder - leave the cylinder loose and see if it rocks from side to side when you pull over the saw - you should be able to pull it over at speed with the plug removed with just light pressure on the top of the cylinder. Fortunately, aftermarket P&Cs are available - OEM ones will be rather expensive. Make sure you keep the remains of any evidence you have as it will help with getting Husqvarna to do the work unter warranty.

Hand file for out in the field or sharpening cutters in good but blunt condition - bench grinder for any heavy damaged cutters when the chain hasn't been sharpened as it should or damage due ot hitting metal or dirt.

.................if you want a saw..............you will also get change......and as many mails from me as you like - the wife canmail you as well:lol: Mmmm bad customer service really bugs me, not needed in this day and age - the better our methods of communication are......the worst we get at communicating:001_rolleyes:

Other option is to fit one of those "Intenz" bars with the built in chain adjuster - they seem to work ok but are a bit strange compared to what we are used to!

The obvious diagnosis is that you ran out of tallent:001_tt2: Could be a number of things - a running engine needs spark, compression and fuel...it isn't quite as simple as that but it is a good basis to start from. A few heat related issues: - Fuel tank breather - try loosening the fuel cap and trying to start again Coil - perhaps the coil is producing a weak spark when warm - check the flywheel to coil gap and the HT lead/plug etc Compression may be low - do a comp check or at least check the exhaust side of the piston by removing the muffler - engines produce less compression when warm so maybe it is boarderline on starting and then not enough when warm. It could be other things - did you over choke it and flood it when warm - pull the plug out next time and pull the saw over with the plug hole facing downwards and check for puddled fuel - it will run out if you give it 10 - 15 pulls on full choke! Try these things and if they don't work I will give you £20 for it:thumbup: One last thing - try starting it without using the decomp - the extra comp may help! Oh - another - get someone to hold the throttle open when you pull it over - that usually works!