spudulike

I think you may find 112,000 of them are dead, 28,000 people are in hospital fighting not to be dead and many others are getting vaccinated so they don't end up in hospital or dead!

The bush is dooable, the key is no biggie either, just had one in where the exhaust screw came out, stuck to the flywheel magnet and bang, caught in the coil! Same damage to the flywheel. New flywheels are not expensive, secondhand are cheaper or just clean up the shaft and flywheel and lock the crank in position and fit the flywheel it in as accurately as you can to the original position. It generally works OK but needs a bit of care not to turn the flywheel on torquing it down.

The Larch😉 Monty Python sketch!!!

I find the clamps pretty easy to use but as ADW says, there is a knack to it and guess we have both developed our own methods......or he has some sort of magical factory tool he is not telling us about!😉

The drum is past its best and I would replace it as it isn't going to get any better and is best done whilst you are in the middle of being focused on servicing it. As Andy says, not as bad as some we see but in the repair game, if I leave something like this, next time it comes back in a year, it will be hanging and it is what I get paid to do. The chain catcher on these saws is built in to the side cover and hooks round below the chain locating in to the hole on the area under the bar mount. It is just an extension part of the side cover molding. If it has been taken off with a chain coming off, you can either use a bolt put through the hole so a chain coming off will wrap on to it or more favorably, fit a new cover.

I second that Stubby, nice to know that the trimmers are working OK and thanks to Marshy for having the manners in letting us know - unfortunately not many do and isn't very respectful. All good, well done....normal day in the office for me😉! Fixed just in time, the growing season will be upon us soon!!

That's what I like, solving your own issues...all good, it is the earth😉

Don't celebrate too early😉

Doesn't look in bad shape. I would check the sprocket out for wear. Many of the machines I get in end up with new sprocket drums as nobody seems to replace them! I check the end of the sprocket lobes to make sure they don't have indentations in them. If they do, the sprocket is on it's way. Clutch springs can be worn, if the clutch side makes a ring pinging noise then either the idle is too high or the clutch springs are worn. Make sure the chain catcher is OK and make sure the chain brake works OK. Make sure you keep the air filter clean and see how it goes. Not bad little machines.

I guess for my very occasional use my under £10 option is good enough and will generally tell me if I have an issue I can fix relatively easily or one that may be serious or one to ignore until home. Your £400 reader can stay with the garage I will use if my box of tricks doesn't do the trick. The OBD2 dongle and Torque is a damn good deal for the price though......well I thought so!

Probably worth clearing the hole in the small end if you can and then getting the diameter of that hole, the diameter of the gudgeon pin and the distance between the inner flats of the piston where the bush fits in to and get one made and then push it in to the small end hole with a bit of bearing lock fluid - you could possibly use heat and cold but go easy on heating the con rod too much. It may last well and worth it compared to the costs you mention.

If the top end bearing has failed, what part are we talking about?? The needle bearing or is there a bush and that has failed?? Not sure I quite understand!

Not sure on the bush, from the IPL I suspect there isnt one(small end bearing). I avoid taking these things apart but did once and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The flywheel key is on the flywheel so there isn't a separate part!

There have been loads of possible ways of clawing back the funding of the furlough scheme. A wealth tax on anyone with £500k of assets including the house (5% of wealth over 5 years), IHT changes, changes to capital gains tax and now hitting the self employed. It will become clear in March as to what his plans are!

Funny that, we saw 7 egrets in a field on our 7.5 mile walk today. Feeding in a flooded field, unusual as they are more a wetland bird and not seen round here much.

I just wanted to make it clear that porting a saw is best on a good well working saw. Porting will not fix a crap running engine with issues.....a SERVICE.....yes I repeat.....A SERVICE will!!!!! Just had a 357XP in, "down on power" wanted porting......wanted a new bloody crankshaft as the big end had 1.5 - 2mm of play in it.....completely shot!!!! Porting is not a silver bullet, it enhances a decent saw and doesn't bring the dead back to life!

I can see a smear of liquid gasket around the crankcase join. I am thinking that this may have had a new top end already and it is possible the seals weren't replaced causing another seize. If the top end is anything other than OEM Stihl, don't just fit a new piston, fit a Hyway top end if you can get hold of one - a bit more expensive but better than most and have just done that on a MS250 which is for sale now!! I would replace the seals and also check the impulse line and inlet boot for damage/splits. The trouble with the uninitiated doing this sort of work is that simple issues can be over looked or not seen as issues if found. If you check the rubber parts are OK, you may get away without a leak down test but it is worth doing if you can - block the inlet, exhaust, impulse and then use an adapter on the plug hole to pressurize and vacuum the engine to make sure it holds pressure and vacuum. These machines are not that easy to work on due to their clam type engine.....just saying!

He meant de-threading, stripping the thread or in engineering terms.....Oh F£$k it!!!!

The main issue with the 346 is the crankcase covers half the bearing and makes the stop when inserting the bearing. This makes inserting the seal a sod. You also need the taper boss that allows the seal to pass on to the centre race of the bearing without damaging it or dislodging the spring. Usually best to try to get the seal in under that alloy lip first so the seal is located well on that side and then get it at a slight angle and tap it in from the unexposed bearing (Bottom) side. Use plenty of grease to help it in. The factory tool tends to catch on the alloy and cock up insertion. A long reach socket does it for me every time but it still is a sod of a job on these machines and the cost of the seal is stupidly high!

It is a bastard, you do it with care because those seals are bloody expensive!! I don't like that tool, it is better for 560s, I prefer my trusty long reach flat ground socket and did I mention....care!!!

The plug shouldn't undo if done up tight, the HT cap should also help hold it in place. That and checking it during regular cleaning will help. BTW, leaving it loose to make the engine run better is a load of bollocks from a past age!! If you get an engine where the plug keeps coming loose, you could try a little thread lock on it but it really should not be needed but is better than the thread being taken out. Oh - one last thing, use a quality tap and not a £6 ebay one. The lead-in (pilot nose) taps are good and Vokel make some nice quality taps - cheap taps give cheap results and "cheerful" isn't included!

Prise the fuel line off, remove the wires as marked and draw the carb out. It may be a bit stuck in place and need a screw driver to shift it. The linkages will come off once the carb is half out.

Unless you are a brain surgeon or skilled gynecologist.....yes!

That is the switch that determines if the choke is open or shut. The solenoid is just above and behind it! The handle housing is left as is, the fuel line and wires need removal and then draw it out. Getting the choke and throttle rods back on and the carb fitted is the difficult bit unless you know the trick!!

Strange, my engine light came up and it diagnosed it down to a faulty exhaust sensor and even pointed out which one it was. I think I had to google the code but it was bang on. For under a tenner it was worth every penny in my instance!