268xp rebuild, upgrade to 272?

[cruiser]

Hey Stang and MR

I'm lookin to get a second jug/cylinder for my 372 so I can mod that one. (thanks for the idea stang.) To use the 288/281 set, will I also need to pick up the crank to match? Is this a good route?

 

[fast*st]

So would the 268/288 crankcase volumes be the same? swap in a crank and piston and jug? Looks like it might use a bigger clutch? could be fun as well and more ccs

 

[fast*st]

Looks like someone on ebay is scamming a half dozen 3120xp saws, doesn't look like they have any of the items they're selling, If you want a chuckle, scan for 3120xp and take a peek, looks fishy.

-Jason

 

[Mr.]

I'm lookin to get a second jug/cylinder for my 372 so I can mod that one. (thanks for the idea stang.) To use the 288/281 set, will I also need to pick up the crank to match? Is this a good route?

I was trying to illustrate a point. Use bolt on stuff for your saw.

For the 372. just get a big bore kit from Baileys. You go to almost 77cc for under 100 bananas.

It is way expensive and time consuming to swap the right crank let alone the wrong one.

If you want maximum performance have Dean mod your saw. If you want the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Keep the headaches to a minimum.

Fred

BTW I have a BRAND NEW 272 piston and cylinder I would let go cheaper than Baileys will if you want it.

 

[Mr.]

So would the 268/288 crankcase volumes be the same? swap in a crank and piston and jug? Looks like it might use a bigger clutch? could be fun as well and more ccs

No they are not. The 281/288 is noticably larger.

Fred

 

[fast*st]

That sounds like a good run, 272 jug and piston the same as a 272xp, sorry for askin but I'm still a novice to woodcutter engines. As I mentioned befoa, this 268xp has been cutting firewood since it was new, mid-late 90's. I'm interested in overhauling it anyway, its gotta need something.

If I can recall the totals, 3 chains plus a 100' spool, 4 or 5 bars, a bunch of
nose sprocket grease, never changed the fuel filter, cleaned the air filter regular like. But yeah, it cuts a lot like a 455 rancher at the moment and I never had another saw to compare it to. what do you need to get for the jug and piston?

-Jason fast_st @hotmail.com

 

[fast*st]

Well, Finally have all the parts and some time this weekend to get everything put together, New spool of chain, whipped up a couple new chains, Have the 272 parts and compression release valve, Now one further question,

Tachometer to set the speed, there are plenty of inductive tachs out there and they have a moderate margin of error but for half the money, there are optical tachs that advertise a +/- 1 rpm error to 50,000 rpm. I was wondering if anyone had used them with perhaps a reflective tape put on the flywheel/fan someplace or even on the clutch housing. Do I run max rpm checks without a chain? My local saw pro says to set the rpm 100 rpm low to add a margin of lean safety.

-Jason

 

[SawTroll]

That sounds like a good run, 272 jug and piston the same as a 272xp, .....

Ther never were a non-xp 272.

 

[SawTroll]

... Do I run max rpm checks without a chain? ....

No, with bar and chain in place - and if you use different lenghts, check with the shortest one, if you don't want to recheck each time you swap bars........

 

[fast*st]

Thanks for that info, and I suppose the last question before the chips fly is, what's a good break in procedure for a rebuilt saw? Any different oil mixes, any rule of thumb for how hard the saw should be worked before cooldown cycles?

Thanks to everyone so far, this weekend should be fun!

-Jason

 

[blis]

Thanks for that info, and I suppose the last question before the chips fly is, what's a good break in procedure for a rebuilt saw? Any different oil mixes, any rule of thumb for how hard the saw should be worked before cooldown cycles?

Thanks to everyone so far, this weekend should be fun!

-Jason

Run it like you stole it, or it other words, bury it in big wood and let it run to its max but keep breaks too to let it cooldown a bit...

 

[SawTroll]

... but keep breaks too to let it cooldown a bit...

Thats right, but not the first part of the post.......:hmm3grin2orange:

Avoid WOT out of wood, and also avoid sustained cutting, just like a new saw.

 

[fast*st]

Okay, sounds good, good fuel, new mix, cuts of varying thickness stuff and plenty of cooldown time and avoid WOT without a load. When do you call a saw 'broken in' 4 or 5 tanks of fuel? Picked up a nice bar rail closer from Baileys. One older bar had a ton of play, riveted on a new sprocket nose and gave it a few passes over the belt sander to true up the rails. The closer works great, just takes a little practice to get used to.




-Jason

 

[blis]

Okay, sounds good, good fuel, new mix, cuts of varying thickness stuff and plenty of cooldown time and avoid WOT without a load. When do you call a saw 'broken in' 4 or 5 tanks of fuel? Picked up a nice bar rail closer from Baileys. One older bar had a ton of play, riveted on a new sprocket nose and gave it a few passes over the belt sander to true up the rails. The closer works great, just takes a little practice to get used to.




-Jason

10-15 tankfulls should be enough, depends on saw thou...

 

[SawTroll]

Okay, sounds good, good fuel, new mix, cuts of varying thickness stuff and plenty of cooldown time and avoid WOT without a load. When do you call a saw 'broken in' 4 or 5 tanks of fuel? ...

More like 15, about 10 litres.....

 

[fast*st]

Well, picked a nice frosty day and took down the 268xp to its components, lovingly blowing off, scraping and solvent cleaning each one before blowing them off again, removing all the layers of sawdust and chips. Removed the rewind, brake cover and bar, top cover, plastic shield under the rewind. All those parts cleaned I degunked the rest of the case around the flywheel and clutch and all in and around the jug, removed the muffler and did some more cleaning.

Finally removed the screw on the carb, linkages and the four bolts holding
the jug in place. The original oem piston looked great, no scuffs or scratches,
the ring is as sharp as a razor and the bore could use a buff.

I gots my spanky new 272xp jug and piston, picked up new clips and a bearing and some extra gaskets. Now I'm not sure how its supposed to go.. so I flip the jug over, put the pin in the ring land toward the intake, start the piston in, then carefully compress the ring and start it into the bore. Start the piston pin, put the bearing in the rod, flip the jug, shove the wrist pin in then slap in the new retainer clips. Seat the whole mess on the new gaskets and then slowly tighten the bolts down.

While it was out I tossed a Bailey's tillotson carb rebuild kit in. Never did such a small carb before! Made note of the screw settings and stuff and spiffed up the carb nice. As I put it all back together I was impressed that there was just the right notch in the top cover to expose the new 272 compression release button, schweet! Slapped on the 22" bar and new chain. Upon fitting the side cover, the old wire handle chain brake interferes with the compression release, it shoves it in against the stop.... hmm, well 90 seconds with a right angle grinder to shorten the comp release button by 1/4 inch and presto, plenty of room.

My local saw and small engine guru said to set the initial high jet 2000 rpm
low initially and then finally 500 rpm low after break in. Picked up a tinytach
off of ebay and that seems nice.

Saw seems to cut a lot stronger, old worn out 268 upgraded to spanky new 272. I also added a mostly new 395xp to the fleet as well and still love
the 136 as a brush saw.

I'm wondering if a new style 272 side cover/brake will fit


Thanks again to all with the helpful parts and advise and suggestions, back to the woodpile this weekend.

-Jason

 

[Mr.]

Wait till she breaks in. We want a 10 tank report.

Fred

 

[romeo]

I'm wondering if a new style 272 side cover/brake will fit

Yup, should fit like it was made for it. Remember it has the exact same chassis.

 

[fast*st]

Excellent, will pick up a spare comp release button from Baileys just because. Gently sandpapered the other 268 jug and have a new ring coming to assemble the other 268xp and send it out the door, likely just toss it up on ebay after a full checkup. I think I'll send the homelite xl2 and the three Mac's packing as parts are pretty much unobtainable. Three tanks in on the upgraded 272 and it's a good running saw. I'll give a review on the SenDec FS500 tach sometime later as to its ease of use.

-Jason

 

[fast*st]

Well Indeed the new plastic handled chain brake fit on the older chassis and works as expected and this makes plenty of room for the new compression release. During break in I had to turn the idle down a few times as it picked
up some RPM at idle.

Running a 22 inch bar and an 8 tooth drum it will still get bogged down a little on really big wood, I might switch back to the 7 tooth but even after a good five gallons of gas, its running much stronger than before.

On the old jug and piston, the ring gap was about 1 to 1.2 mm When I put a new ring on the old piston and stuffed er back in the old jug, (this was the jug off the running 268) the ring gap was really tight, perhaps 1/4mm or less, I've got the other 268 all put together and well, looks like I have a nice spare saw!


The 272 now handily outperforms the 455 rancher and even sounds sweeter than before. I picked up a sendec tach and have it tuned up about 500rpm below the max, should be a good margin of safety.

Again, thanks for all the advice and parts!




-Jason