346XP needs replaced....it's at 90 PSI, what saw is comparable today?

[flatsfisher]

Before all that nasty scoring and the ring debacle I order a non OEM P/C from HL Supply, here is a link. Now i am seciond guessing my choice to go aftermarket and I am sure all of you will tell me to stick with OEM. I think I may order this and send the non OEM back.

that ebay vendor has 266 negative reviews in the last 12 months. I don't use anyone on ebay with less than a 99% rating. there are plenty of vendors with that and some have 100%.

 

[flatsfisher]

Before all that nasty scoring and the ring debacle I order a non OEM P/C from HL Supply, here is a link. Now i am seciond guessing my choice to go aftermarket and I am sure all of you will tell me to stick with OEM. I think I may order this and send the non OEM back.

def go OEM. when you get complete top end for 39 bucks you get what you pay for.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Thank you for the encouragment. I agree with you in that it was at 90PSI, then after ring still at 90, so there was something wrong that initially dropepd it to 90 and I may have missed it since I did not have the eyes yet. I think you are correct, the damge that is so obious was caused by the ring being installed wrong. As to why it was at 90 in the first place? I think it must have been lean because it has been slowing losing power.

Some of you mentioned seals, I assume crank seals? Would a bad crak seal cause low compression becasue to me that is not possible. Now would a bad crank seal allow more air and casue it to run lean?

You need to get your head around the fact the combustible mix of air and fuel come into the saw BELOW the piston.
The charge of volatiles is sucked into the crankcase- pushed from there (as the piston drops down) up through the transfers to fill the cylinder above the piston and is compressed as the piston travels back up.
At the point it is drawn from the intake to below the piston- the charge fills the crankcase of the saw and it the main crank seals are weak- excess air can be pulled into the charge, increasing the air to fuel ratio and thus making the charge lean past the tuning of the carb,

 

[flatsfisher]

All you need to pressure/ vac test is something like this
DASBET 21PCS Hand Held Vacuum and Pressure Pump Brake Clutch Fluid Bleeder Tool Kit, One Man Brake Bleeder Kit Compatible with Automotive Tuner Tools Adapters https://a.co/7A5vkwQ

And some old bike inner tube. You don't need block off plates. You can use the inner tube as gaskets between the muffler and carb. We're nit talking a lot of pressure (15psi) and 10in vac is plenty.

8 or 9 psi is plenty.

 

[quattro.pilot]

If I buy from Ebay I often give this guy the business:

44.3mm 346xp NE P/C no decomp wurknman

never had an issue and he presents well that you are actually buying OEM parts. Prices are fine too.... once in a while he'll put cylinders at a $15-20 discount.

 

[zeek]

You need to get your head around the fact the combustible mix of air and fuel come into the saw BELOW the piston.
The charge of volatiles is sucked into the crankcase- pushed from there (as the piston drops down) up through the transfers to fill the cylinder above the piston and is compressed as the piston travels back up.
At the point it is drawn from the intake to below the piston- the charge fills the crankcase of the saw and it the main crank seals are weak- excess air can be pulled into the charge, increasing the air to fuel ratio and thus making the charge lean past the tuning of the carb,

Fantastic explanantion! Thanks

 

[chipper1]

If I buy from Ebay I often give this guy the business:

44.3mm 346xp NE P/C no decomp wurknman

never had an issue and he presents well that you are actually buying OEM parts. Prices are fine too.... once in a while he'll put cylinders at a $15-20 discount.

I've used these guys a lot, and they're right in MI .
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1447431635...D%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2332490&epid=4011372445

 

[sean donato]

8 or 9 psi is plenty.

Crank case compression can be higher then 8 or 9 psi. I've never had a seal blow out at 15psi. Once you go above 20 your asking for issues. I'd concede 10 would be acceptable, but since the crankcase can develop that kind of pressure it's acceptable to go higher.

 

[PA Dan]

I was talking about the carb issue being on the 357. I'll get a link to a video for you when I'm on my computer.
Edit, here's the video for you, hope it helps.


I agree for the most part with both comments. Although it won't really "replace" it, it will cut right with one, and the tensioner is much nicer as are the flippy caps(best ever on a saw .
As far as arguing over a fee ounces, I thought you'd been here long enough to know better . That being said, with the power of a 550mk2, if you just remove the amount of fuel it takes to offset the weight, it would still probably cut just as much wood as a 346 . I've been know to only fill a tank half full(usually a good way into a full day of cutting), that way it weighs a little less and I get a break sooner .

That didn't fix the 199 I had a few years ago. Had Scott on the phone helping too. And I'll call dibz on all these 3 series saws being discarded for the 5 series!

 

[zeek]

If you want to know where you stand moving forward the next step is a leak test. You can do that on what you have with the old cylinder bolted up to it... don't even need the piston or ring in there.
The link you posted on making a pressure tester will work but is probably more involved than it needs to be for your job. I will try & take some pic's & explain how I'd suggest doing it tomorrow

Somoeone suggested this will work for me to do a leak down....thoughts?

 

[PA Dan]

Somoeone suggested this will work for me to do a leak down....thoughts?

We can do a pressure and vac test if we meet up. We can also check your compression Guage against mine

 

[sean donato]

Somoeone suggested this will work for me to do a leak down....thoughts?

I reccomended it, it's the cheaper version of what I have and use. If your hooking up with @PA Dan there's no reason to buy it. He has all the tools to check it out properly.

 

[J D]

Somoeone suggested this will work for me to do a leak down....thoughts?

Should do

 

[bwalker]

ZEEK, forget that aftermarket junk and by OEM.

 

[zeek]

Update: I bought OEM P/C for a total price of $115.68

I have been texting with @PA Dan and he is willing to help me out so I will be heading his way soon.

To recap this story:

My original post was because the saw was at 90 PSI and I was considering a new 50CC saw. Once I decided to "fix" it things got...well 9 pages long!

I replaced the ring, but put it in wrong, ran the saw and did lots of damage to the piston and cyclinder. That is, in my opinion, where all the deep nasties came from. It is believed based on the pictures of the P/C that the saw was possibly running lean for a while which lead to the 90 PSI in the first place. Why was it running lean? We don't know. Maybe the pictures I posted tell a different story to someone else with a trained eye.

I am installing new OEM P/C and taking to @PA Dan to pressure/vac test and hopefully get it tuned up and running.

I will definitely keep y'all updated, but right now it's game of schedules.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Update: I bought OEM P/C for a total price of $115.68

I have been texting with @PA Dan and he is willing to help me out so I will be heading his way soon.

To recap this story:

My original post was because the saw was at 90 PSI and I was considering a new 50CC saw. Once I decided to "fix" it things got...well 9 pages long!

I replaced the ring, but put it in wrong, ran the saw and did lots of damage to the piston and cyclinder. That is, in my opinion, where all the deep nasties came from. It is believed based on the pictures of the P/C that the saw was possibly running lean for a while which lead to the 90 PSI in the first place. Why was it running lean? We don't know. Maybe the pictures I posted tell a different story to someone else with a trained eye.

I am installing new OEM P/C and taking to @PA Dan to pressure/vac test and hopefully get it tuned up and running.

I will definitely keep y'all updated, but right now it's game of schedules.

Sums it up nicely, going to be a great outcome when completed and fantastic another forum member with a bit more experience and some of the required tooling is going to help you out.

Perfect.

 

[Farmer_Nate]

Read a lot of the post.
Glad you are saving a good older saw.
Pro saws are indeed better and worth the effort and money.
I am happy with my little Shindi 488...another option for a smaller older saw if you need that. I ain't sellin' mine, though.

 

[GusGus2020]

That p/n for the no decmp

When I look up 544142907 on HL Supply it is not listed. I do want the one with no decomp. HL Supply has 2 and I am not sure why the number you gave does not cross, now i have 3 part numbers. I assume the eBay one is the correct one.
P/C #1
P/C #2

Also I notice that on the eBay one you linked the title says Craftsman,, so a craftsman saw uses the same P/C as my 346XP?

Yep, it says Craftsman but it’s a Husky oem kit, and I can confirm it’s the correct part number. I’ve got at least one on the shelf in the box that has it on.

 

[Dennisthemenace]

I'm sure it's been said already but, fix the saw. They don't make em like that anymore

 

[zeek]

Sums it up nicely, going to be a great outcome when completed and fantastic another forum member with a bit more experience and some of the required tooling is going to help you out.

Perfect.

Yep and that is awesome and I certainly could figure it out alone...but why would I do that when someone can show me and point to things and say look here and do you hear that? YouTube and Forums are nice but a real person is priceless.