372xpw rebuild to 50mm Meteor piston and Cylinder, new bearings, etc.. Is buying all the tools worth it?

[cascadejack]

piston is done
have reused some w light scoring, rings not stuck
stuck ring piston hits scrap bin here
few meteors have been good for me
as already said, bottom likely stihl good, jug may clean up

Thanks for the affirmation of my "entry level" diagnosis... I'm not that desperate, still have a job and can afford a new piston. That's the other option is a wiseco piston, or try and find a used OEM piston. I was thinking that I could practice my woods porting on that cylinder. I worked on a 55 rancher today, my 1st real chainsaw, and finally got it to idle without the chain running, then it was cutting good as well, but not like the 372, very slow... Looking for new parts, budgeting the rebuild, stuff like that. I could see filing the piston down if I was stuck on a desert island and no other options, but we got Amazon, and Ebay, this site and others, no sense re-using that piston. A conversation piece perhaps.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

piston is done
have reused some w light scoring, rings not stuck
stuck ring piston hits scrap bin here
few meteors have been good for me
as already said, bottom likely stihl good, jug may clean up

Yep agreed, that’s worse that I could see from the initial photos, chuck a new one in and find the reason it failed

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Thanks for the affirmation of my "entry level" diagnosis... I'm not that desperate, still have a job and can afford a new piston. That's the other option is a wiseco piston, or try and find a used OEM piston. I was thinking that I could practice my woods porting on that cylinder. I worked on a 55 rancher today, my 1st real chainsaw, and finally got it to idle without the chain running, then it was cutting good as well, but not like the 372, very slow... Looking for new parts, budgeting the rebuild, stuff like that. I could see filing the piston down if I was stuck on a desert island and no other options, but we got Amazon, and Ebay, this site and others, no sense re-using that piston. A conversation piece perhaps.

Yep agreed, those final pictures you uploaded showed the full extent, chuck a new one in there and if you can save the cylinder great. Make sure you find out why it failed

Edit: This will become your new best friend if repairing 2 strokes, no idea if this is the cheapest on Amazon, you’ll have to search around.

https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-MITMV8500-Silverline-Automotive-Vacuum/dp/B0002SQYUA

 

[cascadejack]

Yep agreed, those final pictures you uploaded showed the full extent, chuck a new one in there and if you can save the cylinder great. Make sure you find out why it failed

Edit: This will become your new best friend if repairing 2 strokes, no idea if this is the cheapest on Amazon, you’ll have to search around.

https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-MITMV8500-Silverline-Automotive-Vacuum/dp/B0002SQYUA

Thanks for the updates, the Vacuum/Pressure tester is on the shopping list! A must have device and I have it broke down enough to where I can put it back together with new seals, or test the old ones first. I suspect it blew the seal behind the clutch housing but I have to get the removal tool to get the clutch off and put the old cylinder/piston on to pull the clutch and flywheel. There was a lot of bar oil leaking out of this area here, seems like it was coming from behind the clutch assembly there. Thinking it's a bad seal right there, or an O-ring, and all that needs to be gone through and
removed and replaced.

 

[Mad Professor]

Trying cleaning up cylinder before ordering any parts. If it cleans up a OEM or meteor piston. Do seals and check intake boot and rubber parts. Get new seals and a carb kit.

In future clean saw up before pulling cylinder.

 

[Evan]

I was scrolling through this to see how the 50mm piston fit.

The xpw is 51.4mm there didnt used to be after market pistons but lilred barn now offers one.

The xpw probly runs better going with a 372 big bore or even 50mm top since tge xpw too end was actually a conceete saw top that kinda sux in a wood cutting application.

Porting can wake it up alot

Bump

 

[cascadejack]

I got an OEM Cylinder and Piston kit, and did some swapping for parts and got a OEM Crankcase so it's basically going to be a stock 372XP. I have been busy with other projects and have not had time to get it running again... Considering having it ported but have not decided yet. Will repost if I have more questions about it. Take care and sorry I could answer your question.

 

[Evan]

Itl wake up alot just being a stock oem 372 cylinder

 

[cascadejack]

So to answer my own post from my original posting: "Is buying all the tools worth it?" I was able to find a new OEM crankcase, and swapped out my old one to a builder with all the case tools, etc...
For me it was not worth it to buy all the tools, but I kind of think that's the only option in most cases. "Pun intended!" Get a case splitter, Clutch removal tool (good to have anyways), Heat Gun, etc, or just find a local builder to repair the saw. I was able to find on guy in my local area, in Everett WA.
That's pretty much where I am at now. I went with new parts versus new tools. Next time I think I'll go with a completely rebuilt saw, from a trusted seller.

Working on the log splitting project now, it's a Briggs 11HP and just change the oil and minor carb adjust every year, run it out of fuel for the winter storage...

A lot more wood than you can see in this picture... laying in grass behind the pile!

 

[cascadejack]

That was last december when the tree fell in a windstorm... Some kind of fir tree. Not hemlock or Douglas Fir, almost looked like an overgrown christmas tree! It was about 50 years old is all.

 

[cascadejack]

I'm not sure about everyone else but I work 40 hours a week at a blue collar job (maintenance though, not full commercial production) and this project is an entire summer project for me! The chainsaw project is for a rainy day, or lazy Sunday project...
The last 2 I posted already I think but those are from today, July 16, 2023. Got another picnic deal to attend this weekend as well. Might get 2 weekends per month in the summer that are totally free to work on my wood projects. I usually get really busy about late August and September, as once it starts raining in October it's too late! So everything has to be split and stacked by Labor Day ideally. I got some time yet... Probably should put all this in the Firewood Forum...
(Took some duplicate pictures out)

 

[cascadejack]

There's a picture of the OEM 50mm with the part #, I believe these are still available at certain online sellers websites. Just do a search for that part #, you'll get links to other forums as well if you do a google search. Can't find a whole lot of information on the Gilardoni Cylinders, but they seem to be better perhaps unported than the XPW unported? Just my research so far.
And there you have it, and Bob's your Uncle! Have a good summer... Check back in the Fall.

 

[cascadejack]

Itl wake up alot just being a stock oem 372 cylinder

Yep I think so as well, I was researching mods I can do before putting it all back together again. A lot of stuff out there to grasp on the 372's, and the Gilardoni Cylinder with the Single Ring is fairly new as well. Basically a brand new low end, and not much to do there. Then Carburetor, intake, and Cylinder/Piston mods would be the only items to consider. Or just reassemble everything, make sure it's oiled up really well and fire it up! Might take it to someone before I do that is what I was thinking. Not sure, we'll see.

 

[cascadejack]

One more picture, it's just sitting on the new case, not bolted on yet.

 

[cascadejack]

Anyways that's how I decided to go, versus buying all the tools and all that. I was lucky to be able to find an OEM case, that's for sure. Swapped out the old one, so it's gone, gone, gone...
It's a 372 Gilardoni, Swedish/Italian model now!

 

[Evan]

Sweet.

Ive messed with 2 piston rings and one cant tell a difference on my 440.

Your going to realylike your 372.

What place are you not mentioning ill say it out loud im not scared to get banned

 

[cascadejack]

Please enjoy the pictures and I got the piston and cylinder from Fix my Toys, Crankcase was from private seller. It's been awhile now so I would search by part #'s and item names. Best I can do to answer your question, it's always up to the seller if they want to sell or not. I would look in Idaho for 372 parts or Eastern Oregon around Bend and Santiam Pass area. I saw an XPW for sale in Bend not too long ago. Best of luck!

 

[cascadejack]

Check out Facebook Marketplace around your area and Bend Oregon. Spokane, etc... Looks like some 372 stuff out your way.

 

[Husky77]

Looks like you cooked it jack, for what it's worth I would say crap fuel/oil, chain not REALLY sharp, not warming saw up at start. It's a good saw and worth fixing I would put the time and money into it way above cheap parts and cheap fixes. Good luck

 

[cascadejack]

I appreciate the comment Husky77, yeah it was a combination of factors. I went with OEM Cylinder and Piston, and new OEM Crankcase. (all new OEM parts, older stock, probably pre-2019) No cheap parts agree with you on that! Pretty much have a new long block and the old saw is gone. Traded the entire Crankcase away basically, for the newer one. The XPW tag and original older parts still have some value it would appear. Not a lot! But a guy still had to split the case, install new bearings and seals, re-assemble the case, and that's more work than I was willing to embark on.
I think it got hot in some really green wood. Older fuel and oil might have played a factor but I think it was more of a mechanical issue with the wood I was "harvesting" and just got too hot.
Kind of like a race car and you're trying to "win the race" even though you know you are goign to fry your motor if you keep pushing it. I used to go to the race track with my older brother and I would see guys "keep going" and then laugh about it after they blew up the engine! As they knew they were going to have to rebuild it or find another long block, etc...
It happens, my chain sharpening skills might have been a factor. I was sharpening the chain by hand filing, perhaps I was doing something incorrectly. It was not for a lack of effort in the sharpening department. The fuel/oil department, I think that was stupidity or ignorance, not being aware of how important that is. Yet I have other tools that didn't blow up, didn't score with the same batch of fuel.
So it was a combination of factors, but it got too hot for sure! The other tools I have won't run that hot in the first place.
I wonder if there is some kind of heat gauge for a chainsaw or warning device of an oil issue? Don't want to fry another saw or all my new OEM parts. I got a lot of years out of the XPW, and a kid had it before I did, I had never pulled the muffler until it shut down. Hard to say if it was not already scored and this was the "last straw" kind of thing.
I could analyze it to death, but it blew up and I got me some new parts! Not an original XPW anymore... it's a Franken Saw now, but an OEM Franken Saw...