51 Husky impressions

crowe · Feb 4, 2003

A freind of mine brought by an older 51 husky about two months ago. He said it was junk and he had bought a new one and that 51 was mine to do whatever with. Having been awful busy lately I chucked it in the barn and payed no attention to untill this morning. I was cleaning up the barn and was getting quite sick of it so I decided to look this saw over a little. It was caked in sawdust I mean it had darn near formed a coccoon around it. I cleaned it up took off the top cover and noticed the plug was loose. I pulled the muffler inspected the cylinder and piston all was clean. I checked the compression it was 127 pds. I dont know what they normally carry but I thought this thing should run, put a new plug in cleaned the caked up air filter, some fresh gas and after about 10 pulls it took off. I think the carb could stand to be freshened up it I had trouble keeping the chain from wanting to creep, unless I have a leak eslewhere maybe the pulse line or something I dont know at this point but I will soon find out. He had 20 inch bar with a 3/8 pitch chain on it. I thought that might be a little heavy maybe something lighter wouldn't rob it of so much power. Do any of you guys know much about these saw's and what size chain runs best on it. Later, Wade

Weatherby · Feb 4, 2003

From what I understand the 51 is very similar to the 55 (not the rancher), just a few cc's smaller. A .325 16" bar is what I run on my 55 and it doesnt have any problems, although you have to keep that chain sharp as always.

Rob

Tony Snyder · Feb 4, 2003

Twenty inches of bar is a little much for a 51, but they didn't think so back then. I would run .325 18 inch if you get it going otherwise.

They were a good saw. Sounds like it has had some ingnorant abuse. I worked on one lately, it turned out fine. I had sold it new in the mid 80s.

This idea that 50cc will pull 20 inches of 3/8ths chain is BS. Eighteen of .325 is about a practical max.

This remark will probably bring out the armchair 026 loggers out in force.

crowe · Feb 4, 2003

Tony,
My first impressions were the same that this is to much bar and chain. I wasnt really paying any attention to the bar when I took it off because I was going to put a sixteen inch bar on and a new chain that hadn't had all the rakers peeled down. I tried to put that bar and realized it didn't quite want to fit. Then I looked at the other bar and realized the heel was much smaller. Seems like it would be a good saw for someone wanting to cut some smaller firewood. I cut timber for a living and run PT372 on a daily basis it sure makes that little 51 seem like a weakling. Later, Wade