Caber rings for 3400 Poulan

[Highlander1959]

I'm curious to see how it goes

Me too. If you don't hear back from me by Monday, you can assume it didn't melt down in 60 seconds. After that, it may be a week, a year, or a decade before we know just how much life we can expect out of these particular AM pistons...

 

[rmh3481]

Poulan experimented with plating pistons rather than plating cylinders in the late 70's when these engines were designed and made. If you look closely at your cylinder, you will notice that it is not chrome plated. Another reference is Mike Acres site, which shows the model 3400 with a chrome plated piston. Standard iron piston rings would have been used.

These engines would have been made when Beaird owned Poulan. The chrome plated piston engine design was then continued under Electrolux for certain Poulan models.

You may want to message Red at LRB and ask if the piston that you have is chrome plated. I would think that it would be, and there would be no issues with using it in a non plated cylinder.

http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.nsf/GasbyManufacturer?OpenView

Looks like the cylinder is available from Husky for $95.
https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/husqvarna/530012066
Used at Chainsawr $80
https://chainsawr.com/products/poul...-and-cylinder-kit?_pos=4&_sid=8e5c98a11&_ss=r

 

[Highlander1959]

Poulan experimented with plating pistons rather than plating cylinders in the late 70's when these engines were designed and made. If you look closely at your cylinder, you will notice that it is not chrome plated. Another reference is Mike Acres site, which shows the model 3400 with a chrome plated piston. Standard iron piston rings would have been used.

These engines would have been made when Beaird owned Poulan. The chrome plated piston engine design was then continued under Electrolux for certain Poulan models.

You may want to message Red at LRB and ask if the piston that you have is chrome plated. I would think that it would be, and there would be no issues with using it in a non plated cylinder.

http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.nsf/GasbyManufacturer?OpenView

Looks like the cylinder is available from Husky for $95.
https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/husqvarna/530012066
Used at Chainsawr $80
https://chainsawr.com/products/poul...-and-cylinder-kit?_pos=4&_sid=8e5c98a11&_ss=r

My 3400's bore is not chromed but the OEM piston was. Unfortunately, the new LRB pistons aren't. I really don't see that as an IMMEDIATE problem as I've got plenty of 2-stroke engine powered equipment that uses bare alloy cylinders and pistons. With proper oil and mixture settings, the unchromed pistons may not last 40 years like my first 3400 did but if I can install an alloy piston and add 10 or 20 years of life to a saw I thought was going to be scrapped, I'm OK with that. However, I did see that Jacks's has Husky versions of both the cylinders and pistons. Do you know if the Poulan part numbers cross directly to the Husky numbers, or if the Husky parts are the same quality as the OEM Poulan parts were? I suppose maybe I should order a set to find out????

 

[Highlander1959]

I'm curious to see how it goes

Well, I ran the saw for two hours today it the piston still looks fine. Compression is good and I'm seeing no evidence of impending seizure or failure. However, I do keep my mixture slightly rich and my oil ratio is 40:1 so it's not a rocket saw but it never was. I plan to keep an eye on it and if something bad happens anytime soon, I'll be here to report it. As of now though, I see no reason why the LRB pistons would be a problem in a saw that isn't being pushed outside its typical design limits.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Well, I ran the saw for two hours today it the piston still looks fine. Compression is good and I'm seeing no evidence of impending seizure or failure. However, I do keep my mixture slightly rich and my oil ratio is 40:1 so it's not a rocket saw but it never was. I plan to keep an eye on it and if something bad happens anytime soon, I'll be here to report it. As of now though, I see no reason why the LRB pistons would be a problem in a saw that isn't being pushed outside its typical design limits.

Well that's pretty interesting

Glad it's still running though

 

[hotshot]

Great to see the videos of it cutting two hours of firewood, LRB must have finally realized the need to chrome plate their knock-off Poulan 3400 & 3800 model pistons.

You can’t run the same materials of construction (same hardness) very long in a piston and cylinder combination, or you’ll have another GM Vega debacle.

I’ve used an aftermarket white boxed ‘Sunbelt Poulan 3400’ kit before, but they bored the cylinder to a 3800 model’s diameter and then chrome plated the bore. Uses the standard 1/16” thick rings.

 

[rmh3481]

You had asked if the husky cylinder part no crosses to the poulan. Im sorry I cant say for sure.

 

[Highlander1959]

Great to see the videos of it cutting two hours of firewood, LRB must have finally realized the need to chrome plate their knock-off Poulan 3400 & 3800 model pistons.

You can’t run the same materials of construction (same hardness) very long in a piston and cylinder combination, or you’ll have another GM Vega debacle.

I’ve used an aftermarket white boxed ‘Sunbelt Poulan 3400’ kit before, but they bored the cylinder to a 3800 model’s diameter and then chrome plated the bore. Uses the standard 1/16” thick rings.

So I guess I'm a liar then ... look, I know the difference between a chromed and unchromed piston and the one I received was not chromed. It did, however, appear to be of a different alloy than the cylinder. I don't have the tools to do a hardness test but all I can tell you is that it seems to be working. You can roll your eyes and cast doubt on the LRB piston if you want but I'm inclined to give it a fair chance before I condemn it based on the word of other people who may or may not be evaluating it fairly or installing it properly.

 

[Highlander1959]

You had asked if the husky cylinder part no crosses to the poulan. Im sorry I cant say for sure.

I just ordered a piston and cylinder so I'm going to find out. I'll report back... neither appear to be in stock though, so it may be a while. Or, maybe it's just a listing error and they'll cancel the order.

 

[Highlander1959]

I just ordered a piston and cylinder so I'm going to find out. I'll report back... neither appear to be in stock though, so it may be a while. Or, maybe it's just a listing error and they'll cancel the order.

As feared, they cancelled the order. Why these companies can't keep their sites up to date and take the parts they can no longer get off their inventory is beyond me.