Chinese replacement carb for 1998 Husqvarna 55--is there one?

[mildcat55]

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...ill-with-fuel-into-the-cylinder.303648/page-2

Post 21

"The walbro carbs fit the older 55's. They will bolt directly in place of the zama carbs, all choke and throttle linkage will work."

Thanks for your info. Have you had direct experience in using one of the chinese walbro-copy carbs on a '55, then? Most of the chinese copies state replacement specs for the Walbro 170-1 carb. I was concerned that the throttle / choke linkage on them would be incompatible with those on my 1998 model '55.

 

[boomeradf]

You have spent more time arguing your desire to use an unknown suspect AM carb vs. just rebuilding your factory Zama.

 

[mildcat55]

You have spent more time arguing your desire to use an unknown suspect AM carb vs. just rebuilding your factory Zama.

You're right, of course. Fear of the unknown that I've never done before, I guess. But I'm going to suck it up and do it, because, as you point out, the A/M carbs are even more of an unknown. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Huskitoter]

Thanks for your info. Have you had direct experience in using one of the chinese walbro-copy carbs on a '55, then? Most of the chinese copies state replacement specs for the Walbro 170-1 carb. I was concerned that the throttle / choke linkage on them would be incompatible with those on my 1998 model '55.

No experience with a 55. Just did a quick search for you since nobody had answered your question.

I'm not surprised they don't list zama. They copied a walbro carb and that's about the extent of what they know about it.

Good luck with either option.

 

[mildcat55]

No experience with a 55. Just did a quick search for you since nobody had answered your question.

I'm not surprised they don't list zama. They copied a walbro carb and that's about the extent of what they know about it.

Good luck with either option.

 

[mildcat55]

Thanks, Huskitoter. I really appreciate your time and comments. This is a good site with some good guys on it! I've already learned several things I really needed to know about the rebuild.

 

[procarbine2k1]

You're right, of course. Fear of the unknown that I've never done before, I guess. But I'm going to suck it up and do it, because, as you point out, the A/M carbs are even more of an unknown. Thanks for the encouragement.

The Chinese carbs aren't an unknown. There are gobs of them out there in use.

By all means, rebuild the one you have for the experience... but if you are scared of getting a bad am carb off of ebay (less than 13 dollars including shipping), I will be more than happy to buy it from you if it doesn't work out.
You do realize Zama makes many (maybe all nowadays, I don't know) carbs in china also?

 

[mildcat55]

The Chinese carbs aren't an unknown. There are gobs of them out there in use.

By all means, rebuild the one you have for the experience... but if you are scared of getting a bad am carb off of ebay (less than 13 dollars including shipping), I will be more than happy to buy it from you if it doesn't work out.
You do realize Zama makes many (maybe all nowadays, I don't know) carbs in china also?

I suspected as much. My problem is that I couldn't find any chinese carbs on ebay that described themselves as "Zama" compatible--only Walbro 170 or 170-1. I wasn't sure whether the linkage on those would work.

 

[procarbine2k1]

I suspected as much. My problem is that I couldn't find any chinese carbs on ebay that described themselves as "Zama" compatible--only Walbro 170 or 170-1. I wasn't sure whether the linkage on those would work.

They do.

 

[procarbine2k1]

The Zama came later on, I don't know what the reason was for the switch.

 

[Little Al]

No. As I said earlier, I haven't taken the carb apart because of workload time restraints and the fact that I've never rebuilt one before, plus the chinese carbs I've found are usually cheaper than a rebuild kit.

I know Chi Com kit is cheap & in a lot of cases nasty but i've never seen a new one for the $4/5 for a rebuild kit I understand your time constraints but if the linkage is different which it's likely to be as it will probably be a fits many models "jobbie"it will take longer than a rebuild I sense the problem is you are unsure having not having performed this task before there are videos on You Tube The final decision is yours of course but the 6 or so replacement Chi Com carbs I've fitted 4 have needed some form of "Modding"

 

[mildcat55]

They do.

Thanks for the update, "procarbine." I've got an old '60's era Homelite XL-12 that still runs and is solid but needs a carb, and I might try one of the chi-carbs on it out of curiosity. I also have an older model 41 Husqvarna 41 (a Swedish model 41, I believe) that I might do the same. The 41 is currently lying completely taken apart in a storage container, waiting on me to install a replacement OEM oil tank housing (main housing) that I ordered because the original had split at a casting seam. The 41 was the best Husq that I personally ever used. I cut loads of wood with it with no trouble at all.

 

[mildcat55]

I know Chi Com kit is cheap & in a lot of cases nasty but i've never seen a new one for the $4/5 for a rebuild kit I understand your time constraints but if the linkage is different which it's likely to be as it will probably be a fits many models "jobbie"it will take longer than a rebuild I sense the problem is you are unsure having not having performed this task before there are videos on You Tube The final decision is yours of course but the 6 or so replacement Chi Com carbs I've fitted 4 have needed some form of "Modding"

I appreciate your honest feedback, Little Al. And I've already got my rebuild kit selected& will order next day or so. I figure if I've got a chainsaw to use, rebuilds are just a routine task that I need to learn to do as part of routine maintenance. And I'm sure I'll learn to do it. I just hope I don't mess the idle / fuel mix screw settings up too bad....

 

[procarbine2k1]

I know Chi Com kit is cheap & in a lot of cases nasty but i've never seen a new one for the $4/5 for a rebuild kit I understand your time constraints but if the linkage is different which it's likely to be as it will probably be a fits many models "jobbie"it will take longer than a rebuild I sense the problem is you are unsure having not having performed this task before there are videos on You Tube The final decision is yours of course but the 6 or so replacement Chi Com carbs I've fitted 4 have needed some form of "Modding"

What carbs were they? What did you have to do to them?

 

[mildcat55]

Off-subject a bit, but do any of you guys know what the row of crosses below the clutch-side housing on my 1998 '55 represent? I think I counted at least six crosses in the row, both on personal inspection in the actual photo that I used as my avatar to the left. I definitely know what they represent to me as a Christian but was just wandering what exactly they imply on my saw. Thanks in advance to anyone that might actually know.

 

[mildcat55]

Just below is a larger photo of the actual line of crosses....

 

[smokey7]

Keep your high and low needles seprated in bags as they are usually different.

 

[mildcat55]

Keep your high and low needles seprated in bags as they are usually different.

Thanks, smokey7, for the heads-up. I'll remember and do just that.

 

[Little Al]

What carbs were they? What did you have to do to them?

They were Chi Com wih Zama logo 'dont know if they were ripoffs but the linkage was different on all 4 managed to use old linkage on 2 & the other 2 required a bit on cut & shut on the linkage

 

[mildcat55]

Don't be afraid to buy an A/M carb for your 55. I was leery of non oem carbs, until I starter using them. I have rebuilt many carbs, and replaced many. Rebuild kits are no guarantee, but I have yet to get a bad A/M carb (not saying they aren't out there). They're cheap, grab one and chime back in here.

Thought I'd post back that I did decide to try one of the Chinese Walbro carb copies on my '55. I bought a Walbro WT-170-1 off ebay for around $12. It fit without a hitch and runs like a scalded dog. I didn't even have to adjust the mixture screw at all, though I am going to have to give the idle-speed screw a quarter-turn or so to slow it down a little. I'm well-satisfied with the carb thus far.

My success with the '55 has led me to start looking for a replacement carb for my old Homelite XL12 that someone gave me several years ago. It had sat for years but I sort of got it running halfway--replaced the fuel line and filter, drained out all the old fuel, etc., but it's constantly dies and won't run without choking it or keeping the throttle engaged. From what I can tell, the saw originally came with a Walbro SDC-62 carb. But I haven't been able to find a Chinese replacement copy for it as of yet. I don't know if another Walbro copy or even a Zama copy might fit well enough to work on the XL12. I know a lot of them were made over the years....Anyone know what year the upload serial # sticker denotes relative to when my saw was manufactured?