Farmertech 372xp wont hold a tune

[Alanmurphy6912]

Not sure I would be that excited about an 036- they cut wood, so qualify.
But it looks like your "new" example has been messed with already- might just be the photos- but the case halves look to be a different age mix matched set, new (AM?) flywheel side on an old PTO case half.

I actually did notice the different shade of dirt on the case half but its an oem case both halves. I don't know if there match set or not but were gonna find out as I'm actually in the middle of putting it together right now. New crank bearings,seals, piston and cylinder and a few other odds and ends. I also finally got pics of the 372x torq explosion. I will post them after this

 

[Alanmurphy6912]

Ok so I'm putting this 036 together and I realize the piston slot where the connecting rod sits into is too wide.has anyone ever ran into this? The oem piston measures 13mm and the oem connecting rod is 12.7mm. My new piston is measuring around 14.7mm. And I'm not so sure I should proceed. I've rebuild quite a lot of saws and never once ran into this issue. Any advise would be greatly appreciated! As my name states murphys law is for real!

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Was the original piston OEM and the replacement Farmertec?

 

[Alanmurphy6912]

N

Was the original piston OEM and the replacement Farmertec?

o I'm not sure what brand it is. I bought it from sawsalvage.com aka the duke on ebay traverse creek LLC from Pennsylvania. I order from them alot and usually dont have many issues. But yes its aftermarket the cylinder and piston are. Does it make a difference if its farmertech or? I guess what I'm asking is has anyone had this issue? And or ran a piston that was wider then the connecting rod slot?

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Just that OEM tolerances will be much closer and tighter to aftermarket offerings.
Same thing happens over here, non franchised parts offering places import lots of Asian parts, call them what they want and sell them with a big mark up, so they are dear enough to fool you into thinking at that price they must be good quality.
If you are talking extra gap between the top of the conrod bearing eye and the internal sides of the piston- stick it together and run it, the piston centralises off the bore.
If you are saying the wrist pin is loose because the wrist pin holes are bigger than should be- demand a refund.

 

[Alanmurphy6912]

Just that OEM tolerances will be much closer and tighter to aftermarket offerings.
Same thing happens over here, non franchised parts offering places import lots of Asian parts, call them what they want and sell them with a big mark up, so they are dear enough to fool you into thinking at that price they must be good quality.
If you are talking extra gap between the top of the conrod bearing eye and the internal sides of the piston- stick it together and run it, the piston centralises off the bore.
If you are saying the wrist pin is loose because the wrist pin holes are bigger than should be- demand a refund.

Okay thanks and yea I'm talking about the width of the rod in the piston. My rod measures about 12.7mm ,original piston gap is 13mm. The new aftermarket one is like 14.7mm wide leaving me almost 2mm of side to side play on the piston pin that the piston can slide back and forth. Pics attached.

 

[Alanmurphy6912]

Okay thanks and yea I'm talking about the width of the rod in the piston. My rod measures about 12.7mm ,original piston gap is 13mm. The new aftermarket one is like 14.7mm wide leaving me almost 2mm of side to side play on the piston pin that the piston can slide back and forth. Pics attached.

 

[Alanmurphy6912]

Just that OEM tolerances will be much closer and tighter to aftermarket offerings.
Same thing happens over here, non franchised parts offering places import lots of Asian parts, call them what they want and sell them with a big mark up, so they are dear enough to fool you into thinking at that price they must be good quality.
If you are talking extra gap between the top of the conrod bearing eye and the internal sides of the piston- stick it together and run it, the piston centralises off the bore.
If you are saying the wrist pin is loose because the wrist pin holes are bigger than should be- demand a refund.

And I'm on board with you. If I could afford the oem cylinder and stuff I would. I did get most of the transfer cleaned off the oem cylinder but still didnt use it or didnt plan on using it yet. The rings in the kits i buy from the Duke say hy on them just like the hyway rings I've bought in hyway piston and cylinder kits. Not saying it's legit hyway because I truly have no idea just identical hy markings on the rings. I'm assuming they mean hyway. As the hyway rings say hy on them also sometimes

 

[link]

Yes sir what "H" mark are you talking about ? And I got the parts for my 036 not the 372 yet but I will have an order in hopefully this weekend for all the stuff I need

The alternative crankcase I bought had an insignia/logo in the cast, some factory mark that indicates what factory made it.
I'm just saying that if you build a kit and you are not happy with some parts, it might be better else where.

With my present 365/72 kit I have found most parts in the kit to be really nice and preferred to the alternative parts I got - which are much more expensive.

With my 038/381 kit I made a couple years ago it was very specific exactly which parts was not up to the task as I use it for milling.
I go to something like DIY spareparts (or similar) that have parts diagrams and only distribute original parts directly from the vendor (Stihl/Husqvarna, etc).
And I look out the parts I want that dont hold water, and I also look at other parts that dont cost much. Some OEM Stihl parts for old saws are surprisingly affordable, freight cost may be high though.
So in my 038/381 kit back then it was; the clutch springs (lasted couple of hours) and the bar studs (made in too soft metal) and the chain adjuster (crap).
Also I needed to modify the oiler not to leak and to deliver enough oil, I did not spend the money on an OEM oil pump, but I would have if I did not successfully modify the one I had. And the crankshaft was not straight and true - bought +2 from Farmertec they where all the same. Then I got a different aftermarked one from a shop downunder and it was perfect. Had to wait two months and it ended up expensive - but it was worth it.
Offcourse the same kit now may be a totally different animal/production.

So the 038 holds up perfectly, it is now rock solid reliable and as I use it for milling it have really been tested to extent. Easiest saw I have to start.
Offcourse it is a "very" solid/rigid construction/design to begin with, but probably surpassed by the 365/72 for performance, and the 036/361 for weight.
The 046/460 will be my future milling saw though for sure. 4,4kw as original but with a 82,5ccm light ported cylinder - at the weight of a 65/70cc.
A modest calculation says 4.75kw, thats only surpassed by the 500i. Probably a disaster for global warming though...

 

[Woodslasher]

My two bits, Meteor pistons are the only way to go these days. Hyway might be okay too, but outside of that I don't trust any of the other brands.

 

[rmh3481]

Did you get your carb issues in check? Here is an HD6 for $15, https://www.ebay.com/itm/152673381131?hash=item238c0aeb0b:g:YI8AAOSwb8Re~qy7

 

[link]

My two bits, Meteor pistons are the only way to go these days. Hyway might be okay too, but outside of that I don't trust any of the other brands.

What makes you say that? I have both Hyway and Farmertec pistons for several saws, both are very nice - both in finish and in tolerances.

I'd like to know - what exactly makes a Meteor branded piston "better"? I could ask the same about OEM.
Please tell me "exactly" what is physically better with either one - other than the name of the box please, it will certainly give some weight to your comment.

 

[Woodslasher]

In my experience Meteor pistons have better tolerances and the metal looks and feels more pure and durable. I haven't really messed with Hyway but I know their 268 popup pistons are the #1 choice for oe 372 builds so I'm guessing they are pretty good too. The cheapie $20 top ends I've encountered seem like the metal is cheaper and not very quality. Oem pistons are typically KolbenSchmidt or Mahle, both feel very solid and well made, there's minimal casting flash, the tolerances are very good, and the materials look and feel like they are quality products that weren't made by a 6 year old. Plus, most of the porters I know have said Meteor is their #1 choice outside of oem, so if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me.

 

[link]

I also finally got pics of the 372x torq explosion. I will post them after this

I'm looking forwards to that, I have actually never heard or seen any such problem on a chainsaw - OEM or not.

 

[link]

In my experience Meteor pistons have better tolerances and the metal looks and feels more pure and durable. I haven't really messed with Hyway but I know their 268 popup pistons are the #1 choice for oe 372 builds so I'm guessing they are pretty good too. The cheapie $20 top ends I've encountered seem like the metal is cheaper and not very quality. Oem pistons are typically KolbenSchmidt or Mahle, both feel very solid and well made, there's minimal casting flash, the tolerances are very good, and the materials look and feel like they are quality products that weren't made by a 6 year old. Plus, most of the porters I know have said Meteor is their #1 choice outside of oem, so if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me.

Well, there is absolutely no quality downsides to the Farmertec pistons I have compared to Hyway or OEM for that matter, and I am a perfectionist.
I'm not fixated on the name on the box though, nor what popular culture say I should think or believe.

 

[Woodslasher]

Plus, as a guy on another forum put it you might get a really good $20 p/c kit. But, that's just one time. The next one could be a complete turd. If you want a consistently good product go to a consistently reliable manufacturer. As for FT pistons, to the best of my knowledge I've never handled one so I can't comment on them specifically.

 

[link]

Plus, as a guy on another forum put it you might get a really good $20 p/c kit. But, that's just one time. The next one could be a complete turd. If you want a consistently good product go to a consistently reliable manufacturer. As for FT pistons, to the best of my knowledge I've never handled one so I can't comment on them specifically.

I have six brand new cylinder/piston kits from 3 different manufacturers for two different saws on my bench, the cylinders differ but the pistons are all pretty nice.
When I say pretty nice that is about tolerances, finish and quality/material impression.
Cylinders mainly differs in finish, like rough honing (needs a lot of oil to run in) and port channels which should be perfected on all.
Piston rings are made for a quicker and gentler "run in time" on the Meteor and Hyway (slightly bevelled or stepped).

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

The Meteor piston is very well made ,period.
Even to my non machinist eye I can see the difference. They use cast in supporting where the OEM pistons have it and the casting finish is smooth without voids.
That being said its not the f#cking space shuttle and I've used Farmertech,hyway,Dukes coated,LRB, Old Homelite and McCulloch pistons.
without catastrophe so far....
Aftermarket pop up piston kits are just the best if your not in possession of machinery for creating your own. As always stay away from know problem pistons ( pro mac 70cc from LRB) .
The rings are touching the cylinder all the time! So use good rings, OEM or Caber .

 

[link]

I guess I just don't have a lot of trust in other people, I have to see and experience myself - just like a monkey.
And I am surprised to see how popular culture rule the minds of so many people, some maybe right - and some maybe wrong.

 

[Woodslasher]

I guess I just don't have a lot of trust in other people, I have to see and experience myself - just like a monkey.
And I am surprised to see how popular culture rule the minds of so many people, some maybe right - and some maybe wrong.

For me, I look at a/m pistons this way. Oem is ~ $100, Meteor is $45, white box is $15. Now, I've seen Walbro carb kits that were repackaged by Stihl and sold at over twice the price, so imagining that a piston could be close to oem quality at a little less than half the price is reasonable. Doing that for 1/7 of the price? No. Plus, the cheap pistons I've seen had issues. The Duke's 54mm 056 pistons had about 3mm of slop where the conn rod goes in the piston. The Meteors I've seen have been flawless. I'm not averse to trying a/m stuff, but when some stuff comes recommended and some doesn't I'd rather try the recommended stuff. "The quality remains long after the cost is forgotten".