Husky 181 to 288

[jscb1bb1b]

I have a 181 that I want to use a 288 piston and cylinder kit on it. Does a 288 big bore kit exist? What else is needed? Muffler mod? Base gasket elimination? Bigger carb?

 

[Czed]

I have a 181 that I want to use a 288 piston and cylinder kit on it. Does a 288 big bore kit exist? What else is needed? Muffler mod? Base gasket elimination? Bigger carb?

What do you want for the 181 cylinder?
I'd never swap one for a 288

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Talk about muffler mods, gasket deletes and big bores just makes my head hurt.
But to answer the initial question- yes you can bolt a 288 top end onto a 181 carcass, but as @Czed suggests, if you have a usable 181 top end with that rough old case in your photo- USE IT.
The 181 had a nicer shaped cylinder, ports and combustion chamber than the 288 does and was a hotrod saw from the factory without dicking around with it- some had a single ring piston and some had twin thin ring pistons.
If you are considering some $20 288 topend or big bore kit- you might as well try and trick up as much as you can because you will be attempting to put lipstick and a dress on a broken down farmyard pig.

 

[Czed]

I have a 181 that I want to use a 288 piston and cylinder kit on it. Does a 288 big bore kit exist? What else is needed? Muffler mod? Base gasket elimination? Bigger carb?

I'll trade you a china 288 kit

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Talk about muffler mods, gasket deletes and big bores just makes my head hurt.

I agree. I’m all for opening up a muffler as long as it still looks factory and/or is done in a tasteful manner. “Base gasket delete” and “big bore” drive me nuts. YouTube saw builders have made those phrases popular. Don’t even wanna think about how many hard to find saws/parts have been ruined because of those fools.

 

[jscb1bb1b]

Talk about muffler mods, gasket deletes and big bores just makes my head hurt.
But to answer the initial question- yes you can bolt a 288 top end onto a 181 carcass, but as @Czed suggests, if you have a usable 181 top end with that rough old case in your photo- USE IT.
The 181 had a nicer shaped cylinder, ports and combustion chamber that the 288 does and was a hotrod saw from the factory without dicking around with it- some had a single ring piston and some had twin thin ring pistons.
If you are considering some $20 288 topend or big bore kit- you might as well try and trick up as much as you can because you will be attempting to put lipstick and a dress on a broken down farmyard pig.

It's my pig and lipstick, can I borrow one of your dresses?

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

It's my pig and lipstick, can I borrow one of your dresses?

Okay, you go do what you are going to do. Not my saw, not my money.
Good luck.

 

[jscb1bb1b]

I want to go OEM with the piston and cylinder. What is the difference between the 181 and 288 power wise? Would 7cc make that much of a difference? The saw belonged to an ex-girlfriend's dad. He is no longer around. He started me off on my CAD.

 

[Czed]

I want to go OEM with the piston and cylinder. What is the difference between the 181 and 288 power wise? Would 7cc make that much of a difference? The saw belonged to an ex-girlfriend's dad. He is no longer around. He started me off on my CAD.

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/husqvarna-288-vs-181.183938/