Husky 345 abruptly shutting down

[skowsa]

I have a Husky 345 for home use. Just yesterday it started shutting off after a few seconds of use (maybe 15seconds or so).
It will sit there and idle for minutes, but when I pull the trigger and let 'er rip it just abruptly shuts off - it's almost like the brake is applied and the engine is turned off also.
Being a novice I don't know too much so I just completely cleaned the whole maching and that made no difference.
I don't think the bar/chain oil is gettting to the chain - I held the saw pointed down full throttle for about 10 seconds and I saw no oil splatter on the ground - would this cause my problem. Any tips on what I need to do?

thanks
Ian

 

[Tim Gardner]

It sounds like part of your problem is in the carb adjustment. Even on saws where the chain was stuck the motor would stay running for me.

 

[fun_chopper]

If you have your owners manual, you can easily do field level carb adjusting. Sounds rich to me, and also sounds like you have a touch od carbon fouling on your plug. Pull the plug, clean the electrode strap with carb cleaner, start the saw, and if she runs longer than before lean it out a bit.

 

[daveb]

Usually when the saw will idle, but when you hit the throttle the saw dies, it's lean on the low speed screw. You see when you hit the throttle, it creates an instant lean condition. If the low screw isn't rich enough, the saw will die.

 

[Fish]

I am not real familiar with your particular model, but if all of the
sudden you have a problem like that, then adjustment is not
a good approach. It sounds like you may have a loose or
broken fuel/impulse line. If the oiler is impulse driven, that may be
the problem area. There are some good Husky techs here, they
will chime in here soon. It sounds like an air leak, but a carb
full of crap could be the culprit as well, which is always a good
starting point.

 

[ccicora]

OK here you go, you will get some good input from all these guys but here is the problem I found with the one I built into a woods saw.
Pull the muffler off, then pull off the spark arestor screen. If it looks solid black then either clean it or replace it. If this is the cause then you need to lean out the saw a bit. You will also need to clean up the exhaust port, piston and spark plug.

Also other information on the 345 saw.
Upgrade the oiler with a 350 ajustable
Upgrade the airfilter with a 346 filter
Upgrade the sprocket with a 346 drum and rim (stick with a 7 pin)
Or make it a scary woods saw have myself or another builder do the work and watch it come alive

Later,
Chris

 

[jsikkema1]

might be an ignition problem... haven't seen too many on recent saws but discription could be. There is a unlimited warranty on the ingnition module

 

[Methoss084]

I would agree with the ignition problem as being a probable cause. If all the previously listed easier fixes don't cure your problem the kill switch or ignition module might be at fault. I have had a couple of batches of newer Jonersed saws, mainly 2050 and 2065 models that would idle perfectly and then abruptly die out at WOT. Some would take a few minutes to heat up, others won't wait that long. We would pull our hair out. Because on the coil tester they would fire perfectly, so of course you would discount that as being the problem. With a new coil they would run like new. The most recent saw being a 2149, it would run really bad at WOT in the cut, almost like the high speed screw was just a little bit to far out (what limiters?). You could adjust it all day long and not make it better. We went through the whole saw and found no problems. We swapped a coil and the customer said it ran better then the day he bought it. Another tip, order the Jonsered version of that coil, it usually lists about 20% cheaper! Good Luck.

 

[geofore]

345

When was the last time you changed the fuel filter? Check the fuel lines for cracks. If it is not the fuel filter, fuel line, or the spark arrestor clogged, get someone to tune it up that knows what they are doing. Go with the upgrades suggested,you will like it.

 

[Tony Snyder]

What does the dealer say? I'm interested because I sell the equivelent 2145.

 

[jokers]

Hi Ian, I think that you probably have two unrelated problems, the shutting down and the apparent lack of bar oil. In my opinion the oiler on the 345 is marginal and things like the wrong viscosity bar oil or chip buildup in the bar groove have a more significant effect on this saw. So for what may well be very easy fixes for the oiling problem, make sure that you are using the appropriate bar oil for the temps you are working in and keep the bar groove nice and clean, while you`re cleaning it make sure you clean the oil holes also. If you are prone to running a chain that is less than perfectly sharp, time to learn to sharpen. Dull chain produces alot of fine dust that builds up in the groove, you would be surprised how much oil can be sucked up by sawdust impacted in the groove. Your saw will thank you with a huge improvement in performance with a sharp chain. The stock chain that came on your saw is probably Oregon 95VP which isn`t a bad chain, all things considered, but you can improve performance by swapping to Oregon 33LG as long as you stay out of the dirt. Now for the engine. There have been many good suggestions here already. I would first check for excess carbon everywhere mentioned and you might as well gap the plug while you are there, .020. Now check your fuel filter and make sure that it is even attached and whether or not it is somehow plugged, also check condition of fuel hose while you are there. Now you can tear into the carb, just be careful to note how it comes apart so that you can put it back together. Getting the choke linkage off is intuitive, as is getting the carb up out of it`s mount, you are better off looking at it and figuring it out than having me try to describe the method. Check the impulse hose now that you have access to it. When you have the carb in your hand you will have to gently pry the limiters off, you don`t want to destroy the plastic caps because they give you more to get a screwdriver on for future adjustment although you can grind the ears off now. GENTLY seat the screws for a reference point as to where the screws are adjusted and then remove them completely. Disassemble the carb looking for crud, plugged screens, and gaskets or diaphragms that don`t look fresh from the factory, if all the parts look good, ie: no stretching or distortion, you can reuse them. Get some carb cleaner and blast through all the orifices thoroughly, being careful not to get any in your eyes. The kind I like best is from Walmart, their house brand. After you are sure it`s well flushed, reassemble everything and reset the screws to where they were and try it out. If this doesn`t work, then you get into more serious troubleshooting on components like the ignition or engine seals, or a full rebuild on a the carb, sometimes you have to remove the welsh plugs to completely clean one. You do loosen the chain when you put the saw away don`t you? Sorry this post is so wordy, just trying to assure that you have enough info to get started. Of course if the saw is still under warranty and the carb cleaning doesn`t work, bring it back to the dealer. Russ

 

[Fish]

Good post Beavergirl.

 

[jokers]

THANKS CLITO MAN!

 

[Newfie]

I think that you probably have two unrelated problems

Unrelated, but probably completely related. It sounds like all of it may be related to a lack of proper maintainence, which is not all that uncommon with an inexperienced user. I know that was something I was guilty of early on in my Poulan days.

All great suggestions by everyone for the engine cutting out, but I would take it to your dealer if you have the slightest doubts about trying to troubleshoot it yourself. I imagine he would much rather start with a whole saw than a lot of little pieces.

good luck

 

[ricksvar]

Capital idea,2 thumbs up,Newfie!

 

[skowsa]

Newfie, you hit the nail....

I went back through the manual and started reading about all the little maintenance items that I'd neglected, you know the complicated things like cleaning the air filter and changing the spark plug (just poking fun at myself) and adjusting the carb after 8-9 tanks of gas (I'm way, way, way beyond that)
Anyway, like I said I cleaned the bar and everything else on and around the machine, this time I took the cover off and washed out the air filter - which was quite dirty! took the spark plug out - it was black, so just for now I cleaned it up with some sandpaper then brushed it clean, also took out the screen on the muffler and scrubbed that, put it all back together and .......

Voila - sounds like a new saw and runs great.
I have been running Echo brand bar oil, I think I'll change to the Husky stuff
I assume I need to fine tune the carb. from the carbonized spark plug? and maybe even look at some of those mods.

thank you all for your great advice.
Ian

 

[treeclimber165]

Who woulda thunk you needed to actually CLEAN the air filter once in a while?

 

[geofore]

dirty air filter

Air filter being clogged is not unlike having the choke on, it will carbon up the plug and the spark arrestor and do some other strange things. It is not a bad idea to have it tuned up but you can't do that if the air filter is clogged up. You need the proper air to fuel mix and you don't get that with a clogged air filter. You don't clean the fuel filter you replace it when it clogs up. Happy sawing to ya, thats a merry xmas in saw terms.