Husqvarna 266xp trouble

[ThunderBFarm]

I’ve been using a 266xp since the beginning of summer to cut firewood. It’s been phenomenal, far more powerful than any saw I’ve ever used. I had my neighbor check it out right after I bought it, and he said it looked like it hadn’t been run very much at all and was in great shape. I started having trouble with it last month where it would bust off and run a whole tank of fuel out perfectly then not crank back at all until the next day or day after. I wasn’t really concerned because I would then just bust what I had cut until last week I went to cut a tree that had called at my dad’s. Per the usual it ran fine until it ran out of fuel. I swapped to my 61 and ran it until it was empty then tried the 266. It busted off and ran like it was flooded for a minute or two then something made a slight “popping” noise and now it won’t crank for anything.
I took it by my local small engine repair shop and they called me within a few hours saying that the piston was shot and it wasn’t worth fixing. What do you guys think? I will probably ask my neighbor when he gets done with a 372xp I’m having him fix, but it just seems odd to me that they would say it’s completely shot after it was running and cutting great the day before.

 

[Chevboy0167]

Possible air leak/running lean maybe? Heat-soaked piston and cylinder causing mild seizure until a ring snapped? Only a tear down can give some clues.

And hell yes, it is worth fixing... to me anyways. Plenty of decent aftermarket piston/cylinder kits out there.... cheap. Meteor and Hyway are good. OEM is the best if you wanna spend the money. Seems OEM run just a bit better but those 2 do well.

Check out Tinman saws on YouTube. He can make a mean 266!

 

[Backstage]

I would love to say no shop would just jump straight to “You need a whole new top end”, but I’ve seen it happen. Might be the case, but good to check.

Pull the muffler and look at the cylinder and piston. They should be smooth and shiny.

 

[Husky Man]

Must be a Stihl shop if they’re saying that a 266XP isn’t worth fixing.


Doug

 

[Skeans]

Must be a Stihl shop if they’re saying that a 266XP isn’t worth fixing.


Doug

It’d depend on if the shop has to stand behind the parts as well, aftermarket cylinder and pistons can be a gamble. Who’s to say the lower end isn’t on its way out as well, we all look at it different I remember swapping off saws a lot when I was younger vs now it’s a top end or two before they get sold.


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[cscltd]

Pics would help, but a few things can/could cause your issue.
it’s a 30 year old saw, carb Diaphragms same age and stiff causing saw to run lean?-
running it out of gas is not good for any premix unit- engine temp soars in the last few seconds causing piston to overheat.
and a lot of friends or so called experts crank that hi mixture screw in to really let the chips fly-and they do-for awhile until piston scores from lean running.
all these issues become more so when cheap gas and oil are used,
and it could have been a failure beyond your control as again it is a 30 year old saw

 

[cdntbone303]

I am betting flywheel side has an air leak. Engine ran lean due to air leak and piston seized. Very rare to see a bottom end blown in my experience on these saws. It’s sometimes the seals but most times the rubber oring in the seal housing that looses seal or it’s the oring on other side on the oiler housing.

 

[Bob95065]

That series is my favorite for firewood. Great power, low weight and easy to work on.

Check the piston through the exhaust port like @Backstage said. I would do a vacuum/pressure test too.

These saws have a seal holder on the flywheel side and a seal in the oil pump housing on the PTO side. Both have an o-ring that seal to the case. I`ve experienced leaks at these o-rings. There's a thread on this on OPE. Here's tue specs:

61/266/268/272xp:

oem #740422100

https://www.mcmaster.com/9262K668

1.6mm x 29.1mm ID

Good info here: Husqvarna o-ring info

Make sure there are no air leaks, use good oil in the gas and keep the air filter clean and your saw will seve you well for decades to come. You have a good saw that is worth repairing.

 

[rob066]

Mine did almost similar to that the ignition module went bad It would backfire as the timing was off.

 

[HumBurner]

Whatever you decide, do NOT
sell/trade the 266 to the shop. You'll get peanuts for it from them, especially if their attitude is "not worth repairing"

 

[HumBurner]

It’d depend on if the shop has to stand behind the parts as well, aftermarket cylinder and pistons can be a gamble. Who’s to say the lower end isn’t on its way out as well, we all look at it different I remember swapping off saws a lot when I was younger vs now it’s a top end or two before they get sold.


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I let go of a 562 earlier this year instead of repairing it myself. I was lower on funds and needed a saw NOW for a job. Piston was scored and it was scoring the cylinder.

With as many hours (rough hours as I hadn't honed my sharpening skills when I mostly used this saw years back) as the saw had, and the things likely to start failing in the near future on it, it was cost effective to take the trade in ($200, good dealer at the time) and walk out with a new saw.

I could've saved money, waited a few weeks, and gotten the new top end. But i would've lost some money and dinged my reputation slightly by last minute canceling for a DUMB reason. Work doesn't stop or wait.



So each case is different, imo.

 

[chipper1]

The dealer should have given a reason why the top end is toast.
Pick it up and then pull the muffler yourself to find out if it is indeed scored. If it is do not tear the saw down until you pressure check it, this way you can see what went wrong.
Piston pictures will help.

 

[irhunter]

I started having trouble with it last month where it would bust off and run a whole tank of fuel out perfectly then not crank back at all until the next day or day after. I wasn’t really concerned.

For future reference, here is the thing...saws are often totally intolerant of conditions which make them, all of a sudden, run poorly/oddly. When a saw first "acts up," stop, do not run the saw, figure out what's up.

The run time between first symptom and melted piston can be very brief.

As far as where you're at now...you have a back-up saw...might as well learn how to fix this saw yourself.

Roy

 

[holeycow]

**** the technicians. Find a mechanic and get your highly desirable cannot be replaced saw fixed.

 

[rupedoggy]

Well maybe it was running great because it was lean. They run good then but hot. Hot causes the ignition module to stop sparking so it saved you a couple times. Now it is fried and needs a new top and ignition, so it does not poop again.

 

[TRTermite]

Whatever you decide, do NOT
sell/trade the 266 to the shop. You'll get peanuts for it from them, especially if their attitude is "not worth repairing"

FACT

 

[Gord404]

Had one go on me because of a carb block leak... At the time I wasn't to aware of saws and inexperienced a number of years ago...I rebuilt It, and off she went back into service, great saws.

 

[Czed]

Tear into it yourself
we'll help you
I have at least 20 of the 266/268/272 series
Simple tools are all that's needed.
Make sure to order
Seals,fuel pipe Oregon makes a good one
oem are nla.
Oil pump oring,
Carb kit and meteor windowed
Piston kit not the oval or slab sided piston
They increase power quite a bit
And some good sealant.

 

[rob066]

Tear into it yourself
we'll help you
I have at least 20 of the 266/268/272 series
Simple tools are all that's needed.
Make sure to order
Seals,fuel pipe Oregon makes a good one
oem are nla.
Oil pump oring,
Carb kit and meteor windowed
Piston kit not the oval or slab sided piston
They increase power quite a bit
And some good sealant.

All old saws that had the 2 piece ignition vs one piece had different screw spacing on the top cover

 

[lone wolf]

I would love to say no shop would just jump straight to “You need a whole new top end”, but I’ve seen it happen. Might be the case, but good to check.

Pull the muffler and look at the cylinder and piston. They should be smooth and shiny.

This!