Husqvarna 350 Rebuild

[ChillyB]

I'm concluding that it can be difficult to turn a profit working on homeowner grade saws. A used 350 is worth what:$175 if in top condition? Put on new main bearings, a wrist pin bearing, piston ring, carb and fuel overhaul, a couple cans of brake cleaner, and you've spent a good percentage of the saws total value. No wonder people leave them at the shop.

But this is MY saw and I'm not one to dispose of stuff that works.

 

[scottr]

I'm curious as to what you used to decarbon the piston ?

 

[ChillyB]

I'm curious as to what you used to decarbon the piston ?

Carb cleaner (aerosol) a thumbnail, and reckless disregard for chemical exposure. Also buffed with bronze toothbrush, which was soft enough to not scratch the aluminum.

Berryman carb cleaner dunk pail would probably work better but I don’t have any right now.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I'm concluding that it can be difficult to turn a profit working on homeowner grade saws. A used 350 is worth what:$175 if in top condition? Put on new main bearings, a wrist pin bearing, piston ring, carb and fuel overhaul, a couple cans of brake cleaner, and you've spent a good percentage of the saws total value. No wonder people leave them at the shop.

But this is MY saw and I'm not one to dispose of stuff that works.

Around here you can make just about as much on a homeowner saw as you can a pro saw, many around here just go by what condition it's in and the price. A 290 Stihl will bring about as much as a pro saw with some buyers. Also, part of it depends on how much you gave for it..

 

[9050LX]

Some ridiculous prices out there for homeowner saws right now ("don't lowball me....")

 

[ChillyB]

Some ridiculous prices out there for homeowner saws right now ("don't lowball me....")

Mostly see the same $150 Poulans and $250 Husqvarna with algae growing on them, still eternally for sale. I suspect thise dudes have everything they own listed for top dollar.

 

[skeet88]

Looks like the build is coming along good,keep up the good work.Just curious,how did you install the crank bearings?

 

[ChillyB]

Looks like the build is coming along good,keep up the good work.Just curious,how did you install the crank bearings?

Slipped them on. The flywheel side goes in easier than the clutch side, due to the step on the shaft. Wiggled and pushed, it went on and I dont think the lip of the seal was harmed. A tapered sleeve would be awesome if one did this for a living.

 

[ChillyB]

Slipped them on. The flywheel side goes in easier than the clutch side, due to the step on the shaft. Wiggled and pushed, it went on and I dont think the lip of the seal was harmed. A tapered sleeve would be awesome if one did this for a living.

If I had some long thin shim stock I may have laid two pieces along the shaft to form a ramp for the seal lip, but didn't have any shim stock, either.

 

[skeet88]

Slipped them on. The flywheel side goes in easier than the clutch side, due to the step on the shaft. Wiggled and pushed, it went on and I dont think the lip of the seal was harmed. A tapered sleeve would be awesome if one did this for a living.

Thanks for the reply.I think my PP4218 has the same clamshell design.Good infor to have if I ever take it apart.

 

[ChillyB]

Just sold the same saw. I wouldn't have felt lacking to have kept it except I have other saws. Started really easy. Three pulls with choke, push in choke and it fired up. Every time. It really poured on the bar oil, though (better than the alternative).

 

[skeet88]

Just sold the same saw. I wouldn't have felt lacking to have kept it except I have other saws. Started really easy. Three pulls with choke, push in choke and it fired up. Every time. It really poured on the bar oil, though (better than the alternative).

Funny you mention that.Mine doesn’t seem to oil very well.I think the clutch cover doesn’t seal the bar off very well allowing the oil to run out the other side instead of down the bar.When I put the clutch cover against the bar it rocks a little like it isn’t laying flat.Plastic cover with metal insert where the bar bolts go through.I thought about putting a layer of silicone on it to build it up where it will seal off.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

If I had some long thin shim stock I may have laid two pieces along the shaft to form a ramp for the seal lip, but didn't have any shim stock, either.

On most of the saws you can use the metal from a pop can to make a ramp for the seal to go on..

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Mostly see the same $150 Poulans and $250 Husqvarna with algae growing on them, still eternally for sale. I suspect thise dudes have everything they own listed for top dollar.

I rebuilt some saws for a friend who was selling them and it seemed that the ones I thought should have sold first are still unsold while others sold quickly, and no, none of them were overpriced.

 

[ChillyB]

What should one expect for crank end play? I have about 0.025” of end thrust. This is crank end thrust, not the rod on the crank.

 

[Woodslasher]

By end play do you mean the gap between the crank and the case? That # shouldn't change at all unless the bearings are bad.

 

[ChillyB]

No, I mean that I can shuttle the crank left and right between the bearings. The crank slides within the inner races.

I nested the bearings into the seats where they seemed to belong, pushing the seals outboard against the plastic flange of the counterbores. This apparently results in maximum clearance between the left and right bearing races.

Alternately, I could squeeze the left and right bearings together then install the crank and bearing assembly into the case. Is that how it should be done? In that case the bearings will not be located by the flanges of the plastic bearing seat counterbores.

I don’t mind pulling the crank to redo it. I’m not excited that I did not get OEM bearings so may do just that anyhow. But I’ll have to reinstall the crank at some point so the question remains: do I register the bearings outboard against the counterbore flanges, or do I install them with inner races squeezed inboard to minimize any end thrust?

 

[ChillyB]

Screw it. I don’t like that I was using off-brand bearings, and certain that I don’t like sloppy end thrust. Has to come out. I guess we’ll consider this my practice run.

Will be interesting to see how the OEM bearings fit up so far as end thrust goes. I guarantee my crank and case aren’t worn so if there is a difference I’ll know why. And if not then I’ll figure out how to center up my bearings with no end thrust.

Disappointed, but I wouldn’t feel confident in this saw with the off-brand bearings, let alone the end thrust issue. In past 20 yrs I’ve concluded that good bearings have become hard to find. I can hardly trust even the big names anymore. So I assume off-brand bearings are junk. I don’t think I’m often wrong.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Screw it. I don’t like that I was using off-brand bearings, and certain that I don’t like sloppy end thrust. Has to come out. I guess we’ll consider this my practice run.

Will be interesting to see how the OEM bearings fit up so far as end thrust goes. I guarantee my crank and case aren’t worn so if there is a difference I’ll know why. And if not then I’ll figure out how to center up my bearings with no end thrust.

Disappointed, but I wouldn’t feel confident in this saw with the off-brand bearings, let alone the end thrust issue. In past 20 yrs I’ve concluded that good bearings have become hard to find. I can hardly trust even the big names anymore. So I assume off-brand bearings are junk. I don’t think I’m often wrong.

View attachment 985803

Maybe you could measure them, compared to the ones you took off.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I'm not real sure about my memory on this but I rebuilt a 350 last year and replaced the main bearings and seals on it. It seems to me that on the bearings they had a raised edge on the inner race of the bearing so they would only fit one way. Like I said, memory not always the best and I may have this saw mixed up with another one...