Husqvarna 61 restoration.

[Ryan_289]

Well here it is. My grandfather's 1986 Husqvarna 61. As stated in my other thread, this one has been used to cut a ton of firewood over the years and was used hard. The first saw I ever ran so I think it deserves a restoration! I rolled a log over it in the late 90s and bent the brake handle, carry handle and cracked the top cover. We straightened the brake best we could and replaced the carry handle. I know the first step is to get the thing cleaned up and go from there. I checked compression and was surprised to see 150 psi. The piston is worn pretty smooth on the exhaust side though. What do yall think run it as is, new piston and ring, or go for a larger p/c? Its always had a 16" bar on it and I'll probably stick with that or an 18". Also, take a look at the clutch and drum, it's pretty worn. Should it be replaced?

I'm having a hard time deciding on final appearance. Should I clean it up but leave all the scars as is or repaint and make look new?

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[Sepia]

Full resto, leave it stock but complete rebuild would be in order if it was mine. Always nice to work on something that has been in the family for awhile.

 

[U&A]

I would obviously clean it REALLY WELL, then do full mechanical rebuild, fix what is broken but as far as cosmetics, i would leave alone what you can without sacrificing function.

Them old scars are something to be proud of. Keep them if you can. you will enjoy the memories every time you see the scars.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[Ryan_289]

I would obviously clean it REALLY WELL, then do full mechanical rebuild, fix what is broken but as far as cosmetics, i would leave alone what you can without sacrificing function.

Them old scars are something to be proud of. Keep them if you can. you will enjoy the memories every time you see the scars.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

I bet it ends up looking pretty decent under all that grime. It never remember seeing it that dirty back when it was getting used regularly.

So even with 150psi you think I should rebuild the P/C?

How hard is it to change crankcase seals?

 

[Huskvarna hotellgäst]

How hard is it to change crankcase seals?

Pretty easy on 61/162/266 etc. Under the flywheel is a screw-on holder and on the output side the oil pump is the holder. You need to replace to o-rings as well (grease them first so they don't get pinched).

 

[JohnT34]

Clean everything thoroughly
Carb kit and intake gaskets
Fuel line and filter
Bpmr7a NGK plug
Replace seal on pto and flywheel side and 0-rings (I always put a bit of sealer on the o rings as a precaution)
Hone cylinder and put in a new meteor piston ( last ones I got came with caber rings)
Remove base gasket and use scotch brite pad to clean up case and cylinder mating surfaces apply dirko sealer and refit cylinder
Check if bearings are good
Drill 1/2” hole in exhaust internal baffle and widen exhaust openings with screw driver ( this exhaust is the fish gill type)
Clean and re-gap coil scrap paint off flywheel side mounting post to ensure a good earth
Change any av mounts that are perished
John



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[JohnT34]

Change clutch bearing as well
Also clutch looks fairly worn


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[Brent Adams]

Heck with the saw, I want the CJ2A behind it!
Had a CJ3A. Went temporarily stupid and sold it.
Nice saw too BTW.
Might get my grandads Pro Mac 1010S one of these days. Dad's still enjoying it right now, and I hope he continues to do so.

 

[Ryan_289]

Heck with the saw, I want the CJ2A behind it!
Had a CJ3A. Went temporarily stupid and sold it.
Nice saw too BTW.
Might get my grandads Pro Mac 1010S one of these days. Dad's still enjoying it right now, and I hope he continues to do so.

Thanks. The 2A was a 3 year project. It started as something that I was just going to get running again that turned into a frame up restoration. I do take it on trail rides but no super crawling or mud bogging.

 

[Brent Nowell]

Unreal!! Lol 150psi after that many years is amazing!
I would clean it up , do a leak down test, test the carb just for piece of mind. I would also try and keep as many of the parts the same, even that bent handle. Every nick and dent is a memory imo and replacing those parts makes the saw less important.
Again that’s just my opinion and what I would do if you feel different I would not think any less of you


Nice project, I would love to find something like that and restore it.

 

[Ryan_289]

Pulled the tank off tonight. Gawd this thing is filthy. How do I take the brake apart? I cant get it clean without disassembling. Take a look at this bar and tell me if its salvageable. It's a sugihara hard nose. It definitely needs the rails dressed but it has a chip out of the nose.

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[president]

Well here it is. My grandfather's 1986 Husqvarna 61. As stated in my other thread, this one has been used to cut a ton of firewood over the years and was used hard. The first saw I ever ran so I think it deserves a restoration! I rolled a log over it in the late 90s and bent the brake handle, carry handle and cracked the top cover. We straightened the brake best we could and replaced the carry handle. I know the first step is to get the thing cleaned up and go from there. I checked compression and was surprised to see 150 psi. The piston is worn pretty smooth on the exhaust side though. What do yall think run it as is, new piston and ring, or go for a larger p/c? Its always had a 16" bar on it and I'll probably stick with that or an 18". Also, take a look at the clutch and drum, it's pretty worn. Should it be replaced?

I'm having a hard time deciding on final appearance. Should I clean it up but leave all the scars as is or repaint and make look new?

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[president]

looks like you flocked the saw,nice willys jeep too!

 

[Huskvarna hotellgäst]

How do I take the brake apart?

You'll need pin punches for the roll pins.
Start with the handle pivot screw.

 

[Ryan_289]

Got the brake apart tonight and cleaned up the plastics in the parts washer. After my wife goes to bed those are going in the dishwasher. Dont tell on me! Found one small crack in the brake handle and one small chip out of the case where the wires run and several small cracks in the top cover. Looks like I did more damage to the saw than I thought when I rolled the log on it[emoji51] I had bought a NOS brake handle but with all the cosmetic flaws i think I'm just going to restore as is, cleaned up. This would probably be a parts saw to anyone but me since it was Pops. It's only 4 years younger than I am! Next step is to make some block off plates to plug the cylinder and get the case all cleaned up. I'll make one of them a pressure port while I'm at it.

I hope these small updates dont bother anyone. They are as much for me to document what steps I've done as anything!

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[Huskybill]

I thought it was a Husqvarna chia pet at first. Lol. Nice project.

 

[Ryan_289]

I pulled the ignition modules tonight. The insulation on the wires is crumbling off. Do you think I can put heat shoring in or should I replace? Aftermarket units on Ebay are far cheaper than oem, do they work or is it better to spend the money and get the real deal?

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[Huskybill]

Don’t solder too close to the unit/windings. I had one ignition with a broken ground wire I tried to solder, the heat and capalary action sucked the solder into the windings under the epoxy sealer. I should of known better old age is setting in. I should of spliced it and used shrink boot.

Nice Jeep I was a amc/Jeep mechanic at the time of the rebel machines and mark Donahue javelins. Back in the 70’s.

 

[Ryan_289]

I was going to order a meteor piston today and new o rings and seals. Can I tell by serial number if I have a windowed or non windowed piston?

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[Huskvarna hotellgäst]

I can't speak for what happened in later years and/or in other markets but AFAIK all 61s left the factory with open port cylinders and and non "windowed" pistons.
(In order to have been changed to a 162 or 266 closed port cylinder, the intake block and screws would also have had to be replaced because the 61 has long screws attached directly to the intake port and therefore the offset of the screw holes is reversed.)
Easy also just to look at the outside of the transfer ports. If they're straight, it's a non windowed piston.