I got the new Husqvarna 540 mark 3 gasoline rear handle

[Franny K]

And the surprise is it is only 125 hour compliant on the exhaust rating. It gets 3 on the clean air index.

It is not a surprise that the ipl is not publicly available at this time, but it is a surprise that when I order the saw and the mini.325 chain with a sprocket for 3/8lp as well I just get another .325 mini sprocket. My guess is the dealer doesn't have the part sheet either and communication is lacking with the distributor.

I was hoping to be able to compare it to some 1.7kw saws as it is 1.9 but it won't be with the same bar and chain.

After dumping all the fluids out I get 9 pounds 4.5 ounces. I got 9 pounds 1 ounce for the Echo 361p for reference. No bar and chain with the clutch cover on.

I doubt it has some cushioning device in the starter. (edit: it does have in the handle for the pull rope a rubber piece giving perhaps 1/4 inch of cushion) Only once did it not restart on one pull with no fiddling to set any fast idle or such. Tomorrow will see it it was calibrating itself or is way on the slow to warm up end of the spectrum.

I put a picture this is the called 16" bar 64 drive links that used to get called 15 inch bar for normal and 0.050 gauge NK .325. frozen oak of some kind 14 seconds.








It is $50 less than the top handle version with similar bar.

 

[Franny K]

It says made in Japan on the box. I did not end up with the packaging for the bar.

The bar cover or scabbard isn't to my liking. The Stihl one I like lately is pictured the part that latches over the bar nut to secure it from coming off easily is about 1/2 away from the captive bar nut. The more basic Stihl ones are good too just don't protect you from the dogs or bucking spike.



The big screwdriver and a hammer were the clutch removal tools. 3 tries with the scrench were unsuccessful. The scrench blade is somewhere between 5 and 10 degrees out of the alignment I am used to.


Next day:

The inertia chain brake won't trip holding the rear of the rear handle and dropping on a log. It did trip when I slammed the log. Echo 351p trips at 15" and the Makita 3601 is really sensitive as well.

The chain adjuster that is in the clutch cover is poor. Very little twist moves the bar a lot and pulling up on the chain slides the bar back. It is like intenz or tool less tactics are used to deal with it.

The vibration is kind of objectionable holding it while at idle.

The chain has worn off the paint from the bar rail but the chain does not touch these rails for 1 1/4" or so from the bar tail end. "a" tail

The exhaust blows out as opposed to down with the Echo 361p. The opening behind the screen seems kind of big to me. The muffler and the plastic that makes the bottom of the saw under the muffler are design elements. one of the 3 spring anti vibe attaches to this design element not the magnesium cases.

It looks like if you do the cut a tree more than 2 times the bar length this is designed to get a good stab in the center of your notch.

They call the way no dirt gets into the area of the air filter air injection, It works very well on this model.

Next day #2
The sp21G chain on the 8 tooth nose plunges very nicely. The nose of the bar does not seem to be developing that depression like the 0.043 3/8lp does at the bottom of the bar near the sprocket. Pretty sure it will in due time.

I think the sprockets are the same as the 540 mk 1 and 2 and have ordered one for S93G chain off ebay. It did not look like there will be room for a rim drive though the 339xp drum is the same diameter, any diameter you can call out but the total width seems too different. I will pry out the worm gear and see if perhaps it will work. The 338/339 clutch shoes may be wider the drum for that is I will call it deeper.

The bucking spike isn't all that sharp and dangerous unlike some other small saws.

The vibration when working it hard isn't something that bothered me.

The manual has changed in the tree felling instructions. The safe corner technique is used or explained as opposed to variations depending on the diameter of the tree vs the length of the bar. I guess they trust the chain to the point it seems they have you plunge in in a manner the cutting attachment will tend to claw its way toward the hinge wood.

I can't find anything about reset or calibrate for the auto tune in the manual. Or if I am supposed to let it idle with the choke still on for a while.

The specifications in the manual are not much. I found a mostly blank page and wrote in what is on the website. The bore and stroke is still a mystery. bore 40mm stroke 31 for the 338,339 comes out a bit low and if I go 41mm bore it is just a little high.

It took probably half a minute to get warmed up enough to use it on anything over 2" On the long time to warm up end of the spectrum.

Next day #3 this is a test as to how long a supporting member can edit posts.

I got two Oregon 80txl chains via usps ground advantage shipping from Frawleys or loggerchain.com. That was really fast. Their chain says for up to 35cc, Comes in a smaller box than I have seen (green section with tiny print on the box). How can it be both made in USA and Fabrique aux E-U? I think the sp21g says up to 38cc so both are really over stressed here. The Oregon has features on the drive links and slightly shorter cutters and noticeably narrower cutters. Hq 5.5 oz Oregon 5.4 oz for 64dl.

 

[Franny K]

Even though it still shows I can edit the above post I found new information.

Thanks to the chat help with Husqvarna expert while the ipl is not available there is a way to buy parts from Husqvarna directly that has the exploded parts sheets with many that can be put in a cart. From this address one can click on home and do similar for another model.

https://shop.husqvarna.com/us/EPCProductView?epcOverrideCategory=Chain+Saws&catalogId=13051&epcProduct=540+XP®+Mark+III&epcVariantName=540+XP®+Mark+III&modelId=&epcCategory=Chain+Saws&epcBrandName=&csfId=&langId=-1&storeId=11251&epcPmid=A00001640

It appears the crank is no longer stuffed as the terminology seems to be in the chainsaw world.

While this may not be different than the MK2 the carb has the top for air and the bottom for mix as opposed to two separate round openings each with a throttle plate or butterfly.

As for this new sp21 chain the loss in performance and increase in vibration is pretty significant when changed over to the 3/8lp and 6 tooth drive. Normal and NK in .050 gauge will not wrap around the sp21 sprocket nicely but upon studying the distance of the rivets from the sliding surface it visually seems to be the same. The drive links are smaller hence the spaces between them are larger. I mounted the bar and chain on something else 35cc with a rim sprocket and it seems to work fine. Do wonder a bit as the openings in the rim sprocket will accept 0.063 gauge and most of are radially ported for a way the sawdust can escape.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Haven’t run one yet but we do have the top handle version at my shop. One thing I noticed pretty quick was the chain tensioner. Feels rough and had a difficult time adjusting it.