Modern saw tune ups?

[Oregon_Rob]

My trusty 372xp has gotten progressively harder to start. When I bought it , about a year+ ago (used) it popped on the 2nd or 3rd pull, now it is taking 6-7 pulls with choke on and 2-3 with choke off. I replaced the plug, fuel filter, don’t see cracked or broken fuel line hoses. It still runs perfectly once it’s running with plenty of power. Any suggestions?

 

[NeTree]

Have you ever had the carb reset? It would seem to me as much an integral part of routine maintainence as anything else. As the saw wears in (or out) you have to keep up with changing requirements for ail/fuel settings.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Originally posted by Husky 288
Try a new air filter.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

A bad air filter would make it easier to start, since it could act like a choke

I would suspect the carb. Fuel is probably slowly draining out of it and it takes more pulls to prime it. You could install a primer bulb somewhere if it really bothers you

 

[Oregon_Rob]

I guess you hit the nail on the head, that’s what it comes down to is how much it bothers me. I haven’t had terribly good luck messing with carbs, but your though process certainly makes sense about the fuel bleeding out of the system. Hmmm!
I think I will take it in, these kinds of problems only seem to get worse with time. I don’t want to wait until I really want to use it and have it not start at all.

 

[Jacob J.]

If the saw is a year old and the carb hasn't been rebuilt yet, then that's the problem.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Put the saw on eBay, start at $1 and take whatever you get. Then go buy a Stihl 046. Problem ended.

 

[kurtztree]

I hear you Mike like my stihl

 

[Gypo Logger]

It is probably the metering diaphram in the carb, it stretches after a while. A basic kit is about 5$.
John

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

That's what i"ve been saying for years...Husky's are light, low vibation, powerful, easy to mod, but the carbs only last about two weeks, then they go to sh?t...
Just buy a Stihl.

 

[mryb]

Or try a PP Dolmar 7900...

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
That's what i"ve been saying for years...Husky's are light, low vibation, powerful, easy to mod, but the carbs only last about two weeks, then they go to sh?t...
Just buy a Stihl.

Yeah, whatever
He said he bought the saw used 1 1/2 years ago so who knows how old the carb is.

Your right Mike nothing beats Stihls fixed jet carbs they are #1

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Fixed jet?
Oh, you use the 009 "Full Blown Homeowner" saw, from Stihl.
Commercial guys use 460 and up saws.
There is one guy from MI that uses an ms200, but he smokes crack. But like you say, that's real old crack...

 

[Jacob J.]

Some of you will probably disagree with this, but modern gasoline is crap. It can ruin diaphragms in carburetors in as little as 3 weeks. I work for a company that operates around 100 or so saws daily both on landings and in the brush ( Huskies, Jonsereds, Pioneers, and Stihls ) and the common element in maintenance problems are the rubber pulse and metering diaphragms in the carbs as Gypo mentioned.

 

[tony marks]

okay ill bite.. mike we may learn something.here. ive got a partner 500 ,
[who knows how old,but it needs a kit] that ill put a kit in when i get time... still runs fine tho,,a poulan pro,, that is my first saw to pick up. it vapor locks,in hot weather,but ive not considered this a problem[only happens above 90 degrees]after a hard cut,once an a while.
so can u give us some specific examples of husky saws,that most always,, give faulty carb problems after ,,say a month .
ive got 2 stihls . my 028 is like clockwork .
nothin changes it starts ,,even after a long rest. now my 036 is a different story. after a couple o wks setting its ,sometimes 15 pulls before she cranks.[has decompression]
its not a problem as it dont get that much rest ,,often.. in regular use it cranks . second or third pull .after that first pull all day..
so let us know something about what u talkin about.
ps. im gonna post on a different subject. the tendancy to pull cranks way to hard. not necessary if the saws rite.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Other than bar, chain and sprocket, I think the next part of the saw that will fail is the metering diaphram, but this is no biggy, it just falls in line with general upkeep. The nice thing about it though, is that it gets you into the saw. Between normal use, sawdust pluging carb covers and vapour lock ( tank vent), the diaphram will stretch reducing hi and lo end response.
It makes me wonder if modifying a saw will stretch the diaphram sooner than stock? Probably, but it is no big deal. I have cut over 100,000 ft. with my KD385 and it is still quick on the draw.
John

 

[SilverBlue]

It’s not so much the gasoline that is crap it’s the alcohol added that causes trouble with plastic/rubber parts. Try finding a gas brand that is not gasohol.

Or even better convert your saw to run on natural gas! Less deposits and you can boost the compression to 14:1

 

[Oregon_Rob]

You guys have given me a lot of good ideas, as usual. With all this husky bashing I must ask: Don’t most of these saws use Tillotson and Walbro carbs? If so, I don’t really see the validity of a lot of these arguments. Think I will pick up the new carb and hose kits and put them in when I get time. Like I said, the saw is still running like a top, just takes a few extra pulls to start.

Thanks all,


Rob

 

[Wade Huggins]

I think Gypo is as close to the truth as you are going to get. As you said get the kit, hoses, and a new gas tank filter. Put your settings back where they belong and tweak it from there...........Wade