Embarassed, need advice...

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I see your train of thought. Don't want to dump my hassle on someone else though. Need a bigger saw than a 346xp and murph was gonna hook me up on a nice 357xp. I got anxious and thought I was saving money, now look at me... If I had gone that route I might not be jonesing for a 562xp now. I really blew this one. Russ

I buy quite a few saws... and it happens. CL makes it worse. Sorry if I missed it, but did you ask the guy if he would look at it for you, and possibly diagnose the problem even if he wont refund your money? If he wont give you a dime back, atleast take some of his time.

And on the ebay thing... you wont be dumping a hassle on someone if you fully disclose the issues you are having. Heck, I just bought someones "hassle" on ebay, because the price was right. He disclosed everything, and I am happy as I bought it for parts/ repair.

Either way, I hope you get it sorted out. I know my gut has sunk a couple times finding out that I bought something that was less than described.

Just know that there is help here on the boards. Plenty of guys have been in your shoes, and dont feel like you are backed against the corner at the cost(s) of local repair. Plenty of good shops out there, and plenty of bad ones. I do believe that there was a recall on the Walbro for the 357, and imagine that is what the dealers were fussing about. I will see what I can find.
 
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Errrr, no recall that I can find on that carb. I cant find a service bulletin either. I did see a 357 in my Stihl shop once, after the Husky dealer raked the owner on a new carb (Zama) in lieu of the 199. I do believe that owner purchased that saw from the same shop.
 
Both shops were surprised how well it ran and idled. One shop said 160 psi and the other said 155. I told them I ran tru fuel 50-1 and one of the 2 shops stated that that was why the saw ran decent with that "####ty" carb. If the parts are that cheap maybe I can find someone to do it cheaper than a shop. I would love to "assist" someone but am scared to tackle it myself.
Sounds like I shouldn't take 100$ for a trade though... Both shops said the bearings were going so I believe them. Bottom line, I know too little to buy used from a stranger. Expensive lesson for me. Russ

That's a good saw, just fix it. Take your time with it. Everything you might want to know is most likely already posted on this site. 30 bucks parts and an afternoon or two three evenings..what the heck.

You should have seen me my first car engine...then I get it done and retransplanted back in and it cranks and runs really really nice, I go "it's that easy"!?! whuttheheck...give it a whack man, you can do it.

That same engine, after running it just a few months as my daily driver, I just yanked it again then did a hotrod job on it, just to learn more and I had the spare cash at the time for parts. That one worked nice too, picked up beacoup RPMs, balanced pistons and connecting rods (I did the balancing meselfs...), blah blah.

Just ain't that many parts in a two stroke saw man, give it a shot!
 
It is a 2003. Russ

Make sure that the cylinder intake has been updated with the metal clamp then!

Some technical info from Husky;

SB, 357 XP, 359, 353, 346 XP,
Partition wall and clamp for intake system,
2006-03

The existing intake system on 357XP, 359,353 and 346XP currently consists of an integrated plastic clamp in the partition wall. As the clamp is made of plastic, there is a risk of deformation. This results in impaired clamping force against the cylinder, which in turn can result in leakage in the intake system. To prevent this from occurring, we have now introduced a metal clamp and a new partition wall.

The new partition wall is made up of polyamide with 30 % fibre glass.
The new clamp is a hardened steel clamp. The new material and the design of the clamp reduce the risk of deformation and the subsequent risk of leakage.

Full replaceability prevails.
Introduced from serial number:
357XP 061100201
359 061100001
353 061100001
346XP 061100001

New part no. Description Excl. part. no. Remark
537 25 13-02 Partition wall, intake, complete New spare part
537 43 88-01 Clamp, intake New spare part

Spare part, partition wall, part number 537 25 13-01, has been discontinued and is replaced by part number 537 25 13-02.





SB, 357 XP, 359, Introduction of new carburetor for better idling stability,
2008-10


To achieve better idling quality, a new carburetor has been introduced in the production. The new name of the carburetor is Zama C3-EL42, replacing Walbro HDA199A/B and HDA191A.

New part number for the carb is 505203001.

Also, requires a different flange, part number 503928502.

Introduced from serial numbers:
357XP 083800001
359 084500001
 
I'm really sorry to hear about this :mad: - buying used saws from someone you don't know and trust is always a risk, unless you are able to check it out properly before the money changes hands. E-bay offers some buyer protection if the item is misrepresented - but I suspect Craigslist dont?

If only the bearings are bad, someone on here may be able to "walk" you through the repair, but I guess we don't really know that? I am no mechanic, so I am not able to do it.

Far from all those Walbro carbs act up, and As sponsor Tree Monkey has offered a cure for them, for 25 USD I believe.

Yeah craigslist is an online classified ad network, no guarantees and no accountability. I've gotten some good deals on craigslist but you gotta know what you are looking at and have a good judge of character. Basically the mentality I prefer to use when dealing through craigslist is "buyer beware".
 
Hi, My name is Russ Brown and I screwed up. I could have bought a 357xp from nmurph but purchased one locally on craiglist.
Things were not right from the beginning and the guy refused to address my concerns.
Advertised as inspected and new piston, newer oem cylinder rebuilt carb and seals. Works as should ready to cut wood...
Ran ok in my Nube mind except high pitch noise in the cut and pulled over a little strange.
Decide to take an educational beating and trade it in for a 562xp which I wanted in the first place.
WAKE UP CALL!!! Go to 2 separate dealerships and they crap on the walbro carb and inform me that the crankshaft bearings are on their way out. One shop wont insult me with a trade offer, the other says 100$ I am not handy guys... They quote parts and labor to make it right and I almost cry. I thought I would get 200$ and I have 350$ in it as of the purchase 3 weeks ago.
Wife is pissed, I have wood to cut, and am not sure what to do... There is a guy I know who is good with Huskys about 100 miles from me that gets 25- 30 an hour. Anyone around Bangor where I live is getting double that. The saw is clean and has 155 psi compression, new bar and chain.
Do I trade it and cry, try to get it fixed, or light it and throw it threw the guy who sold it to me bay window.
Wife wants to raise hell with him on craigslist as he has many saws online for sale but I doubt there is any recourse.
Give me some guidance, I probably wont sleep well tonight. Shoulda gone with Murph's saw. I SUCK!!! Russ:cry:

Russ

Sorry to hear about your bad luck on buying a saw!

Has the noise gotten worse since you bought the saw? The bearings may have sounded okay when the guy rebuilt the saw and just now they're going bad. Just trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

There are a lot of guys here on the chainsaw forum. Anyone in the same area that works on saws as a hobby that could give him a hand? Sounds like his wife isn't any too happy!

I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of this!

Dan

EDIT**** ST's link opened/downloaded fine for me. Check your pop up blocker.

ST....would you happen to have a shop manual for a MS290? :hmm3grin2orange: :msp_ohmy: :msp_tongue: J/K!
 
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Russ

Sorry to hear about your bad luck on buying a saw!

Has the noise gotten worse since you bought the saw? The bearings may have sounded okay when the guy rebuilt the saw and just now they're going bad. Just trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

There are a lot of guys here on the chainsaw forum. Anyone in the same area that works on saws as a hobby that could give him a hand? Sounds like his wife isn't any too happy!

I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of this!

Dan

Yeah it was the bit about the wife that got me too, we've all been there it sucks. The people on this site are the most decent I've ever seen online so you are in good hands. Here's to you getting out of the proverbial doghouse. :msp_thumbup:
 
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I am trying to get the nerve up to ask cantdog. Seems like a lot to ask plus my saw isn't red so I don't know if he would touch it... Russ
 
Russ Brown do you have time to return to the town of your birth?? I have some experience with these saws..and the tools to split these cases..and would be willing to look at it for you and at least give you an honest opinion free of charge. Some dealers are schmucks..some are good...most really want to sell you a new saw so that automatically makes your saw a piece of junk. Just from the read...there has been a lot of trouble with the Walbro carbs that came on these saws, but if your starts, idles and spools up properly the carb is fine. Not sure what the noise problem is but I'm pretty sure we can figure it out in a half hr or so..at least then you would know which way to go from here. The 357 is an excellent saw and is worth repairing if it is indeed broken. Pm me if you're interested...we'll talk it over..
 
Don't even want to talk about the BOSS. 6'1" redhead who thinks I am an idiot with money.... And she may be right.
She has been ugly since the day I found out the saw wasn't right. Nookie is hard to come by these days.:( Russ
 
Don't even want to talk about the BOSS. 6'1" redhead who thinks I am an idiot with money.... And she may be right.
She has been ugly since the day I found out the saw wasn't right. Nookie is hard to come by these days.:( Russ

Oooops - Witchy was a cool and really nice 5'8'', that mostly preferred "boy stuff" to "girl stuff" - I guess I was spoiled. :biggrin:
 
The wife is cool, she just thought I was fine with dads old 350. She goes with me when I cut and can pull her weight. No one to mess with though... Russ
 
This guy has had saws on CL for a while so I figured he was legit. You can see his saws on maine craigslist right now. The town listed is Vienna. I think he burned me and I am just a trusting fool. His ads make him sound pretty thorough and trustworthy. High price to pay for an education. Russ

I’ve almost picked up one of his saws a couple times now. I agree he does seem legit from his adds and he always has a bunch of saw up for sale. I guess I’ll be looking else ware for my next one.
 

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