372xpw rebuild to 50mm Meteor piston and Cylinder, new bearings, etc.. Is buying all the tools worth it?

[cascadejack]

Long story short, I have a 2009 372xpw saw, 28" bar. Got it used with low hours. Around 2016 or 2017... Wasn't used much but sits a lot. (Inside a truck) Leaking bar oil, piston is scored on exhaust side, still have 150 psi compression though. Saw got hot and siezed up when it cooled down, wouldn't turn over. Sprayed some Liquid Wrench in the cylinder and it freed up right away, turns over real easy now. Did compression check after it freed up. Pulled the muffler and some scoring I can feel with a bamboo skewer.
Looking at a rebuild with Meteor 50mm or just pull it apart and sandpaper it smooth again?
I'll need some gaskets, and do a pressure test first, have not tried to fire it up again.
It got clogged up in the chain sprocket from noodling in big douglas fir rounds, really green and wet wood in PNW. (Issaquah WA) I unclogged it, cut some more and then it died again. Put saw away, would still pull over when it was hot. When I went to work on it the next day it was froze up. After I freed it up and did a compression test (150psi) I noticed it was leaking bar oil. Never leaked before.
I called the parts guy at Wolf Creek saws in CO and he thought the Meteor 50mm piston would work on this saw, and to check my crankcase gasket as well.
I can try to find an 75cc OEM piston and cylinder, but am leaning towards the 50mm Meteor kit and replacing the lower end bearings and gaskets, (or new Crank OEM if I can find one...) Basically a new saw.

Perhaps I should try to fire it up again at some point? Not sure what to do here, or if I messed it up.
Gas had been sitting for awhile, and was using Lucas Semi Synthetic 2 stroke oil with Ethanol free 92 Octane fuel. (From a multi-fuel pump, not a single fuel gas station pump) Always has ran great in the past.
Thanks and I'll check back in awhile, I haven't ordered any parts yet but my exhaust gasket is broke so I can't run it until I replace it, and check for an air leak, etc...
Great discussions here, just sort of picking people's brains for some direction to go. OEM on this saw maybe for crank, but I'm not sold on the 75cc EPA cylinder porting as compared to the original 50mm 71cc design. I just cut firewood once or twice a year and load into my truck with a liftgate/Tommy lift. These were huge rounds and was trying to cut them down first. Cut great until I started ripping the rounds...

 

[cascadejack]

My mistake might have been bad fuel and deferred maintenance but I sharpened the chain and filed the bar as well, adjusted tension etc... Did not grease the roller tip perhaps it got clogged. I need to check that out. I am probably tearing this saw down and just full rebuild with the 50mm meteor.
I can just go buy a 372XP holzforma with the same piston and cylinder for about same price as parts!
Swap out bar, and full wrap, etc... Looking at that option as well.

 

[Woodslasher]

I'd get a new top end over a Chinese saw, and if you're interested in getting rid of the old scored top end please let me know, I'd be interested in buying it off you.

 

[cascadejack]

I was thinking the same thing about the "Holzforma" saw, too good to be true! I'm just frustrated that Husqvarna isn't selling parts for it, so the typical R&R is not a viable option. I need to pull the cylinder and see what's going on in there.

I'd get a new top end over a Chinese saw, and if you're interested in getting rid of the old scored top end please let me know, I'd be interested in buying it off you.

If I was going to sell parts I would probably just sell the whole saw without the bar and chain! I need a good working chain brake and at least a 24" bar and skip tooth chain. 70cc is big enough and I use a skip chain with full chisel. I wear my chaps and a helmet with a screen and keep the saw buried in the wood so it won't kick back on me. Sometimes I have to rip big rounds into quarters so I need a little more power than a rancher 55 or something. Thought this was the one, until it shut down like that. Now I can't get parts and shops won't work on it as it's been discontinued.
Case splitter and pressure testing, flywheel puller, clutch removal tool, all the parts, might be better off getting another saw versus trying to fix this one on my own.
So Saw is in limbo right now, until I decide what course of action to take...

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Pictures?

 

[ErnieG]

If your interested in selling the whole saw please let me know as I may be interested.

Thanks
Ernie

 

[cascadejack]

Pictures?

 

[cascadejack]

 

[cascadejack]

Tore it down to look at Cylinder and Piston, not looking good. It's a good thing I didn't try to run the saw again. Crank seems to turn fine, but looks like it's leaking bar oil behind the Clutch assembly and not the Crankcase gasket. Looks like a complete rebuild to me, at least the top end.
Been looking at other saws for sale locally, versus fixing. It looks like everything is original OEM on this saw, it just was worked hard and maybe need to use different 2 stroke oil!
I am missing a chain brake screw (see image without screw), and a flywheel cover screw, but I think it's missing the stud as well where the screw goes, saw is all boxed up now and put away, parts are labeled, etc...

 

[cascadejack]

Think the Cylinder might be salvagable? I can still get an OEM Cylinder and Piston for around 350$ I think, have to call and find out. Meteor 50mm piston and cylinder is about 150$. Need some screws and gaskets and figure I should pull the case apart and replace bearings. Or perhaps saw is toast, not sure. Guessing it has more hours on it than I thought. On big douglas fir rounds and ripping with a full chisel skip tooth chain. Been using Lucas 2 stroke Semi-Synthetic oil, for a few years now. Exhaust screws were not real tight when I went to pull the muffler, but Cylinder bolts were real tight and same with carb screws, they were not loose anyways. Exhaust screws didn't take much to loosen from cylinder. They were not loose though. Just not very tight. The way the Exhaust is scored I'm thinking the muffler might have caused some issues with the piston and rings... I don't know much just what I can see in the pictures... Thanks for helping out with diagnosing the problem with this saw if you know what might have caused this... Happy Memorial Day! It's a bummer but I cut a lot of firewood with this saw over about 10 years or so...

I also checked the carb hi-low screws and both were about 1/2 turn out, would think that is rich enough... saw started good and ran good for 10 years or so. Good saw! (Until this happened anyways..)

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

It depends on your budget and what you want from it really. I have saved a number of 2 strokes that have been in a similar condition to yours. You won’t know until you’ve removed all the transfer as to whether the cylinder is good.

You have nothing to lose to clean up the cylinder, gently file the high spots on the piston and check the condition of the rings and lands. I’ll attach a video below of the process.

I’d do all that, get it back together and try it out.

Of course you want to find why it failed too.

You asked if it’s worth buying all the tools. If you intend of maintaining your equipment it doesn’t hurt to invest in the most common.
If you decide to try the above, this video will help you out.

 

[cascadejack]

If your interested in selling the whole saw please let me know as I may be interested.

Thanks
Ernie

I am not sure right now, going to try to remove the scoring on the cylinder first and see if I can find another piston.

It depends on your budget and what you want from it really. I have saved a number of 2 strokes that have been in a similar condition to yours. You won’t know until you’ve removed all the transfer as to whether the cylinder is good.

You have nothing to lose to clean up the cylinder, gently file the high spots on the piston and check the condition of the rings and lands. I’ll attach a video below of the process.

I’d do all that, get it back together and try it out.

Of course you want to find why it failed too.

You asked if it’s worth buying all the tools. If you intend of maintaining your equipment it doesn’t hurt to invest in the most common.
If you decide to try the above, this video will help you out.

Thanks for the suggestions on how to fix the cylinder, it wasn't too hard to pull the cylinder off and I got the piston off as well. Never done that before! I have done a lot of auto repairs but never did anything on a lower end, used to pull transmissions on a VW beetle and all kinds of stuff, heater cores, etc... this was easy compared to the VW Mk4 heater core... I am a painter by trade so am used to using sandpaper. Pretty sure I got an issue with a blown seal behind the clutch assembly as it's leaking bar oil right there. Need to get the clutch removal tool or socket. Tools are probably cheaper than labor, we'll see how it goes, going to be a bit of a project that's for sure.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I am not sure right now, going to try to remove the scoring on the cylinder first and see if I can find another piston.

Thanks for the suggestions on how to fix the cylinder, it wasn't too hard to pull the cylinder off and I got the piston off as well. Never done that before! I have done a lot of auto repairs but never did anything on a lower end, used to pull transmissions on a VW beetle and all kinds of stuff, heater cores, etc... this was easy compared to the VW Mk4 heater core... I am a painter by trade so am used to using sandpaper. Pretty sure I got an issue with a blown seal behind the clutch assembly as it's leaking bar oil right there. Need to get the clutch removal tool or socket. Tools are probably cheaper than labor, we'll see how it goes, going to be a bit of a project that's for sure.

Good work, these pro series saws are very user friendly to get the top end off, though, the bottom end rebuilding gets a bit trickier, but if you decide to proceed, you’ll nail it, I’m sure !

From a few threads I have read, started by automotive mechanics coming to work on fixing their 2 strokes, they seem to get stumped as easily as any other. There are many nuances to 2 stroke diagnosis and repair that you’ll discover in time and automotive mechanic knowledge may not necessarily transfer as much as you may expect. Don’t get disheartened if you find the same - they’re fiddly and finicky engines, but delightful too.

Happy repairing and enjoy the journey!

Edit:

A few tools that you’ll find invaluable. (You’ll probably have some already!)

Long reach Torx and Allen bits
Pressure and vacuum tester
Spark tester
Compression tester (small engine not automotive)
Small impact driver and wrench
Tachometer
And some speciality tools you’ll discover you need as and when you come to it - case splitter, crank pullers, c-clip install tools etc

 

[cascadejack]

Thanks for the list of tools, appreciate it! I got the T-handle wrenches and a compression tester, spark tester, have an air impact wrench and a Makita 18volt. No tach and no specialty tools, that's what I am lacking right now. Got a few old bbq's to cook cases in! Thought you might like that, for case bearings basically. I think a C-clip tool might be handy as well.
I watched the whole video you posted and then it's a weed whacker! I just figured it would be a chainsaw engine. I didn't straight gas my saw but looks like it could have been "out of phase" premix or something like that.
There's another video about a guy using sandpaper on his chainsaw and he fires it up at the end just like your video... No new Cylinder/Piston kits, just elbow grease and sandpaper.
I'll give it a try anyways, looks like it's toast but we'll see...

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

The crankshaft seals are always a replacement part for a rebuild and if the bearings don't have any play in them just leave them be.
Intake rubber parts should also be scrutinized as potentially leaks.
I know alot of guys are purists and thats fine but ive used some aftermarket piston and cylinder kits with success . Even kits that are as low as 18.00$ ,just don't expect it to be perfect. A little dremel work is usually required. OEM is always a known quality, AM can be whatever?.

Thats my cheap 52mm build it runs pretty well and probably better if I would have spent more than 20$ on the top end. Ive dropped alot of trees with that saw
I have a junkyard MS441 thats I built very much the same.

 

[cascadejack]

That looks pretty impressive with all those "sections" you have there! I think I must have a bad seal or an air leak as I was using mixed gas, but I did buy this saw used and from a kids dad in North Bend WA, which is a known lumberjack area. Right now my focus is trying to find the best piston deal for my saw beyond the easily available Meteor piston and Cylinder kit. Perhaps I am overthinking this, and should just go with the Meteor set for 149$ and some seals, O-rings, and specialty tools.
OEM is 350$ and that's just crazy in my opinion. It's not a prewar gibson banjo, it's a chainsaw!
(I have a few banjos, and it's crazy about the prices, but they are almost 100 years old now!)
This below is the worst damage and it looks like transfer, piston is gone I would say... Going to put these in as full size images... Mahle Cylinder and stock OEM piston, for sure.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Yeah that piston is garbage now, you'll have to clean up the cylinder to see if the plating is ok.

 

[cascadejack]

That one ring is stuck in the aluminum there, maybe I should try and sand it or even cut it out of there? Rings move easy on the intake side, and everywhere else except exhaust port side, and also it's leaking oil on the same side as the stuck ring. So I think that means a blown seal behind the clutch and bad O-ring, need a new bar oil hose kit, etc. Crank gasket looks good but was going to do the full rebuild and put the case in the BBQ to heat it up, pop the bearings out, and plop new ones in. I have a plan anyways.
Anyone out there fix stuff like this before? Appreciate any more links to repair vids, etc... I'll keep looking as well. The wear does look consistent and even, doesn't appear as if anything broke.
Thanks in advance, have to go split wood before it gets too hot...

 

[cascadejack]

Sourcing parts for the rebuild now, going to reply to any responses here, but I'm in the parts aqquisition phase of the project now! If I can find a powerhead only deal then I'll swap out parts and sell what's left, or offer it up for those interested. Woodslasher had first dibs on the used piston/cylinder, then ErnieG, that's how I roll too, look at the pictures though! Glad I didn't try to run it again, and shut it down after it siezed up...

 

[rocketnorton]

piston is done
have reused some w light scoring, rings not stuck
stuck ring piston hits scrap bin here
few meteors have been good for me
as already said, bottom likely stihl good, jug may clean up