Husky 272xp Rebuilt to 281xp (Possible?)

[duffontap]

I have a 272xp that I just love and I remembered the other day that my friend said he had a freshly built 272 head in his shop. I called him up and asked if he'd sell it to me for a back-up/parts saw for when my 272 dies on me and I cry a river.

He told me he bought two 272's in one year and at the end of the year had them rebuilt 10cc's over (I assumed he meant the 281 rebuild kit). He told me they were 'brand new engines' sitting on the old 272 crankcases. He hadn't fired it in several years but it looked cared for and had solid compression so I offered him $50 for the head which he reluctantly took. At home with a little fresh gas and a few pulls and it was screaming like it was brand new.

Here's the question, can a 272xp be rebuilt with a 281xp rebuild kit? He did tell me it was a major operation and that it wasn't just bored out. It runs so well I use it more than any other saw right now but I'm always looking at it suspiciously thinking, 'is that conversion even possible?'

J. D. Duff

 

[PES+]

No

 

[motosierra]

Anything is possible if you have enough money but the 281 will not bolt to the 272 case...whole different cranks on different cases and strokes

 

[duffontap]

Anything is possible if you have enough money but the 281 will not bolt to the 272 case...whole different cranks on different cases and strokes

I had a feeling that was the case. I think the 272 shares the case with the 266 and 268 so 281 seemed like too much of a leap. I don't really care because a 272xp head for $50 is a good deal as far as I'm concerned anyway.

Is there a way to open it up and tell exactly what it is?

J. D.

 

[motosierra]

The case or the cylinder?...the case on the 281 is just bigger than the 272....but I think you are reffering to the piston...on the lower right side of the cylinder (at the base) you might see some numbers/letters ..if if you have the sequence "'52" it will be a 52mm cylinder...but come to think about it the 281 is a 52mm cylinder too...but this is the bottom line... if there is a cylinder with a piston on your 272...and has the numbers "52"..in the sequence of number at the base ..it is a 272...no way it could be anything else...the 281 is 52mm too but it has a different wrist pin location and the piston is taller as the stroke is longer too..because of a bigger crank

 

[duffontap]

The case or the cylinder?...the case on the 281 is just bigger than the 272....but I think you are reffering to the piston...on the lower right side of the cylinder (at the base) you might see some numbers/letters ..if if you have the sequence "'52" it will be a 52mm cylinder...but come to think about it the 281 is a 52mm cylinder too...but this is the bottom line... if there is a cylinder with a piston on your 272...and has the numbers "52"..in the sequence of number at the base ..it is a 272...no way it could be anything else...the 281 is 52mm too but it has a different wrist pin location and the piston is taller as the stroke is longer too..because of a bigger crank

Yes, I was referring to the cylinder. The all the covers on this saw were marked '272xp,' so I know that's what it was. The P/O told me that he had it rebuilt to 282 but was pretty sure that it hadn't been bored out, but that it was rebuilt with new cylinder kit. Well, I'm still happy with this saw for the $50 I paid for it but it would be nice to know where he got the story. Maybe the saw shop told it to him/maybe he made it up.

Thanks for your help.

J. D. Duff

 

[duffontap]

Here's a picture of the only marking I found:

The numbers on the right of the 'C' are 6 over 7. Does this tell you anything?

 

[romeo]

For the bolt on guys, nothing is possible. Right now I am fitting a 3120 top end to a 2100 case, plus another "top secret" project requiring the same massive amount of machine work. Those aren't possible either.

The only way to tell is to measure the bore and see what you got, factory is 52mm.

 

[motosierra]

Here's a picture of the only marking I found:

The numbers on the right of the 'C' are 6 over 7. Does this tell you anything?

"C" is the size of the cylinder... there are "A", "B", "C" and maybe "D"...they usually come from the factory with an "A"... the smallest..

The numbers I am referring to are down at the base of the piston (where the cylinder meets the case)....and if there is a -52- (for 52mm) in that sequence of letters and numbers then you can be sure it is a 272 without removing the cylinder...something else,, look at the carb and give me the numbers on the upper left corner of the right side (fuel side)...if the carb has not be changed that will also tell you what it is...

 

[duffontap]

"C" is the size of the cylinder... there are "A", "B", "C" and maybe "D"...they usually come from the factory with an "A"... the smallest..

The numbers I am referring to are down at the base of the piston (where the cylinder meets the case)....and if there is a -52- (for 52mm) in that sequence of letters and numbers then you can be sure it is a 272 without removing the cylinder...something else,, look at the carb and give me the numbers on the upper left corner of the right side (fuel side)...if the carb has not be changed that will also tell you what it is...

Thanks. I looked some more but didn't find a number on the lower part of the cylinder. The number off the carb is:

S234A726

Duff

 

[motosierra]

Well the carb idea didn't pan out...the carb for a 272 is a Tillotson HS-260A. But just becasue that is not the carb on your saw, that doesn't mean it is not a 272...your 272 was probably rebuild at least once and they may have just used a different carb....

So the only thing left is the numbers at the base of cylinder,,,they may be very hard to read..maybe covered with greasey grime...if you think that is the case..try brushing the base with a degreaser and a brass brush...or even a tooth brush.

I am sorry....I just looked at a 272 cylinder and you are right there are no numbers on the right side....they are on the left side...sorry...

I tryed to send a picture but the number of bit exceeded the maximim allowed...I will see if I can reduce them some how... good luck

 

[duffontap]

Well the carb idea didn't pan out...the carb for a 272 is a Tillotson HS-260A. But just becasue that is not the carb on your saw, that doesn't mean it is not a 272...your 272 was probably rebuild at least once and they may have just used a different carb....

So the only thing left is the numbers at the base of cylinder,,,they may be very hard to read..maybe covered with greasey grime...if you think that is the case..try brushing the base with a degreaser and a brass brush...or even a tooth brush.

I am sorry....I just looked at a 272 cylinder and you are right there are no numbers on the right side....they are on the left side...sorry...

I tryed to send a picture but the number of bit exceeded the maximim allowed...I will see if I can reduce them some how... good luck

I'll try looking again. This cylinder is almost shiny-new looking so I should see the number if I can just look in the right place. According to my friend, he used the saw for one season and had it rebuilt for power--not because it was worn out. He was in the habit of chasing tax write-offs he says.

Another question: does the 'C' cylinder have a larger bore than the 'A' cylinder or is it just a reference to how many times it has been rebuilt?

Thanks again for the help.

J. D. Duff

 

[motosierra]

272 cylinder with letering at bottom of left side

 

[motosierra]

I am 99.9 % certain your cylinder is a 272.....if you do not find the lettes/numbers...send me a picture of the top of the cylinder... I can tell by seeing that...

 

[duffontap]

OK, got it! The marking reads: 50ZN14 W2

The picture posted above is of the top of the cylinder right below the plug wire. Do you need to see the whole thing?

J. D.

 

[romeo]

Well there IS a problem with measuring it. A 181 also had a 52mm bore. The crankshaft has a longer stroke. Pull the muffler and look for thin rings, or a domed piston. It could be they modified the jug or the piston to clear the squish band and used the 181 or 281 piston. I really couldn't see any benefit in modifying a a 52mm jug to replace a 52mm jug. I could see modifying a 54mm 288 jug to fit, or stroking it with the bigger crankshaft.

 

[motosierra]

OK, got it! The marking reads: 50ZN14 W2

The picture posted above is of the top of the cylinder right below the plug wire. Do you need to see the whole thing?

J. D.

OH..OH..!!...50ZN14 tells the story...that is a 50mm cylinder,,,66/266/268..They are all 50mm's....so that is why the carb did not match to a HS 260...sorry to give you the news..I know you thought it ws a 272.....sorry

"A" is the smallest and "D" is the largest but the differences are very small...something like 0.001 from one size to the other...I'm sure there is someone on this formum, that can tell us the exact size differnce...

You can still bolt a 272 cylinder/piston/carburater on that case..

One question that I have...on the middle of the left front of the case is a metal tag.... what information is on the tag ?..

Also ..if you give me two pictures of the cylinder...one of the entire top and one of the left side ..I can tell you whether it is a 66/266 or a 268...

 

[duffontap]

Ha, ha. Ouch! I'm not kidding, I was in the saw shop the other day getting this saw tuned a bit and said, 'this is supposed to be a 281 and my 272 whips it.' Well, sometimes the truth hurts. I bought this from a friend who would give me my money back without an argument but I don't think it's worth it. $50 is less than I paid for dinner with my wife tonight.

Here are the other pictures. I'm hoping it's a 266 so I can really give my friend a guilt trip and tell him a lifetime of working in the woods taught him nothing.

The I.d. plate has been removed, so that wont be a help.

Thanks again for the help. This has been a learning experience.

J. D.

 

[motosierra]

Its a 268.....the rectangular outline behind the plug designates a 268....the 268 is a great saw with more power than the 266.....check you PM fo a message from me

 

[motosierra]

Not as powerful as a 272 but more power than the other saws of these family...the 61/66/266