kourgath
New Member
Hi All,
I've been a lurker for a while - ever since my Father-in-Law mentioned getting rid of his 357xp. This is a thanks to all previous posts and maybe might help someone else. I'm a new user but did spend a few years as a teen I helping out a tree surgeon. I'm only firewood working. I'm not a mechanic but have meddled with engines (built a few up) and also stuff on my Land Rover.
Anyway, first use by me and I couldn't get it to idle without chain moving so I cut down 3 trees that were dangerous but saw getting harder to start. Next time out I couldn't start it. Considered dodgy fuel as that was the only thing changed (and a little old but still runs in my Tanaka brushcutter). Aspen in to ensure not fuel. Started but only when chain-brake off and the chain turned at idle. If I put chain brake on the engine stopped immediately.
After much reading on here and a UK site (I'm in Cornwall, UK) everyone was clear on the clutch being the issue. Visual inspection and clutch OK, eventually removed using rope trick. Husky manual says if diameter less than 65mm then replace. Clutch measured 66.19mm. Clutch bell/drive quite dark (blued - overheated?). Oil pump drive plastic stuck on bottom of bell. Once removed the oil pump drive looked a bit mangled. I had ordered the full clutch kit so had new oil pump drive to compare it to thankfully otherwise I would not have thought hard enough!
[White one is the new genuine drive sprocket for comparison purposes.]
I think what was happening was that the badly fitted clutch bell/drive was tightened down on the oil drive without it being fully in. As the clutch tightened with use so it jammed it up and couldn't get the clearance so the clutch centre contacted the bell hard so direct drive. This explains why I was getting bad clutch symptoms but clutch seemed OK. So I stuck on all the new parts as I just need it working and I am not confident all the other bits are fine.
So thanks to everyone for the indirect help. Now I want to play with it! If I'm not careful I'll find an excuse for gasket delete, muffler mods etc. for the same reason that I have a 4.6 litre V8 in my 30+ year old Land Rover... because!
Cheers
I've been a lurker for a while - ever since my Father-in-Law mentioned getting rid of his 357xp. This is a thanks to all previous posts and maybe might help someone else. I'm a new user but did spend a few years as a teen I helping out a tree surgeon. I'm only firewood working. I'm not a mechanic but have meddled with engines (built a few up) and also stuff on my Land Rover.
Anyway, first use by me and I couldn't get it to idle without chain moving so I cut down 3 trees that were dangerous but saw getting harder to start. Next time out I couldn't start it. Considered dodgy fuel as that was the only thing changed (and a little old but still runs in my Tanaka brushcutter). Aspen in to ensure not fuel. Started but only when chain-brake off and the chain turned at idle. If I put chain brake on the engine stopped immediately.
After much reading on here and a UK site (I'm in Cornwall, UK) everyone was clear on the clutch being the issue. Visual inspection and clutch OK, eventually removed using rope trick. Husky manual says if diameter less than 65mm then replace. Clutch measured 66.19mm. Clutch bell/drive quite dark (blued - overheated?). Oil pump drive plastic stuck on bottom of bell. Once removed the oil pump drive looked a bit mangled. I had ordered the full clutch kit so had new oil pump drive to compare it to thankfully otherwise I would not have thought hard enough!
[White one is the new genuine drive sprocket for comparison purposes.]
I think what was happening was that the badly fitted clutch bell/drive was tightened down on the oil drive without it being fully in. As the clutch tightened with use so it jammed it up and couldn't get the clearance so the clutch centre contacted the bell hard so direct drive. This explains why I was getting bad clutch symptoms but clutch seemed OK. So I stuck on all the new parts as I just need it working and I am not confident all the other bits are fine.
So thanks to everyone for the indirect help. Now I want to play with it! If I'm not careful I'll find an excuse for gasket delete, muffler mods etc. for the same reason that I have a 4.6 litre V8 in my 30+ year old Land Rover... because!
Cheers