Husqvarna home arborist needs expertise

[dimpledweather]

Hi I am a home owner that go up to the mountains elevation 11000 ft to xut wood for my Woodstock. I have a husqvarna 450 rancher and it won't start and stay running. Took it to the husqvarna dealer and they said they can't run on no higher than 8000 ft elevation. Is this tru?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Hi I am a home owner that go up to the mountains elevation 11000 ft to xut wood for my Woodstock. I have a husqvarna 450 rancher and it won't start and stay running. Took it to the husqvarna dealer and they said they can't run on no higher than 8000 ft elevation. Is this tru?

Quite possible. Those saws were built for the average homeowner near sea level.

 

[Jay Hansen]

If you remove the limiter from your tuning jet screws, you might be able to tune for that altitude.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

If you remove the limiter from your tuning jet screws, you might be able to tune for that altitude.

Kind of a pita on that series…

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I’m not sure about the 450 but my 460 rancher does not have limiters. It has lock collars that can be be pushed back with the spline tool to adjust the carb. I will most likely need to be tuned for that high of elevation.

 

[dimpledweather]

Quite possible. Those saws were built for the average homeowner near sea level.

Okay thanks for the good information!

 

[spuldup]

One thing you can do is increase the compression by getting a pop-up piston, having the cylinder milled and/or base gasket delete. If it is a stock saw the compression may well be under 100psi at 11000 ft.

 

[Lightning Performance]

One thing you can do is increase the compression by getting a pop-up piston, having the cylinder milled and/or base gasket delete. If it is a stock saw the compression may well be under 100psi at 11000 ft.

@dimpledweather
He would likely be better off buying one already modded and sell what he has imo.
Something with a popup piston in a pro saw near 60cc would be a much better tool up that high. Turning it super lean at say 5000ft would get it much closer before heading up to 10,000 or more. The saws I've sent out above 3000ft tuned super lean here at 50ft ran decent they said. The videos confirmed they were running plenty rich. I have some 034s that would be perfect for that or a 360 topend. The high compression will help the most. They can be made 200 psi pretty easy and parts are available new, AM and used.

 

[Pjohnson]

Just curious would an auto tune saw work at that elevation or do they have limitations too.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I had to reset my 661 at 8000' and back at sea level.

 

[SimonHS]

Just curious would an auto tune saw work at that elevation or do they have limitations too.

Here is a link to a previous thread on that topic:

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/chainsaws-at-10-000-ft.360220/

 

[spuldup]

@dimpledweather
He would likely be better off buying one already modded and sell what he has imo.
Something with a popup piston in a pro saw near 60cc would be a much better tool up that high. Turning it super lean at say 5000ft would get it much closer before heading up to 10,000 or more. The saws I've sent out above 3000ft tuned super lean here at 50ft ran decent they said. The videos confirmed they were running plenty rich. I have some 034s that would be perfect for that or a 360 topend. The high compression will help the most. They can be made 200 psi pretty easy and parts are available new, AM and used.

Hey do you have any other tips to increase compression? On my 360 I have the squish at .018, new pop up piston and rings, plugged decomp, but compression is lackluster. Cylinder is OEM, I just honed it.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Hey do you have any other tips to increase compression? On my 360 I have the squish at .018, new pop up piston and rings, plugged decomp, but compression is lackluster. Cylinder is OEM, I just honed it.

How severe a hone? If too much the rings won’t be able to hold much comp. Have you done a leak-down test to see if it holds compression?

 

[spuldup]

How severe a hone? If too much the rings won’t be able to hold much comp. Have you done a leak-down test to see if it holds compression?

Very mild hone. maybe 5-1 second pulses with a drill, while in oil. I also tried it with a new AM cylinder and it was worse. I don't have a leak-down tester. probably should buy one.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Hey do you have any other tips to increase compression? On my 360 I have the squish at .018, new pop up piston and rings, plugged decomp, but compression is lackluster. Cylinder is OEM, I just honed it.

Your hone job might be the issue. Not being a picky prick but most are way to rough in reality. Plantings hold oil all by themselves.

Did you raise the exhaust at all?

360 and 360P have the largest combustion chamber area of the three series saws from Stihl. This is why the popup is popular but it is a poorly designed one to fit all the combustion chambers including the 034S. That's why the button is so small on them. It does little for your 360.

Switch to an 034 I made the popup for. If people want more I can lower the jug more. Once the side decomp is added compression isn't a starting issue anymore for some users. Got one here ready to start the next test and add more information to the 46mm build sheets. As far as compression alone goes the 034 is much easier to get up there based on the cylinder design and port layout imho.

 

[Lightning Performance]

How severe a hone? If too much the rings won’t be able to hold much comp. Have you done a leak-down test to see if it holds compression?

I did on my MS200T last weekend at the park haunted hayrides.
It hangs for over a minute.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Very mild hone. maybe 5-1 second pulses with a drill, while in oil. I also tried it with a new AM cylinder and it was worse. I don't have a leak-down tester. probably should buy one.

What stones and were they ran-in before use?

 

[spuldup]

Your hone job might be the issue. Not being a picky prick but most are way to rough in reality. Plantings hold oil all by themselves.

Did you raise the exhaust at all?

360 and 360P have the largest combustion chamber area of the three series saws from Stihl. This is why the popup is popular but it is a poorly designed one to fit all the combustion chambers including the 034S. That's why the button is so small on them. Ot dies little for your 360.

Switch to an 034 I made the popup for. If people want more I can lower the jug more. Once the side decomp is added compression isn't a starting issue anymore for some users. Got one here ready to start the next test and add more information to the 46mm build sheets. As far as compression alone goes the 034 is much easier to get up there based on the cylinder design and port layout imho.

Timings on this cylinder are stock. I just shaped the ports, polished the exhaust and roughed the intake. It also has an Egan muffler. The saw has good power and always starts. I think it was maybe the first year for MS360 vs 036, and it does have many hours on it.

 

[spuldup]

What stones and were they ran-in before use?

Silicon Carbide, 320 grit by Flex Hone. But as I said compression was also the same with the AM (Hyway) cylinder. I ended up nicking the plating in a bad spot so went back to OEM.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Silicon Carbide, 320 grit by Flex Hone. But as I said compression was also the same with the AM (Hyway) cylinder. I ended up nicking the plating in a bad spot so went back to OEM.

Don't trust a compression gauge.

You need to run it a bunch. Do a hang test. It will get better. Don't tune it fat if you want it to break-in this decade.

If you touched the exhaust roof you lowered compression. 0.005 is three pounds or more. Good rings are priceless. Use Caber or any large OEM manufacturer is good.
Normally wetsanding with 400 is a better process with a 35° angle. It just takes more time. Dingleball hones are the worst thing to use. They follow the bore as it is. Stones, once broke-in, follow the bore overall not the craters. Knocking off the high spots is a far better process to getting a straight bore for new wears to ride on.