Premature fuel line failures on 5-series huskies.....?

[HumBurner]

I'm about to move on from Husqvarna and give Echo a shot, lol. Really frustrated.

I was cleaning up my 572 for sale, as I just don't like the saw, when I noticed one of the fuel lines leaking. I've had this saw for two years, has ~30 tanks or less through it, and has lived in a bin in the back of my truck with one other saw and some bars/ropes. No exposure to elements aside from when in use and often stored inside during the winter.


So, what gives? Why on earth is the fuel line degrading and leaking??


I had a 2017 562 do the same after 100-200 hours, but that was because of the dumb "upgraded" carb-throat/filter mount (upgraded from the 2014 models, not the 2019 revision) where the fuel line retaining clip heated up and allowed the line to rub against the warm carb.

The same 562 just recently chewed up the bearing cage/races offering no sign/symptoms of failing, and there's max 600 hours on it, more likely ~500.


So, what the hell is going on, between poor design, poor QC, and possibly poor materials? Bad luck?

I really don't feel like Husqy is putting quality into these 5-series models. I had talked to my dealer about some MK2 550's. She said the shop is still frequently getting them in for repairs for some of the issues supposedly resolved from the original 550's.

I'm tired of watching my money go down the drain, especially when it impedes my working.

/end mini-rant

 

[Cycledude]

I’m a 562 owner, way more than 30 tanks of fuel through it and I haven’t noticed any fuel leaks. Hopefully you will enjoy your new Echo .

 

[sean donato]

Only reason I got rid of my 562 was because it needed a carb and they couldn't get one in a reasonable time. Was a 2012 model and made it to 2021 with no real issues. Original fuel lines intact. The guy I sold it to found a used carb had it programmed and is still running it AFAIK. Sucks your having issues with yours. Wonder if it's something in the fuel causing early degradation?

 

[KostasVolos]

I'm not sure if that provides any insight but ordinary Stihl fuel lines ( black colored ) can degrade if exposed to Ethyl alcohol ( as when using Ethanol gasoline ) .
To deal with the issue Stihl offers new type of fuel lines ( green colored) that resist ethanol degradation .
I'm not aware if Husqvarna has to offer something similar.

 

[HumBurner]

Only reason I got rid of my 562 was because it needed a carb and they couldn't get one in a reasonable time. Was a 2012 model and made it to 2021 with no real issues. Original fuel lines intact. The guy I sold it to found a used carb had it programmed and is still running it AFAIK. Sucks your having issues with yours. Wonder if it's something in the fuel causing early degradation?

I really like the 562. I was pretty down when Althea crapped out. She was still on her first set of rings and her second sprocket. My first one was a 2014 demo-model with 40-80 hours on it before I got it. I put hundreds of hours or more on that, and that was BEFORE honing my sharpening skills, but the plug-threads stripped out. I had a two-day falling job the following weekend that couldnt be postponed,
so i couldnt wait for a repair at 3-5 weeks out .Dealer didn't have any 562s available and made me a deal + trade in on the carcass for the 572. Other than heat, which shouldn't be an issue, I'm not sure what would cause the fuel line degradation other than flaws in materials or attention to detail.

I'm not sure if that provides any insight but ordinary Stihl fuel lines ( black colored ) can degrade if exposed to Ethyl alcohol ( as when using Ethanol gasoline ) .
To deal with the issue Stihl offers new type of fuel lines ( green colored) that resist ethanol degradation .
I'm not aware if Husqvarna has to offer something similar.

The info is appreciated. I run 91 octane, as I rarely am at the fuel hub when they're open during business hours. I was running 50:1 or slightly richer, but am now putting everything on 40:1. The 525L weedwhacker loved the change once I adjusted the tuning, has been 8-10 tanks.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Change the fuel lines over to Tygon and move on.

 

[sean donato]

Most of them are pre molded and your unable to replace them with just anything.

 

[sean donato]

I really like the 562. I was pretty down when Althea crapped out. She was still on her first set of rings and her second sprocket. My first one was a 2014 demo-model with 40-80 hours on it before I got it. I put hundreds of hours or more on that, and that was BEFORE honing my sharpening skills, but the plug-threads stripped out. I had a two-day falling job the following weekend that couldnt be postponed,
so i couldnt wait for a repair at 3-5 weeks out .Dealer didn't have any 562s available and made me a deal + trade in on the carcass for the 572. Other than heat, which shouldn't be an issue, I'm not sure what would cause the fuel line degradation other than flaws in materials or attention to detail.





The info is appreciated. I run 91 octane, as I rarely am at the fuel hub when they're open during business hours. I was running 50:1 or slightly richer, but am now putting everything on 40:1. The 525L weedwhacker loved the change once I adjusted the tuning, has been 8-10 tanks.

Basically how I ended up with a ms400cm. Carb was weeks out and I had a job to finish, and was sick of slinging the 390xp around for 20" trees. I do find it odd thinking about it, as I've ran the same fuel in all my saws, and it's been hit and miss as to what saws fuel lines have issues. The 390xp I bought in 14 and it's still on original fuel lines. Now I don't use it real often anymore, and I run can fuel through it before it sits, possibly that may help it out. Think I've had more issues with my 026 (now at my dads) then anything with fuel line issues, but that's old and the last new fuel line I put on it wasn't oem. It doesn't see a lot of use though. Sucks either way. Time will tell how the ms400 holds up.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Our Mountain region ordered 6 562s last year and one of them had a muffler bolt hole drilled right through the case into the oil tank!
Thank goodness the ranger caught it ,but quality control should have caught it first.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Husky trash, You’ll be happy with an echo, even more so with a stihl. Husky is to the chainsaw world as dodge is to the vehicle world. Absolutely trash, Neither should exist but they’ve developed a following of poor folks willing to waste their hard earned money on a garbage product. Mechanics love husky and dodge (mopar), easy money to pay the bills.

 

[HumBurner]

Most of them are pre molded and your unable to replace them with just anything.

Yup, especially with the shape of it connecting into the tank.

 

[sean donato]

Our Mountain region ordered 6 562s last year and one of them had a muffler bolt hole drilled right through the case into the oil tank!
Thank goodness the ranger caught it ,but quality control should have caught it first.

Even if husqy didn't, your dealer should have. Hopefully they took care of in short order.

 

[HumBurner]

Basically how I ended up with a ms400cm. Carb was weeks out and I had a job to finish, and was sick of slinging the 390xp around for 20" trees. I do find it odd thinking about it, as I've ran the same fuel in all my saws, and it's been hit and miss as to what saws fuel lines have issues. The 390xp I bought in 14 and it's still on original fuel lines. Now I don't use it real often anymore, and I run can fuel through it before it sits, possibly that may help it out. Think I've had more issues with my 026 (now at my dads) then anything with fuel line issues, but that's old and the last new fuel line I put on it wasn't oem. It doesn't see a lot of use though. Sucks either way. Time will tell how the ms400 holds up.

That's also how I ended up with my 540i. Bought two small saws off here as "runners", but both had issues and got shelved. Couldn't find any small saws locally, any brand, a couple summers ago. Did find the 540iXP. It's a love-hate relationship, like most.

I hope your 400 gives you good service.

Husky trash, You’ll be happy with an echo, even more so with a stihl. Husky is to the chainsaw world as dodge is to the vehicle world. Absolutely trash, Neither should exist but they’ve developed a following of poor folks willing to waste their hard earned money on a garbage product. Mechanics love husky and dodge (mopar), easy money to pay the bills.

From what I've heard and read, the newer stihls are having loads of issues as well.

Best course of action,.unfortunately, seems to be buying 2/3-series Husqy, and 0-series stihl.

But I'm going to check out the Echo dealer next trip up North.

 

[sean donato]

That's also how I ended up with my 540i. Bought two small saws off here as "runners", but both had issues and got shelved. Couldn't find any small saws locally, any brand, a couple summers ago. Did find the 540iXP. It's a love-hate relationship, like most.

I hope your 400 gives you good service.



From what I've heard and read, the newer stihls are having loads of issues as well.

Best course of action,.unfortunately, seems to be buying 2/3-series Husqy, and 0-series stihl.

But I'm going to check out the Echo dealer next trip up North.

So far so good, I did have an issue with it in some 97* weather a few weeks ago, but largely I think I induced the issue, took a few extra pulls and it was going again. For whatever reason I hit it down into the start position instead of just pulling it over. Like I normally would when it hot. Stupid me I guess.

 

[Lionsfan]

Husky trash, You’ll be happy with an echo, even more so with a stihl. Husky is to the chainsaw world as dodge is to the vehicle world. Absolutely trash, Neither should exist but they’ve developed a following of poor folks willing to waste their hard earned money on a garbage product. Mechanics love husky and dodge (mopar), easy money to pay the bills.

Yeah, I'll bet. Probably why there's 15 Echo's for sale on Marketplace for every equivalent Husqvarna.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Even if husqy didn't, your dealer should have. Hopefully they took care of in short order.

We're a state agency, so the saws are bought through a Rep then shipped to a dealer. The dealer was kinda pissed about fixing it because the rep bought the saws out of state cheaper and undercut the local dealers. Local dealers are then stuck doing the warranty work for saws they never sold... nice huh?