Husqvarna 55/closed port ?

I just grabbed up near mint condition 55 off of Ebay, it showed up yesterday. The auction had just started, and was a "buy it now" auction. I noticed it had compression release, and didn't say "Rancher" on the starter cover.

Anyhow, it turned out to be a closed port model like one of my other 55's. It has over 150psi compression, and just needed some TLC to get it up and running. Couple of missing fasteners, new bar/chain, etc.

I thought my other closed port 55 was pretty strong, but not nearly as strong as the new one. My other 55 has 150psi compression, despite having quite a bit of material "smeared" over the piston when I first got it. It cleaned up fine, no parts required, but there are a few pretty heavy scratches in the piston, liner and ring cleaned up nicely.

I'm not sure why the 55 I just picked up has more power, but it is quite noticable. It's also louder, and easily revs past 14,000 rpm's and it still four stroking some. It likes a leaner "H" speed setting as well, and let me know it when I tried to slow it down some with more fuel, power dropped off sharply.

I ran 3 tanks thru it yesterday, even did some cross cutting in some huge red oak sections, never whimpered once and PLENTY of power everyplace. In any case, I was only aware that they made two versions of the 55 as far as P/C's go, some EPA models have a smaller piston and closed port, most were larger cc's and open port. Why would there be a noticable difference in these two closed port saws?......Cliff

Maybe like Waylon Jennings used to say about 1953 Telecaster guitars,..."They p!$$ed on the wood at the factory better that year"!

It's hard to understand how the same product can be vastly different sometimes but, like the "1 of 1000" Winchester rifles sometimes everything just comes together right.

I used to hang around with an old guy who was a mechanic at a Ford dealership during the late 60's and early 70's.
Part of his duties was to check out the cars coming in from the factory.
He always said that if you take 10 cars fresh off the truck and run them side by side, 8 would be about the same, one would be a dog and one would be noticeably stronger than the rest.
Maybe you got the stronger saw.


Mike

One was made in 1999, I think the new one is 2000. By visual observation you can't see any differences in the P/C's, and both have at least 150lbs of compression. I was thinking the factory may have changed the port timing or offered different versions of the closed port model?

I'm also evaluating them by the "seat of my pants", so they could be closer in power that they appear? They both have 18" .325 set-ups, with just a couple of "touch-ups" on the new chains.

Both closed port models are considerably faster, and happier at high rpm's than my open port saws. Not really a big deal for "work" saws, they all do what they are supposed to do.

I also have read a few threads where folks with closed port 55's claim they rival the 346XP in cutting power, even though they are not a "professional" model, but more of a mid-range design. If I get a 346 in here for work, I'll take the extra time to do some timed cuts between them.....Cliff

The last 55 I ran had an open port, a scored up piston and it ran good, real good. I have a 55 under the bench waiting on parts to complete. As soon as I get done playing with my open port/pop up setup, its getting a closed port P&C. Im anxious to see/feel the difference between them myself.

Ive said it before, and ill say it again, the 55 husky is one of the most underrated saws out there.

Cliff R said:

I also have read a few threads where folks with closed port 55's claim they rival the 346XP in cutting power, even though they are not a "professional" model, but more of a mid-range design. If I get a 346 in here for work, I'll take the extra time to do some timed cuts between them.....Cliff

Click to expand...

My closed port does but it is ported and the cylinder is dropped. I sold my last 346 so can not get a vid side by side. Mine also likes the 14k range.

The difference could be in the cylinder restoration. Sanding and removeing material can change the cylinder shape, although ever so slightly. Also a plug that does not fit perfectly to open and close the intake can affect performance. Rings will need time to seat in a reconditioned cyl also.

Either way, great find. I'm always looking for epa version.

I just got back from a day in the woods, and ran tanks of fuel thru my 268XP, 181SE (with the new 30" Carlton bar/skip chain), 435, and both closed port 55's.

Well, I discovered the difference in the two saws. It's the chain. In my haste to get the new Ebay saw in service yesterday, I installed a semi-chisel chain. I forgot that I just bought a couple of loops when I got the new Carlton bar for the 181, and it was hanging right beside the full chisel in the shop. The other 55 is equipped with a full chisel. The difference became obvious as I was doing some cross-cutting in some big chunks of green Cherry to make them easier to load. The new 55 with the semi-chisel chain cut with a lot less effort, and less tendency to "pull" the saw into the material.

When I stopped to take a break, I looked closer at the chains and they are not the same. Left me feeling a little stupid not realizing this before running this thread.

Anyhow, I'll get the same chain on both saws, and see if their cutting speed is closer, which I think it will be......Cliff

hmm...

Updates?? opcorn:

the 51 was 44mm, like the 50, correct?

and the 55 was avail in:

45mm closed port and
45mm open port?

does that sound right? for some reason I thought the 55 I have is 49cc...which would make it a 44mm.... makes me wonder if there was

44mm
45mm
46mm

J

I just bought closed port 55. "so he says"
I was just wondering if any one knows how to tell if its a closed port without taking the jug off.
Any one know the OEM part numbers for the closed port cylinder?
Were they factory for a few years?

the closed port saws as far as i know all had "+++++" cast into the cylinder visible from chainbrake side of the saw.no disasembly needed

Thanks for the +++++ confirmation of the closed port.
Here is a picture.
View attachment 214559

SheetRock Bob said:

I just bought closed port 55. "so he says"
I was just wondering if any one knows how to tell if its a closed port without taking the jug off.
Any one know the OEM part numbers for the closed port cylinder?
Were they factory for a few years?

Click to expand...

There are threads here with photos showing the very noticeable differences in the jug fins. I won't dare trust my memory to say what the differences are, & I'm too lazy (OK, the Texans game is about to start) to find the threads.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/187514.htm
here is a link for the cylinders

I'm looking for a closed port cylinder for mine, it was made in 98.

Good information on the +++++++ across the right side of the jug. I went out and checked, and both of mine are marked in that fashion. They both have a compression release as well. All of the open port 55's I've had did not have a compression release. They were the newer "Rancher" models, and also came with 3/8" bar/chain set-ups. It's been reported that some open port 55's will have a compression release, so I wouldn't use that as a reliable indicator when you are trying to locate one.....Cliff

To the best of my knowledge none of the 55 Rancher OP models had a decomp valve. The 55 Air Injection OP had a decomp. I have never seen a CP 55 45mm w/o a decomp. I believe they did make 44mm CP cyl. but I'm not pos.
Shep

I'm looking for the OEM part number on the 55 closed port piston.
So far I haven't been able to locate it.

Thanks in advance

BPS said:

I'm looking for the OEM part number on the 55 closed port piston.
So far I haven't been able to locate it.

Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

They are NLA.

I'll take some of those when you find them..

nmurph said:

They are NLA.

Click to expand...

Right but I was looking for a PN to cross reference maybe or to search ebay with.
I've seen stuff listed by PN and not model number.

Nmurph do you happen to have a used 55 closed port piston for sale?

BPS said:

I'm looking for the OEM part number on the 55 closed port piston.
So far I haven't been able to locate it.

Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

I'd forgotten how confusing it was to research Husqvarna 55s.

My best guess for 55 closed port piston is 503 16 87-71. Maybe 503 16 87-01.

BPS said:

Right but I was looking for a PN to cross reference maybe or to search ebay with.
I've seen stuff listed by PN and not model number.

Nmurph do you happen to have a used 55 closed port piston for sale?

Click to expand...

I have a couple of CP P/C's but they aren't for sale. I will get around to building a CP 55 at some point.