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Bob95065

Bob95065

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I have a lead on a Husqvarna 44 that is complete for $20. I haven't looked at the saw yet. From the pictures it is filthy and has a white top cover that says "Rancher". It is not running. That's all I know.

When I go to look at I'll take a compression tester to see if it has compression.

I am wondering if it is a decent saw or not. Any experience? I have a 266 SE that I bought used that has been a very good saw. From the pictures the seller sent me this one looks like a similar design only smaller in size.

Bob
 
The picture shows a metal chainbrake handle. My 266 is early and doesn't have a chainbrake handle.

I seem to run into these small saws. In the last year I got a Husky 144 that needed a starter rope and carb adjustment otherwise it was free and a Husky 40 that needed a piston. I also got the 266 with a full-wrap handle and a 28" bar with a decent skip-tooth chain.

If it has compression I'm going to buy it. Have you seen one with a white cover before?
 
Bob95065 said:
The picture shows a metal chainbrake handle. My 266 is early and doesn't have a chainbrake handle.

I seem to run into these small saws. In the last year I got a Husky 144 that needed a starter rope and carb adjustment otherwise it was free and a Husky 40 that needed a piston. I also got the 266 with a full-wrap handle and a 28" bar with a decent skip-tooth chain.

If it has compression I'm going to buy it. Have you seen one with a white cover before?
Click to expand...

Yes, the white topped ones seem to be the most common (around here anyway). I also have a later black top one with a plastic brake handle rather than the metal loop one.
 
Check serial number the 1980 blue coils coils are non existant. The ones with a metal chain brake should be a later model. Buy it great price dirt washes off. I've got 6-7 including my Dad's grey top. Great little saws cut above their size. I collect parts for this model if you have trouble finding anything.
Shep
 
parts are not super easy to find for them. make sure compression and spark are good.
 
I went and picked up the saw. While I was there I put a compression tester on it and it was at 120psi. It had no spark. When I removed the top cover I saw that the cylinder was the only part of this saw that was clean.

When I got home I played with the on/off switch and got it to spark. I pulled the muffler to find that the piston and cylinder had been replaced. I put gas in it and I couldn't get it to start. I found that the tank vent line was clogged. Once I got it opened the saw fired right up. I tuned the carb and got a decent idle.

It looks like someone put a new top end on this saw without bothering to clean it up. Between the switch and fuel vent it wouldn't start so they put it on a shelf. I wound up with a nice saw to compliment my 266. The manufacture date on the 44 is 1983.
 
Bob95065 said:
I went and picked up the saw. While I was there I put a compression tester on it and it was at 120psi. It had no spark. When I removed the top cover I saw that the cylinder was the only part of this saw that was clean.

When I got home I played with the on/off switch and got it to spark. I pulled the muffler to find that the piston and cylinder had been replaced. I put gas in it and I couldn't get it to start. I found that the tank vent line was clogged. Once I got it opened the saw fired right up. I tuned the carb and got a decent idle.

It looks like someone put a new top end on this saw without bothering to clean it up. Between the switch and fuel vent it wouldn't start so they put it on a shelf. I wound up with a nice saw to compliment my 266. The manufacture date on the 44 is 1983.
Click to expand...

Hey, great find for $20!! They are a bit long in the tooth but a nice saw, far and away built with more quality than the 141s, 142s (and the like) that Husky sells lots of now. It is VERY odd that the previous owner slapped a top end on without cleaning it up. This might have been done at a shop.. they don't get paid to clean saws. 120 seems a little low for a new top end, but maybe your tester is a bit off and the rings haven't seated. I'd expect to see something more like 140 or 150. No matter, I suspect the saw will run great with the fresh parts.

The 266 is from the same era, but does not share any lineage with the 44, unless you want to include the 2-part ignition, which is still a different unit. Same excellent build quality, though. Nice job on this one, a cheap, NICE saw!
 
That's my favorite kind of Sunday, pooping around in the back yard futzing with a saw and listening to the radio. Great day to be alive.
 
I bought a set of AV mounts for my 266. When I got them they had course threads when my saw took mounts with machine threads. It turns out the 266 I have is an early model with the metal fuel tank. Bailey's refunded my money and told me to keep the mounts. The 44 I got has a plastic tank and it looks like the unused mounts will work. The mounts on the 44 aren't torn but they are oil soaked so they probably won't last long once I start using the saw.
 
Bob95065 said:
I bought a set of AV mounts for my 266. When I got them they had course threads when my saw took mounts with machine threads. It turns out the 266 I have is an early model with the metal fuel tank. Bailey's refunded my money and told me to keep the mounts. The 44 I got has a plastic tank and it looks like the unused mounts will work. The mounts on the 44 aren't torn but they are oil soaked so they probably won't last long once I start using the saw.
Click to expand...

Alternately, Bob, you could change out your metal fuel tank for a plastic one and save some weight. The plastic tanks on these were very well built and generally outlasted the saws. They are pretty cheap on Fleabay and it's a good upgrade.

Just a thought.
 
cleaned up very well. I saw that saw on CL, my friend lives in Monterey and was looking for a first saw to fix up. Would have liked it for myself.
 
SkippyKtm said:
Those are a decent saw, great little limbing saw. The ones with the chain brakes are the most valuable. $20 is a no brainer assuming it has compression.
Click to expand...

It is a lesser version of the 444 - but both are too heavy for their performance today. I simply wouldn't bother, but that's just me.....
 

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