562xp - Steps to assess problem

[terpjr]

Have a 5 year old 562 xp.

This year, had an issue with getting fuel to carb, determined it was a rotted line inside tank. Replaced the rotted line and put saw back together started to run lean after warming up.

Thought it was an issue with how I put it back together, reversed the process and then re-did it more carefully. Still ran lean after warming up.

Starts easy, cuts fine (no issues with power), but runs lean. It has not run much since but did spend a few minutes cutting wood in a lean condition - like I said, would start to go lean after warming up.

I did not want to spend any more time chasing dead ends and running a saw that was lean, so I took it to a repair shop to hopefully find the issue and prevent further damage.

When I spoke to the shop mechanic, was purchasing parts for another saw, and asked if he would have a chance to look at it, he told me that it was probably not worth fixing and should plan on buying another saw. I asked him to take a look anyway and dropped off the saw.

I got a call a couple weeks later, he finally had a chance to look at the saw. He said it had a torn boot, and was packed with dirt and debris which was causing the lean condition. He said that the piston or jug was ruined and I would be looking at $300 in parts and the same in labor so I should buy a new saw.

I don’t doubt any of the things he told me but do not want to throw in the towel on this saw.

I am capable at most mechanical tasks but would prefer to ensure that I am going about this correctly.


So, based on what I have been reading, I need to, obviously, replace the torn boot and determine what exactly is wrong with the piston and/or cylinder. So, I figured I would ask about the appropriate procedure on here to assess my damage. I have seen in many other posts, people sending pictures to the forum for advice and I plan to do that.


What would be the first thing to do: Should I check compression? Do a leakdown test? Open it up and look?

From there, what should step 2 be? (i.e. - if compression is good, do leakdown test, if compression is low, then look at piston).


Thanks in advance.

 

[terpjr]

Also,
Once I determine issues, if a new piston is needed, is OEM a must or are there good aftermarket parts?

I use the saw for firewood - usually 10-12 cord per year, mostly dropping, limbing and bucking 12-24" locust, elm, maple, ash and oak trees. The occasional bigger tree and some smaller stuff. It is a nice do-all saw for me. So I don't believe I need to make any more power out of it for what I do.

 

[HarleyT]

First pull the muffler and take a pic of the piston.
Put it up here.

 

[HarleyT]

Did you get the saw back whole, or tore down?

 

[HarleyT]

If it came back intact, the guy may not have really gone too deep into it, and his prognosis might be a bit off.....

 

[muddstopper]

If it was running lean, the first thing I would do is pull the muffler and see if the piston is scored. If not scored or just barely cored, do a compression test. If the compression test fails, then they pull the cyl and see if you can get buy with just a piston and ring or just a ring. Unless the cyl is scored really bad, I have been able to clean them up with a little muratic acid and blue towel on a dowel rod spun in a drill. Gouges in cyl cant be fixed. Its not that hard to replace the topend on a saw, a 4mm allen wrench, needle nose pliers and a screw driver.

 

[terpjr]

Thanks for the responses already...
I haven't had a chance to get to the shop to grab it...holiday season gets crazy at work...just trying to get through the next few days.
I will remove muffler and put picture up once I get it back...
I am curious too if he got very far into it...I got the feeling when I first brought it up that he wasn't very interested in repairing it...
My big question was order of what to do...piston picture and compression test will be in order..
Thanks a bunch.

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

IF it needs a new top end then he wasn't off on a parts estimate. I can't speak for the labor which seems twice as much as normal rates, though I assume it was a deterrent because he seemed to be clear about not wanting to work on the saw.
It would be no surprise to find the saw only needs a complete service. If the piston is good and pto bearing passes inspection then plan on replacing that intake boot, carb kit, crank seals, fuel and vent lines, and primer bubble.
I say this because whatever melted the fuel line will not have stopped at that.

 

[Huntaholic]

IF it needs a new top end then he wasn't off on a parts estimate. I can't speak for the labor which seems twice as much as normal rates, though I assume it was a deterrent because he seemed to be clear about not wanting to work on the saw.
It would be no surprise to find the saw only needs a complete service. If the piston is good and pto bearing passes inspection then plan on replacing that intake boot, carb kit, crank seals, fuel and vent lines, and primer bubble.
I say this because whatever melted the fuel line will not have stopped at that.

Good points! IF it needs work to the top end I would be willing to bet the jug will clean up and he can get by with a new meteor piston and caber rings. That's only $45 from wolf creek saw shop.

 

[HarleyT]

Who knows?
I doubt it has the dirt ingestion as suggested. But who knows?
If there was dirt ingestion, then bearings are in the discussion.

 

[Poleman]

Very interesting about the Dealers stand on this. Most don’t want to REALLY repair anything just sell new.
If your is a 2013 it probably has a EL46 carb which may be part of the issue. I had one that was scored and I ported and rebuilt....had carb issue..... made some mods to the carb and got firmware update which helped but it would only idle for a short period then stall. Other than the idle issue it ran flawlessly. I put on a new carb and solved it. One note here..... I purchased a new carb but traded out the electronics on the carbs as to not need to set it up as it had just been updated. That’s a trick I learned.
As far as the P/C issues if it’s scored I feel the cylinder will clean up and a piston will be needed. The cylinders are pretty tough unless it’s catastrophic. Figure out what else you’ll need boot, etc. There’s plenty of information and help out there to repair it yourself.

 

[spyder62]

The 562 is the Swedish god of thunder! Criticizing it in any way is sacrilegious

 

[HarleyT]

Well, in the dealer's defense. If a saw needs a lot of work, they throw out a semi-high estimate, because odds are that it is a roughly accurate one, and it is obvious that the customer will not be willing to pay for the repair.
But if they charged a decent amount for their opinion, then they should have a detailed and fairly accurate estimate.

When I was in at a shop, I generally gave a quick/free look. And a real "rough" estimate, usually by just taking off the muffler to see the piston.
And if they insisted on getting the saw all put back together, well then they owed at least a 1/2 labor charge.

In almost every case, they didn't want to spend the money on repairing the saw. As is the same case here.

 

[Huntaholic]

I understand why dealers say "buy a new saw", I really do. Time is money. My best and most trusted saw shop ran by Amish, gets 65 or 70 an hour labor. The head mechanic told me it takes him roughly 3.5 hours to do a complete rebuild including the carb. That comes up to over $200 in just labor, then factor in OEM parts ands easy enough to see the total bill climb to $450 or more. So for $250 or so more you can just buy a new saw! HOWEVER, if you are capable of doing the work yourself you can save the labor part and by cleaning up the cylinder and using AM piston and rings you can save another 100 or so.