Huskie 55 Closed Port Piston

[cedarshark]

I lucked out and found a very nice Huskie 55 closed port. This 1998 saw is cleaning up to near new condition. The muffler was off so I saw it had light scoring on the piston at the exhaust port. I popped the jug off and removed the piston for pics. As you can see the piston is scored lightly on both the intake and exhaust. The saw was throwing 135 psi compression but enough aluminum had transfered to the ring to weld the ring in the groove.

Under normal circumstances, this would be a no-brainer. Pop a new meteor in the cleaned up cylinder and go on. As most of you know, no OEM pistons are currently produced and meteor does not make a replacement for the 45mm closed port. The piston has machine marks all the way down the skirt on the undamaged portions. I think it is the original Mahle piston but I am not dead sure.

The ring groove has been cleaned up and the ring rotates freely in the groove. The pics probably makes the scoring look worse than it is. The scratches catch your fingernail, but not terribly bad. Based on the conditions mentioned above, can I clean the scoring on the piston w/ 400 wet/dry sandpaper and re-use the piston ? If one of you guys recognize this an aftermarket piston, I guess I will just have to get (Little Red Barn) the best A/M I can. The cylinder will clean up fine. I have not checked the ring gap but plan to do so. Thanks for looking.

 

[wcorey]

Looks like a Mahle piston, I'd clean it up and run it with a new Caber...

 

[ncfarmboy]

+1 Sand across the scoring no up and down. I do an X pattern to clean one up. That said I'd run in mine.
Shep

 

[cedarshark]

"

Looks like a Mahle piston, I'd clean it up and run it with a new Caber...

+1 Sand across the scoring no up and down. I do an X pattern to clean one up. That said I'd run in mine.
Shep[/QUOTES

Thanks for the feedback and hints on the cleanup. I will start the piston cleanup and post a pic to update progress. The intake sleeve had the "grease treatment" on both sides so someone at some point was aware of the saws inherent tendency to have intake leaks.

 

[earlthegoat2]

You might want to check you air filtration. That scoring does not reek of lean/str8 gassed. More like some kind of debris.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

If it were mine I'd look around a bit before installing that piston. They made lots of those saws and there's probably a piston out there that's better than that one, unless you're in a hurry.

 

[MGoBlue]

We put a lil red barn windowed piston in the cp55 we had & ran it for about a year with no issues. Just recently pulled the cyl. to check it out before selling, looked great.

 

[cedarshark]

You might want to check you air filtration. That scoring does not reek of lean/str8 gassed. More like some kind of debris.

The saw had been robbed of the air filter before I got it. That's a good point though. I just received a new oem air filter to fit it out with.

 

[cedarshark]

We put a lil red barn windowed piston in the cp55 we had & ran it for about a year with no issues. Just recently pulled the cyl. to check it out before selling, looked great.

I have used their Pistons in other saws with some success. If that's the saw you had for sale on the trading post, that was a nice saw. Glad you got it sold.

 

[grizz55chev]

Lil Red Barn sells a replacement non windowed piston that runs around 4o$ delivered.

 

[cedarshark]

If it were mine I'd look around a bit before installing that piston. They made lots of those saws and there's probably a piston out there that's better than that one, unless you're in a hurry.

Yes, seems like there are plenty of cylinders to salvage and re-use but very few Pistons that are not scored. Saw a NOS closed piston on flea bay for $300

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Yes, seems like there are plenty of cylinders to salvage and re-use but very few Pistons that are not scored. Saw a NOS closed piston on flea bay for $300

That's a little out of the ball park on price. Surely someone on AS has a p/c kit or a parts saw laying around. I'll check some of my Husky pistons and see if I have one that will work.

 

[cedarshark]

Lil Red Barn sells a replacement non windowed piston that runs around 4o$ delivered.

Thought you had to run a windowed piston in a closed port cylinder.

That's a little out of the ball park on price. Surely someone on AS has a p/c kit or a parts saw laying around. I'll check some of my Husky pistons and see if I have one that will work.

I believe those saws (closed port) were only Made between 1998-2001. I hope you have one lying around in the garage.

 

[grizz55chev]

You are correct, they do sell the windowed piston though.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Thought you had to run a windowed piston in a closed port cylinder.


I believe those saws (closed port) were only Made between 1998-2001. I hope you have one lying around in the garage.

I have a couple of Husky pistons and one unidentified and one 025 Stihl piston. None of the pistons look like the one you have pictured. I think the Husky pistons are for newer saws like the 353 and 455. The unidentified one appears to be for a Poulan, 1.8" dia. domed and solid skirt which is straight across. None of the part numbers match a 55.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

The 455 appears to have a slightly bigger piston than the 55.

 

[Big_Wood]

i would run that piston anyday no question. what i do with piston cleanup is a use a wire wheel in my foredom. makes it real easy not the touch area's i don't want to and smooths out the damage good to avoid further damage.

 

[mountainlake]

You might want to check you air filtration. That scoring does not reek of lean/str8 gassed. More like some kind of debris.

Your right, not from lean or straight gassed.. That kind of scoring called cold seize comes from not letting the saw warm up before a hard cut. Steve

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Good idea to seal that intake when you put it back together or it'll do the same thing over again..

 

[cedarshark]

I have a couple of Husky pistons and one unidentified and one 025 Stihl piston. None of the pistons look like the one you have pictured. I think the Husky pistons are for newer saws like the 353 and 455. The unidentified one appears to be for a Poulan, 1.8" dia. domed and solid skirt which is straight across. None of the part numbers match a 55.

Thanks for looking !