Husqvarna L 65

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heyduke

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Found on craigslist Santa FE, where it languished more than a week until I gave in and bought it. It didn't run, a cracked fuel line, ethanol. Needs some work on the oiler too.

it still has the original 17 inch bar that came with this model.

It had been to the local Stihl dealer for a new piston but ran poorly afterwards. Idle speed had been lowered by adjusting the idle mixture, the tech apparently unable to locate the idle speed screw. The screw faces aft rather than port or starboard and is adjusted thru an aperture in the air filter. I adjusted the idle mixture, then the idle speed, idle mixture again and finally set the high speed mixture to rev up to 9300. now it has good power and four strokes contentedly when lifted from the cut.

h65_0960-sm.jpg

h65_0966-sm.jpg h65_0964-sm.jpg
 
Nice saw. I have my dads old l77 husky, very good saws for there time. My dad bought his new in the early-mid seventies. He had told the local dealer he wanted a 65 but when he went to pick it up there was a 77 sitting there. He asked what was the difference and the guy said a bigger motor. My dad said it was only $15 more so he went for it. I like running that old saw, just not to long because of the less than stellar antivibe.
 
Nice saw. I have my dads old l77 husky, very good saws for there time. My dad bought his new in the early-mid seventies. He had told the local dealer he wanted a 65 but when he went to pick it up there was a 77 sitting there. He asked what was the difference and the guy said a bigger motor. My dad said it was only $15 more so he went for it. I like running that old saw, just not to long because of the less than stellar antivibe.

Nice. I would love to find a nice 77.
I saw a NOS 77 p/c on cl a couple weeks ago.
 
I bought mine in 1978. It was the only saw I had until 1991. That saw put Husky on the map around here. I wish I would have gotten a 77. I think I paid $500. My neighbor bout his at the same time. We both still have them. He has his original receipt.
 
Found on craigslist Santa FE, where it languished more than a week until I gave in and bought it. It didn't run, a cracked fuel line, ethanol. Needs some work on the oiler too.

it still has the original 17 inch bar that came with this model.

The L65 was the first chainsaw I ever bought, it was new and I was a young man back in the 70's. I quickly found out that this saw was great for cutting up tree trunks into rounds, but it was too heavy and cumbersome for cutting the smaller branches. So my second saw was a lot smaller. A 17 inch bar doesn't do this magnificent machine justice. It will pull a 24 inch bar with no problems, I've even run one with a 28. I currently run 20 inches on mine. These machines are seriously heavy duty professional saws. Yeah, there is no anti-vibe, usually no chain brake, and no chain catcher, but I think they were designed to be used by pros. My L65's very rarely break down or have problems.
 
Nice. I would love to find a nice 77.
I saw a NOS 77 p/c on cl a couple weeks ago.

Well shucks, I'm probably too late. What CL in NC? I'm going to use one of those CL search engines that check nearby states. I recently built myself an L77 out of a pile of parts saws I've been accumulating via ebay. I got super lucky and found an NOS p/c on ebay and rebuilt a junk L77 that had a trashed top end. Meanwhile, I refinished that bad L77 cylinder, it cleaned up real good, and I need another piston to build a second L77. No luck in finding a piston. The ones available are all just a fraction too small. My cylinder is a "D" size and it needs a "D" piston. All the new pistons available that I have found are all smaller A/B size. I tried one anyway and had to send it back, there was way too much clearance and it would have slapped like crazy. The Husky 180/280/380/480 series all use the same p/c as the L77 but for some reason, parts for these are very rare, they may not have sold very many of them. I look for p/c's for them and there's nothing out there. So I'm still waiting. In the meantime, I'm working on building another L65 out of my parts pile. The 77 has noticeably more power than the 65.
 
The L65 was the first chainsaw I ever bought, it was new and I was a young man back in the 70's. I quickly found out that this saw was great for cutting up tree trunks into rounds, but it was too heavy and cumbersome for cutting the smaller branches. So my second saw was a lot smaller. A 17 inch bar doesn't do this magnificent machine justice. It will pull a 24 inch bar with no problems, I've even run one with a 28. I currently run 20 inches on mine. These machines are seriously heavy duty professional saws. Yeah, there is no anti-vibe, usually no chain brake, and no chain catcher, but I think they were designed to be used by pros. My L65's very rarely break down or have problems.

The L 65 reminds me of my old jonsereds 49s. good power at almost any rpm. yes, they're a little heavy. so, just keep 'em buried in wood. the only complaint i have is that mine doesn't pump as much oil as i would like. i pulled the oil pump and cleaned it and blew out all the oil passages (no rubber tubes in this beast!) but it still is a little stingy. i'm running 30wt. motor oil for chain lube now and that helps. makes me wonder if the pump wasn't designed for todays heavy chain oils.

i wanted to get some photos of the oil pump work but working on oil pumps and handling and expensive camera isn't a great idea. i'll try to get more photos as i continue to work thru this saw.
 
A 17 inch bar doesn't do this magnificent machine justice. It will pull a 24 inch bar with no problems, I've even run one with a 28. I currently run 20 inches on mine.

Yes, I do plan to put a 20 inch bar on the saw, with a sprocket nose. It will use the same chain length (72 dl) as a bunch of other saws that i use regularly. But I'll keep the original 17" bar with 61 drive teeth chain for it to wear at weddings and funerals. It came with an old Stihl chain and its really interesting to see how much more metal was used in the old stuff.
 
The L 65 reminds me of my old jonsereds 49s. good power at almost any rpm. yes, they're a little heavy. so, just keep 'em buried in wood. the only complaint i have is that mine doesn't pump as much oil as i would like. i pulled the oil pump and cleaned it and blew out all the oil passages (no rubber tubes in this beast!) but it still is a little stingy. i'm running 30wt. motor oil for chain lube now and that helps. makes me wonder if the pump wasn't designed for todays heavy chain oils.

i wanted to get some photos of the oil pump work but working on oil pumps and handling and expensive camera isn't a great idea. i'll try to get more photos as i continue to work thru this saw.


They do go together well with old Jonnys now that you mention it! :cool:

This is one of my L77's with a 49SP. These saws can still get it done for sure. I freshened up the 77 with new piston rings. (272 rings). Look at the crank in these bottom ends. A very well built saw.

OTNnFJC.jpg


A25VCPf.jpg
 
They do go together well with old Jonnys now that you mention it! :cool:

yes, spike60, i used to have a johnnyshreds 49sp. it had more power than my husqvarna 61. i have the 70cc version of the josereds from the same era. it's been living on the shelf while i figure out how to get the flywheel and clutch off so i can replace the seals. i wonder if that crank was shared by any other. it has the same stroke as the h 77.
 
If your still having oiler problems flip the saw upside down and remove the big silver screw cap below the oil tank and clean the screen.
They will clog up.
 
yes, spike60, i used to have a johnnyshreds 49sp. it had more power than my husqvarna 61. i have the 70cc version of the josereds from the same era. it's been living on the shelf while i figure out how to get the flywheel and clutch off so i can replace the seals. i wonder if that crank was shared by any other. it has the same stroke as the h 77.


Oh you gotta get that 70E running. If you liked the 49, you're gonna love the 70. :givebeer:
 
If your still having oiler problems flip the saw upside down and remove the big silver screw cap below the oil tank and clean the screen.
They will clog up.


thanks for the feedback. i did that, cleaned filter, removed clutch and oil pump, soaked the pump in mix, blew out all the oil passages. it's beautifully designed. there was stuff that looked like old mayonnaise in the oil passages. it works better now. the bar isn't overheating but it's not wet and sloppy, the way i like it. it works better with 30wt motor oil. i'm not sure the pump was designed to handle modern highly viscous oil. i've also found sources for the rotor inside the oil pump. so, i may try replacing that. also, i think i'll replace the inside side plate.
 
Oh you gotta get that 70E running. If you liked the 49, you're gonna love the 70. :givebeer:

yeah, the johnnysreds 49sp is really the only 50cc saw that i ever liked. normally, if i can't cut it with my climbing saw i want something 70cc or bigger. one thing i remember about the 49sp is that it smelled really good, never could figure out why, but they ought to put that smell in mix and oil and sell it.
 
be sure that when you pull the oil pump that you don't lose the little roller bearing that holds the oil pump shaft in place.
Last time I had mine apart I found a little roller bearing on the table after I had it back together and didn't know where it went.
I was getting oil to the bar but like you described stringy I went and pulled another pump off a parts saw then noticed that roller bearing.
Know she oils great.
002.JPG 003.JPG
 
be sure that when you pull the oil pump that you don't lose the little roller bearing that holds the oil pump shaft in place.
Last time I had mine apart I found a little roller bearing on the table after I had it back together and didn't know where it went.
I was getting oil to the bar but like you described stringy I went and pulled another pump off a parts saw then noticed that roller bearing.
Know she oils great.
View attachment 339316 View attachment 339317


right, that little retainer went flying when i was cleaning the pump with compressed air, but i didn't lose it, by great good fortune. i noticed that the pump comes in two versions with a 1.2mm and a 1.4mm "plunger." i suspect the larger one is actually for the L 77. the smaller plunger is still available.
 
Got a 65 and cannot get the hi speed to set. It idles not bad, but when rev it up, bogs after about 5 seconds. Nothing I do to set corrects the problem. Seems like it you pull the trigger repeatedly, it will catch and go for awhile, then bog again. Also, should the vent tube next to the carb, show signs of fuel when running? I rebuilt the carb with kit and clean it good.

I'll probably tear down again to check ignition. The switch is suspect too, as when running the switch doesn't work all the time. I replaced the ignition with solid state module including spark plug in 2014, but will check operation of module to rule out ignition. Also, will re-check carb, in case the screen is partially blocked. At least that way, I can rule these problems out. The fuel line was replaced and new filter installed, when I did the carb rebuild. Don't like the engines with the inside coils!
The fact that it will idle no bad, has me stumped.

Carb looks fine, after reviewing all components again. No reeds on the saw. The spark looks weak after testing. May replace module and the kill toggle switch. Seems erratic upon testing continuity.

Anyone know how to set stator plate timing? Originally when the module replaced the point/condensor, the stator was not removed. With the module don't know if the stator needs queeking.
 

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