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I need a Johnny Red 930 piston.

What’s the best option?


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I need a Johnny Red 930 piston.

What’s the best option?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Walt, afleetcommand would probably be the best person to ask. He and spike60 have built several of these saws and I know he has used some of the aftermarket parts on some of them.

Obviously, an OEM piston would be the best option, but you would have to be patient.
 
Walt, afleetcommand would probably be the best person to ask. He and spike60 have built several of these saws and I know he has used some of the aftermarket parts on some of them.

Obviously, an OEM piston would be the best option, but you would have to be patient.

Thank You.

@afleetcommand
@spike60


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Same reason pioneer put the big filters on some of their "western" saws. That ash is a bish to filter, its such fine micron.

I had a chance to work in that blowdown....good money too. But I couldn't even walk around for a day in Portland without coughing my lungs up. I can't even imagine what it was like to work in it or the health consequences yrs later.

Kevin
 
Only 920/930 piston option I know of is the VEC piston from Northwood Saw. I've used them and they work fine. Has the proper dome to it and uses the standard 54mm rings, not the impossible to find thin rings. OEM pistons are long gone of course. I have a couple NOS 920Super top end kits, but if the jug is in good shape, then I'd go the VEC piston route.
 
Only 920/930 piston option I know of is the VEC piston from Northwood Saw. I've used them and they work fine. Has the proper dome to it and uses the standard 54mm rings, not the impossible to find thin rings. OEM pistons are long gone of course. I have a couple NOS 920Super top end kits, but if the jug is in good shape, then I'd go the VEC piston route.

Are the "Little Red Barn" pistons on ebay VEC? They have several pistons for the older model saws.
 
Are the "Little Red Barn" pistons on ebay VEC? They have several pistons for the older model saws.

Can't say. Never dealt with little red barn. Northwood saw is just across the river from me and Sal is a good guy. He also has pistons for 49SP's and 70E's. Plus for some older Husky models; 480's, 285's and such.
 
As for little Red barn Pistons, some guys have tried their poulan 5200 thick ring Pistons and they do not last at all, I would stay away from their top ends unfortunately. I've also seen their 3400 Pistons and they weren't even coated, guy burnt it up on it's test run.

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As for little Red barn Pistons, some guys have tried their poulan 5200 thick ring Pistons and they do not last at all, I would stay away from their top ends unfortunately. I've also seen their 3400 Pistons and they weren't even coated, guy burnt it up on it's test run.

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I've heard their pistons were soft....that would seem to substantiate that claim.

What's everyone's opinion on VEC pistons? I notice Northwood Saw has a VEC piston for the Husky 2100 @$28. I can't think it would be much of a piston for that price. Meteor yes (not available for that saw), but VEC?

Kevin
 
IMG_20190307_195006.jpg

Latest addition to the fleet. Jonsered 621.

Seems to have low hours. The paint isn't even worn off the bottom or the rear handle. 185lbs+ PSI and a big fat spark, so the bottom end didn't need anything.

There was no starter, top handle was bent into where the starter should go. Looked to have been dropped off a truck or maybe smashed by a tree, or something equally rough.

Bent the handle back into shape, put in a new starter, a gas line, new sprocket (already a rim sprocket setup), and it fired right up like a champ (and it's 20f outside).

I may put up the $10 for another top handle that hasn't been bent and re-bent, just for the sake of durability.
 
The 621 is well supported on eBay with about four pages usually devoted to it and the prices aren't that bad either for parts. Shows you how popular the saw was.

Heavy, but J'reds didn't make a more durable Pro modern ported saw.....tanks. I see the handles all the time on eBay...they have that distinctive grey colored sheathing.

Kevin
 
I've heard their pistons were soft....that would seem to substantiate that claim.

What's everyone's opinion on VEC pistons? I notice Northwood Saw has a VEC piston for the Husky 2100 @$28. I can't think it would be much of a piston for that price. Meteor yes (not available for that saw), but VEC?

Kevin

Years back when the VEC 49sp piston became available I bought one of the first ones and did a whole detailed build thread from start to finish with dozens of close up pics explaining every step and pros and cons........unfortunately that was before the hack...the thread is here;

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...oods-saw-designed-and-marketed-piston.199567/

All the pics like were lost in the hack making this tread near useless now as with other informative build threads with generous pics myself and others produced back then....that really sucks....I do still have all the pics so if anyone asks something in particular I can post pics up that pertain to the question.......
 
Years back when the VEC 49sp piston became available I bought one of the first ones and did a whole detailed build thread from start to finish with dozens of close up pics explaining every step and pros and cons........unfortunately that was before the hack...the thread is here;

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...oods-saw-designed-and-marketed-piston.199567/

All the pics like were lost in the hack making this tread near useless now as with other informative build threads with generous pics myself and others produced back then....that really sucks....I do still have all the pics so if anyone asks something in particular I can post pics up that pertain to the question.......


I just reread that thread....damn shame the pics were all lost in that hack. I just resurrected one of my Husky 2100's from the dead and while I don't need a piston necessarily, I thought it would be nice to have a VEC as a backup if they were any good. I guess I'd just have to buy one and measure the differences. I'd buy one just for the wrist pin, as I quit looking for an original pin yrs ago.

I have another 2100 that I'm on the fence with. I can restore it or use it for parts. On the one hand, it could be made a runner pretty easily if I find some minor parts. But.....that would leave two runners to support with almost extinct parts. Technically, it's worth more as a parts saw.....I dunno, CAD can be a real downer.


Kevin
 
Heavy, definitely, but it fills the gap nicely between the 521ev which can be just a bit light for bigger hardwoods, and the 801, which is a gas guzzler and a beast to horse around.

Well, it’s all relative. The 80/801/90 are economical compared to a larger cc saw like the Husky 2100. When I’m using the 2100 I’m mindful it’s not just sitting idling and I’m doing work necessary for big bars. By contrast the 80/90’s I have are much more thrifty.

Smaller saws than the 80/801/90 are thriftier yet. The 70E is a nice older saw if you don’t need a saw as big as the 80. The earlier 70’s had SEM’s module troubles, though.

The 621 fits a perfect niche of size and professional durability.

Kevin
 
Heavy, definitely, but it fills the gap nicely between the 521ev which can be just a bit light for bigger hardwoods, and the 801, which is a gas guzzler and a beast to horse around.

521, 621, 801. Great "pure" Jonsereds three saw plan.
 
521, 621, 801. Great "pure" Jonsereds three saw plan.

Yeah and LOGICALLY the 90 should have been called the 901!! It came into production after the 801 after all, shared many parts including the top cover.....lol. And it would have continued in sequence with the 910/920/930. I think the Jonsereds marketing people were harking back to the success and glory days of the 80.....I dunno.

Kevin
 
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