Snellerized Saws and the OE 346XP Raffle Saw

[blsnelling]

Two build threads in one day? Yup! A huge thanks goes out to @stihlaficionado for donating this beautiful unused saw, although 10 years old. And, congrats to @Rudedog for winning it in the raffle. As most of us know, the proceeds from this raffle were donated to the family of @Adirondackstihl in support of his wife who is fighting a serious illness. I have ported this saw today and though it would be nice to show the build of it for those involved in the raffle.

Less than 5 minutes later...

...it looked like this, and...the squish was measured, ready for machining.

This oldie had the problematic plastic intake boot clamp.

Another thanks goes out to @Onan18 for providing a new intake flange and metal clamp.

Installed on the original boot.

 

[blsnelling]

Turning the popup.

Dialing in the mandrel with which to turn the cylinder base.

Custom tooling compliments of @Stihl 041S.

Here I have removed the clutch in order to attach the degree wheel.

Some of the port work.

Lots of work goes into the case matching of the cylinder base.

Due to the large flat area created when machining the base, I am installing the intake boot using Permatex 518.

Going back together. You may notice some epoxy on the cylinder to the left of the intake. It's not uncommon to go through the cylinder in this place on both OE and NE cylinders. The solution is a simply layer of epoxy to seal it off. The other side is molded differently as has not been an issue.

An enlarged single port opening is plenty sufficient.

 

[blsnelling]

Done and ready to go.

This is the compression after the initial tuning and cool off.

 

[blsnelling]

Unfortunately, it was too late to get a video of it in wood this evening. Hopefully I can do that Monday evening as soon as I get home from work. I only have a few minutes before sunset, so it will be close. In the mean time, here's a vid of it after it's initial tuning. It will still slightly 4-stroke at 15,500. I have it turned back down to about 14,500 for normal use.

 

[Arborisjedi]

Nice work,

 

[Stihl 041S]

Glad the tooling helped Ol Buddy.
Thanks for the thank you.

 

[drf255]

Some big flucking ports for a little jug.

No way you're getting that flow on an old still 2 port or even a newer 4 port.

I'm a Stihl guy at heart, but it seems like husky jugs are just more of a favorable foundation for serious perfomance upgrades.

I'm assuming a centrally pinned single ring above the intake port?

The ports on the 241 you did look like a joke compared to this.

Do yo find more of a top end, but less throttle response and a weaker midrange on saws with larger ports?

 

[Deets066]

These saws don't like any timing advance?

 

[sunfish]

Lookin good Brad.

Had my name been drawn in the raffle this saw was my first choice.

 

[Big_Wood]

Brad, just a suggestion. i am not sure how that 518 is but i'd be willing to guess it is exactly the same as loctite 518. how big is the gap you filled with it? i have found that stuff to not cure unless used in tight courters. me thinks in that application dirko hondabond, etc..... would have been a better choice. then again, i have never used it for something like that and just going by what i have found using it elsewhere.

 

[blsnelling]

I will certainly keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Adirondackstihl]

Thank You for doing this Brad

 

[blsnelling]

Do yo find more of a top end, but less throttle response and a weaker midrange on saws with larger ports?

Not at all. I build for both torque and RPMs. My 346s are very strong all across the powerband. I have several commercial users that run these and prefer them over any other saw.

 

[Ironworker]

What are your port numbers.

 

[blsnelling]

If someone needs help porting a saw, they're more than welcome to contact me via PM.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Another thanks goes out to @Onan18 for providing a new intake flange and metal clamp.A

Installed on the original boot.

The last one of those I recently tried simply bent at the clamp ends which rendered it useless. I tried the Oetiker clamp route at the suggestion of someone who has done quite a few of these and it worked great. (Oetiker clamps are used on CV axle boots, lawn irrigation systems, etc.) They're typically "sized" according to the application, but the automotive versions are adjustable sorta like a conventional hose clamp but with a crimp point to tighten it instead of the screw method. I was skeptical of the crimp, but it proved to be very tight. There's a special tool similar to tile nippers to crimp the clamp, (thanks, DDave!), but a pair of side cutters works fine, too. I have a NAPA part number for the clamps somewhere. They're like $1.60 each.

BTW, nice work and a nicer gesture there, Brad. Props to you.

​

​

 

[sunfish]

The last one of those I recently tried simply bent at the clamp ends which rendered it useless. I tried the Oetiker clamp route at the suggestion of someone who has done quite a few of these and it worked great. (Oetiker clamps are used on CV axle boots, lawn irrigation systems, etc.) They're typically "sized" according to the application, but the automotive versions are adjustable sorta like a conventional hose clamp but with a crimp point to tighten it instead of the screw method. I was skeptical of the crimp, but it proved to be very tight. There's a special tool similar to tile nippers to crimp the clamp, (thanks, DDave!), but a pair of side cutters works fine, too. I have a NAPA part number for the clamps somewhere. They're like $1.60 each.

BTW, nice work and a nicer gesture there, Brad. Props to you.

View attachment 461495​

View attachment 461496​

I'll remember this, but out of 6-8 metal clamp conversions, I have not had any issues with the oem clamp.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

The first two I did with OEM clamps snapped right into place, too. The last one just didn't play nice and I wasn't in the mood to buy another kit just for the clamp when you can use the original flange with the old clamp snipped off anyway..

For anyone interested, the NAPA part number is 686-5833 for what they call a "small end strap" for CV joint boots.

 

[drf255]

If someone needs help porting a saw, they're more than welcome to contact me via PM.

Smart man.

 

[porsche965]

Smart man.

What he /\ said.