Worth it to go to a 346xp top end on a 350?

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RED-85-Z51

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I've got a mint 350, looks like maybe a cold seize out the box years ago because its spotless down to the bar. Havent looked at the internals yet but compression feels low, and its pretty gutless. If i end up rebuilding it, is it worth going to the 346xp kit vs a standard 350 kit?

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You should check it out better before you decide. From the factory these only blew around 125 psi. You should define your budget, the "kit" you're looking at, and what you intend to ultimately cut with this saw.
 
Im definitely going to pull it down and see, but i worked for a dealer when these came out and lowes was moving them like crazy...they really needed to be warmed up before they were wound out and people would out gas in...start a new saw and wind them up...and they stuck. Sometimes they freed up and sometimes even started and ran..but like this one, felt weak. I saw a good 5 a month that came in for warranty work there for a while...they always just replaced the saw. We would tear them down, usually found a smear about 3/16 wide down over the ring. Bores were generally perfect and the pistons were usually salvageable with a new ring.

Really liked them. The 346xp came out and the 350 was gone.

I dont do any cutting but i do help friends and family out when they need it...

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Interesting. The projects I run into here are fuel system issues and the occasional melted tank on the 45mm saws.
I was surprised to see this one still had the original spiral line in it and not cracked a bit where it passes into the carb area from the tank. They would always crack.

I liked the 350 more than the 455. The 455 Rancher felt cheap.

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Totally worth a 346xp cylinder swap, it really wakes up and will be a whole new saw to use. Be sure to make an impulse groove in the spacer for the 346 cylinder, and use later style metal clamp or a 372xp screw clamp on intake boot.
 
Isnt the decomp supposed to be functional on a 350? This one runs after removing the decomp valve

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Ooof
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That is a later model dished piston detuned 353 cylinder saw.
Gives the option of (if the cylinder can be saved) a simple piston/ring swap to make it a poormans 353, or finding a McCulloch Titan domed piston...........
Cylinder feels pretty trashed, the gouging is deep. I see a number of kits that say 346 350 353 etc and range from 43mm to 45mm.

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Are they "gouges" or aluminium transfer ridges?
The piston feels like it got run against a belt sander and the cylinder feels the same, the ring and ring groove is clean, no sign of melt or smear.

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The piston feels like it got run against a belt sander and the cylinder feels the same, the ring and ring groove is clean, no sign of melt or smear.

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Yeah the piston is toast- but the cylinder might clean up.
Acid on a qtip and see if the ridges start to bubble. Or see if you can remove a bit with some emery cloth/sandpaper. I am picking it is transfer from the piston, not gouges through the cylinder lining.
 
Yeah the piston is toast- but the cylinder might clean up.
Acid on a qtip and see if the ridges start to bubble. Or see if you can remove a bit with some emery cloth/sandpaper. I am picking it is transfer from the piston, not gouges through the cylinder lining.
If i were able to salvage the cylinder, what piston does it take...353? Im assuming id want a flat top for more compression?

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If i were able to salvage the cylinder, what piston does it take...353? Im assuming id want a flat top for more compression?

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Right.

Cylinder should clean up fine. Cuinrearview recently posted an updated thread on removing transfer. Many consider Meteor pistons to be oem quality, and they come with a caber ring. That's what I have in my 350. No problems with the Hyway popup piston in my other saw, but it has a caber ring on it.

Another option is to experiment with one of those cheap xp cyl kits like the 44.3mm one at hls. Cheaper than a piston. One complaint on AM cylinders is some have a big squish. That's easy to remedy on the plastic case by facing the riser.

Easy option if you can spare the cash is an oem NE kit.
 
If i were able to salvage the cylinder, what piston does it take...353? Im assuming id want a flat top for more compression?

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Yep, you have the bigger (than original 350) cylinder already, so straight flat top 353 piston gives you the poor mans version of that saw with very little outlay of cash.
Although in saying that- I personally would opt for the Meteor piston.
The only difference between what you have and the genuine 353 top end is the dish in your piston- effectively the dish decreases compression so "detunes"the saw to a "350".

There are some out there that have used the domed piston from a McCulloch Titan 50 in these saws- but it not something I have tried myself, so cannot really comment- but it is an option.
 
Definitely nuked the coating at the bottom

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Probably just grab a top end kit...the grooving is still apparent despite aggressive massaging

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