Can I mod my Husky 281xp to have stock Stihl 066 power?

[777funk]

I have a 20" bar with 3/8" chain on mine and it cuts fine but I can get it to slow down a little if I really let it eat. I've never used an 066 but I see guys running 36" bars on them and even 404 chain with good results.

My saw is 81cc and an 066 is around 92cc displacement. So there's a difference there but I'd think it should be able to compete. By mods, I'd probably start with a muffler mod which has helped a little bit on any saws I've tried it on. From there I really wouldn't know what else to try.

I know the obvious answer is to just buy an 066 if that's what I want... I want it because I've had a small Stihl 026 for many years and it's my favorite saw. I'd like it's big brother... or maybe I should say it's dad or even grand-dad. BUT... I already have the 281xp and I don't really have $400-800 for an 066.

 

[777funk]

This guy's cutting some small softwood (russia perhaps), but the 066 is quite a bit faster.

 

[Walkdog]

Plenty of videos of ported 281s on YouTube lookin like they would run with a stock 066 no problem. Proper port jobs tend to cost $300+ though… You can absolutely do it yourself with access to some pretty basic machining equipment, but even after hours of research, your first attempt will likely not come close to the performance experienced builders can produce, and will take many more hours of precious time to complete.

 

[Woodslasher]

Or, you could buy and install a Husky 288 top end which will boost your saw to 88cc's.

 

[J D]

Or, you could buy and install a Husky 288 top end which will boost your saw to 88cc's.

+1 on that...
Get yourself an OEM 288 top end, measure squish, delete/replace base gasket to get ~.020" squish, raise ports by the amount you dropped cylinder, slightly widen ports, polish exhaust, match gaskets & muffler to ports, muffler mod (aim for an exhaust opening around twice the size or a second opening the same size).
My 385 got this treatment & it's an absolute beast (probably my favorite saw) & will hang with my mates 660 all day long.
You could also advance the timing a tad if you don't value your shoulder too highly.
This probably isn't the best way forward if you plan on milling with the saw as more compression means more heat

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

+1 on that...
Get yourself an OEM 288 top end, measure squish, delete/replace base gasket to get ~.020" squish, raise ports by the amount you dropped cylinder, slightly widen ports, polish exhaust, match gaskets & muffler to ports, muffler mod (aim for an exhaust opening around twice the size or a second opening the same size).
My 385 got this treatment & it's an absolute beast (probably my favorite saw) & will hang with my mates 660 all day long.
You could also advance the timing a tad if you don't value your shoulder too highly.
This probably isn't the best way forward if you plan on milling with the saw as more compression means more heat

But your mates 660 isn't an 066.
Willing to bet your rather heavily modified 385 will be beat by a good standard flat top 066- probably not by much, but still beaten. The early 066 is a lot stronger than a strangled 660 if both are left standard.

 

[Huskybill]

I believe there’s a big bore kit for the 288 that may fit your 281 some research is needed. Some porting as said above, should be a beast. Maybe one of the saw builders here will chime in with more info.

 

[777funk]

Looks like I could try a 54mm piston and jug (288xp I think) for $35.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283594944690?hash=item42079370b2:g:jiMAAOSwzDxf9Ch-

 

[huskihl]

Looks like I could try a 54mm piston and jug (288xp I think) for $35.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283594944690?hash=item42079370b2:g:jiMAAOSwzDxf9Ch-

There’s a good chance that Chinese cylinder will make less power than your original one. Save your money. The best bang for your buck is to have yours ported

 

[J D]

Looks like I could try a 54mm piston and jug (288xp I think) for $35.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283594944690?hash=item42079370b2:g:jiMAAOSwzDxf9Ch-

Get yourself an OEM 288 top end...

 

[Woodslasher]

But your mates 660 isn't an 066.
Willing to bet your rather heavily modified 385 will be beat by a good standard flat top 066- probably not by much, but still beaten. The early 066 is a lot stronger than a strangled 660 if both are left standard.

+1 A buddy has a pro-used 066 flattie and that thing makes a 395 seem slow in my opinion.

 

[777funk]

There’s a good chance that Chinese cylinder will make less power than your original one. Save your money. The best bang for your buck is to have yours ported

Good to know. I guess these 54mm cheapos have been tested? I watched a video of a guy using a Farmer Tek 066 clone and it looked like it cut faster than my OEM 281xp. Wouldn't those be similar chinacom garbage (relatively speaking)?

 

[Czed]

Just have the 281 ported
Don't waste it
Or Someone will buy it off you.

 

[Woodslasher]

Something else to consider would be trying to find an early small-combustion chamber 281 cylinder. My brother has one of those on his 281 and even with a lightly scored/carbon scuffed piston and ring it blows 185lbs of compression and did a decent job of pulling a 42 inch bar.

 

[777funk]

It's a pretty beat old saw if that means anything. It doesn't run bad... but it's not clean enough that I cherish it and can't really afford an 066. I want a little more performance for when I cut bigger firewood. This saw's worth $300 on a good day I'd guess... and functionally well worth that.

Would I have a chance of hurting the rest of the saw if I scored (or less likely seized) one of the 288xp chinese piston/cylinders? I usually run my saws on the rich side (4 cycle with no load, run smooth in the cut), so the bottom end should stay lubed. I'm not a fan of the $35 cylinder idea, but an OEM set plus the value of this saw would probably get me into used 066 territory. That's actually what I would like... so maybe that's what I should do.

 

[Woodslasher]

Here's a presumably good used oem p/c set if that sounds better.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/233847321181?hash=item367262f25d:g:H9gAAOSwIlhf8--k

 

[777funk]

Here's a presumably good used oem p/c set if that sounds better.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/233847321181?hash=item367262f25d:g:H9gAAOSwIlhf8--k

Wow thanks. I just looked and there are a bunch of 288 sets on there for around $100 shipped. I just had to choose used for auction 'item condition'.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

300.00 is more then the 066 I built last year, I bought it from the scrap yard with a bad case. I bought an AM case and swapped out the OEM parts to it. I swapped around pistons to find a good .020 squish . Its alot stronger than any stock 660 or 395 I've run .
Obviously There's some difference between the AM p/c kits , Meteor is the absolute finest quality am you can buy and in my opinion better than some OEM, some hyway p/c kits are pretty nice that I've seen and used and have out performed the original equipment, Chinese ones are a real crap shoot at best but often the gamble of little money isn't a terrible risk.
10cc's is alot between saws.

 

[huskihl]

Good to know. I guess these 54mm cheapos have been tested? I watched a video of a guy using a Farmer Tek 066 clone and it looked like it cut faster than my OEM 281xp. Wouldn't those be similar chinacom garbage (relatively speaking)?

Tested, retested, and tested some more. And then when you do finally find a good running chinese cylinder, you’re still risking the chance of the plating flaking off and taking out the bottom end in the process.
Save your pennies and buy a 288 cylinder or get yours ported. Or buy an 066

 

[Czed]

There's very little difference between a 281 and 288 in real world cutting.
The 660s were pigs
Imho
But I did run a nice 066 before.