1990 Husqvarna 50 work saw build

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Orange Ripper

Orange Ripper Saw Shop Chronicles
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Hey folks, New to the saw community here! So I recently acquired this older Husqvarna 50 special from my girlfriends father. Serial number “0060201”, I believe this would make it a 1990, week 6, unit 201, it also has the 300 year anniversary sticker on the top cover.
It ran horribly and never cut very well, It had terrible compression and was super hard to start and keep going, so I took the jug off and the piston had a bad ring and scratches everywhere. Thats when I noticed it was a 45mm piston and cylinder making it the special..(I never knew this when I first received the saw) where as the normal 50 had the 44mm piston and cylinder.

I’ve spent the last few weeks cleaning and restoring this saw to much better condition than I received it in.
I bought a new aftermarket 46mm piston and cylinder kit (note: when I put this on the crank case I never used a base gasket), a carb rebuild kit, fuel filter, new chain, spark plug and countless hours of cleaning and reassembly I got this saw running again, and I’m super super impressed at how this saw is in the wood compared to when I started with it. So so much better than stock and eats my girlfriends dads 51 any day when compared side by side.

What I was aiming for when I started was a nice reliable work saw that will last and has some nice power and I think I got what I was looking for for sure!
Feel free to give your thoughts or have any questions about my build ask away, happy to share!
 

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Some pictures of her as I got her together! she has a different muffler now though as I had a 254xp muffler on it at first, but it was starting to melt my top cover (the spare I have that I had on in these few pictures while I was cleaning the original).
Muffler is gutted and exits made less restrictive, would love to make a pipe eventually for her! Right now I have two tanks of gas though her and compression is already wild! And performance is only getting better as she cuts more ! Will keep thread updated as her time goes on! Have two more good crank cases with good cranks and lots of spare parts so another build is in the works for sure, my litte orange ripper here was just the beginning of a new addiction I believe hahaha !
 

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That's a nice old husky.
The 50's were over looked as the 254 revs higher and cuts faster but the 50's a nice running saw too.
I'd ditch the chinese decomp and put a decomp plug in it, those decomps are none to fail and you'll never use on on a 50.
Thanks! I’m pretty impressed with the old thing myself! Can’t wait to get some more tanks of fuel through her now. I actually have the 254xp there as well, that’s a nice little saw too, I’ve got the intake manifold opened up and muffler gutted on it and she is pretty mean I must say!

And yep, I think that’s the plan! I just put the decomp valve that came with the kit In until I could get a plug, I was too anxious and had to get her going without in the mean time lol.
Also I’ve been fooling around with a stock 44mm head with some light porting, I will post about that once I get into it more.
 
Nice saws. Mine still works on the original piston and cylinder from the 1980s. There is lots of carbon in there and compression is borderline and so I keep expecting to have to rebuild it, but it just keeps on going! I find it quite easy to work on, removing the carburetor is a piece of cake compared to more modern saws. The only negative point I think is that the plastic air filter cover has a habit of popping off expectantly.
 
Nice saws. Mine still works on the original piston and cylinder from the 1980s. There is lots of carbon in there and compression is borderline and so I keep expecting to have to rebuild it, but it just keeps on going! I find it quite easy to work on, removing the carburetor is a piece of cake compared to more modern saws. The only negative point I think is that the plastic air filter cover has a habit of popping off expectantly.
The original 45mm piston and cylinder had like an 1/8 of an inch of Carbon buildup on the exhaust port and top of piston, I believe when he gave me the saw, he said she had cut well over 2000 cord of wood back in the early 90s while he worked in the woods.
But Yes I agree! I find them Super easy to work on, been having lots of fun messing around with these little saws!, built a full saw from the crankcase up last night in only a couple hour actually lol
 
i NEVER WANT TO SEE ONE AGAIN
the things are built sooooo cheaply/flimsey
muffler studs are slip on,s thin plastic carb mounts
awful carb boots, oil pump drive gear needs special puller to
remove to get at the pto side seals ,shall i go on?
Its interesting that people can have different opinions about the same saw. I've never had the problems with the items you have listed. I've just replaced chains, bars, sprocket, filters, clutch fuel hoses. All the easy stuff. I've had to flush out the oil system once due to a blockage, but it didn't fail. Maybe I've been lucky and the problems have stored up.
 
Little update:
4 tanks of fuel through her so far, been running her a little rich for break in and so far so good! Piston looks like new with no scoring so good sign there, and finally got the decomp valve hole blocked off as well. Compression is really really nice, starts well from cold and great restart after use. Great torque and power, and I’m just real impressed with the saw, maybe I’ll have to build another and port it this time to see the difference in the two.
 
035EE134-2105-4FAE-9A43-7E3FE826AAD3.jpeg

So the other day was her 6th tank of fuel, two tanks now with the new 18”chain where I did have a new 15” chain on her when I first started running her, and it cuts just as well with the longer bar/chain combo! Started slowly turning the mixture up as the rings seem to be seated well!
Parts in the mail and on the way for a second build now, will be here within the week and project in motion as soon as I receive them!
 
Read the above thread, as I stand by this model of a saw as a great little runner from back then that will and can out perform any modern saw with non-adjustable carbs now and plastic everywhere for xxhear cheapness, and nothing to do with lightness.

I used to use it hard in 1st and 2nd thinnings alongside the older xp's, and never ever once did this saw go down, faulter, or do anything other than cut and start non-stop for years with me since new.

I have dragged it out to rebuild as will be nice to use it in my old age once again. Looking to do a 46mm upgrade from the original 44mm stock on the barrel and piston, and why i joined this forum the other day. Had another cutter with one who hated it, and only for the reason he was an avid Stihl man, (we were young back then) and anything else in his books is junk, but he forgets stihl redesigned the wheel that was perfected by husky, so they made there's to be, well I'll not upset others.....
 
Read the above thread, as I stand by this model of a saw as a great little runner from back then that will and can out perform any modern saw with non-adjustable carbs now and plastic everywhere for xxhear cheapness, and nothing to do with lightness.

I used to use it hard in 1st and 2nd thinnings alongside the older xp's, and never ever once did this saw go down, faulter, or do anything other than cut and start non-stop for years with me since new.

I have dragged it out to rebuild as will be nice to use it in my old age once again. Looking to do a 46mm upgrade from the original 44mm stock on the barrel and piston, and why i joined this forum the other day. Had another cutter with one who hated it, and only for the reason he was an avid Stihl man, (we were young back then) and anything else in his books is junk, but he forgets stihl redesigned the wheel that was perfected by husky, so they made there's to be, well I'll not upset others.....
Good morning brother, also welcome to the forum! Lots of helpful people and info to be found around here, I know I sure owe a lot to all the help I’ve gotten from around here for sure, so you came to the right place!
I must ask if you know what year the saw is, because from info I’ve gathered while building my 2 50s is that if the saw is earlier than a 1989 it might not accept the bigger 46mm top end into the crank case because the bolt pattern that bolts the cylinder to the case is different spacing also the opening into the case is physical a little smaller, so the bigger jug wouldn’t fit down into the case (can be done apparently, but not without major alteration like hogging out the case)!
Feel free to ask away if you have any questions or need some help along the way, I’ll be sure to do the best I can to get you some answers amd help you need
 
Thanks for the reply and help Orange Ripper.

The saw is from 1986, grey cover model, so the crankcase hole has to be opened out about 2mm all round. The bolt holes, if different, are then a problem, which will not be able to be over-come.

I also read the difference with the holes is a simple one, (but this might also be wrong) with one saw using imperial bolts, slightly larger diameter only on the actual part of the top of the bolt head, so will not fit down the new barrel, which will be my older version, and the later ones using metric, which if the bolts are swapped out for metric, they will fit the newer barrel.

At £23 all in for the entire barrel and piston kit, I am not too bothered if it does not fit or work for me.

Would be nice to get her back to full power, but plenty out there still running on the internet for sale.
It is more for sentimental reasons I am going to try and bring her back to full power.
 
Thanks for the reply and help Orange Ripper.

The saw is from 1986, grey cover model, so the crankcase hole has to be opened out about 2mm all round. The bolt holes, if different, are then a problem, which will not be able to be over-come.

I also read the difference with the holes is a simple one, (but this might also be wrong) with one saw using imperial bolts, slightly larger diameter only on the actual part of the top of the bolt head, so will not fit down the new barrel, which will be my older version, and the later ones using metric, which if the bolts are swapped out for metric, they will fit the newer barrel.

At £23 all in for the entire barrel and piston kit, I am not too bothered if it does not fit or work for me.

Would be nice to get her back to full power, but plenty out there still running on the internet for sale.
It is more for sentimental reasons I am going to try and bring her back to full power.
Not a problem sir!
If the saw in your own thread is the saw you’re working on, from what I can tell from the serial number in this screenshot of your saw she is a 1987 not 86, I have 2 1987s and one has a ported 46mm jug on it so it should fit!
DAB1A628-7485-4F2A-820F-561291B232D5.jpeg
 
so cool Orange ripper, thank-you, as this has made my Sunday this end feel worth the day.

Back in the early 80's we used to have people come into the forest some Sundays and try to tell us (and try they did) to down our saws.
We may have committed a crime against the leader of the pack back then in one forest in the North of Scotland. We tied him to a tree for a while and ramped up the fear, The police came the next day and told us if we get any more trouble, to phone them, and they wil sort out the weefrees for us. (Free prespeterians or something)

Serial Number: 7440343
 
My 50 has suddenly stopped delivering fuel. It fires with a shot of fuel behind the plug, has decent compression and passes a leak/vac test. Its recently had an aftermarket piston and cylinder, carb clean and kit and a new fuel line.

I'm guessing either there is something wrong with the impulse aspect or its something more major wrong with the carb. I'll keep working on it.
 
My 50 has suddenly stopped delivering fuel. It fires with a shot of fuel behind the plug, has decent compression and passes a leak/vac test. Its recently had an aftermarket piston and cylinder, carb clean and kit and a new fuel line.

I'm guessing either there is something wrong with the impulse aspect or it’s something more major wrong with the carb. I'll keep working on
Yes, you can try checking the impulse grommet and slather a light layer of grease over it before you shove it into its hole in the cylinder, same thing with the bigger black rubber grommet, slather the inside with a light coating of grease before you shove it onto the cylinder and plastic divider!
Also you said you rebuilt the carb, if the metering diaphragm is not in the right side of the seal between the cover and the carb body you can probably have fueling issues as well, but that’s just a thought of mine
 
so cool Orange ripper, thank-you, as this has made my Sunday this end feel worth the day.

Back in the early 80's we used to have people come into the forest some Sundays and try to tell us (and try they did) to down our saws.
We may have committed a crime against the leader of the pack back then in one forest in the North of Scotland. We tied him to a tree for a while and ramped up the fear, The police came the next day and told us if we get any more trouble, to phone them, and they wil sort out the weefrees for us. (Free prespeterians or something)

Serial Number: 7440343

What a great story sir!
Sentimental reasons like that is what makes these saws just worth so much to us!
My 3 50s and 254xp were given to me by my FIL this past spring as non runners, that’s what got me into saws, the stories he tells me about him and his buddies cutting pulpwood with them are awesome and I can picture it every time I look at the baked on sap, one of the 50s was actually given to him by his FIL, so it’s like it kept the trend going 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
Yes, you can try checking the impulse grommet and slather a light layer of grease over it before you shove it into its hole in the cylinder, same thing with the bigger black rubber grommet, slather the inside with a light coating of grease before you shove it onto the cylinder and plastic divider!
Also you said you rebuilt the carb, if the metering diaphragm is not in the right side of the seal between the cover and the carb body you can probably have fueling issues as well, but that’s just a thought of mine
Thanks. regarding the impulse, I'm pretty sure it isn't a leak. The type of pressure test I performed involved adding a pad behind the carb, if that makes sense. There were no leaks and I dunked the saw in a bucket of water. Because its an aftermarket cylinder I wanted to check if the cylinder even provided a strong enough impulse. I was going to try filling the impulse hole on the intake boot and seeing if it would bubble oil out under cylinder rotation. Or I may have bunged up the impulse with sealant on assembly. The impulse arrangement just feels a bit ropey. Its weird because it did run for a tank of fuel. I will double check the carb again.
 
Thanks. regarding the impulse, I'm pretty sure it isn't a leak. The type of pressure test I performed involved adding a pad behind the carb, if that makes sense. There were no leaks and I dunked the saw in a bucket of water. Because its an aftermarket cylinder I wanted to check if the cylinder even provided a strong enough impulse. I was going to try filling the impulse hole on the intake boot and seeing if it would bubble oil out under cylinder rotation. Or I may have bunged up the impulse with sealant on assembly. The impulse arrangement just feels a bit ropey. Its weird because it did run for a tank of fuel. I will double check the carb again.
Often times I think the impulse hole can get covered up with the gasket or like you mentioned, sealant can bung it up inside, but you say it ran for a tank of gas so that makes the situation a little weirder for sure then lol
The impulse/whole intake system is a little funky on these tho yep, haven’t seen too much around of many fellas being too fond of it 😂
 
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