From 266XP
266XP Air Filter getting very dirty very fast (sucking sawdust)
- Thread starter ilakuli
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
I have several 226 top covers and some of them are slightly different where the sealing collar contacts the underside: some a straight and some have that wave or dimple. you want to make sure there is full contact. Also, is the air inductor installed? it like like much of the dust is entering on the flywheel side and collecting on the pto side and fill from that end first (which seems odd to me as it is furthest from the chain). If my memory is correct there are different inductors for the two different ignitions.
There is a difference between the old 266/266SE covers and the new 266XP covers. I have the newer style since my saw is an XP. Also, only the XP Top Covers fit over a 272 Top End.
You can see however in one of my earlier posts (quoted below), my top cover sits perfectly on the saw. There is no visible gap anywhere. Also, I can see the imprint of the top cover on the rubber sealing collar on the intake block.
The Air inductor is the correct one and is installed. I personally don't think the dust is entering from the flywheel since there was hardly any dust around the cylinder area. The dust is really only accumulating in the airbox
You can see however in one of my earlier posts (quoted below), my top cover sits perfectly on the saw. There is no visible gap anywhere. Also, I can see the imprint of the top cover on the rubber sealing collar on the intake block.
The Air inductor is the correct one and is installed. I personally don't think the dust is entering from the flywheel since there was hardly any dust around the cylinder area. The dust is really only accumulating in the airbox
That is correct, but the hole in the crankcase should only be large enough for the fuel hose to pass through...are you missing the grommet? it is not in any of your photos (it is hard to imagine it could all come from there). Also, double check the crankcase to sealing collar fit (the lower half of the collar. It may be raised ever so slightly with a different c/p arrangement. Is there any way to make it suck-in chips of a different color to see where they might be coming from? Different wood partway through the job? I see some "velocity tracking" on the flywheel side of the crankcase. Try running again, then very very carefully remove the top cover, trying not to disturb anything. the entry ought to be fairly obvious I would think, given that much dust.
FYI, you are missing the nylon chain guide, p/n 501 51 72-01, from the clutch cover. It's probably missing from the crankcase as well, along with inner protection plate p/n 501 81 48-01, and bar guides 501 44 45-01 & 501 44 44-01. Since it's thrown the chain at lest once, chain catcher 501 68 68-01 may be broken/bent/ or missing too.
Now, I installed the rubber boot around the throttle and the grommet for the fuel line, but now the saw is defenitely not getting enough air. I noticed in a lot of 266XP videos that (other than the winter mode), there is another hole in the divider in the top cover (see pic below)
However in mine, this hole is closed (see pic below). Was this not opened in the factory? Is this supposed to be open? I mean it is on the flywheel side so on the colder side. Where is the air for the carb supposed to come from?
However in mine, this hole is closed (see pic below). Was this not opened in the factory? Is this supposed to be open? I mean it is on the flywheel side so on the colder side. Where is the air for the carb supposed to come from?
Ok so Winter would be p/n 504 80 40-00 installed and the round one removed?
Is your top cover original to the saw? If I’m not mistaken the later saws with bellows on the throttle arm and fuel hose need that opening on the flywheel side to get air. As you say, with both bellows installed it’s not getting enough. I have a 86 model 266XP with both bellows, I’ll pull the top cover when I get home. Pretty sure it’s got that flywheel side opening in the top cover but I will confirm.
As far as I know it is the original matching top cover. My saw does not have a serial number plate anymore but the recoil plastic and the top cover as well as the tank have marks for 1986 in them so I’d say my saw is 86 as well.
Interesting. Just checked my 266XP, it’s got the cutout on the flywheel side and it is open. I think if you reinstall the bellows on the throttle arm and open up that “window” on your top cover you should definitely see an improvement.
First picture is my 86 266XP top cover, with the cutout. Second picture is my 82 266SE, no cutout. Third picture is the SE, as you can see there’s no bellows so there’s still a path for air to enter.
Attachments
Ok that’s very interesting. I guess who ever installed that top cover, whether the factory or somebody replacing it down the road, just forgot to break off that tab which is clearly supposed to be removed.
Thanks a lot for checking your saws!
Not a problem, glad to help. Let us know how it goes next time you run the saw.
Well I'm delighted to report that after repairing my clutch cover with JB weld and making a new chip deflector (since you can't buy it anymore for the old clutch cover) as well as "fixing" my top cover and reinstalling all grommets the saw gets enough air and runs as good as ever and the chips stay out of the airbox 
The third picture was taken after 10 or so cuts through slightly rotten soft wood.
The grommet around the fuel line was actually only held together by will power and was therefore unusable and you can't buy that part anymore aswell so I used a generic grommet from a cable passthrough grommet set. That at least seals it to like 80% so much better than nothing.
Thanks everybody for helping me out here!
The third picture was taken after 10 or so cuts through slightly rotten soft wood.The grommet around the fuel line was actually only held together by will power and was therefore unusable and you can't buy that part anymore aswell so I used a generic grommet from a cable passthrough grommet set. That at least seals it to like 80% so much better than nothing.
Thanks everybody for helping me out here!
