346xp Build/First Post

[PNW SawGuy]

I've been a lurker here on Arboristsite for some time now, and you all have answered all of my questions from the archive along the way. A few years ago I was a Class B faller and spent a few years on fire crews, including two seasons on a Hotshot crew. Quite a lot of saw time from those experiences, but I never owned my own saw. About 8 years ago I bought my first personal saw, Husq 455 Rancher, and modded a bit thanks to Arboristsite. Then, I had the bright idea to pick up a HD tool rental Makita 6421, and modded it with a NWP BB kit, mild porting, adjusted squish and a muffler mod all mostly inspired by AS. My latest project was a Craigslist purchase of a used and abused 2009 NE Husq 346xp for $75, and subsequent rebuild. Here's the rebuild thread:

I don't think the previous owner ever cleaned it and it showed. It also had a hole in the bottom of the crankcase into the oil reservoir thanks to overly long handle screws. Quite the project.

Makita in the background.

Dirt, sawdust, oil and serious fading. I think it spent its life riding unsecured and exposed on a flatbed truck...


In total, the recoil starter was damaged, the tank was leaking, and the cylinder cover had a chunk missing out of it. So, after some online auction searching and purchases I picked up all new plastics. In addition, I stripped the crankcase all the way down, repaired the holes, fixed the dents, cleaned up the cylinder and farmer ported/polished/honed, eliminated the decomp valve and primer system, installed a new ring, rebuilt carb, and cleaned all parts.

Here's the hole(s) and dent repair just prior to painting. Drilled and tapped the hole, and made a plug using a 5/16 allen head cap screw. Then, loctite epoxied the plug, and the other deep rub caused by the second handle screw.


It was sort of a labor of love, and it satisfied my closet gearhead side. All in all, I'd do it again and I'm looking forward to having a saw that will last a lifetime. Ran and tested it the other day. Compression feels great with the base gasket delete (0.021-.025 squish), and it instantly racks up against the rev limiter. I have a non-limited coil on order to really wake it up. I have a total of $234 in it before the non-limited coil. Pretty good deal I think!

I'm a believer that saws should be named and talked nice to. So, I've decided its gender to be female and have named her Patches. (I also contemplated Lucky, but that could bring on bad luck just as well.)

Finished product.

 

[cuinrearview]

Looks fantastic. Nice work.

 

[blsnelling]

Well done!

 

[svk]

Very nice!

 

[drf255]

Very nicely done

 

[Mattyo]

ya, thats nice work. amazing what spit and polish does huh?

2 things.... did you replace the pto bearing? how about the intake clamp.... did you switch it over to metal?

and 2ndly, this won't be your last. once you start doing this...it won't stop. of note, nice job picking this saw up for cheap. these take some work and some bux to bring back from the brink...

 

[Ironworker]

Very nice rebuild.

 

[ccarley]

Nice, looks like you have a great saw there now!

Clay

 

[motor head]

Nice job

 

[sunfish]

Nice work! One of the best saws ever made.

 

[SCHallenger]

If it runs as well as it looks, it is a winner, BIG TIME!

 

[sunfish]

2 things.... did you replace the pto bearing? how about the intake clamp.... did you switch it over to metal?

Being a 2009 model, it should already have a metal intake clamp.

 

[cuinrearview]

Even if it already has one, you should buy another and replace. I feel like its a rite of passage for ownership

 

[PNW SawGuy]

ya, thats nice work. amazing what spit and polish does huh?

2 things.... did you replace the pto bearing? how about the intake clamp.... did you switch it over to metal?

and 2ndly, this won't be your last. once you start doing this...it won't stop. of note, nice job picking this saw up for cheap. these take some work and some bux to bring back from the brink...

If you're talking about the needle bearing in the clutch drum, no. It was perfect. cuinrearview is right, it's a factory metal intake clamp. I removed it on disassembly, but put it back on as the whole intake was perfect, too.

Based on internal wear and where I bought if from (the dry part of the Evergreen State), I truly believe this was a high abuse, low use saw which worked out well aside from having to replace all of the plastics. In the next couple days I'll add some pictures of the muffler mod I did as well.

 

[Mattyo]

I was referring to the crank bearings. The pto side had a proprietary crank bearing and integral seal combo.

 

[PNW SawGuy]

Well, update time. Patches isn't as pretty as she was a couple months ago, but she really cuts wood. Since I like to run a saw like I stole it, I decided to break it in on bucking two cords of old dry elm logs from a tree felled 8 years ago. Most of the logs were in the 14-24" range. I found the saw unusually picky to tune, but it sure cranks up and rips through wood. Nevertheless, I kept running it because it held together and I had more work to do. The next project was to fell a dying 36" willow tree in my yard that I'd been whittling back as major leaders would die over the last couple of years. Used the 346 (20" bar) and the Makita (24" bar) for felling, and was impressed with the power from this little saw (I also like how as it breaks in, it sounds like a tuned dirt bike). Next project was three trees over at a friend's house, and then back home to chainsaw stump grind and remove the willow stump roots (hard on a chain, but cheaper than a stump grinder). I've got about 2 gallons of gas through her, and all I can say is it's an awesome saw.

The only odd thing is that when I bought the saw it would run, but surge when throttle was applied. Interestingly, after disassembly/cleaning the carb during rebuild it still randomly flat lines (i.e. buuurrrppp) when cranking up from partial to full throttle like it's running out of fuel (especially if it's hot out - 95-100 deg F - and on first start up after running out of gas). I'm sure it's the impulse pump in the carb (lines are good and moving air). So, I have a carb kit coming from Weadeaterman Randy to hopefully take care of that.

Here's a good shot of my son and our tools during the willow stump operation:


Not nearly as pretty with the carb out (also note the new dogs laser cut from SS from a guy on an online auction site):



Also, I said I would post on the muffler mod without buying a new deflector. The mod consists of cutting the deflector, placing stop drill holes at the end of the cuts, augering the outlet with a burr bit in my cordless drill, and folding the deflector back down. First, is to remove the spark screen, and begin by hacksaw cutting the deflector at the base from the opening back towards the rear of the deflector, stopping just short of the back. Then, stop drill the kerf of the cut (prevents cracking) with a drill bit slightly larger than the kerf. Fold back the deflector just enough for the burr bit to access the opening, and remove some metal (being careful not to damage the spark screen tracks). When satisfied, fold the deflector back down (bend the lip down further than the pictures or you will melt some plastic), clean up any burrs, paint, and slide the spark screen back in. This is my second saw with this approach, and I'm willing to bet that it'll hold up just fine for the life of the saw.

Pics of the finished product, and burr bit.

 

[earlthegoat2]

"Eliminated the primer system" Is that what it sounds like and is it as easy as it sounds? Ive never liked primer bulbs so this seems like an interesting modification to my own 346XP and one that had never occurred to me to ponder whether it is really needed or not.

I see there is still an external primer bulb on your saw in the pics. Is this just to plug the hole?

 

[SierraMtns]

"Eliminated the primer system" Is that what it sounds like and is it as easy as it sounds? Ive never liked primer bulbs so this seems like an interesting modification to my own 346XP and one that had never occurred to me to ponder whether it is really needed or not.

I see there is still an external primer bulb on your saw in the pics. Is this just to plug the hole?

I would like to know more details on this mod too. Hate that primer thing too.

 

[PNW SawGuy]

RE: Eliminate the primer system. Yes, I don't like the primer system that much either, plus mine was leaking and I didn't want to buy parts for it. First, I ended up buying a new tank/handle assembly that was an OE version without a provision for the primer line. I also left the primer bulb and plastic fixture in to plug the hole in the case.

The project is easiest with the handle/tank off and the carb out. First, unplug and pull the primer line from the primer, carb, and tank. Then, plug the hole on the carb, and tank (mine didn't need a tank plug due to OE tank). The plug was the biggest challenge. I searched all over the web and at local saw shops to find a 1/16" fitting plug...found nothing. So, the solution ended up being a short chuck of hose slid over the fitting, then cut about a .5" above the top of the fitting. Then, folded the hose over and used two small zip ties to crimp the hose down and seal it up. It just takes two extra pulls on full choke at startup, but that's just like all the other saws I've operated without primers.

Fitting cap:

 

[sunfish]

I don't particularly like primer bulbs either, but they have Never given any trouble on this model.