346xp OEM vs AM

[Joseph W Santora]

For those that have handled both cylinders, can you tell the difference if you have them side by side on the bench?

Joe

 

[computeruser]

Port shape and timing are not identical, which pretty much means they aren’t the same.

 

[cuinrearview]

For those that have handled both cylinders, can you tell the difference if you have them side by side on the bench?

Joe

Yes

 

[Joseph W Santora]

Yes

Care to elaborate?

 

[cuinrearview]

Care to elaborate?

On the 346s, casting finish/color. Machine finish on mating surfaces. Port shapes/ internal finishes. Plating finish. Consistency in port bevels. Any or all of these may be different depending on which part of the wet market you order from.

 

[Joseph W Santora]

Thank you.

 

[cranman1951]

I ordered a 346 cylinder from HLSupply a few weeks ago to do a swap on a 350, and I was pleased with the quality and price,($27.44). It appeared to be the same port design as the oem 346 ne, but with out having ever seen an oem 346 in person to compare it to, I can't make a judgement. I haven't cut with it yet, but it sure sounds snappier then the 350 piston/cylinder!

 

[RedFir Down]

I ordered a 346 cylinder from HLSupply a few weeks ago to do a swap on a 350, and I was pleased with the quality and price,($27.44). It appeared to be the same port design as the oem 346 ne, but with out having ever seen an oem 346 in person to compare it to, I can't make a judgement. I haven't cut with it yet, but it sure sounds snappier then the 350 piston/cylinder!

I can guarantee you that your OEM 350 cylinder with a 353 Meteor (flat top) piston will run stronger and 10 times longer than any of the Chinese junk that you keep using. I know this for a fact. If you haven't figured it out yet you get what you pay for... $27.44 for a piston cylinder kit, now that's funny.

 

[cranman1951]

I can guarantee you that your OEM 350 cylinder with a 353 Meteor (flat top) piston will run stronger and 10 times longer than any of the Chinese junk that you keep using. I know this for a fact. If you haven't figured it out yet you get what you pay for... $27.44 for a piston cylinder kit, now that's funny.

I'm sure you are right, and I plan to do another saw over with the oem 346 top end just for the comparison.. To be honest, I don't know how a company can make and ship something like a piston/cylinder for that kind of money......but I've run Chinese small engines on my cranberry bog equipment since 1995 figuring I could replace them cheaply when they failed.....still waiting for them to fail....and performance is on par with the little Hondas I wore out and replaced them with. Remember when anything made in Japan was ridiculed for it's poor quality?? For $27.44 ( on clearance) I had a lot of fun, and perhaps learned a little in the process. When the weather over here clears I hope to cut next years fire wood and get a good comparison between a stock 350, the 350/346with the chinese cylinder, and the 350/353 with the Duke's popup piston. I have way less then $300 total between buying and fixing the saws, so if I made a grave error in using a cheap cylinder I think I can swallow it and move on with some added experience. Heck if I was just interested in quality, I would have just bought a 346.

 

[RedFir Down]

To be honest, I don't know how a company can make and ship something like a piston/cylinder for that kind of money

Because the average Chinese factory worker makes on average $1.08 USD PER HOUR and they are using bottom of the barrel trash for material... pretty easy to see why its so cheap. If you aske me their P/C kits are over priced paper weights.

but I've run Chinese small engines on my cranberry bog equipment since 1995 figuring I could replace them cheaply when they failed

I bet that is because over the last 25 years (even coming from china) quality continues plummet.

If you continue using aftermarket Chinese junk it will bite you... its not if but when.
I'm telling you this because I read other comments of yours about you selling saw with aftermarket Chinese parts and not disclosing that in the sale...not a good way to do business IMO.

 

[Joseph W Santora]

I really didn't want this to devolve into a "Chinese stuff bad" thread. I'm just looking to find out how to tell if it's an aftermarket jug or the real macoy on a 346.

 

[RedFir Down]

I apologize. I'll get you some pictures in a bit.

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[huskihl]

The ports can have a perfect finish on them and it can look better than OEM, but most of the time the ports are smaller, which limits the flow. I think that’s half the reason they promote the big bore kits so much is to get them back up to the same power as OEM. The real problem arises when the plating starts flaking off and goes through the bottom end ruining the crank and bearings

 

[cranman1951]

Because the average Chinese factory worker makes on average $1.08 USD PER HOUR and they are using bottom of the barrel trash for material... pretty easy to see why its so cheap. If you aske me their P/C kits are over priced paper weights.


I bet that is because over the last 25 years (even coming from china) quality continues plummet.

If you continue using aftermarket Chinese junk it will bite you... its not if but when.
I'm telling you this because I read other comments of yours about you selling saw with aftermarket Chinese parts and not disclosing that in the sale...not a good way to do business IMO.

Red...I'm just giving you my personal experience on quality....I'm happy with what I'm doing, and none of my saws have come back....most of my sales are $200 saws, are are a good value. I'm not trying to convince you to use what you consider substandard parts, and am not attacking you or your opinion....the saws I fix would be trashed if the Chinese didn't have cheap parts. I've got a pile of Echos that will never run again, as I will not invest $250 in parts on a $200 saw....If you don't like my posts or business model...oh well...I don't think its aftermarket junk, and I will continue to use it until I think it is aftermarket junk. When I'm not happy with it I will stop using it and will share that opinion. And If you haven't been paying attention...quality over the past 25 years hasn't been plummeting...just the reverse...which makes me think you have limited experience in this field, and just may have a bias not based on real world experience, but maybe xenophobia.

 

[RedFir Down]

And If you haven't been paying attention...quality over the past 25 years hasn't been plummeting...just the reverse...which makes me think you have limited experience in this field

In this field? We are talking about $27 piston / cylinder kits not Apple electronic products and Ray Ban glasses.
Just curious, how long have you been fixing saws and messing with these Chinese kits?

and just may have a bias not based on real world experience, but maybe xenophobia

I don't have a prejudiced bone in my body, quite the opposite! I accually feel sorry for the common person in China, this world is messed up to the third degree! I have plenty of real world experience if you must know.

 

[r black]

the oem is by far better , china cylinders are ok IF you get a good one ae: hyway ect. however with such a sweet saw as the 346xp "and it's value" ...why bother with aftermarket..... oem is ..when on sale at or under $100 with the oem piston

 

[RedFir Down]

Here are 2 aftermarket 346 kits.
I've had them in my parts cabinet for 8 or more year's and just went in the trash.



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[RedFir Down]

Here is an OEM 346 kit I used on this saw.
Where my screw driver is pointing is where Husky usually stamps the bore size in blue.
The used cylinder is a 350 cylinder.

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[husqvarnaxpman]

Oem ones should say mahle on them towards the bottom. There should also be markings on top of the cylinder. Like redfirs pictures

 

[husqvarnaxpman]

Thanks redfir