Husky 350 up grades

[TAJ45]

It has the loose situation between the carb and the jug, needs a muff mod. I8" & t runs strong. Really like the wgt.
My thoughts were to slip a thinner gasket in while the slip n slide was being attended, then the muff mod. Speaking of that, l thought l read of a "fix" for the slipnslide. Can anyone steer me on that?
I also thought l would do a bit of slicking up the exhaust port.
I'm not ready for changing the timing.....yet.
Would it be advisable to have an advance key installed, say mid way twixt mild n wild should l get frisky down the road and want to change the ports? Would the key hurt now?
Yeah, lma noob. Want to tinker.
TIA - Tom
Retired toolmaker.

PS. I have access to a mill and am curious about installing a comp release on the Echo CS 680. It seems simple at first glance as long as there is enough meat for threads.

 

[J D]

Not sure what you mean by "slipnslide"... best performance from these comes with bolting a 346XP top end on. The 353 top ends aren't that far behind, especially with a bit of porting. Muff mod always helps. Modified 346 muffler support helps keep it in place. Inlet clamp update is a must have. Timing advance is done by shaving a bit of the key as it's cast into the flywheel

 

[TAJ45]

Bingo.....Intake clamp. I obviously didn't know the keys were cast in place. Many thanks.
Anyone have an idea of how many thou to file off the key?
Anything else needs to be changed out on the 346 jug swap? Izza new piston mandatory?
Are the 350 pistons one or 2 rings?

 

[TAJ45]

Bingo.....Intake clamp. I obviously didn't know the keys were cast in place. Many thanks.
Anyone have an idea of how many thou to file off the key?
Anything else needs to be changed out on the 346 jug swap? Izza new piston mandatory?
Are the 350 pistons one or 2 rings?

Yah, abuncha basic questions. I am starting from ground zero.

 

[atlarge54]

If it has a 45mm cyl and a dished piston swapping for a flat top piston will wake it up quite a bit. Also easy to remove the transfer covers an make it breathe a bit better.

 

[J D]

Yep, depending on the vintage of the saw... I believe the original had a less refined cylinder with the same 44mm piston as the 351. Later versions had the same 45mm cylinder as the 353 (with bolt on transfer covers) but were "detuned" with a dished piston.
Original 346XP were 42mm, New Edition were 44.3mm.

 

[TAJ45]

This is probably 12 years old. The inlet clamp has now rendered it DOA. Next step is to tear it down to see what piston l have.
Thanks for all the help.
Next quest is a Logosol unit if l can find one halfway "right".