Husky 359 power issues

[racinrichy]

Ok folks. i just bought a husky 359 recently and started cutting wood with my old man on an endevour to make some money this summer since being a college student and a collegiate athlete takes up most of time i can't really get a job and be successfull in college. ANYWAY, i am lovin this new saw and have been readin here for like two weeks now and i have read alot about these muffler mods alot of folks are doin. my dad and i are pretty mechanically inclined (been building and racing cars for a some years now), so i guess my question is how is this done. and since my saw is an e-tech this muffler mod might be a little tougher than one that isn't an e-tech? i have read that you can get a non e-tech muffler from baileys for around 40 or something like that. so if i decided to tackle this muffler port job how exactly would i go about this. does this effect the life of the saw. and how much would i have to turn the H and L screws on my saw? i am in MT and at a pretty high elevation (around 5-6000 where i get wood) does this effect it? so i guess what i want is more power. i am cutting logs anywhere from 10 to 40 inches (the forty inchers are few and far between) again i am pretty new to this so any and all help is welcome. Thanks guys! if you need clarification on what i am sayin drop me a line! thanks all.

kyle

 

[Dubai Vol]

Welcome to the forum!

Good choice on saws. I came here and asked advice, and the next thing I knew I had a 359. Mine came with a non-cat muffler (because I ordered it when I ordered the saw) and I bolted it on before I ever started it up.

Things this forum has taught me:

DO NOT try to mod the Etech muffler: it's full of cancer, so just don't go there. get the non-cat muffler: even if you don't mod it, it runs cooler.

2) Buy a tachometer. You can't tune a saw without one, at least not if you're a saw newbie like me (and I have been building and racing cars AND 2-stroke karts all my life

C) your altitude will make yor saw run rich. Costs power, but to lean the saw without a tach is asking for trouble IMHO

5) Once you have the non-cat muffler and a tach, you can tune the saw to 4-stroke at the rated max RPM, then you can open up the muffler and adjust the mixture accordingly. This tuning may require that you modify the stops on the carburetor jet screws to allow a richer mixture.

Meanwhile, enjoy your saw, I love mine, even from 7800 miles away. My mother's husband is keeping it warm for me.

 

[JT78]

All I did was put a non etech muff from baileys on mine and it made a big difference I had to richen the L and H screws about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn to tune the saw. I also had to trim the plastic limiters off of the L and H screws. I never even modded the muffler just a stock non etech.

 

[racinrichy]

awesome fellas, thanks alot for helpin the greenhorn out! appreciate it!!

 

[Brownpot Deaton]

great choice in saw..love mine, but it is by far not stock any more...

deffeninantly get a 357/non-epa muffler...Bailey's has one, or sometimes on Fleabay they have them, or even modded ones...

as for modding the muffler, you'll find alot of info with the search...
main thing is just drill an extra hole in the muffler in a way that the exhuast wont burn you or your saw...many good ideas( i just drilled a half inch hole on the top portion of the right hand side(if chain is forward direction) then cut the outlet cover off of the old catalytic muffler and very crudely attatched it to the new one over the cut hole)

a muffler mod will give you a very good performance increase, but if you ever port these, they become unbelievable...possibly one of the best responding saws to port work ever...

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

This is my 359 with 2 pieces of conduit. Runs and sounds great.

 

[Steve128]

359 Two advantages!

great choice in saw..love mine, but it is by far not stock any more...

deffeninantly get a 357/non-epa muffler...Bailey's has one, or sometimes on Fleabay they have them, or even modded ones...

as for modding the muffler, you'll find alot of info with the search...
main thing is just drill an extra hole in the muffler in a way that the exhuast wont burn you or your saw...many good ideas( i just drilled a half inch hole on the top portion of the right hand side(if chain is forward direction) then cut the outlet cover off of the old catalytic muffler and very crudely attatched it to the new one over the cut hole)

a muffler mod will give you a very good performance increase, but if you ever port these, they become unbelievable...possibly one of the best responding saws to port work ever...

1. I agree with the one point of easily modded muffler and/or porting.

2. The purchase of every 359 gives Sawtroll indigestion.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

1. I agree with the one point of easily modded muffler and/or porting.

2. The purchase of every 359 gives Sawtroll indigestion.

He just needs to own one.

 

[huskydave]

The purchase of every 359 gives Sawtroll indigestion.

Not if it is modded. Then no one can argue that it is a bad saw. Mufflermod will wake it up but a lot of people have some good numbers on what works as far as porting that saw.

 

[mile9socounty]

Now ya got me thinking on modding up my 359. Hmmmmmm..... Do this on a broke budget. Keep it coming. I'm learning as well!

 

[SawTroll]

The purchase of every 359 gives Sawtroll indigestion.

Not if it is modded. Then no one can argue that it is a bad saw. Mufflermod will wake it up but a lot of people have some good numbers on what works as far as porting that saw.

You got that right!

 

[berryman70]

I just had to chime in on this thread because I like the 359. On this forum it's a love hate thing for the 359 It's a nice saw stock, a few mods & it's a screamer.
Welcome to the forum, Congrats. on the saw purchase & good luck on your wood cutting endevour.

 

[outdoortype]

Good purchase!

Buy the non cat muffler. It's the best $40 you'll spend. You'll gain a little power but a lot less heat. It will give you great peace of mind when you notice how much quicker they cool off. You'll have to cut the plastic sleeve that goes around the carb screws and work it off with a pair of needle nose pliers. Get a rotary tool with a very small attachment and slowly grind the tabs off of the caps on the carb. adjustment screws. I would richen the H jet about 1/4 turn from even if just switching to non-cat without modding the muffler.

 

[timberwolf]

Nail clippers work great to take the limiter tabs of the 359 carb.

359 has a lot of potential gains with a muffler mod, also it is one of the easiest saws to port and gets good gains. Quite easy to turn it into 372 power but in a smaller package.

 

[weenieroaster]

A good porting job and muffler mod will give you a lot of torque from the 359. Combine that with the increase of 1500 or so rpms, and you have yourself a kickazz work saw.

 

[forumpete]

Stupid question but will porting decrease the life or reliability any?
Thanks!

 

[Mr.]

Depends on who mods it and what they do.

Fred

 

[weenieroaster]

Stupid question but will porting decrease the life or reliability any?
Thanks!

If the mod approach stays within the recognized guidelines for a work saw, you are OK. Still, you should run a modified saw with some discretion, that is not to fry the thing running a dull chain, and pay attention that the carb setting is not too lean.

 

[Urbicide]

Stupid question but will porting decrease the life or reliability any?
Thanks!

Gas & oil mix becomes more critical. Ed has my 359 & 372 on a diet of 32/1.opcorn:

 

[forumpete]

Sounds to me like I should just keep 'er stock for the time being.