Husky 394 Problem

[berryman70]

Hello folks, A long time member of this forum but haven't been around in a while, so I'm sure most won't remember me.
A friend stopped in with his Husqvarna 394xp that he bought new and always had and wanted me to look at it - no start. After about 2 pulls I said this thing has no compression (I own a 288xp) I pulled the plug and put a couple pumps of oil in and told him to try it and it fired but didn't stay running. I pulled the muffler and yup what I expected stuck rings. He says now what and I said we pull the cyl. and see what that looks like. It wasn't nowhere as bad as I expected. I suggested a new P/C kit, but I couldn't find a after market one for the 394, so I said I would clean up the cyl and go from there. It cleaned up nice and we got a Metor piston kit from Baileys. He didn't get a new base gasket and I said that would be alright as long as he got me some Yamabond and it might pick up a little more compression without changing the port timing much. He got me Permatex Permashield instead whiched I've never used, so I went with it....... .023 squish without the gasket.
All back together and he pulled it over and said oh yea that's more like it was, but wouldn't fire no matter how much he pulled. I've been out of playing with saws a for few years but I expected it to start on about the third pull. I don't know what caused the initial problem, I just figured old saw worked hard for years, he said it was a hot day and he ran it out of fuel, filled up, started then quit.
What am I missing here? it wont even pop with a little gas in the cyl. seems to have decent spark....

 

[Boleclimber]

Try a different spark plug for the hell of it. I've had plugs act up in the past.

 

[decableguy2000]

make sure the flywheel key hasn't sheared getting the timing off, check the kill switch wires for bare spots as well.

 

[spudulike]

Take the plug out, turn the ignition off, turn the saw upside down and pull it over hard a few times until no more vapour comes out of the saw.
Heat the plug up with a plumbers torch etc. Put it back and don't use the decomp valve or the choke and see if it will fire. It may take a serious drop start or two to get it working. If it doesn't fire, try a couple of pulls on full choke.

If this doesn't work, I had a 395XP today with the diaphragm nipple groove not located on the forked metering arm and it was making it flood really badly and start lke a pig.

It is also possible the cause of the seize is stopping the saw starting. A bad air leak will do this so would recommend a pressure and vacuum check as it is unlikely running out of fuel would kill the saw.

 

[J.Walker]

Good to see you posting Don.

 

[berryman70]

Good to see you posting Don.

And good to see you are still around Jack...........