Husqvarna 254xp or Husqvarna 55 closed port

[spike60]

1996 SN: 6331064 Black tag.
Shep

It's going to be a 1986 if it's a thin ring, as I think the change from the 1mm to 1.5mm ring was 1987.

Service bulletins said that you should not use the thin ring piston in the newer jug, but the thick ring piston could go either way. These thin rings are not the real thin rings that would be seen on early versions of the 162SE or Jonny 630 Super.

As Sawtroll mentioned, "XP" came before the change to air-injection. The air-injection change involved a couple of other items. The flywheel shroud changed, but they also changed the left side of the crankcase at this time.

Early saws, 154's maybe, had a .7mm cylinder gasket that was changed to a 1mm gasket to drop the compression a little bit to improve the idling. A nice interesting fact about this family of saws is that while the 254 had the 1mm gasket, the 262 had a 2mm gasket. And a real quick way to bump the compression in a 262 is obviously to use the 1mm gasket from a 254. Can't skip the gasket in a 254 or 262 as far as I know, as the piston will slap the top of the combustion chamber. Only saw in this family that you can delete the base gasket is the 257.

Back to the original question, the 254 is easily better than the 55CP. The 55CP cylinder is NLA from Husky, so unless you stumble on one, you can't build your own. I got what must have been one of the last 55CP kits that Husky had. Ordered one for a project that I built, and several months later tried to get another for a member and it supercedes to the open port Rancher jug. The 55CP runs nice, and really has some decent compression.

254's are not as common here as are many other saws, but do you notice how much the guys that own them like them? Those that have them have pretty strong feelings about how good they are, and that's a good barometer for judging a saw. I've got three 254XP's and one 154SE. Along with the Jonny 2055, they are a notch above the typical 50cc saw in bigger wood. Kind of halfway to the next class, and a bit of a sleeper. Much like the 555/2258 that not enough guys are paying attention to. :msp_rolleyes:

 

[SawTroll]

..... Much like the 555/2258 that not enough guys are paying attention to. :msp_rolleyes:

I don't really see any similarities there, as the 254xp wasn't a "lesser" version of anything! :msp_biggrin:

 

[SawTroll]

1996 SN: 6331064 Black tag.
Shep

It is unlikely that piston is the original one in that saw if it has a black tag. Someone likely put a NOS piston in there!

 

[Tim Burr]

I actually know I am right about SE not being used in marketing - what I am not so sure about is that all the number tags said SE. :msp_wink:

But,,,, do you know if jonsered had a "sister saw" for the 154, 254, 257, 261, or 262? Like the 625, 630, and 670, to the 61, 266, 268, and 272?

 

[spike60]

I don't really see any similarities there, as the 254xp wasn't a "lesser" version of anything! :msp_biggrin:

To a certain extent the 254XP is, along with the 257, a lesser version of the 262XP. All were built on roughly the same chassis. (I know about the crank difference) And using the conventional thinking here, (repeated almost endlessly by yourself and others :msp_wink, only the top saw on any given chassis is worth owning. So, in that sense, the 254 should be ignored by the perfectionists so the rest of us can find them at reasonable prices.

 

[spike60]

But,,,, do you know if jonsered had a "sister saw" for the 154, 254, 257, 261, or 262? Like the 625, 630, and 670, to the 61, 266, 268, and 272?

There were no Jonsered versions of the 254/257/262 chassis. Those market positions were filled by the 2055 and 630Super. The 2055 will run with the 254, and has much better AV. The 630 runs with the 262, but of course has some additional weight.

 

[ncfarmboy]

Is it possible the saw was manufactured in 1986 since the saw is a 254?

It is probably a 1986 due to the fact it has a crank (metal gear) driven OP not a clutch driven OP. IIRC change to clutch driven was 1994. The reason I thought 1996 was black tag. 1987 and below should be silver tag YWWXXXX SN. IPL's show up to 2001 mfg.
Shep

 

[SawTroll]

It is probably a 1986 due to the fact it has a crank (metal gear) driven OP not a clutch driven OP. IIRC change to clutch driven was 1994. The reason I thought 1996 was black tag. 1987 and below should be silver tag YWWXXXX SN. IPL's show up to 2001 mfg.
Shep

Just a little inaccurasy there - the tag should be "silver" on a 1986 saw, and black from 1987.

The system changed a little again for 1997 (adding the full year in front of/over the number, and then it changed again around week 18 or so in 1999.....

 

[SawTroll]

But,,,, do you know if jonsered had a "sister saw" for the 154, 254, 257, 261, or 262? Like the 625, 630, and 670, to the 61, 266, 268, and 272?

They did not, Husky kept these for themselves. :msp_smile:

 

[SawTroll]

1996 SN: 6331064 Black tag.
Shep

Is it possible the saw was manufactured in 1986 since the saw is a 254?

At least the tag and case is from 1996 (unless someone put an unoriginal tag on there, or changed the color of the tag). For all we know, the saw could of course have been rebuilt with parts from an older saw - you never know on a used saw....

 

[SawTroll]

To a certain extent the 254XP is, along with the 257, a lesser version of the 262XP. All were built on roughly the same chassis. (I know about the crank difference) And using the conventional thinking here, (repeated almost endlessly by yourself and others :msp_wink, only the top saw on any given chassis is worth owning. So, in that sense, the 254 should be ignored by the perfectionists so the rest of us can find them at reasonable prices.

I see your point, but maintain it was a little different with the 254 vs. 262! :msp_smile:

Opinions are like buttholes - everyone has one!

 

[ncfarmboy]

At least the tag and case is from 1996 (unless someone put an unoriginal tag on there, or changed the color of the tag). For all we know, the saw could of course have been rebuilt with parts from an older saw - you never know on a used saw....

My apologies it IS a silver tag which would make it 1986. I had my other one in my mind when I said black tag. Went to saw box and checked it. Memory is not always correct. Thanks ST for keeping us (me) straight.
Shep

 

[kz1000]

I'm working on a 254xp that I got for dirt, serial number 1450444 ( is that a 2001?) what other saw parts interchange when it comes to clutch, oil pump, clutch cover etc?:msp_mellow:

 

[SkippyKtm]

I'm working on a 254xp that I got for dirt, serial number 1450444 ( is that a 2001?) what other saw parts interchange when it comes to clutch, oil pump, clutch cover etc?:msp_mellow:

Nope, not a 2001, Its gotta be a 1991 (its a black tag, I assume?) The clutch cover (assuming it still has its original plastic tabbed one), is interchangeable with the early 262 and 154. Not sure on the other parts...
BTW, How much is dirt?

 

[kz1000]

Nope, not a 2001, Its gotta be a 1991 (its a black tag, I assume?) The clutch cover (assuming it still has its original plastic tabbed one), is interchangeable with the early 262 and 154. Not sure on the other parts...
BTW, How much is dirt?

I picked up a 254xp, 261xp and a 272xp that need a lot of work. The 261 fired when fogged, and the others, 254 (60psi) 272 (90psi) didn't. I pulled the jug on the 254 and put a used ring from my JD Q600F in it ( after a light mod) and it fired on the third pull. Need a lot of parts for it, oil pump, studs and a clutch. OK! i GAVE $40.00 FOR ALL THREE. :msp_tongue:

 

[SkippyKtm]

I picked up a 254xp, 261xp and a 272xp that need a lot of work. The 261 fired when fogged, and the others, 254 (60psi) 272 (90psi) didn't. I pulled the jug on the 254 and put a used ring from my JD Q600F in it ( after a light mod) and it fired on the third pull. Need a lot of parts for it, oil pump, studs and a clutch. OK! i GAVE $40.00 FOR ALL THREE. :msp_tongue:

Ahhh... NOW I remember...
You're this guy:

[url]http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/244770.htm[/URL]

YOU SUCK!!!:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[MechanicMatt]

I offered him to double his money, ill even let him keep two of the saws! Some people :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[kz1000]

With the site problems, i can't even find the threads that I started. I am really sorry if I started something that I haven't replied to.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Bud, im just busting your chops. But dead serious on the offer, PM me if you want to move one of those Orange saws down the road.

 

[SawTroll]

My apologies it IS a silver tag which would make it 1986. I had my other one in my mind when I said black tag. Went to saw box and checked it. Memory is not always correct. Thanks ST for keeping us (me) straight.
Shep

Everything adds up then, 1986 was the last year for the "silver" tags, and 1987 the first for the black ones (except fot TOMOS made Huskys, but that is not relevant to this saw family).