Husqvarna 365sp cant get running lots of kickback when pulling

[loudjosh81]

I have been going back and forth on this saw for about a year. Its old, most likely wore out. But it was my dads and I want to keep it cutting (since he passed away its like keeping his memory in the woods with me)
Long and short of it, the compression was low (after cutting thousands of face cords of wood) and was in need of a rebuild.
It got a new piston/ring/cylinder and a new muffler (Old muffler was all rusted) I cant remember what parts i bought (its been almost 2 years since i started this "project") (I believe i got a "big bore" piston/cylinder kit and the open muffler, if i have to ill resort to factory components)
Has a new carb on it, but still have the original rebuilt and super clean carb (both carbs give me the same result)

i did a leak down test and I have no leakage. So im confident the lower end isnt an issue.
It has good compression (around 160psi) so I know thats not an issue.
Great big, fat blue spark. I know thats not an issue.

I set the air gap according to the manual and reset it and reset it so im sure its as close as close can be.
It feels like the timing is off. I can pull it 2-3 times and itll cough and sputter. I can even get it to run at a very very low idle for a few seconds (2-5) and then it dies.
I didnt see anything in the service manual about the timing. if thats even a thing. I do get some crazy pull back when im trying to start it.
I am about to take it to the shop (next week to be sure) but if its something stupid/easy im missing I'd rather do it myself. My dad gave it to me with the thought that I would be the one to make it run right again (im sort of good at this stuff) and I'd hate to be taking it in to have someone else fix it.

Thank you all for your help and assistance. It would mean the world to me to get her running right again.

josh

heres a video i made of my attempt to fire it just now:

 

[John Stryker]

I think it could be flooded now. I would try it without choke but give it full throttle and keep pulling till it unfloods. Another way to unflood it is to take out the plug and hold the saw upside down and pull it over a few times to drain the crank case, then make sure the plug is dry before restarting.

 

[landfakers]

I think its carb related. Sounds just like my 357 before I rebuilt the carb for the 2nd time. Did you get a walbro kit for it or just cleaned it out? The walbro in my saw has always been finicky, not sure about the one in the 365 special

 

[ZeroJunk]

I would think you took the fly wheel off when you rebuilt it. But, make sure the key is seated in the groove correctly. That is the timing.

 

[bwalker]

Kickback tells me it could possibly be the coil failing.

 

[bwalker]

I think it could be flooded now. I would try it without choke but give it full throttle and keep pulling till it unfloods. Another way to unflood it is to take out the plug and hold the saw upside down and pull it over a few times to drain the crank case, then make sure the plug is dry before restarting.

Or just put the control lever in high idle and pull until it clears out. Only takes a few pulls.

 

[samhop]

i did not watch the vid u posted but the only time i ever have kick back saw ripping the pull start out of my hand painfully it was the flywheel off the key = timing problem.
did you have the flywheel off when you were working on the saw?

 

[9050lx]

Check needle and seat?Could try a Farmertec carb just to rule it out. Sounds like it would run with mixture a little closer.

 

[loudjosh81]

I think its carb related. Sounds just like my 357 before I rebuilt the carb for the 2nd time. Did you get a walbro kit for it or just cleaned it out? The walbro in my saw has always been finicky, not sure about the one in the 365 special

yeah it was a walbro specific kit (not a chinese one) and it is clean. I also bought a new carb for it, thinking its possible i didn't get it clean enough, but it was exactly the same.
i thought fuel too. I can squirt carb cleaner in her and she will fire up and idle (wont rev) but the way it once and a while pulls back when im starting it, just makes me thinking timing?

 

[loudjosh81]

Kickback tells me it could possibly be the coil failing.

its a brand new coil and plug wire, i mean i guess its possible i bought a defective coil but it would be hard to imagine three bad coils in a row . . .

 

[loudjosh81]

I think it could be flooded now. I would try it without choke but give it full throttle and keep pulling till it unfloods. Another way to unflood it is to take out the plug and hold the saw upside down and pull it over a few times to drain the crank case, then make sure the plug is dry before restarting.

its definitely not flooded.

 

[loudjosh81]

I would think you took the fly wheel off when you rebuilt it. But, make sure the key is seated in the groove correctly. That is the timing.

i didn't have any reason to take the flywheel off to rebuild the top end. I didn't have any reason to expect bottom end issues. (sort of unrelated to saws, but im a motorcycle mechanic and rebuild a load of bike engines, so i applied some of that know-how to checking the crank) no air leakage on a cylinder leak down test and no appreciable play in the rod tells me the crank is most likely ok.

The timing is only lining up the key? As soon as I get to the garage ill pull the flywheel and check that its all ok. Ill post back what I find.

 

[loudjosh81]

Check needle and seat?Could try a Farmertec carb just to rule it out. Sounds like it would run with mixture a little closer.

I got a farmertec carb along with the fresh rebuilt walbro. both give me the exact same results. I can get it to sound like its almost gonna fire with the carb adjustments. I can get it to idle and with some serious throttle dedication I can keep it running for a few minutes (enough to get it hot!) Im really at a loss.

 

[loudjosh81]

Or just put the control lever in high idle and pull until it clears out. Only takes a few pulls.

yeah its 100% not flooded. if it was flooded I would just swap plugs and go back to cutting

 

[9050lx]

Dumb question but is it getting impulse to carb?

 

[Derrick Sawyer]

Can you tell from the plug color after you get it running for a bit? Sounds like it not getting enough gas, either impulse or carb adjustment or fuel line pinched or torn, if thats the case the plug will be light. If the plug is wet then i agree might be timing or ignition issue...if its too advanced and snapping from your hand you can try adding to business cards gap between flywheel and coil instead of one and see if that helps

 

[loudjosh81]

Dumb question but is it getting impulse to carb?

i believe so. im getting gas coming from the carb, so im assuming its pumping through. I suppose I could try to measure the gas flow when im pulling? im not sure how accurate that would be though.

Edit: it runs (sort of) off of spray it may be a fueling issue, but im getting gas through the carb and im getting gas to the plug. . .maybe its not enough gas?

 

[loudjosh81]

Can you tell from the plug color after you get it running for a bit? Sounds like it not getting enough gas, either impulse or carb adjustment or fuel line pinched or torn, if thats the case the plug will be light. If the plug is wet then i agree might be timing or ignition issue...if its too advanced and snapping from your hand you can try adding to business cards gap between flywheel and coil instead of one and see if that helps

i cant tell from the plug. . .it still looks like new (namely because it is) I didn't want to run too much carb cleaner through it. Yeah, I know, typing that im thinking its not getting fuel if i have to give it juice to help it along, but the carb is getting gas. Its like the higher flammability of the carb cleaner is helping get it going but it wont stay going without it.

Im going to look into the fuel lines more and see what i can come up with.
Im also going to increase the airgap and see what that does.

thanks!

 

[Homer6679]

Start making a habit of using a shot of mixed gas to prime the saw. I normally shoot 4-5 shots down the carb so it will run for a little longer than just a pop. Perhaps the carb just isn’t adjusted correctly. Also did you do a pressure/vac test? Maybe there is a an air leak somewhere

 

[loudjosh81]

Start making a habit of using a shot of mixed gas to prime the saw. I normally shoot 4-5 shots down the carb so it will run for a little longer than just a pop. Perhaps the carb just isn’t adjusted correctly. Also did you do a pressure/vac test? Maybe there is a an air leak somewhere

i did a pressure test (on the carb) and a cylinder leak down test and it held air pressure just fine.
Ive never had to use anything to prime a saw before. On rare occasions after an engine rebuild (with motorcycles only) i have to use some juice to get things moving the first time, but saws its never been an issue.
i adjusted the carb to the extreme on both adjustment screws and was able to get it to idle (sort of) but it wouldn't rev enough to even hurt a piece of paper.