Husqvarna 50 1986 rebuild

[Old and forgetful]

I have seen and read a topic on this already, and why i joined as hoping to see the finished result, or finish it off myself.
I have seen a thread where the Husky 50, 86/88 model had been fitted with a later 50, 51 rancher barrel and piston kit, but cannot find the thread, and not for lack of trying.
All I ever remember was the name of this forum somehow.
If it was not this forum, then this proves moss is now growing up top where the old grey matter used to live.

My model has the 44mm piston, but later they were 45mm, then 46mm on the 50, 51 rancher.
From what i read some time back on a thread was the later 46mm barrel and piston kit were able to be fitted to this older model 50 I have.

My model is the grey cover, just the Husqvarna 50, not the Husqvarna 50 special, if this helps.

If memory serves me, (old sod, so this might be cloudy and foggy with hints of moss growing now) what I read is the bottom of the barrel diameter is about 1-2mm larger diameter than my one, and needs a small working on the bottom crankcase to shave a bit off the hole to allow the barrel to fit in snuggly, or a lathe trimming on the diameter of the barrel outer that slots into the crank-casing.

Does this sound right and possible?

I searched the world for the orignal barrel and piston, but no luck.

 

[Old and forgetful]

Husqvarna 50 big-bore upgrade question​

I found the thread eventaully, thanks if anyone was trying to find it in the background.
Since it has been done before, i will not bore the pants of readers with me doing it once again.
I have dragged out 3 saws from my past, and rebuilt and/or refurbished them back to new, will post this in the Whats on your bench soon. One saw to go which is the Husky 50 in question on this post. I left the smallest one till last. This is the 50 I am now working on. No compression to talk about, badly scored piston and barrel, burnt piston, and I still got it to run perfectly after last being used in 1994, until of course I tried it in a bit of wood and then I remembered why I laid it down all those decades ago, as it needed a new barrel and piston.
You should also know, after every day I was a bit of a clean freak with all my saws, and anything i own, which annoys some people, as I spend hours on after care of things I buy.

 

[Orange Ripper]

Husqvarna 50 big-bore upgrade question​

I found the thread eventaully, thanks if anyone was trying to find it in the background.
Since it has been done before, i will not bore the pants of readers with me doing it once again.
I have dragged out 3 saws from my past, and rebuilt and/or refurbished them back to new, will post this in the Whats on your bench soon. One saw to go which is the Husky 50 in question on this post. I left the smallest one till last. This is the 50 I am now working on. No compression to talk about, badly scored piston and barrel, burnt piston, and I still got it to run perfectly after last being used in 1994, until of course I tried it in a bit of wood and then I remembered why I laid it down all those decades ago, as it needed a new barrel and piston.
You should also know, after every day I was a bit of a clean freak with all my saws, and anything i own, which annoys some people, as I spend hours on after care of things I buy.
View attachment 1127039View attachment 1127041View attachment 1127043

From the looks of the serial number it looks to be a 1987, which will fit the 46mm top end, because one of my 2 50s is a 1987 as well, and that has a ported 55 top end on it so you should have no problem putting the big bore on this case

 

[Old and forgetful]

Thanks orange Ripper, will be so cool if just a straight swap-out. Dec 1986 in Inverness I bought this saw, as was the latest model out there back then and was told it was next years model, so this will fit with what you say about it being 1987.
It has the black rivetted tag.
Serial number: 7440343
I know some people can tell by the serial number when the actual saw was made by Husky.

You will also see the old problem of the air cleaner, but all we did back then was simply use a cable tie and problem solved.

 

[Orange Ripper]

Yep that makes sense to me!
So being #7440343, if you break that # down she’s a 1987 model made in week 44 of that year, and it was the 343rd saw made that week.
Pretty cool to learn and pick up these little tidbits about our saws, gives a little bit more to the story of the saw in my mind lol
One of my 1987s has the #7410312 so she’s only 3 weeks older than yours!
So with any luck as was in my case, yours being newer by 3 weeks it should be the same size hole In The crank case and be a direct swap for you, probably have to tune the carb jets for the bigger cylinder that’s all !

 

[Old and forgetful]

Unbelievable you are able to tell me this, thank you. and funny how the serial numbers are so close, yet the actual saws are a million miles apart on where they were sold in the world.

Now of course I am wishing the post to be quicker, but still got someone's Stihl to work on. MS170 model, little firewood saw made of plastic that has never even been cleaned in its life.

 

[Old and forgetful]

here is the extensive kit on route.

 

[Orange Ripper]

here is the extensive kit on route.View attachment 1127176

Little tip, don’t use the e clips that come with the kit that hold the pin into the piston! Use the ones you took out or get new oem! Not good quality usually and have read multiple times now of people having their whole build go down the drain due to the little ear of the clip breaking off while operating and severely damaging the saw more.
I also like to plug the decompression hole with a plug because the ones that come with the kit are known to leak, and leak they do from my experience with them as well.
I also clean up the sharp edges of the piston with a bit of really fine sand paper so they don’t grab anywhere on the new cylinder!
Don’t use the plug that come with the kit preferably, run a new NGK BPMR7A or an interchangeable number plug of another known plug company!
This is all info I’ve learned from around here and YouTube and it all seems to work as far as i can tell anyway

 

[Wood Doctor]

I serviced one not too long ago and the owner still uses it. I thought it was a great saw that ran well when I finished repairing it. Not sure why you would want to bump up the engine. I say leave it alone and run it.

It's a classic.

 

[Old and forgetful]

Not sure why you would want to bump up the engine. I say leave it alone and run it.

Sorry readers, seems i do not know how to say things in one line or sentence, happy reading. I don't use or own a mobile phone, maybe why these days people write and communicate so little.

I have to swap out the piston and barrel as i said in the beginning of the post, the engine has gone down. She will start, run, and as soon as any pressure is on the engine, torx, she will not do much except drop in revs and die unless you hold her full throttle, even in 6" diameter soft wood. Lift the bar and chain off the wood, and away she goes again.

I downed the saw back in 1994 when she started to die badly on me, and remembered back to when i pulled the exhaust to see why she was going down badly on power, and kept on with just the xp's back then.

She had done the work for over 6 years flawlessly for me, almost daily, only usable parts replaced. I never ever had to strip and rebuild the carbs back then either, as I always cleaned my saws after every shift I used them, as only way to keep cutting while others with me were constantly down for spluttering, poor power, lagging and everything you can do to mess up the air and fuel intake.

Also done by me to stop any overheating problems, as the saws, all saws, soon overheat or run hotter if not cleaned, and when you use them in full power for a bit catch fire or start smoking badly.
(again, people wil say, they have never cleaned the inners and they used them for years)

There is no-one out there still sells the parts, so best option and get her running immediately is the 46mm upgrade.
I am in the UK, not the US, so parts are not readily available or easier to find over here.

Also every single company and seller over here knows nothing of what they sell, and simply use the internet to tell you, sorry, this does not fit your saw, Including this 46mm kit now on the market for many years, and why I joined this forum for help. They say there stuff will only fit the 50, 51,55 rancher range, NOT your grey cover older model.
This forum has proved them all wrong.

Thanks for jumping in and so cool to see others out there who know this gem from the past.

I am also in awe now after seeing your images, as your saw that end is in even newer looking condition than my one.

 

[Old and forgetful]

Little tip, don’t use the e clips that come with the kit that hold the pin into the piston

Thanks Orange Ripper,

I know about these nasty e-clips from the past from others, including quad bike owners. They also corrode and snap inside and weaken over time. They make good to first rate copies and sometimes very dangerous copies of things, as everything we buy comes from China, including all plastic saw parts are now made there for the big names, like Husky, stihl, etc, and has for many many years.

And also the other bits that will be thrown away. A simple blanking plug will be used. I think my barrel will still have one in place. Only 3 makers of plugs I ever use, Bosch, Champion and NGK. and mostly SKF for all bearings, as cheap and very well made.

I also like the kit for what is included, including the small end bearing, as regardless if my one still works, it is worn out.
I also suspect the piston ring will also be inferior, but i am not going to be using the saw in any capacity of running daily, hour upon hour. It might never even get used.