Husqvarna 55R cylinder on a 55 "classic"??

[Chupp]

It's not getting any warmer outside so to keep me busy in the basement i grabbed my Father in Law's Husky what I thought was a 55 rancher (the original pull start assembly was labeled 55 rancher). Apparently he had someone "rebuild" the saw a couple years ago. I assume at the very least a new ring was installed, a new piston and ring, or cylinder, piston and ring. The only reason I'm tearing into it is because he broke the pull starter. The saw pull very hard which I assume is from the rebuild. So the original pull assembly broke, I found a cheap one online and the saw acts like it has too much compression for the pull assembly. The gear in the pull assembly will skip teeth on the flywheel before it will turn the saw over. I can get the saw started if I mess with it long enough and when it does start it runs like a raped ape. I found a used OEM pull assembly in good shape, I thought it would hold up better to the high compression.

I got the saw in the basement and it was absolutely filthy so I decided to tear it down to the flywheel and clutch being removed. While I was doing that I noticed the model tag is listed as a "55", no mention of "R" or rancher and is dated 1999.

I got on line and searched the old thread to see what the difference between the 55 and 55 rancher are. I found that one of the main differences was the 55 (or 55 classic) had a decompression valve and the rancher did not. the one I'm working does not have decompression valve but it appears that might be a cut out for one.

I'm thinking this is a new cylinder that was included in the rebuild as it looks fairly new.

So what I'm trying to figure out is:
1.Do I have have a 55 or 55 Rancher?
2. Would a 55 rancher cylinder fit on a 55?
3. Has the wrong cylinder been installed on this saw?

Some other info that might be helpful. the saw has an 18" bar with a 3/8 pitch chain on it. I don't know the brand of the carb but I can find out tomorrow. I didn't plan on taking the cylinder off so I won't know it is has a closed or open port cylinder but the Mahle part # is stamped on the cylinder.

 

[scottr]

The saw being hard to pull and running like a raped ape makes me think that you need to remove the muffler to look at the piston and cylinder .

 

[wcorey]

Yours is 46mm open port and really the only difference between the op rancher and 'non rancher' cylinders is that the decomp hole is drilled and tapped.
So yes, a decomp cylinder will fit no problem, as well as the 45mm closed port cylinder.

Comp varies a lot from one saw to the next on these for some reason.
I picked one up at a flea market, the guy said something was wrong with it and would barely pull over.
Was a package deal with another saw and so cheap I just bought them and didn't even bother to try it.
Ended up it ran just fine, IIRC was 185 psi and I guess he couldn't pull it hard enough to start it (non decomp).
Probably is a little hard on the starter assembly.

 

[Suzuki]

Time to whip out the drill and install a decomp valve?

 

[wcorey]

Time to whip out the drill and...

...a 10mm x 1 bottoming tap...

 

[wcorey]

Also there won't be any reference to it being a rancher on the s tag, they all just read '55'.

'98-'99 was right around when the 55 rancher designation was introduced and the 'non' rancher was still available at the same time.
So unless the saw was completely original I don't think there is any way to know if it was one or the other.
The differences were that the rancher came with a rim sprocket in 3/8 with a 20" bar, no decomp.
Where the 'non' had a spur in .325 with an 18" bar and decomp.
A small (up for debate) percentage of 'non' also had the 45mm closed port cyl, mostly in the '97-'00 timeframe.

 

[tug]

I think the rancher is just something husqvarna has used to market their saw or small changes to an existing product line. The husqvarna "rancher" stihl "farm boss" Doesn't go unnoticed by farm and ranch users. Husqvarna used rancher on on the 44 , 50 and 61. Back to the 55, there is a closed port 45mm and a open port 46mm the later being more common.
The husqvarna 50 is an 44mm open port with a smaller carb and the husvarna 51 is an open port 45mm that's exactly the same saw as a 55 except for the stickers. Some cylinders have a decomp valve and some don't, not sure if that's rancher thing. Maybe the biggest difference in the 55 is the air injection setup earlier saws did not have it, which l am not sure performance wise is a huge deal. Also the air filter on earlier ones snapped on and later ones screw on.

 

[Chupp]

All good info guys thanks a bunch.
I forgot to mention that the say does have a rim sprocket. I'm thinking it is a rancher, the tag reading "55" threw me off. I think I'll pull the muffler, take a peak at the piston and she how she looks. It might pull fine with the pull start assembly I bought that is OEM. The aftermarket assembly is a lot flimsier and I can really feel if flex when pulled.

If I'm not pulling the cylinder, I probably won't worry about installing a decomp valve but I'll keep that in mind if the piston/ring is good and the new pull start assembly doesn't seem to help.