Husqvarna 61 is kicking my Butt...

[Husky61Mainer]

So heres the story:

Helped my father clean out his barn reciently. Going through some boxes and what do i find? a Husky 61 half taken appart. I ask him "whats the deal with this?" he says: "oh wow i forgot about that thing, thats older than you, cant remember what was wrong with it but if you wanna tinker with it go ahead..."
So i called a dealer with the Vin # and sure enough, its a 1983 Husky Model 61(I was born in 1985 so it IS older than me)

Took the saw home, cleaned it up, new fuel line, spark plug, fresh gas. about 15 pulls and she fires. It runs but not well.
Since then this is what Ive done:

-Cleaned everything up, flushed the gas tank, Fresh 93 Octane with 50:1 Benoil(klotz)
-Rebuilt the carb, new carb intake gaskets(tiltson carb)
-New crank seals
-New(aftermarket) top end, the original one was a little scuffed and had 90 psi compression, im getting 110 psi with the new one
-New base gasket
-Cleaned up the coil and ignition set, dont see any damage, set the flywheel to coil gap using a business card(per a youtube video)
-Another fresh spark plug(properly gapped)
-taken appart and cleaned muffler(new muffler to cylinder gasket)

HERE is the issue. Saw will start and idle fairly easily, and will rev right up. At Wide open throttle it revs, but it doesnt seem to "scream" like it should. When i try to cut a piece of wood, it will go about 1/4 through a log and then it bogs, dies, and refuses to restart. After about 10 minutes i can restart it and I'm back to square one.

I've tried adjusting the carb a dozen times. I have a page right from the owners manual discribing how to do it, I've watched Youtube vids, I've tried dozens of different screw combinations but doesnt seem to make a difference. I've taken apart and cleaned the carb about 3 times and havent found any smoking guns. I'm pretty good with small engines, I'm a Mechanical Engineer by day, I'm constantly tinkering with Motocross bikes, motorcycles and snowmobiles, so engines are nothing new to me. But this chainsaw is getting the best of me and I REFUSE to let it bring me to my knees.

My thoughts of issues that it could be, however all involve spending more $$$ and more time, would rather someone give me some ideas where i could trouble shoot rather than throw parts and time at it:

-The case gasket? the one that goes length wise? How would i know if thats leaking?
-An ignition problem?
-Maybe there is an issue with the carb? Try another carb off Ebay?
-Another set of intake gaskets? I replaced them already but...

Im open to anything!

 

[Mr.Moose]

What make is the piston/cyl?? 110psi is too low, outta be 150
Im willing to bet its dying due to low compression.

 

[redfin]

Once it dies pull the plug and check for spark.

 

[lone wolf]

What make is the piston/cyl?? 110psi is too low, outta be 150
Im willing to bet its dying due to low compression.

I agree with this. Aftermarket top end? As in a piston or cyl and piston?

 

[TK]

What part of Maine are you in? I love the 61 chassis/family of saws, more than willing to help you out. If it's been sitting for quite some time it may need a carb kit and/or a couple intake gaskets. There are also o-rings in the oil pump and mag seal holder that often need replacing.

Edit: Apparently I didn't read your whole first post, I see you did a couple of those things. tl;dr

In a Tillotson carb make sure you hook the metering diaphragm into the lever properly. Don't hook it and you flood it out.....

 

[SawTroll]

What make is the piston/cyl?? 110psi is too low, outta be 150
Im willing to bet its dying due to low compression.

The saw shouldn't really run as well as it apparently does with 110psi - so I suspect the comp tester may be off, or not have the right attachment?

 

[nmurph]

Tank vent (when it shuts off, crack the fuel tank lid and try to restart)

Fuel line

Coil


110psi is way low for that saw....does you gauge have a Shrader valve at the end where it is screwed into the cylinder?

 

[SawTroll]

Did you try to save the original cylinder by removing the aluminum transfer from the bore? If it can be "cleaned", the original cylinder will mostly make a better running saw than an aftermarket one.

 

[Husky61Mainer]

TK: I live in Kennebunk Maine but travel to Kittery everyday for work, dont know if you live in the area but I'd love to tinker saws sometime if you wanted.

I think the fitting that I'm using for the compression tester isnt correct. If i tightnen it down all the way i cant cycle the saw becuase its to deep in the cylinder, so basically its only in there 1/2 way and is not tight. I'm gonna play with it more tonight and see if i can get a more accurate reading. But "lose" its getting 90 on old, 110 on new. HOWEVER, i dont think the piston and cylinder was nessessary bad, i replaced it as a possible problem. I have an old Poulan and the cylinder looks way worse and the thing still cuts all day.

Next time it run it and it dies I'll check the spark and see if I'm getting anything.

I've seen alot of post of people actually pressurizing the crankcase and checking for leaks using soapbubbles, anyone know where to get a rig for that?

 

[Husky61Mainer]

Where does the tank vent is on these saws?

 

[Husky61Mainer]

Where does the tank vent is on these saws?

 

[Husky61Mainer]

One other question...Directly underneath the carb is a rubber "groomet", its in pretty poor shape and i have a new one ordered from a dealer, does that have an effect on how the carb operates?

 

[SawTroll]

Maybe at attached WS manual from 1988 will help (chapter 10 is about the tank vent).


Edit; File was too large to attach (about 20mb).

What it basically said is locate the vent inside the tank, and brake it off inside the tank with suitable pliers. Then drive the remains out with a punch, and press fit a new one.

 

[TK]

My shop is in Scarborough. So not too far from you.

 

[hamish]

Vac and pressure test the saw first of all. Its a fuel issue. Testing the saw and carb independently will dial you in on the problem. Cracked intake blocks on that "family/franken-family are common and hard to locate without a proper vac/pressure test.

Are the welch plugs in place and intact? What is the condition of the body of the carb?

Do be aware with the age of the saw, clutches are no longer available as are many parts for it, tread wisely before spending much money on it.

 

[kz1000]

Tank vent (when it shuts off, crack the fuel tank lid and try to restart)

Fuel line

Coil


110psi is way low for that saw....does you gauge have a Shrader valve at the end where it is screwed into the cylinder?

I would go with the vent.

 

[Husky61Mainer]

UPDATE: So I realized I had the wrong fitting on the compression tester, put the right one on and BOOM, 145 psi.

TK: I'm in scarborough all the time, we should meet up and ill show ya the ol girl. Email me if ya want. [email protected]

Hamish: what are the welch plugs? the carb body looks excellent. Even when I pulled it all apart there was very little varnish or anything else of concern. Carb cleanered and blew out all the orifices and I would think its 100%.
So here's my plan for the saw...its not going to be my everyday cutter. I plan on it being more like my mosin nagant. Every now and then I take it to the range, run 10 rounds through it, say "that was cool" then continue to pump rounds down range with my AR15. I guess I like the idea that I've resurrected a saw that MY father bought before I was born, he loves when I do stuff like this. if I found it on the side of the road it would of been in the trash along time ago. I've restored an old outboard we used to use, a John Deere 316 I had growing up, I kinda just like the vintage-ness of it. BUT...I was looking on craigslist the other day and found a Pristine 61 white top just like mine, all the stickers are perfect and everything, 200$. Was thinking of getting that and using Pop's ol saw as a parts saw...but I haven't thrown the white flag yet!!!!! The Ol' 61 must be resurrected!!!

I plan to troubleshoot more tomorrow, I plan to run it like I normally do, and check for spark after it dies.

EVERYONE has been such a great help in giving input, I greatly appreciate it!!

 

[hamish]

Take that saw and drain the fuel out of it and clean it up, set it up for long term storage. You may have a son or daughter one day. Nothing like the experience of this was your grandfathers or great grandfathers, or even great grand fathers saw.

As society moves on many don't have children till later in life, the effect is hopefully a lot more security and such, but the downfall is many kids will grow up not knowing there grandparents or even be able to grasp the concept of them, let alone uncles and aunts.

 

[Cantdog]

Hook up with Tom (TK)....he's close to you, a good guy, a Husky dealer and knows his stuff. As he said one of the most overlooked things on these saws are the two thin o-rings that accompany the crank seals....one that seals the oil pump body to the case and the other under the flywheel that seals the seal carrier to that case half. These are not parts store O-rings and need to be acquired from Husky.....

 

[SawTroll]

UPDATE: So I realized I had the wrong fitting on the compression tester, put the right one on and BOOM, 145 psi. ....

Not the first time that has happened on here, and what some of us suspected.....