I need to learn - new saws vs. old - for homeowner - also info on 1989 Husky 50?

[WoodLoon]

I think I need a new saw. But reading the Husky catalog and some of the threads here have showed me that I should learn more. Hopefully someone will be kind enough to answer some of my questions.

1. First, new saws (w/ emission controls) vs. old saws. Are old saws preferable? I am completely comfortable with used equipment.
2. When did emission rules start for chain saws?
3. How long do chainsaws last, typically? In the Husky line, are all the non XP saws (T345, 445, 450, 455, 460) about the same for durability? (I read in a review that a certain Husky was rated for 400 hours of use whereas a particular Stihl was only rated for 40 hours - Could this be true?)
4. Gas/oil mix. I've always used a 40:1 mix with any brand oil (although it's usually Husky) and regular gas. Should I change?
5. Any special recommendation for a source of used saws? The classified in this forum are daunting - sellers assume the reader knows more than I know. The first ad is a "Nearly new 361" [OK, I happen to know that's a Stihl model] w/ "3/4 wrap kit" [???], "dual dogs [???], and "25" ES bar" [I have not noticed any bar lengths that were not even, and is "ES" a brand?] - I live 20 miles west of Boston, if that makes a diff.
6. Etc., etc. - I am sure I've missed all sorts of questions...
7. Feel free to make specific recomendations!

My Background

My son and I just cooked our 1989 Husqvarna 50. For the second time!

I like the saw. It took care of my occasional needs for 20 years. After the first fail, I replaced the piston with a $25 piston kit from eBay. It worked fine. But my son (25, botanist, friends hire him for "yard work") is using the saw much more than it was designed for - he has consumed about 2 quarts of bar oil since the new piston. We mix at 40:1.

I used to use the saw a few times a year, generally for less than an hour at a time. Now my son will use it for several hours at a time, once every few weeks.

Extra Question

Is there anything especially good or bad about the old Husky 50? I am thinking of putting another piston in and honing the cylinder (some scratches but not horrible [I showed it to my local Husky dealer]). Bailey's has a cylinder/piston kit but it costs $120, and I have not checked to see if it would fit my saw. My recollection is that cylinders were not available for the saw.

Thanks.

 

[MacLaren]

Go Six Cubes and fear no evil.

 

[MacLaren]

Nah, seriously, what kind and how big will the wood be ?

 

[MechanicMatt]

I know the answer to all your questions, You live near boston! You probably root for the red stinks and they are losers so you will always have BAD luck. Just kidding.......I know, all we needed was one more win, and you guys won 8 straight. Anyway, Id rebuild the little 50 with the 55 top end and replace the seals and intake boot. If you post on here about the little husky Roanoaker will respond with the exacts on how to build one mean! I like the older saws because they have a real bottom end, or the newer pro saws. Pro-saws cost alot though. Hey not to be nosey but your son is 25???? He should buy a 346xp and give you the 120 beans to rebuild your little Husky. Good luck oh yeah GO YANKEES!!!!

 

[Chris-PA]

The Husky 50 looks like a nice saw - if it were mine I'd want to fix it up. Probably come out ahead money wise. Of course that depends on how big the wood is and how big a bar you'll need. I think that the piston/cylinder should last longer than that with proper tuning and fuel mixture.

 

[REJ2]

Two quarts of bar oil is NOT a lot of run time. Improper tuning or an air leak is likely giving you trouble.

 

[Chris-PA]

Two quarts of bar oil is NOT a lot of run time. Improper tuning or an air leak is likely giving you trouble.

I was going to ask about that - I suspect he meant 2-stroke oil?

 

[WoodLoon]

No, I did mean bar oil. I didn't track how much gas or 2-stroke oil he used. I would guess he only got 10-20 hours out of the new piston. But I didn't test the new piston with a compression tester. If I do it again, I will be more careful checking for air leaks.

How would I upgrade to a better saw with a new cylinder/piston? Are there any references? (I have tools and I'm willing to get my hands dirty - I ran my own car repair business for 14 years.)

 

[WoodLoon]

Nah, seriously, what kind and how big will the wood be ?

Right now I am cutting up a major maple branch that was broken by Irene - 20" in diameter, 45' long. That's probably a fairly typical job for me or my son.

 

[sawinredneck]

Some things are missing here, what is your budget? What are you expecting from the saw as far as wood size and amount of cutting?
Ditch the strong mix, with modern oils ALL saws are fine with 50:1 mix, you may be doing more harm than good with today's fuels running that much oil!
A 50 to 55 swap is as easy as changing out the piston and cylinder! Same saw, bigger jug, it's tha easy!
But you need to know why it's dying to start with!
Nothing wrong with the new Huskies, just avoid the smaller/cheaper versions sold at the box stores!

 

[Roanoker494]

No, I did mean bar oil. I didn't track how much gas or 2-stroke oil he used. I would guess he only got 10-20 hours out of the new piston. But I didn't test the new piston with a compression tester. If I do it again, I will be more careful checking for air leaks.

How would I upgrade to a better saw with a new cylinder/piston? Are there any references? (I have tools and I'm willing to get my hands dirty - I ran my own car repair business for 14 years.)

Okie dokey now, lets get started.

First you need to find out why the 50 keeps cooking the piston. Some options are improper fuel mixture, carb is set to lean (to much air and not enough fuel) or a air leak in a gasket/seal. The only really weak point on the 50 is related to the choke system, when compared to the later 51 and 55. The choke works with a lever in the cover that pushes the air filter down against a intake tube under the filter. If the filter looses some of it's "springiness" it will allow the filter to be sucked down into the choked position while running the saw, this would cause a rich running condition (to much fuel and not enough air) and is not likely the cause of your cooked pistons.

Your 50, if it is a 89 model, will accept the larger 55 piston and cylinder without any modifications, though I would keep my eyes open for the parts to change the choke system over to the later 51/55 style. With your saw being a 89 model it may be a 50 Special, which would actually have a 51 top end with the older 50 style choke system. While you are in there replace all the gaskets you remove with new ones, replace the impulse pipe, the intake boot and I would personally replace the intake plate. At the very least check the intake plate closely for squareness and make sure the threads are not stripped/damaged, this is a common issue with the intake on the 50/51/55 models. I would also seriously consider replacing the crank seals (part number 505 27 57-19) since they are cheap "peace of mind", make sure you oil the crank ends and wrap threaded areas with Teflon tape to keep from damaging the new seals.

If you keep it as a 50 I would replace the marked parts (plus the carb base gasket that I forgot to mark)

If you want to change it to the 51/55 choke you will need the parts marked in red along with a 51/55 top cover. If you wanted to add the air injection feature you will need the parts marked in blue also, along with a air injection tube 503 72 98-01.

 

[Roanoker494]

I think I need a new saw. But reading the Husky catalog and some of the threads here have showed me that I should learn more. Hopefully someone will be kind enough to answer some of my questions.

1. First, new saws (w/ emission controls) vs. old saws. Are old saws preferable? I am completely comfortable with used equipment.
2. When did emission rules start for chain saws?
3. How long do chainsaws last, typically? In the Husky line, are all the non XP saws (T345, 445, 450, 455, 460) about the same for durability? (I read in a review that a certain Husky was rated for 400 hours of use whereas a particular Stihl was only rated for 40 hours - Could this be true?)
4. Gas/oil mix. I've always used a 40:1 mix with any brand oil (although it's usually Husky) and regular gas. Should I change?
5. Any special recommendation for a source of used saws? The classified in this forum are daunting - sellers assume the reader knows more than I know. The first ad is a "Nearly new 361" [OK, I happen to know that's a Stihl model] w/ "3/4 wrap kit" [???], "dual dogs [???], and "25" ES bar" [I have not noticed any bar lengths that were not even, and is "ES" a brand?] - I live 20 miles west of Boston, if that makes a diff.
6. Etc., etc. - I am sure I've missed all sorts of questions...
7. Feel free to make specific recomendations!

My Background

My son and I just cooked our 1989 Husqvarna 50. For the second time!

I like the saw. It took care of my occasional needs for 20 years. After the first fail, I replaced the piston with a $25 piston kit from eBay. It worked fine. But my son (25, botanist, friends hire him for "yard work") is using the saw much more than it was designed for - he has consumed about 2 quarts of bar oil since the new piston. We mix at 40:1.

I used to use the saw a few times a year, generally for less than an hour at a time. Now my son will use it for several hours at a time, once every few weeks.

Extra Question

Is there anything especially good or bad about the old Husky 50? I am thinking of putting another piston in and honing the cylinder (some scratches but not horrible [I showed it to my local Husky dealer]). Bailey's has a cylinder/piston kit but it costs $120, and I have not checked to see if it would fit my saw. My recollection is that cylinders were not available for the saw.

Thanks.

I will try to dissect that particular ad for you

1) A 361 is a Stihl as you already know
2) 3/4 wrap is the style of the top handle. A half wrap just goes from the bottom, across the top and mounts to the side. A 3/4 is like a 1/2 wrap but it has a loop where it mounts to the side. A full wrap goes all the way around the saw as well as mounts to the side.
3) "Dogs" are the spikes at the base of the bar and "dual dogs" means it has spikes on both sides of the bar.
4) 25" ES bar means it has a 25" long bar and it is a Stihl brand ES bar. ES means the bar is made from a solid piece of steel and it has a replaceable tip.
5) Stihl Ultra is the highest grade full synthetic 2 stroke oil Stihl offers.
6) 3/8 .050 means the chains are 3/8th pitch (.375") with a driver thickness (gauge) of .050".
7) Full comp round is a chain that has cutting teeth on every other link, sometimes referred to as standard chain, and it is sharpened with a round file. Layout out would be right side cutting tooth, drive link, left side cutting tooth and etc.
8) Semi-skip square is a chain that has more distance between some of the cutting teeth and it is sharpened with a special type of file. This kind of chain takes a lot of practice to hand file correctly and it is probably best left to someone with a chain grinder and plenty of experience. Layout of semi-skip is right side cutter, drive link, left side cutter, empty link, right side cutter, drive link, left side cutter, empty link and etc. (I believe this layout to be correct but I have never owned a piece of semi-skip chain)
9) The other listed chains can be figured out using a combination of the above descriptions.

Someone here will always respond to a thread asking for opinions on a saw you are considering, all you have to do is ask and plenty of opinions will come rolling in within minutes.

 

[RandyMac]

Roanoker494, you are far too reasonable and informative.

Go with MacLaren's advice, go six cubes or turn-in your man card.

 

[Roanoker494]

Roanoker494, you are far too reasonable and informative.

Go with MacLaren's advice, go six cubes or turn-in your man card.

Okay then.........

May I suggest a 1050? (only complete 6 cube I own)

 

[RandyMac]

Okay then.........

May I suggest a 1050? (only complete 6 cube I own)

It will do in a pinch.

An extra cube can come in handy sometimes.

 

[Roanoker494]

It will do in a pinch.

An extra cube can come in handy sometimes.

Awe....... The ole 2100S. 114cc I believe? Will a 2100 top end fit on a 1050? How about the 6 reed intake system?

EDIT:
I apologize for "stealing" your thread but it tends to happen around here......... Plus 6+ cubic inches is always a option to consider.

 

[RandyMac]

Awe....... The ole 2100S. 114cc I believe? Will a 2100 top end fit on a 1050? How about the 6 reed intake system?

EDIT:
I apologize for "stealing" your thread but it tends to happen around here......... Plus 6+ cubic inches is always a option to consider.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Awe....... The ole 2100S. 114cc I believe? Will a 2100 top end fit on a 1050? How about the 6 reed intake system?

EDIT:
I apologize for "stealing" your thread but it tends to happen around here......... Plus 6+ cubic inches is always a option to consider.

Are you two done with the "mine's bigger" digression yet? We want to get back to getting WoodLoon's very fine piece of Husqvarna history (and one of the best non-pro saws ever made I might add) running properly agin.......:msp_smile:

Woodloon - I have about the same amount of time on an ebay 50 that had a scored cylinder/burnt piston that received an aftermarket piston as well. Running great so far, so stick with Roanoker's advice for troubleshooting the cause before you tear her down.

Steve