Well,
Like everyone else I have admired the Husky 346 for some time now.
I have tried to run as many as I could get my hands on to see if I really wanted to go over to the "Dark Side" or not.
The Husky doesn't feel as good in my hands as my 5100, but it is definately a runner after being tweaked a bit.
I don't think I would ever be happy with a 346 to work with, but for a toy they are a lot of fun. The price tag has kept me from owning one as I just couldn't justify that kind of investment in a tool to modify and use strictly as a toy.
Recently, I bought a truckfull of parts saws and parts from a friend who does small engine repair as a hobby. Among them was a 350 EPA Husky with a scored piston.
I pulled it down and cleaned up the jug and found out that it was the bigger 45mm bore, with the dished EPA piston, and some wheels started to turn very slowly in my head.
No, it wouldn't be a 346 but it might make a fun saw to play with for very little cash outlay. After researching everything I could find, it seemed like it would work, so I ordered a flat top piston from a 353 and after a pretty radical port and transfer job (radical for me at least) I put it all together Monday night.
The squish was still over .035 even after removing the base gasket but I put it together anyway to see if it was going to be worth going any farther.
I was VERY pleased to say the least with the result.
It was running very lean with the adjusters all the way against the stops, so I trimmed them and did a "poor mans" muffler mod set the carb and went to see what it would do in a cut tonight after work.
What do youall think???
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Mike
