"scuffed piston" help (346xp)

[treeninja49]

heres the specs of the chainsaw. I bought it with these mods on craigslist and than I scuffed it by tuning it incorrectly. I am a noob.

-2010 346xp
- Non limited coil
- tabs trimmed
- non carb muffler

i brought it to a shop and they said the piston was scuffed. I cant afford to pay them to do it so I want to learn how to rebuild it and not let this happen again. Can anyone please maybe link a guide they recommend on how to do this or give me a starting point? im good enough to do it myself with a guide lol.

also after seeing the mods this chainsaw has do you reccomend a different fuel mix ratio? i do 50:1 and am wondering if that contributed. as well as how to tune a saws carb with mods like this.

thanks

 

[jackjcc]

Plenty of vids on YouTube that describe taking apart the 346 and how to tune a chainsaw. Just search it, and get all the tools you will need and follow along.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blsnelling]

Let's see some pics of the piston and cylinder.

 

[treeninja49]

yea i watched a video on how to do it i just need to get all the parts I need. which piston and cylinder do you reccomend? I have an amazon gift card i bet i can get everything i need on there

 

[treeninja49]

also i need to get like parts washer and all that off amazon as well...i have tools to do everything though which is good. anyone feel like making me a wishlist lol

 

[smokey7]

That's not so bad... please don't use a aftermarket p&c kit. Get a oem piston and rings.

 

[SawTroll]

The most likely causes that this happened is a too lean carb setting, an air leak, or straight gas (50:1 is not the cause).

Try to identify the reason before taking the saw apart. Make sure you fix what caused it.

There likely are aluminum transfer in the cylinder, and that has to be cleaned away. Hopefully the cylinder can be saved that way.

If the cylinder can be saved, get an OEM piston kit, alternatively a 44.3mm Meteor one. If not, get an OEM P&C kit, they aren't that expensive in the US, so there is no good reason to use an aftermarket cylinder - there are a lot of real crappy ones out there that fit the saw, but are very far from the OEM.

 

[CascadeHusky]

Does it run?

Did you see piston when you bought it? Before you simply blame yourself for tuning, you'll want to pressure/vac test in case you bought someone else's mistake. I agree with Troll..50:1 will not quickly toast a top end. It *might* cost some hours over a saws life though.

A OEM cylinder assembly(with piston) can be had for around $100, a OEM piston for $60. Most newbies would be much better off spending the $40 extra. And if later you turn into a fanatic, you'll have an extra cylinder to play with.

But if money is very tight, I'd go with this from member Definitive Dave for $38.50 shipped. Or contact him to buy direct, maybe he can sell for less if you skip ebay fees.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/221663381281?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

 

[treeninja49]

I Bought it a few years ago and it sat i never tested it. dumb move i know. 40 dollars difference isnt an issue as long as like you said I dont re-damage it upon the first pull again. If i change the piston and cylinder and re tune it and start it with a good fuel mix will I be fine? or are there other things I need to test to make sure I dont damage the new piston and cylinder I will be installing.

 

[treeninja49]

also what do you think of this ? I just want to make sure im getting the right cylinder. and if someone could maybe reccomend some parts washing stuff and any oil/grease i need to order as well? im going to follow this guide i guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Husqvarna-3...180417?hash=item41aae79ec1:g:RgMAAOSw41xXOeDf

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

That's pretty much what you want. Oem pistons are still $85-$95 depending on where you buy them so there's no reason to not buy a whole kit.

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

It's good to do as much cleaning as you can before removing the cylinder. An air nozzle, gas mix and a toothbrush...I don't use pressure washers but some do. As far as cleaner you want to rinse the crankcase out with gas mix before reassembly, and some sort of cleaner like carb cleaner to make sure the mating surfaces, case bolt holes, and cylinder mount screws are clean of any grease or oil.
The cylinder and piston will be plug and play. Use two stroke mix oil for lightly lubricating the rings and bearings for reassembly.
I strongly recommend finding a member from the site or taking to a reputable shop for tuning.

 

[treeninja49]

thanks jim, sorry if these are dumb questions but ive never done anything like this. I can beat a large white oak down though...

so aside from that ebay link above is there anything else I need to get?
is there anywhere else i should use the carb cleaner besides all the bolt holes and screws??

and just to be sure what gas mix do you use exactly to clean? im glad i dont have to buy any special solvent if this is the case. I am sort of afraid I will get gas somewhere I shouldnt though..I suppose I have to just strip her down entirely so its just the crankcase itself right lol.

i got thissss, still havent even ordered the part yet i feel I have more learning to do.

 

[blsnelling]

also what do you think of this ? I just want to make sure im getting the right cylinder. and if someone could maybe reccomend some parts washing stuff and any oil/grease i need to order as well? im going to follow this guide i guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Husqvarna-3...180417?hash=item41aae79ec1:g:RgMAAOSw41xXOeDf

Contact Spike60 here. He sells that topend for less.

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

You can dunk the entire saw in gas and not damage anything unless there is ethanol in the gas. It would also be a good idea to rebuild the carburetor and you can use a little carb cleaner to clean it off before you install the new kit. Do not spray the carb with cleaner after the new kit is installed, it will stiffen the new metering diaphragm.
1 1/4 turns on both screws and it should end up near the right tune. If it's an HDA carb the metering lever is flush with the outer carb body. Any straight edge longer than two inches will work as a gauge.

Don't spray carb cleaner anywhere on the saw. Use a Q-tip to wipe the base surface and clean the screw holes. The cleaner will bubble the paint inside the crankcase..so will starting fluids. It will also damage rubber and certain plastics.

 

[SawTroll]

I Bought it a few years ago and it sat i never tested it. dumb move i know. 40 dollars difference isnt an issue as long as like you said I dont re-damage it upon the first pull again. If i change the piston and cylinder and re tune it and start it with a good fuel mix will I be fine? or are there other things I need to test to make sure I dont damage the new piston and cylinder I will be installing.

You will need to make sure there isn't an air leak somewhere.

 

[treeninja49]

thanks will do, and what about the bearing that goes in the crankshaft there..is that something i can clean or should i replace it since im opened up the saw anyways.

 

[SawTroll]

also what do you think of this ? I just want to make sure im getting the right cylinder. and if someone could maybe reccomend some parts washing stuff and any oil/grease i need to order as well? im going to follow this guide i guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Husqvarna-3...180417?hash=item41aae79ec1:g:RgMAAOSw41xXOeDf

That's about a 345, and not a 346xp - and there are a lot of differences between those two models, as the 345 has a plastic case and a clamshell style engine.

 

[jr27236]

I have learned over the various projects I have done, NOT to order parts until you entirely complete the break down, because you may and most likely will come across other gaskets and such that may need replacing.
Treeninja, where do you live? There may be a member close willing to help you out.

 

[treeninja49]

ah ok i assumed they were close enough i could figure it out heh. I am in no huge huge rush on this so I can take the time to learn it as I find it very interesting. but i do have a medium removal coming up I would love to use it on...

I live in Boston btw.