Tale of 3 Husky 55’s

[Redgap]

Last Spring I picked up three Husky 55 carcasses missing various parts. Today for some reason I decided to poke around in them to see if I can maybe make a good one out of them. First one I looked at was missing the muffler, so it was easy to grab a flashlight and see the piston was scored. Took the muffler off the next one and hooray, the piston/cylinder looked ok. I saved the third for last, because it’d spent a winter outside with the plug missing so I figured it was gunnybag. Couldn’t turn the flywheel by hand, so I put a ratchet on the nut and was able to free it up. Took the muffler off and peeked inside...omg that piston/cylinder looked ok too. Need to check compression on the better ones next so I can decide which one to start building back up. Really should get back to work on the 154, 66 and XL-12 first, but stay tuned.

 

[svk]

The impulse grommet goes bad on those so be sure to put a new on one when you resurrect one or two of them.

 

[Redgap]

The impulse grommet goes bad on those so be sure to put a new on one when you resurrect one or two of them.

Thanks much for the heads up, this will be the first time I've gotten this deep into a saw!!

Does my 154 SE (that doesn't seem to want to pull gas) have an impulse grommet too, and if so, is this also prone to going bad?

 

[svk]

Thanks much for the heads up, this will be the first time I've gotten this deep into a saw!!

Does my 154 SE (that doesn't seem to want to pull gas) have an impulse grommet too, and if so, is this also prone to going bad?

I do not believe the 154 has a grommet, I believe the impulse comes through the carb block. You probably need a carb kit.

 

[cranman1951]

The 55's are one of my favorite Huskys to work on...I just turned thee 51's into 55's with piston and cylinder swaps. Like it was mentioned...make sure you replace the impulse grommet..

 

[Redgap]

I do not believe the 154 has a grommet, I believe the impulse comes through the carb block. You probably need a carb kit.

Thanks for the tip. Oddly enough, when I first noticed it wasn't pumping gas, I took a look in the gas tank to see if the hose was in pieces, and to my surprise found that the gas line was pulled up thru the grommet so far that the filter was up against the top of the tank. But even when I pulled the hose back down far enough to reach the bottom of the tank...no gas making it to the cylinder. Next I'm gonna check to make sure the hose or the filter isn't plugged up...then I'll work my way up to the carb. Good thing it's just a hobby and this isn't my only saw...ha!

 

[svk]

You are going to love that 154. Those saws have tremendous power with compact size considering they are nearly 40 years old.

Where did you get the 55's from?

 

[Huskvarna hotellgäst]

Does my 154 SE (that doesn't seem to want to pull gas) have an impulse grommet too, and if so, is this also prone to going bad?

The 154 has a solid intake and impulse block with a gasket on either side which usually don't give trouble if not disturbed.
The 55 and 154 are about the same size and weight but are only half-siblings. The 50(51/55) was designed around existing Partner 500 internals, then the 50 tank was used also for the clean-sheet 154. The top handle & muffler are not identical but interchangeable. Main bearings & seals, clutch & drum are interchangeable.

 

[Redgap]

Update on 55's...

Trying to find out which saws are open or closed port and which to try rebuilding. 2 have decomp valves, so I thought they were both closed ports. 1 of them with a decomp valve is a 1996 with a scored piston on the exhaust side, so I decided that would be the lab rat. Pulled the jug off and discovered...
- there is just scoring on the exhaust side of the piston, which appears to be a 44mm
- the jug isn't as bad, is a Farmertec, and is an open port
- seems to be alot of slop in the bearing when I grab the piston and move it left and right...is this normal or worn out?

Also discovered that the 1 with no decomp valve has 46 stamped in blue on the top of the cylinder....and has 150 psi

Then looked in the spark plug hole on the other 1 with a decomp valve, and looks like it's closed port...and has 150 psi and the top of the piston looks new. I think this might be the best rebuild candidate.

 

[cranman1951]

If they are complete saws, I would rebuild them all....

 

[Redgap]

You are going to love that 154. Those saws have tremendous power with compact size considering they are nearly 40 years old.

Where did you get the 55's from?

If the 154 is anything like my good 257, I'll be delighted.

In a moment of chainsaw addiction I actually bought 7 carcasses out of a big scrap pile....the 55's, a 61, a 2071, a 2145 and a 455...all stripped to some degree with unknown innards.

 

[Redgap]

If they are complete saws, I would rebuild them all....

They're all carcasses with missing parts. I've got 0 recoil starters, 1 top cover, 2 mufflers, 2 good handles....and unknown other missing/messed up parts. I've already got a good 55 Rancher, so if I can frankenstein a good closed port 55 out of these I'll be happy. Then keep the other 2 carcasses as parts for the 2 good ones.

Meanwhile it's a bigger priority to get that 154 running...then my 66 oiling...then my weak 257 converted to 262...then my xl-12 oiling and sold or just sold.

 

[svk]

They're all carcasses with missing parts. I've got 0 recoil starters, 1 top cover, 2 mufflers, 2 good handles....and unknown other missing/messed up parts. I've already got a good 55 Rancher, so if I can frankenstein a good closed port 55 out of these I'll be happy. Then keep the other 2 carcasses as parts for the 2 good ones.

Meanwhile it's a bigger priority to get that 154 running...then my 66 oiling...then my weak 257 converted to 262...then my xl-12 oiling and sold or just sold.

Tackle the oiling issues first, those should be the easiest. Then they are out of the way.