JB Weld
If it aint broke, it aint mine!
My friend ended up with a burnt piston in his 44 Magnum. One of his boys ran it with straight gas (for a few seconds). 
I told him, to bring the saw on over and we will get her back in action in no time.
So in late October of 2016 he came over to the house, with a box of parts, and we tore the saw down. We were getting ready to install the new piston when my friend realized the new piston kit had the correct diameter piston but wrong sized wrist pin. So I said no worries, let’s just put the saw parts in this box and you can order the correct parts. I had already gotten all the transfer out of the original cylinder, so I thought we were set on GO. Then duck season opened in Arkansas….
Fast forward to last weekend (March of 2017), I was talking to my friend and reminded him that we still had a box of chainsaw parts to put back together. Now I have known this guy for 20 years and we really are friends and I knew that he truly was busier than a one armed wall-paper hanger. So when he started in about how he had this to do and that to do, I just told him to get me the box of new parts and I would get the saw back together for him. It is a small way I can serve my buddy.
NOW it turns out that he has ordered a complete cylinder/piston kit (from Bailys) to install, and I still have a serviceable Stihl jug sitting in my garage. Soooooo I figured this would be the perfect time to try my hand at porting a cylinder. I have successfully restored 7 saws now, ported a bunch of mufflers (on other saws), and am a fair hand at tuning a saw (for a jack-leg hobbyist mechanic). I am a scientist by trade, and am used to doing exacting work at the bench. I have been reading a bunch on cylinder porting and I have the necessary tools, so I think I am going to go for it! I know just enough to be dangerous! Haha. I figure that if I screw it up and ruin the piston/cylinder, I can slap the new cylinder on the saw and still get some valuable experience for the cost of a new piston kit.
It is funny; I always figured that the first cylinder I started cutting on would be from more of a “homeowner” type saw. So what do you guys think….go for it, or just put it all back together stock and look for a Poulan cylinder to cut on? If I go for it, should I cut on the aftermarket cylinder or the original Stihl cylinder (IIRC I think the aftermarket kit is from Bailys)? Probably not going to worry about the squish and just go back with original base gasket. I figure that it will be plenty to open up just the intake and exhaust ports. Any advice would be welcome in the Garage of Repair and Despair.
I told him, to bring the saw on over and we will get her back in action in no time.So in late October of 2016 he came over to the house, with a box of parts, and we tore the saw down. We were getting ready to install the new piston when my friend realized the new piston kit had the correct diameter piston but wrong sized wrist pin. So I said no worries, let’s just put the saw parts in this box and you can order the correct parts. I had already gotten all the transfer out of the original cylinder, so I thought we were set on GO. Then duck season opened in Arkansas….
Fast forward to last weekend (March of 2017), I was talking to my friend and reminded him that we still had a box of chainsaw parts to put back together. Now I have known this guy for 20 years and we really are friends and I knew that he truly was busier than a one armed wall-paper hanger. So when he started in about how he had this to do and that to do, I just told him to get me the box of new parts and I would get the saw back together for him. It is a small way I can serve my buddy.
NOW it turns out that he has ordered a complete cylinder/piston kit (from Bailys) to install, and I still have a serviceable Stihl jug sitting in my garage. Soooooo I figured this would be the perfect time to try my hand at porting a cylinder. I have successfully restored 7 saws now, ported a bunch of mufflers (on other saws), and am a fair hand at tuning a saw (for a jack-leg hobbyist mechanic). I am a scientist by trade, and am used to doing exacting work at the bench. I have been reading a bunch on cylinder porting and I have the necessary tools, so I think I am going to go for it! I know just enough to be dangerous! Haha. I figure that if I screw it up and ruin the piston/cylinder, I can slap the new cylinder on the saw and still get some valuable experience for the cost of a new piston kit.
It is funny; I always figured that the first cylinder I started cutting on would be from more of a “homeowner” type saw. So what do you guys think….go for it, or just put it all back together stock and look for a Poulan cylinder to cut on? If I go for it, should I cut on the aftermarket cylinder or the original Stihl cylinder (IIRC I think the aftermarket kit is from Bailys)? Probably not going to worry about the squish and just go back with original base gasket. I figure that it will be plenty to open up just the intake and exhaust ports. Any advice would be welcome in the Garage of Repair and Despair.
(and learn something while I am at it.) I will get some pictures posted this weekend.
