Two starting issues with Husqvarna 61

[Wood Doctor]

Did you determine where the fuel hose was getting kinked? I took my 272 cutting yesterday and shuts off in the cut. I have to choke it to start it again. So, either the hose is getting kinked, bad fuel filter, or junk in the screen of the carb. I'd like to find the problem so I'm sure it's ready the next time I cut 24 miles from home. Thanks to the 575 which was a beast yesterday.
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Best thing to do when cutting 24 miles away is to always bring a backup saw. The 575 was a backup? Anyway, the kink I ran into was near the end of the line, which was about an inch away from the fuel filter. That last time that I had the saw worked on back then, the mechanic replaced the fuel line and cut the hose too long. In that case, the fuel filter was OK but the kink choked out the carb's efforts. This saw would always start cold fine and then start shutting down as it warmed up because the kink reforms. If I let it sit for awhile it would start and run for awhile before conking out again.

This same (or similar) thing can happen with a bad fuel filter that is clogging up as the saw runs. A clogged filter will starve out the carb that is trying to pump fuel but cannot get it past the fuel filter, so the engine sputters out. Let it sit for awhile, and the filter lets in just enough fuel to restart the saw, but it will shut down again.

 

[dsell]

Ok, I will look close at the carb area. This was my first time out with the 575, 272, and Poulan 25cva. I also took my husky 50 with 5000 top end. The starter broke on it. The 25 is having fuel issues, so I have some work to do. I was going to sell the 575 and keep the 272, but I changed my mind after running both yesterday.

 

[dsell]

The fuel line is fine. The fuel was cloudy, so I poured it in glass jar. It looked like silicone floating around in the gas. I left it set for an hour and never seen any layers form, but the white stuff settled more to the bottom. I blew out the tank and fuel line and put on a new filter. It seems to be fine now. I checked my other saws and their fuel is clear, so the contaminate must have came with the saw. It started from cold, empty fuel line in 3 pulls, so it's pumping fuel ok.

 

[Bret4207]

Looks like water in the fuel to me.

 

[dsell]

An update to the original post. I received the saw yesterday to check the vent due to erratic idle. The starter and flywheel area was packed with dust/oil. I cleaned all that up and took the starter apart, it was packed with dust. I didn't see any cracks in the pulley. I checked the air gap on the coil, seemed excessive, so certainly not the pulling issue. Pulled the tank vent and tested, it's ok. Pulled the muffler and found the exhaust side of the piston is scored. It's hard to believe this thing is still running.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The piston on mine wasn't scored but it suffered from blow by with carbon all over the left and right sides and the top. Also, the ring gap was huge. Somehow, it ran even though the compression was only 118 psi. Power was way down, so I rebuilt the whole top end. Now it runs fine.

BTW, when you rebuild, the carb has to come off and then has to be refastened before you drop the new cylinder back down. If you bolt the cylinder in without the carb in place, you will have to be a magician to get it together.

Good luck on the rebuild.

 

[dsell]

Thanks for the tip, but I he's not going to spend the money to rebuild.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Thanks for the tip, but I he's not going to spend the money to rebuild.

Hmm... I wonder if he knows that a fine-running, rebuilt Husky 61 would cost about $600 to replace with a saw of the same quality -- probably more. I would rate this saw above a Stihl MS 390, and a Stihl MS362 would run about $800 and a Husky 357 XP would be about $700. Anyway, I'm glad I fixed mine. It's a keeper.

 

[dsell]

Yes, he knows. I recommended a new 365 or my used 272.

 

[dsell]

All the buffers are shot, the brake handle needs some springs I think, and I'd want to split it and put new bearings in if I did it. I figured we'd have $558 in it, and then if the two part coils go bad, maybe another $100 in the future. The plug wire looks bad and I'm not sure if that one unscrews from the secondary coil.

 

[Griffdog1]

I brought an aftermarket set of buffers and between these and good buffers on the saw and ones I have scrounged over the journey I have enough for two saws for about 10 bucks. The after market ones are harder but not too bad.
Don't split the cases unless you need to. Just replace the crank seals unless you have known bad bearings or a leak.
Meteor piston and cabor rings are good - I cant get OEM pistons for my dolmars but the meteors have been fine at a very reasonable cost.
Grab a second hand ignition for a few bucks as a back up - in practice I have found the old husky two piece to be reliable, particularly if the flywheel area is cleaned regularly to allow good air flow.
A 61 running with some second hand or aftermarket parts is better than a broken one sitting on the shed floor.
Having said all of that, having a 61 and a 266 both sitting on the shelf means that the 61 never gets used and I would say that if you are going to the effort go for the doctor and make a 266 out of it. Then again my 120si blows the absolute doors of the 266 and is better made..... 61's are great saws until you have something better on hand to compare them to. 365 is a really good choice for someone who just wants a no fuss cutting saw.