Very light scoring on new piston. Looking for advice.

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

I rebuilt a Husky 350 last spring with a new Hyway Piston/Cylinder with Caber rings. I loaned out the saw to a family member a few weeks back, and i'm pretty sure it was ran lean in cold weather. When I got the saw back a few days ago I checked the plug color and it was very light. So the next thing I did was pull the exhaust to check the piston. I saw a couple of faint scoring marks on it but the ring looks good. I know it probably wasn't the smartest decision in hind sight, but I had to fire it up to see how/if it would run, so I fattened up both jets, it fired right up, and I did a couple of test cuts in some soft wood after it was warm. The saw fired right up and ran/cut well. I had plans to do a lot of cutting here in the next couple of days, but now i'm not sure if that is a good idea. I would like some opinions as to whether or not I should pull the top end immediately to assess the situation, and possibly avoid more damage, or if it would be safe to run it the way it is since the scoring marks are very faint? Did I catch it in time?

Do any of ya'll have experience with running a saw that has minimal scoring? Thanks in advance

I can provide pics tomorrow if need be.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Not uncommon to see marks on hyway kits, the chamfer...if it even exists, on the exhaust port is not great and can leave marks.

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[rupedoggy]

Richen up the oil ratio and run it

 

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

I took a few pics today.

 

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

Richen up the oil ratio and run it

I appreciate the advice!

 

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

Not uncommon to see marks on hyway kits, the chamfer...if it even exists, on the exhaust port is not great and can leave marks.

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I guess I should have inspected the jug better before installing it. This was my first rebuild so I was and still am lacking in the knowledge/experience department.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

I'll ask...
did you do a pressure/ vacuum test at any time?

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Looks like oil vs smearing.

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[cookies]

wipe it with your finger

 

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

I'll ask...
did you do a pressure/ vacuum test at any time?

Yes, it passed a pressure/vacuum test prior to being started after the rebuild. I actually had to do another base gasket because the first one had a small leak.

 

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

wipe it with your finger

The cleaner pics were taken after I wiped it with my finger. The 4th and 5th are the same spot on the piston before/after wiping.

 

[sean donato]

Run it. I've seen worse that ran just fine. The hyway cylinders typically need a little cleaning up before being tossed on a saw. Call it lesson learned.

 

[Huskyvarnya Saws]

Run it. I've seen worse that ran just fine. The hyway cylinders typically need a little cleaning up before being tossed on a saw. Call it lesson learned.

Thankfully it won't be an expensive lesson this time, worst case. When I pulled the plug it wasn't far from being white, so I feared the worst. The few saws I have dealt with have been either really clean, or completely burned up, so I wasn't sure what to do when I saw the light scoring.

 

[KASH]

Runner you
got nothing to lose.
Kash

 

[drf255]

Run it.

 

[cranman1951]

I agree, run it. I keep a few Poulan Pro's around for people that are too cheap to buy their own. If it comes back dull or running poorly or not at all, they get the same saw the next time in the same condition.

 

[sean donato]

I agree, run it. I keep a few Poulan Pro's around for people that are too cheap to buy their own. If it comes back dull or running poorly or not at all, they get the same saw the next time in the same condition.

I do largely the same thing if I have a free junker laying about. When someone asks to borrow one of my good saws I say, when do you want to use it? Ok I'll be over. There used to be a tussle about that statement, and I normally have a my saw comes with an operator speech, that effectively ends the quibble.

 

[rarefish383]

@HuskyVarnYay , You touched on something I've wondered about for years, so, I'm going to start another thread and ask a question. I'm 4th generation in the family in the tree business. At one time 5 members of our family owned tree companies. I am not saying you are wrong, and I am definitely not saying I'm right. Dad had extra saws on the truck. If a saw went down, crew members were not allowed to waste time working on it, they just grabbed another one, and went back to work. That night Dad would drop them off at the shop and the mechanics would fix them. So, at 65, other than change plugs and clean filters, I've done very little work on them. I'm just starting my first rebuild. So, these are just questions for me to learn. The new thread will be "Tuning Carbs for Seasons"

 

[ericm979]

The piston has very fine ridges on it, it's not perfectly smooth. That's so it holds oil better. The peaks of those ridges are easily deformed. That's what you're seeing here. If the scoring has wiped those out, then you have a problem.

 

[Okie]

I agree, run it. I keep a few Poulan Pro's around for people that are too cheap to buy their own. If it comes back dull or running poorly or not at all, they get the same saw the next time in the same condition.

I do the same, Have some Poulans as loaners. I have one that is really hard to start after the carb is run dry and stored or when it sets overnight and gets cold.
The hard to start one is the one I loan to Bro in Law plus other kin. They rarely ask to borrow a chainsaw again. Do not even care if they bring them Poulans back home, but it returns. they see me using chainsaws is why they even ask. They know better than to ask about borrowing any other tools. I sometimes loan Bro in Law money just so he will stay away for a long time, him knowing that I will ask him for the Money next time I see him.
I have couple of the little S25 Poulans that I keep hid. A diamond in the rough.
Really good little saws. Poulan made these when Poulan made good saws.

About your saws piston. Richen it up and run it. Quit loaning good saws out, Get a Poulan that does not have a primer bulb as a loaner. They are hard to start usually.