Pip
ArboristSite Lurker
Thanks Bob. I'll get the cylinder off when I get a minute and snap some pictures of it. I want to do a proper job on this so I'm definitely tempted by getting a new meteor kit.
Cheers
What chainsaw is best for my needs? Husqvarna preferably
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Cheers
A proper job is an oem top.
You wanted a 357xp. Make one.
You wanted a 357xp. Make one.
Pip
ArboristSite Lurker
You not recommend meteor top end kits?
Pip
ArboristSite Lurker
So I've just pulled the cylinder off the piston and it doesn't look great...
First off, I'm not sure what the rod on a chainsaw is meant to look like, but this one seems way too loose. The piston wobbles around loads and the bottom of the rod moves side to side. I've recently rebuilt a quad bike engine and the rod and piston on that was all nice and tight.
The reason for no compression is because the ring has been trapped into the piston grove by something creating a deep score mark. You can see this in pictures.
Thanks guys, look forward to hearing your thoughts
First off, I'm not sure what the rod on a chainsaw is meant to look like, but this one seems way too loose. The piston wobbles around loads and the bottom of the rod moves side to side. I've recently rebuilt a quad bike engine and the rod and piston on that was all nice and tight.
The reason for no compression is because the ring has been trapped into the piston grove by something creating a deep score mark. You can see this in pictures.
Thanks guys, look forward to hearing your thoughts
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Your going to need new bearings and seals Bro . Also with that much slop probably check the crank run out on a trueing stand with a dial indicator . As to the top end , oem cylinder , meteor piston and caber rings . I think the cylinder may still have been Mahle in 2002 . Once done , do a press / vacuum test .So I've just pulled the cylinder off the piston and it doesn't look great...
First off, I'm not sure what the rod on a chainsaw is meant to look like, but this one seems way too loose. The piston wobbles around loads and the bottom of the rod moves side to side. I've recently rebuilt a quad bike engine and the rod and piston on that was all nice and tight.
The reason for no compression is because the ring has been trapped into the piston grove by something creating a deep score mark. You can see this in pictures.
Thanks guys, look forward to hearing your thoughts
Ensure new intake clamp (steel) used and tight . Lots of smart engine builders on this site ! 
Full rebuild, including crank, is in order, imo.
Is their ANY end play in that big end? I think it's junk anyway. Just a guess. A good one.
Is their ANY end play in that big end? I think it's junk anyway. Just a guess. A good one.
Pip
ArboristSite Lurker
Why do you say a full rebuild is due? Just out of curiosity. I'm going to have a more in depth look at it later. If say the rod is actually fine. Why would it need a full rebuild?
Thanks
That rod looks like it’s been somehow grinding on the crank. There are no thrust washers. I don’t know if that is right or wrong..there looks to be heat damage to the bearing and the crank. But pictures can be deceiving.
something large was gouging the cylinder. It may still be inside.
something large was gouging the cylinder. It may still be inside.
The Lorax
ArboristSite Guru
Looks like something let go and has been sucked up the transfers and the piston has caught it.
Someone has stuck in a new piston without checking it out properly.
Put in a new P+C, Crank, main bearings and Seals, Won't be cheap but if you do it right it will be a good saw.
While you have the flywheel off, remove the stator for the heated grips, you won't miss it and its one less failure mode.
Someone has stuck in a new piston without checking it out properly.
Put in a new P+C, Crank, main bearings and Seals, Won't be cheap but if you do it right it will be a good saw.
While you have the flywheel off, remove the stator for the heated grips, you won't miss it and its one less failure mode.
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Yep, that piston was basically brand new, so the last owner replaced it- left something in the saw that shouldn't be in the saw, or failed to tighten something and when he proud as punch, fired the saw up after the rebuild- it tore a great slice out of the piston and as you point out- jammed the ring into the groove.
So your diagnosis is 100% as to why it had no compression.
Movement of the big end of the con rod sideways is normal- there should NOT be any independent travel of the rod in an up/down motion with zero movement of the crank.
Hard to say from your photos, but there looks to be some transfer in your cylinder? Kind of dark streaks running up and down the walls of the cylinder that might be from the original piston burning up that caused the previous owner to replace the piston.
That all needs cleaned up before any new piston/ring go near it again- if it indeed is savable.
Now, whatever that piston ate- might still be in there, might be in many bits and may have scattered those bits around the crank bearings.
You might get away with filling the crankcase with fuel mix, swilling it around, flush out the bearings and case, tip the contents out...... repeat, repeat, repeat....... until clear clean fuel mix comes out. There is a big chunk of debris sitting on the lip of the case now ready to fall in- so all that needs cleaned up anyhow.
This is where it becomes your call as to how far you go- do you call a flushed out crankcase good enough? Or do you pull it right down and start from the bottom up, replace everything that might be worn or damaged, new crank bearings and seals?
Doing the latter means you basically have a "new" saw at the finish- but it a lot more labour/time/money expensive.
Flushing out is a gamble that may or may not work- might work for a while, but gritty bearing wear faster than clean ones.
You have to decide on how far you want to go and the risks you want to take. Could be fixed with a new top end and the bottom end fail sometime down the track- or you do the lot and know the bottom end is good because you installed new parts in there.
Me myself, I would be checking the crank for any play in the bearings, flushing the case and calling it good- but for me, it would not be the end of the world if the bottom end let go a few months down the track, I have plenty of saws to cover this range and the ability to replace bottom end consumables fairly easily.
Again, personally I would put a new Meteor top end on that flushed out case (if the bearings checked out) and get the saw running. That would give me time to check out and clean up the OEM cylinder and if it is salvagable- have a spare up my sleeve for when a burned up 359/357 comes up on an auction site really cheaply.
So your diagnosis is 100% as to why it had no compression.
Movement of the big end of the con rod sideways is normal- there should NOT be any independent travel of the rod in an up/down motion with zero movement of the crank.
Hard to say from your photos, but there looks to be some transfer in your cylinder? Kind of dark streaks running up and down the walls of the cylinder that might be from the original piston burning up that caused the previous owner to replace the piston.
That all needs cleaned up before any new piston/ring go near it again- if it indeed is savable.
Now, whatever that piston ate- might still be in there, might be in many bits and may have scattered those bits around the crank bearings.
You might get away with filling the crankcase with fuel mix, swilling it around, flush out the bearings and case, tip the contents out...... repeat, repeat, repeat....... until clear clean fuel mix comes out. There is a big chunk of debris sitting on the lip of the case now ready to fall in- so all that needs cleaned up anyhow.
This is where it becomes your call as to how far you go- do you call a flushed out crankcase good enough? Or do you pull it right down and start from the bottom up, replace everything that might be worn or damaged, new crank bearings and seals?
Doing the latter means you basically have a "new" saw at the finish- but it a lot more labour/time/money expensive.
Flushing out is a gamble that may or may not work- might work for a while, but gritty bearing wear faster than clean ones.
You have to decide on how far you want to go and the risks you want to take. Could be fixed with a new top end and the bottom end fail sometime down the track- or you do the lot and know the bottom end is good because you installed new parts in there.
Me myself, I would be checking the crank for any play in the bearings, flushing the case and calling it good- but for me, it would not be the end of the world if the bottom end let go a few months down the track, I have plenty of saws to cover this range and the ability to replace bottom end consumables fairly easily.
Again, personally I would put a new Meteor top end on that flushed out case (if the bearings checked out) and get the saw running. That would give me time to check out and clean up the OEM cylinder and if it is salvagable- have a spare up my sleeve for when a burned up 359/357 comes up on an auction site really cheaply.
The Lorax
ArboristSite Guru
Looking closely at the crank web on the last photo, the side closest to the camera looks like the big end of the conrod has been running against it, the big end of the conrod also looks like it has wear that would correspond with the crank web.
Big end also shows signs of heat damage, when rotated is the big end smooth or is there a lot of side to side rocking?
Any play vertically in the big end?
That cylinder doesn't look OEM to me either, I have successfully removed aluminium smeared on cylinders with acid but in your case the damage is actually physical and has led to the piston being damaged as well.
If it was me, I'd do the correct thing and replace with all new parts OEM if possible, aftermarket stuff is a 50/50 bet unless you can see the quality first, not always possible buying online.
It won't be cheap to do it with OEM stuff but at least you will have peace of mind afterwards.
There are a lot of good videos on youtube showing teardown and reassembly Afleetcommand has a great range mainly dealing with the 372xp but all the 3xx series are pretty similar.
Take your time buying stuff, keep an eye on ebay and you will come across the parts eventually for less money than from a dealer.
It depends on how fast you want to get it up and running and how much you value time.
These days people have a lot more time than usual so it might be worth your while to seek out the parts at a good price, try a few saw dealers if they are open they may have stuff available locally.
Big end also shows signs of heat damage, when rotated is the big end smooth or is there a lot of side to side rocking?
Any play vertically in the big end?
That cylinder doesn't look OEM to me either, I have successfully removed aluminium smeared on cylinders with acid but in your case the damage is actually physical and has led to the piston being damaged as well.
If it was me, I'd do the correct thing and replace with all new parts OEM if possible, aftermarket stuff is a 50/50 bet unless you can see the quality first, not always possible buying online.
It won't be cheap to do it with OEM stuff but at least you will have peace of mind afterwards.
There are a lot of good videos on youtube showing teardown and reassembly Afleetcommand has a great range mainly dealing with the 372xp but all the 3xx series are pretty similar.
Take your time buying stuff, keep an eye on ebay and you will come across the parts eventually for less money than from a dealer.
It depends on how fast you want to get it up and running and how much you value time.
These days people have a lot more time than usual so it might be worth your while to seek out the parts at a good price, try a few saw dealers if they are open they may have stuff available locally.
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I agree, it does look like the rod has been rubbing- take a piston out of one of your saws, punch the lips of the ring groove over with a hammer- forcing the ring to one side of the cylinder opening and see how well the con rod centalises on the lower bearing when all is back together.
However, in my opinion (and I can be a bit of a rough bugger) it is not terminal rubbing, if there is no perceivable play in the big end bearing.
@Pip does that piston still have the ring locating pin in it or just the hole where the pin used to be?
Imo it is absolutely terminal, that rubbing rod. The crank is misaligned with the bore...something is f'ed right up. Maybe a new bore will line up?
Huskybill
Addicted to ArboristSite
I hate waiting for a smaller cc saw to cut been there done that, today I’d go with a 372 Xp. Yesteryear I ran the 266 most of the time, for time and speed in cutting is making money.
Huskybill
Addicted to ArboristSite
Looks like a new crank assembly, crank bearings, crank seals, gasket set, piston kit. Fix it right, fix it once and run it.
That rod rubbed the porkchops really heavy, looks like it’s burred up.
That rod rubbed the porkchops really heavy, looks like it’s burred up.
The Lorax
ArboristSite Guru
I don't consider a saw a total loss until the cases are broken or main bearings spun in them.
That's me, some people won't even fit a P+C
That's me, some people won't even fit a P+C
An OEM crank is the only way for a crank. Same with bearings or at least a good brand bearing like SKF. The crank issue starts to make the saw build a wipe out unless you can find a good used one.. ransom spares supply Husqvarna genuine parts. Have a look on there pip and you will see the price for a crank.
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make that five hundred bux...
The Lorax
ArboristSite Guru
I think the UK and Irish markets for saws are a little different to US and CA.
Not as much stuff out here and it goes for a lot of money.
Not as much stuff out here and it goes for a lot of money.
