What to Do with a Husqvarna 61and a bad piston-cylinder

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dirtcurt

sawsnob
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So I picked up a black top Husqvarna 61 with low time and it appears to have been straight fueled with scoring all the way around the piston/cylinder. I am trying to decide which way to go with the repair. The stock cylinder has open ports and a factory cylinder on Ebay does not have open ports. So the other option I was thinking would be the Meteor 52mm kit. I open to any suggestions and advice on what to build it with. How was this saw with stock parts in it? The PO said it was a beast of a saw. It's so refreshing to work on such a simple saw! I mostly fun build and lately have been doing small Stihl saws that I just really dislike. This one was built so simple! I can find my way around a saw pretty well but do not port or machine too much. So what do you think I ought to do with it?
 
I have a OEM 61 it does alright. I changed all gaskets and seals, crank bearings,fuel and bar oil lines and put a new piston,ring and wrist pin almost a year ago. And a complete clutch cover all OEM parts.
 

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I have a OEM 61 it does alright. I changed all gaskets and seals, crank bearings,fuel and bar oil lines and put a new piston,ring and wrist pin almost a year ago. And a complete clutch cover all OEM parts.
So it's not a "Beast"? It looks great!
 
I have looked at the 272xp cylinders and they don't look close to the 61. Will they work without mods?
Biggest difference is the intake block between the cylinder and carburetor. That part is available aftermarket and works fine. You need at least the block and bolts from a 272. I believe the muffler still works, but I’m not certain on that
 
Kind of depends on how trashed your original cylinder is- if it is scored up through the coating or just suffering transfer from the melted piston.
You might get away with cleaning up the cylinder and new 48mm piston kit.
Being a black top, is it a two coil saw? If you throw a heap of dollars at it turning it into a 61/272 the coils could crap out on you in the near future and the only replacement available new is a copy part from Asia.
272 cylinder is a tight fit under a black cover- easier than a white top, but not as clear as the orange top models and there is different screw placement with the orange cover so not a direct swap on your cases, can be done- but not a straight swap. You have to cobble the intakes to 272 and 272 carb to get full use of the larger cylinder, but with the 61 back top you may have to keep the 61 muffler as the 272 one might be too close to the top cover and melt it.
Also depends on if your intended cutting can be handled easily by a 60cc saw or do you need the 70cc upgrade?
 
So it's not a "Beast"? It looks great!

Beastlyness is in the eye of the sawholder.
If you are used to MS170's or Husqvarna 36's- then yes the 61 will take on the beastly mannerisms if compared to the previous saws.
For a 60cc range saw it does okay, holds its own so to speak. I do not consider it a stand out in the class- after all it is wearing a 272 body with less punching power- but it is an honest grafter for the era it was designed in.
I agree though, @Clyde85 's 61 is a tidy looking example. ;)
 
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