Thread: show us your chainsaws

I hear that, my take on most 4stroke oils is run to the quoted spec rigidly - unless you are trying to achieve something specific like trying to extend the life of an engine with tired valve guides or similar that really isnt worth the expense of a full head job so you've elected to run a grade thicker oil... Especially trying to run skinny synthetic in an older engine has never been a goer for me - we got 'basically given' a drum of synthetic engine oil that was rated 10w50 and promised 24k gold sludge flowing from the exhaust. Unfortunately we discovered that claim was a little optimistic, and the blue smoke from the exhaust meant we couldn't see the gold!

2stroke is a little different, as it uses the fuel to carry the oil to where it needs to go 'total loss'. Also, the oil amount is restricted in how much it can do to combat heat - a lot of people run their small engines at half throttle which does two things 1) it reduces the flywheel speed and the amount of air the cooling vanes on the flywheel are pushing over the cylinder cooling fins and 2) it reduces the amount of air/gas moving through the engine and out the exhaust which actually increases the heat buildup on the exhaust side of the cylinder head. If you've got a piston/cylinder showing a lot of nipping up on the clutch side of the cylinder by the exhaust port, that is normally considered to be a lean running at full throttle condition. That condition can also be from not running at full throttle, or running the engine in an 'overload' condition where you are using the cutting tool that is designed for 'X.XKw' at 'YYYYRPM' at full throttle, at a Kw/RPM combo that is quite a bit less than that at anything under full throttle.

so a 15hp 2 stroke motor use for trolling???? a plurry good hoon around a couple of times during the day???

My experience of 2strokes is they don't usually like that much (long periods at idle) although the newer versions and water-cooled 2strokes in general are much happier at lower throttle settings than their air-cooled mates. 4stroke engines are much better all around, with the probable exceptions of initial purchase cost and maybe weight in some circumstances. But, on an older boat I'd still buy it happily if it had a 2stroke outboard that was healthy and in good nick and it's really a 'run what ya brung' scenario in that case - making the best of what you've got!

This is my collection of creamsicles .

She lives again!
Acid dipped the cylinder to remove the bulk of the piston material deposited in the bore after seizure.
Then honed the bore till it was looking as good as I could hope for.
Fitted a new piston, and we’re back in business.
Bought a new 881 to replace this for slabbing, so this one can wear a 36” hard nose for occasional use.


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Originally Posted by MSL

She lives again!
Acid dipped the cylinder to remove the bulk of the piston material deposited in the bore after seizure.
Then honed the bore till it was looking as good as I could hope for.
Fitted a new piston, and we’re back in business.
Bought a new 881 to replace this for slabbing, so this one can wear a 36” hard nose for occasional use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Excuse me piggy backing on this thread.
Have just acquired a log splitter and rather than put a log lifter on it ( running it horizontal) thought I would quarter up rings.
Question is it worth getting a ripping chain for this.
Will be Nitens and Saligna gum heading towards 1m diameter.

For quartering a crosscut chain is fine, you will be cutting fettuccine not chips and it's easy to clog the outfeed and get the rail clogged with shavings so watch your speed or cut at a 45 degree angle

Originally Posted by MSL

She lives again!
Acid dipped the cylinder to remove the bulk of the piston material deposited in the bore after seizure.
Then honed the bore till it was looking as good as I could hope for.
Fitted a new piston, and we’re back in business.
Bought a new 881 to replace this for slabbing, so this one can wear a 36” hard nose for occasional use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My 84 had a lucky escape,started sounding odd then wouldn't start again. The head bolts had somehow backed off and broken the seal . Amazingly there was no damage to piston, bore or any other important little bits so it's back in the mill and on we go . If it had gone buggerup I don't think I would have gotton a new one.

I’ve got another 084 that didn’t have a lucky escape, if the cylinder is salvageable, I’ll put a new piston in it.


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Was cleaning up the 394 and 395 for a "mission" to drop some monster Fastigata's and saw that time has not been kind on the 394, what with its non isolated carb and lots of internal plastics having gone all brittle.

What are the options for barrel and piston for a 'slightly worse for wear' 395" I have enough spare plastics to rebuild her, but alas the barrel is too far gone...MSL knows what I mean

Are the aftermarket kits worth while spending on, or should I just throw a genuine Husky barrel and piston into her??

The aftermarket kits have come a long way, for some saws there is no option, as factory parts are no longer available.
I like to use factory parts, but I’ve also used aftermarket where in the above mentioned situation.
A factory piston/barrel kit for an 084 is close to $1000, aftermarket is more like $300. No harm trying the cheaper one. The factory piston I just installed was $340 I think.


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Originally Posted by XR500

Was cleaning up the 394 and 395 for a "mission" to drop some monster Fastigata's and saw that time has not been kind on the 394, what with its non isolated carb and lots of internal plastics having gone all brittle.

What are the options for barrel and piston for a 'slightly worse for wear' 395" I have enough spare plastics to rebuild her, but alas the barrel is too far gone...MSL knows what I mean

Are the aftermarket kits worth while spending on, or should I just throw a genuine Husky barrel and piston into her??

Do a littler bit of research on the web, the same names keep coming up as the 'good ones' as some of the others get the parts from a few different casting outfits and just slap a coloured box around them it would seem. Caber rings keep coming up as being good, and the other is using the plain 'c' pin clips rather than the ones with ears as they seem to climb out of their groove more easily???

Originally Posted by XR500

Was cleaning up the 394 and 395 for a "mission" to drop some monster Fastigata's and saw that time has not been kind on the 394, what with its non isolated carb and lots of internal plastics having gone all brittle.

What are the options for barrel and piston for a 'slightly worse for wear' 395" I have enough spare plastics to rebuild her, but alas the barrel is too far gone...MSL knows what I mean

Are the aftermarket kits worth while spending on, or should I just throw a genuine Husky barrel and piston into her??

I like the meteor kits, the pistons have caber rings, defineitly better than the huztl or hiway kts

592xp and a Tuatahi work axe

very saucy looking indeed.