Straight gassed Husky 450...

[KaptJaq]

Straight gassed Husky 450...

What is it worth?

What will it take to make it right?

He ran half a tank of straight gas through a Husky 450. It still runs but barely. He does not want it anymore. It is a Sandy saw, 5 months old. Bought to clean up his property after the storm. What do you think it is worth? How much effort do you think it will take to make it right?

KaptJaq

 

[mikefrommaine]

I've been selling parts saws for 50-75, no bar and chain. They are not that new and missing a few parts here and there but are better saws than a 450.

You can buy an oem piston for $80 from baileys, half that for a chinese one on ebay. And hope the cylinder can be saved. Personally I don't see it being worth it unless you get the saw for free or close to it.

 

[MasterMech]

Part it out.

 

[CaddyUser]

+1 to Mike's comments. If the cylinder is gone, it's not worth much. I picked up a straight gassed 455 awhile back, and it needed both the cylinder and piston. I was lucky, and got an OEM cylinder from eBay for around $60. It was $200+ IIRC from the dealer.

 

[KaptJaq]

It was raining yesterday afternoon so I played. Like I had mentioned, it ran but poorly. Pulled the muffler & spark plug and everything inside was black but did not look scored. Opened it up to find a lot of blow-by but no real damage to the piston or cylinder. Picked up new ring & gaskets, cleaned the cylinder and piston with scotch-brite and kerosene, then put it back together. It runs pretty good. Anybody know what the compression should be once the rings get a chance to set in?

Now what do I tell the owner? Local shop told him it was probably not worth repairing. He figured it was going to be at least a couple of hundred so he told me to do what I wanted with it. My first time pulling apart a modern saw. Only did it because I assumed it would become a parts saw and I didn't really care if I screwed-up.

KaptJaq

 

[KaptJaq]

Just spent an hour bucking a 30"+ oak trunk with it. Other than the green chain it has it did pretty well. A little easier to start than my 460 but has some power in it. Half tank of straight gas and it is not fried? I'm surprised.

KaptJaq

 

[Jags]

Now what do I tell the owner?

Tell him how much you have for time and materials and offer it back. If he has no interest, do with it as you please. Karma - the good kind is good.

 

[KaptJaq]

Tell him how much you have for time and materials and offer it back. If he has no interest, do with it as you please. Karma - the good kind is good.

The full gasket kit was $12, the ring $8. The dealer even put it on the piston as part of the price. Breaking the saw down and putting it back together was more play than work. All you need is a big enough table to spread things out and some small trays to put various related component parts in so they don't get lost or confused.

I'll just hand it back to him with the parts receipt... I already have two saws and this is so similar to my 460 it doesn't add anything for me. And it's not a Stihl pro series so nobody would want to buy it.

KaptJaq

 

[mikefrommaine]

Half tank of straight gas and it is not fried? I'm surprised.

Was the straight gas added to a half full tank? If so it would have been running at somewhere around 75:1, you'll have to check my math. If it had been running on straight gas only I agree it's impressive to have survived.

 

[KaptJaq]

Was the straight gas added to a half full tank? If so it would have been running at somewhere around 75:1, you'll have to check my math. If it had been running on straight gas only I agree it's impressive to have survived.

When he brought it over to ask if I knew why it was running so poorly I dumped about 1/2 a tank of gas into a clear jar. It looked like straight gas. He went back to his house to get the gas can he used and it was not the 2-cycle mix, it was the can he used for his snow blower, a 4 stroke. He said he filled it from empty. I know I drain my saw when I finish for the day and run it dry, he claims to do the same. I'm guessing there must have been something in there. Possibly he had confused his gas cans in the past and the 4 stroke was contaminated with some 2-cycle mix? We'll never know. Whatever, the saw is back in service at minimal cost...

KaptJaq