Husky 455 Rancher II (autotune)

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J

jensent

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Apr 22, 2010
158
central Ill
I see that this saw is offered on ebay new in the box. About $370 out the door. This includes shipping etc. I know this is not a current model and that any warranty may be shaky but the price seems good. What is your experience with this saw with or without autotune? I have a Stihl 021 and 360, along with a Dolmar 420 and a Husky 350 that is nearly 20yo.
Tom
 
You can buy a new 455 at Lowes for about $400. Its up to you.
 
Oldman47 said:
You can buy a new 455 at Lowes for about $400. Its up to you.
Click to expand...

That's incorrect. You can buy the 455 with a 20" bar from lowes for $450+tax. I personally ran this saw for over a year as my primary saw and loved it. Pulls a 20" bar fairly well until you bury the nose in hardwood. Given what I've learned since then, I would look for a lightly used one on Craigslist for around $200-$250. I sold mine in really good shape with a brand new chain for $200.

Edit - My 455 wasn't Autotune.
 
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If you want to try autotune, seems like a real good price. One for $365 shipped w/ 20" 3/8 bar says 2 yr factory warranty. Other options are to rebuild the 350 with a 44mm or big bore 45mm top end.
 
Interesting, learned something new today. $370 for an Autotune saw is a great price but where does this fit in your line up if you already have a Stihl MS360?
 
Beware of Hot start problems with AT saws if its NOS.

When I say hot start I mean just Smoking hot.
 
My experience with my Husky 555 is that if I shut it down and move a branch or two into place for the next cut, it starts right up with no trouble. If I wait 5 minutes before a restart, I need to ensure a prime even though it really does not need any choke. If the AT 455 has the same system on it I would expect easy hot restarts.
 
Oldman47 said:
My experience with my Husky 555 is that if I shut it down and move a branch or two into place for the next cut, it starts right up with no trouble. If I wait 5 minutes before a restart, I need to ensure a prime even though it really does not need any choke. If the AT 455 has the same system on it I would expect easy hot restarts.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have some trouble with HOT restarts. If the bar oil is bubbling then she ain't gonna run.

I read an article about a check valve in the carb jamming open and preventing the prime bubble from flushing fuel through the carb.

My 555 is an 11/12 model I think, so kinda the first run, your 555 on the other hand probably has the updated carb.

Hence the NOS. New - Old - Stock
 
Mine was new to me this spring so I can't argue with new vs old. Mine is definitely new.
 
Clyde S. Dale said:
Interesting, learned something new today. $370 for an Autotune saw is a great price but where does this fit in your line up if you already have a Stihl MS360?
Click to expand...
I could use the 455 autotune as a replacement for the Husky 350. I may rebuild the top end as I am having a hard time keeping the muffler in place. The saw is nearly 18yo and others have posted that problem. A new larger piston and cylinder could solve the problem as was suggested earlier. I just rebuilt the 360 as my son scored the top end. We cut firewood for home heating. Use about 10 cords a season myself. Someone is always looking for firewood in our area. I get the wood delivered free by local tree services. I am 70 and retired with plenty of time and family to help.
 
jensent said:
I could use the 455 autotune as a replacement for the Husky 350. I may rebuild the top end as I am having a hard time keeping the muffler in place. The saw is nearly 18yo and others have posted that problem. A new larger piston and cylinder could solve the problem as was suggested earlier. I just rebuilt the 360 as my son scored the top end. We cut firewood for home heating. Use about 10 cords a season myself. Someone is always looking for firewood in our area. I get the wood delivered free by local tree services. I am 70 and retired with plenty of time and family to help.
Click to expand...
70 huh? That's awesome! My FIL is 70 and the only thing he does besides sleep until 2 pm and watch tv is steal my oxygen. He inspires me to NOT be so lazy
 
Oldman47 said:
My experience with my Husky 555 is that if I shut it down and move a branch or two into place for the next cut, it starts right up with no trouble. If I wait 5 minutes before a restart, I need to ensure a prime even though it really does not need any choke. If the AT 455 has the same system on it I would expect easy hot restarts.
Click to expand...

FWIW I have had no such problem with my 460 (also new this spring). I have had full days of cutting behind it and if I start it within 20 min of shutdown its kill switch on, depress valve, and a first or second pull start.
 
My non-auto tune 455 Husky Rancher starts perfectly when cold, but is fussy when hot. It needs a primer squirt with the choke OFF and eventually starts after some swear words get mixed in.

Other than that, I love the saw.
 
fire_man said:
My non-auto tune 455 Husky Rancher starts perfectly when cold, but is fussy when hot. It needs a primer squirt with the choke OFF and eventually starts after some swear words get mixed in.

Other than that, I love the saw.
Click to expand...
Compare that experience to my 555 with autotune. I bucked an 8 inch mulberry tree last evening and kept shutting it down after each 4 or 5 cuts so that I could make sure I didn't get the chain into the dirt by moving things around. Each restart was a single pull with no priming required. I did set the compression release and the fast idle before each restart though.
 
HSBull - Interesting - I'll that for the hot start. I'm pretty sure the owner's manual did not say that, but it makes sense.
 
Look at the paragraph at the top right side of page 19 of the owner's manual.
 
How right you are. I just checked the manual and there it was, top right side of page 19. I can't believe I missed that and have been struggling all these years.

Now I'm gonna have to find myself a scrounge so I can test it ;lol.
 
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