New saw - Husqvarna 55 + question

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NH_Wood

Minister of Fire
Dec 24, 2009
2,602
southern NH
Hi everyone,

Just scored a very nice - lightly used Husq 55 for $70! Compression is reading at 170! Actually, it's a bit of a bear to pull over with the compression so high - I think a decomp valve would lighten the strain on the recoil. The saw has no decomp valve now, but there is a machined opening in the cylinder to accept one (the opening is absolutely clean - I don't think there was ever a valve installed, but not sureh. I've see some 55's with the decomp valve- so........can I just buy a valve and install, or is there more work to do to allow the valve to work? Thanks! Cheers!
 
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I've see some 55's with the decomp valve- so........can I just buy a valve and install, or is there more work to do to allow the valve to work? Thanks! Cheers!

Hmmmm. I remember the 55 as having a decomp but I started my career just as the 55 was being discontinued. I'd imagine you would have to drill through the cylinder wall to get the decomp functional unless there is a plug installed. If you have a plug, then just popping a valve in should work.

55 Rancher is a great firewood saw, better than it's replacement IMO, the 455R.
 
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Some 55's had them. My 55 didn't.

But if you've got a threaded plug in the cylinder buy a decomp and throw it in. I wouldn't go through the trouble of drilling and tapping the cylinder unless you were breaking things.
 
Thanks guys - place for decomp already tapped - so, I'm guessing I can just install - wasn't sure if there was extra work to do before installing - thought that compression might be low if no valve was installed in a tapped space, but since the compression is so high, I figured there might be something extra to do. If I keep this saw, I'll likely by one and try it out - or, just get used to the compression - much harder to turn over than my 362 (without the decomp). Cheers!
 
Thanks guys - place for decomp already tapped - so, I'm guessing I can just install - wasn't sure if there was extra work to do before installing - thought that compression might be low if no valve was installed in a tapped space, but since the compression is so high, I figured there might be something extra to do. If I keep this saw, I'll likely by one and try it out - or, just get used to the compression - much harder to turn over than my 362 (without the decomp). Cheers!

So there's a plug in the hole that is already tapped? If not, then it must not be open to the cylinder and would need to be drilled before installing a decompression valve.
 
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So there's a plug in the hole that is already tapped? If not, then it must not be open to the cylinder and would need to be drilled before installing a decompression valve.

No plug in the tapped hole, so that was my thought too - there would be low compression without the valve installed if the tapped hole was 'functional' for a decomp valve. But....I also wondered whether the opening has a mechanism that remains shut unless a decomp valve is present and pressed to release compression. If needs drilled, I'll deal with the high compression - for a smaller saw, it has the highest compression and is the most difficult to smoothly turn over that I've had, but I've only had up to 65cc saws! Cheers!
 
But....I also wondered whether the opening has a mechanism that remains shut unless a decomp valve is present and pressed to release compression.​

I highly doubt this. If that were the case, it would make more sense for the company just to install the decomp valve on every unit.
 
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I agree - but, at the same time, why tap for a decomp and not install? Seems clear there was never one installed in this saw - the machining is spotless. Cheers!
 
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