Husky 440E - What's with the case/chain adjuster?

[Jerry_NJ]

I purchased a Husky 440E 16" and have so far only looked at it and started to read a very unfriendly user manual. First, the manual puts all the figures in the front in very small size, must be 16 per page (I can go count, but that is a good estimate), so when reading the how-to text you have to go back to the front of the book to look at one or more figures/pictures that are almost too small to be understood with any detail.

That said, the 440E appears to have a set of snap disconnects to open the case, not the usual 4 screws/bolts holding on the top that gives access to the carburetor and air filter. I'm also used to taking off two large nuts to loosen the bar to adjust the tension, taking the nuts off to change the blade and clean. The 440E has a large dial arrangement that sits about where the bar mounting bolts were on all my past saws, not sure how to use that --- well I haven't really given it enough attention. Any quick advice on the model Husky may put me ahead of the curve trying ot understand the manual.

I say all of this from the perspective that I didn't plan to read the manual as I have operated and still own a number of saws that are all basically alike physically.

 

[MasterMech]

The only advice I have for tool-less chain adjusters is to keep them clean. Blow the mech out with compressed air at the end of each day.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, something I need to improve, keeping saw clean.

I was given a link to a Youtube example of a similar adjuster. It looks all to easy and that's the hurdle I have to get over: a plastic handle and one lock bolt holding the chain bar solid. Yes the usual two bolts are there to match standard bar designs, but it appears the grip is just the crank-down of the adjuster mechanism. Not a great idea in my mind..but I am (after this storm clean up) an occasional user.

 

[Sprinter]

I have the same saw but in 18". I chose that model because of the light weight which is getting more important to me now. I've found the most difficult thing about the adjuster is that it's difficult to align everything up when replacing the bar.

The manual's not great, but I don't think it's that bad. I got my saw from a dealer and he showed me all the stuff I needed to know so the manual isn't that much of an issue.

I like the saw fine and I think you will be fine with it. It starts well once you get the hang of it, but in retrospect, I think I'd probably forget the tool-less adjuster next time. Kind of a pita. And maybe go back to Stihl, but I like the dealer a lot and have other stuff from him and I get free sharpening of blades and chains.

Oh, yeah, and like MasterMech says, blow it out frequently.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, yep, buying from a dealer who knows his product helps a lot.

Thanks for the evaluation, I haven't even put gas in mine new saw yet, and as the daytime temps are now 40'ish I wonder if the standard bar oil is too thick

I looked again at the chain adjuster and screwed the adjuster fully out. I was disappointed the bar/clutch cover didn't just come off... seems one has to apply some prying pressure. Any advice, is there something besides the adjuster mechanism that needs to be taken out/loose?

Western Washington? Sequim? My wife has a sister who has lived in Sequim for over 50 years. He husband was a high school teacher and foot ball coach, must have retired in about 1990. He loved steel head fishing back in the days that area had lost of salmon runs.

 

[Sprinter]

Thanks, yep, buying from a dealer who knows his product helps a lot.

Thanks for the evaluation, I haven't even put gas in mine new saw yet, and as the daytime temps are now 40'ish I wonder if the standard bar oil is too thick

I looked again at the chain adjuster and screwed the adjuster fully out. I was disappointed the bar/clutch cover didn't just come off... seems one has to apply some prying pressure. Any advice, is there something besides the adjuster mechanism that needs to be taken out/loose?

Western Washington? Sequim? My wife has a sister who has lived in Sequim for over 50 years. He husband was a high school teacher and foot ball coach, must have retired in about 1990. He loved steel head fishing back in the days that area had lost of salmon runs.

Don't worry about the oil. I just put some in mine around 40° and it seems fine. Keep the area around the oil plug clean to avoid clogging the oiler passages.

The bar cover comes off by unscrewing the adjuster all the way, just as if it were the usual two nuts. Nothing else. Yours may just be a little sticky new. To adjust tension, just slightly loosen it and turn the thumb wheel. What that does is turn a little rack and pinion to run the bar in and out. It actually works fine for adjusting, but when you put the cover back on after having it off, you have to make sure the mechanism aligns with the hole in the bar which is kind of a pain.

To start, pump the bubble about 6 times, set the choke upwards. That also sets the idle high. Pull until it sputters once then set the choke back down then pull again. It should start that way after a pull or two. Some people like to set the choke about 1/2 way instead of fully down. You'll have to experiment a little but once you dial it in, it should be pretty reliable. It's easy to flood it, though. That's why you want to unset the choke at the first sputter. If you don't catch it sputtering after a few times, unset the choke anyway or it may flood. When it starts, you can pull the throttle to reset the idle. Remember about releasing the brake. To kill it, push down on the choke lever.

I've found this thing to be surprisingly powerful for its size and weight. Keep the chain sharp and it will cut anything the bar can reach, including my 18" in case you ever want to go to 18".

Not in Sequim, we're between Seattle and Portland. Sequim is in a rain shadow and we are, well, not...

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks for the details, it makes me feel familiar without having even pulled the starter rope once. A personal private description settles some what-ifs before I get there and wonder if my machine is working properly. This is my upgrade in saws, I've had only the $100 type saws in the past, of course in 1990 a $100 Homelit was a pretty good saw, at least the 14" one I had worked well - very light duty, but it kept starting, all before the ethanol debacle was foisted on us. I considered a Stihl, only another $50 or so, but the Husky engine claims on low emission and good gas "mileage" made me want to give it a try.

I haven't visited Seattle since about 2003, my wife was there last February to meet up with a lady friend from high school days. No she was not vacationing in Seattle in February, after a couple days there to adjust her clock they flew to Hawaii for a week. She didn't get up to Sequim, I do recall now it has less rain, maybe not more sunshine, but less rain. I joined the Navy Air out of high school and ended up at the Naval Air Station Sand Point (East of the U of W on Lake Washington), met my wife, got married in the base Chapel, got a discharge and earned my BSEE at the University of Washington. That ended my western life (I grew up in the Denver area). We moved east to go to graduate school and work at a great R&D laboratory.

Please excuse my wandering here, but "running" into a fellow North Westerner brings back memories. If I could live my life over I'd try the second time to stay in the West. I worked at Boeing while an undergraduate I didn't even interview for a job there, John Fluke was on my possible list, I did like that company.. I think they are still in business just north of Seattle.

Thanks again, and Merry Christmas

 

[Sprinter]

Thanks for the details, it makes me feel familiar without having even pulled the starter rope once. A personal private description settles some what-ifs before I get there and wonder if my machine is working properly. This is my upgrade in saws, I've had only the $100 type saws in the past, of course in 1990 a $100 Homelit was a pretty good saw, at least the 14" one I had worked well - very light duty, but it kept starting, all before the ethanol debacle was foisted on us. I considered a Stihl, only another $50 or so, but the Husky engine claims on low emission and good gas "mileage" made me want to give it a try.

I haven't visited Seattle since about 2003, my wife was there last February to meet up with a lady friend from high school days. No she was not vacationing in Seattle in February, after a couple days there to adjust her clock they flew to Hawaii for a week. She didn't get up to Sequim, I do recall now it has less rain, maybe not more sunshine, but less rain. I joined the Navy Air out of high school and ended up at the Naval Air Station Sand Point (East of the U of W on Lake Washington), met my wife, got married in the base Chapel, got a discharge and earned my BSEE at the University of Washington. That ended my western life (I grew up in the Denver area). We moved east to go to graduate school and work at a great R&D laboratory.

Please excuse my wandering here, but "running" into a fellow North Westerner brings back memories. If I could live my life over I'd try the second time to stay in the West. I worked at Boeing while an undergraduate I didn't even interview for a job there, John Fluke was on my possible list, I did like that company.. I think they are still in business just north of Seattle.

Thanks again, and Merry Christmas

Well, I guess you know that you just dated yourself if you were stationed at Sand Point. I used to do some landing practice out of Sand Point in the 70's after they decommissioned the NAS but before they tore the runways out. My folks had a great view of it from their house in Kirkland. It is officially a city park now, but one with growing pains.

I've moved around a good deal, but always in the PNW. Now retired, I could go anywhere, but choose to stay here.

Oh, yeah, Sequim is just east of Mount Washington in the northern Coast Range and is largely protected from the marine weather that dominates the rest of W. Wa. It's a very unique micro climate.

Good luck with the saw. Merry Christmas to you too.

 

[MasterMech]

Thanks for the evaluation, I haven't even put gas in mine new saw yet, and as the daytime temps are now 40'ish I wonder if the standard bar oil is too thick

I've found that the heat radiated from the muffler is more than enough to keep standard bar oil flowing through the oiler. Maybe someone who cuts in sub-zero conditions will have a different experience but I will say down to the teens, the oil in the saw has been fine. Pouring the oil from the bottle however.....

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Excellent point, it had occurred to me that the engine heat, not specifically the muffler, might help with the bar oil. In all cases, I believe, the bar oil reservoir and the muffler are at the front. I can say I have at least once burned a finger on the muffler when I didn't bother to put gloves on for just a few cuts. it was really hot ! !

I don't plan to cut even below 32 degrees, but the thickness of the oil even at 50 degrees (as seen when pouring into the saw) made me wonder. Before this thread I had no idea the oil was so complex. I have been guilty of dumping some new engine oil in when I was low on chain oil, and I now recall seeing the oil spraying off the end of the bar.

I've learned a lot here, thanks to all for the expert input. Now all I have to do is remember over those long period (up to 6 months) that I don't even touch a chainsaw.