New (reconditioned) Husqvarna

[jatoxico]

Now that I'm ahead wood wise I figure I need to bring in 2-3 cords a year to maintain. So
I bought a reconditioned 435 for light scrounges and work around the house. Supposed to be here today.

I'm aware of the whole D screw fiasco but since I have not laid eyes on it yet I'm not sure how I will adjust if I need to (fuel line??). Figuring I may not be able to on day one at least. Anyways, naturally I want to fire it up and see what I get. My only concern is that it arrives overly lean and I could damage it before I have a chance to get adjusted. I've heard they come lean from the factory and then given it's a recon who knows?

Any thoughts on how to best assess the situation based on how it runs? Run it and check the Plug?

 

[Jags]

I suggest a few searches on youtube. There are some pretty good videos on how to tune a carb and what to look and listen for. I suggest video, because the proper "4 stroking" of the motor is best to be heard not described. Watch a few cuzz there are a few dim light bulbs that have tried to put out video, also.
There are also videos on how to eliminate the limiter tabs on the carbs.

 

[smokinj]

Hard to be lean if your in wood. More pressure on the saw will fatten it right up. NO FREE SPINNING LIKE IN THE MOVIE.

 

[jatoxico]

Thanks guys, I know enough to clean and tune my stuff well enough to keep things running but I'm no expert and just don't want to screw it up before I even get started. Little PO'd though. It came today but w/o the bumper spikes and there are links in the chain that would have to be forced in order to be inserted into the bar groove. From what I can tell the bar and chain are correctly matched.

Considering they both appear to be brand new I thought I could install it loosely and carefully break it in. Problem is as it loads up the bar guides sink in and it gets so tight it can't even spin it in the bar at all. Makes me a bit nervous that there's a bigger issue since I would have hoped it could grunt it's way through. Poured some chain oil on the bar directly but no dice. Never had a chain be that tight. That's not normal right?

While idling the clutch/brake area started to smoke. Wasn't running long so I'm guessing it was just residual oil but had to break down the chain brake mechanism to get that to operate. *Sigh*. Not 100% sure the clutch housing isn't touching the chain stop strap or whatever it's called even when the brake is off. Finally took the chain off to see how it ran w/o load and seemed alright but prob needs tuning. Tough to tell w/o some load on it. This one may be going back.

 

[aussiedog3]

Now that I'm ahead wood wise I figure I need to bring in 2-3 cords a year to maintain. So
I bought a reconditioned 435 for light scrounges and work around the house. Supposed to be here today.

I'm aware of the whole D screw fiasco but since I have not laid eyes on it yet I'm not sure how I will adjust if I need to (fuel line??). Figuring I may not be able to on day one at least. Anyways, naturally I want to fire it up and see what I get. My only concern is that it arrives overly lean and I could damage it before I have a chance to get adjusted. I've heard they come lean from the factory and then given it's a recon who knows?

Any thoughts on how to best assess the situation based on how it runs? Run it and check the Plug?

I have a 435.
May I ask what the D screw fiasco is?
I have not had any issues with my saw, sounds like some folks may have.
Thanks

 

[jatoxico]

I have a 435.
May I ask what the D screw fiasco is?
I have not had any issues with my saw, sounds like some folks may have.
Thanks

Here in the US the carbs have been made "tamper proof" so that the owner cannot adjust their own equipment. Husky will not sell the tool needed to make the adjustment, you are supposed to go to an authorized dealer, because the kid behind the counter is an expert w/ an engineering degree from MIT .

BTW how do you like the 435? Should I bail?

 

[dougand3]

You can adapt a socket into a D - dremel the inside. May have to grind some outside off, too. Seems like it was 3/32" but check for yourself.
More invasive is: dremel the shroud and screws to take a small flathead, once you have limiters off.
When you're done, turn around and give the EPA the finger.

 

[HDRock]

I got a reconditioned 445 and it turned out to be a great saw I got my adjustment tool before I got the saw for 12 bucks.
You can still get the little tool but it Will probably cost you 25 or 30 bucks

 

[jatoxico]

I got a reconditioned 445 and it turned out to be a great saw I got my adjustment tool before I got the saw for 12 bucks.
You can still get the little tool but it Will probably cost you 25 or 30 bucks

Oh really where did you find it? I have not looked yet.

 

[HDRock]

Oh really where did you find it? I have not looked yet.

I bought my saw from here, http://stores.ebay.com/Pantano-Power-Equipment
I paid $210 for my 445
Another good place other people on the forum have bought from, here, http://www.vminnovations.com/search...sort=titleaz&gclid=CPrxqqLik70CFcg7MgodbA4AQg

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Hard to be lean if your in wood. More pressure on the saw will fatten it right up. NO FREE SPINNING LIKE IN THE MOVIE.

I gotta disagree with you. A saw will run leaner the more load there is on it. If it is 4 stroking out of the cut and cleans up in the cut the tune is close. It should 4 stroke at WOT out of the wood. Unmodified saws should be tuned with a tach. Personally I set them 200-300 RPM under max.

Here is an excellent how to with sound clips.

(broken link removed to http://www.madsens1.com/saw_carb_tune.htm)

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Thanks guys, I know enough to clean and tune my stuff well enough to keep things running but I'm no expert and just don't want to screw it up before I even get started. Little PO'd though. It came today but w/o the bumper spikes and there are links in the chain that would have to be forced in order to be inserted into the bar groove. From what I can tell the bar and chain are correctly matched.

This sounds like the gauge of the chain does not match the bar.


Considering they both appear to be brand new I thought I could install it loosely and carefully break it in. Problem is as it loads up the bar guides sink in and it gets so tight it can't even spin it in the bar at all. Makes me a bit nervous that there's a bigger issue since I would have hoped it could grunt it's way through. Poured some chain oil on the bar directly but no dice. Never had a chain be that tight. That's not normal right?

Something is very wrong.

While idling the clutch/brake area started to smoke. Wasn't running long so I'm guessing it was just residual oil but had to break down the chain brake mechanism to get that to operate. *Sigh*. Not 100% sure the clutch housing isn't touching the chain stop strap or whatever it's called even when the brake is off. Finally took the chain off to see how it ran w/o load and seemed alright but prob needs tuning. Tough to tell w/o some load on it. This one may be going back.

Oh my, smoke coming out of the clutch is real bad. The chain brake wasn't on was it?

I wonder about the pitch and gauge being compatible between the chain, drive sprocket and bar.

 

[aussiedog3]

Here in the US the carbs have been made "tamper proof" so that the owner cannot adjust their own equipment. Husky will not sell the tool needed to make the adjustment, you are supposed to go to an authorized dealer, because the kid behind the counter is an expert w/ an engineering degree from MIT .

BTW how do you like the 435? Should I bail?

Love my 435, zippy, powerful, love the antivibration stuff on it. Like holding a little dirt bike engine in your hands.

 

[smokinj]

Lol I can stall an 880 push your saw in a cut it does not lean out!

If your not running a tach on your saw you may want to learn to tune by ear.

 

[jatoxico]

So I finally got all the parts that were either messed up or missing which included bumper (bucking) spikes, new clutch/brake cover and new chain. I also bought the carb tool.

I had the saw running before w/ no chain (old chain was damaged) and it was all over the place, idle normal then start revving all by itself, stalling, bogging...all w/ no chain so no load.

Put new chain on and everything together and tried again, same stuff. Oil and unburnt fuel dripping all over exhaust.

Took the adjusting tool to the low and high sides to seat them and then wanted to back them off 2 turns each as a starting point. The low side was 6 1/2 turns out! High side not much better. Turn them out 2 turns and start the saw. It's idling way too high. Turn the idle adjust counter clockwise to lower idle, saw starts revving higher?? Turn back saw slows?? Only way to get idle down is to turn fully clockwise. Try messing w/ L and H to get something near right but still saw has a mind of its own, revving, slowing, bogging with throttle, not bogging w/ throttle. Go to bed confused, thinking air leak??

This am try again. This time I pop the cover and look at carb as I turn idle screw counter clock wise. Throttle closing like I expected, hmm. Before starting I back the idle screw almost all the way out and put the L and H screws 1 1/2 2 turns out. Start the saw runs OK. Set the L side and adjust idle couple times. Get the H side adjusted while cutting trying to get 4 stroke sound. Not perfect yet (I'm new to this) but saw is running much better and I can adjust idle screw and it holds idle where before it doing whatever it wanted.

Long post I know but there's a point. Saw to me was way out of adjustment. L side set super rich which I guess explains oil/fuel from muffler and idle screwed down all the way to get it to run.

What I can't figure is how I was able to give it any throttle before (with the trigger) and rev the saw if idle screw was set to wide open throttle. Have to look at how that works again but its raining hard and the saw is pretty happy so I don't feel like messing with it again right now. Any thoughts on how that could be? I looked on the Zama site and they recommend the throttle adjustment be set all the way in as a starting point?? Am I doing something wrong here?

 

[dougand3]

I assume you're working from this....http://www.zamacarb.com/tipspage.html

Idle screw / TAS is tapered. CW (in) revs engine higher. Observe how the throttle plate moves more open by being pushed by fatter part of taper as screw moves inward = increased engine idle. CCW decreases engine idle - thinner part of taper.

 

[jatoxico]

Thanks Doug that explanation helps and you got it, that's the Zama page I saw. I noticed it was not your typical idle adjuster screw but need to look again. Funny how a racing engine takes your focus away.

I'm guessing even with the TAS all the way in, there must still be some travel left in the throttle? Still puzzled but I suppose once I leaned it out by turning in the L side adjustment screw to a normal position the TAS began functioning as it should but being set wide open, it caused it to race. Also explains why when I first was running the saw any time it began to run out of gas, the lean condition caused racing too. Was going through a lot of fuel and blowing a ton of oily smoke with the L side 4-5 turns too rich.

Hope I'm right and it's not a faulty carb but it's running decently now. Need to do some cutting and see.

 

[dougand3]

Sure, lots of throttle left even with Idle screw all the way in. Idle screw diameter is only ~1/8" = all you can alter idle. Total throttle plate movement is maybe 5/8" - 3/4" inch. A digital tach is a good tuning tool. You can get them on ebay for ~$12. Here is one I had on a 2 cyl garden tractor and switched it to 1 cyl for small 2 strokes. I think it will switch to 4 cyl, too.
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hour-meter-tachometer-tach-digital-LCD-KTM-atv-motorcycle-dual-sport-Boat-New-/121306320430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c3e6b8e2e)

Check RPM data...but most I've seen are 2800 idle and 10k-12k WOT.

 

[jatoxico]

Sure, lots of throttle left even with Idle screw all the way in. Idle screw diameter is only ~1/8" = all you can alter idle. Total throttle plate movement is maybe 5/8" - 3/4" inch. A digital tach is a good tuning tool. You can get them on ebay for ~$12. Here is one I had on a 2 cyl garden tractor and switched it to 1 cyl for small 2 strokes. I think it will switch to 4 cyl, too.
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hour-meter-tachometer-tach-digital-LCD-KTM-atv-motorcycle-dual-sport-Boat-New-/121306320430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c3e6b8e2e)

Check RPM data...but most I've seen are 2800 idle and 10k-12k WOT.

Good idea on the tach. Did not know they were that cheap. Could use it for my generator too which I suspect is running a hair under 3600.

 

[jatoxico]

So I got the little 435 tuned pretty good. Got that big locust I was posting about down and started bucking it up. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/bucking-a-leaner-locust-rate-my-plan.122488/ First to admit I'm not very experienced. Cut the crook as planned to get it down on the ground. When the big ole girl let go it got my attention. Still after looking it over good and much reading here and elsewhere the job came off easy. Bought a wedge (never used one before) and that's a godsend for bucking.

It's more tree than the 435 is made for so I'll take it easy. All in all decent deal I think.

Saw $162.00
Carb tool and Husky chain file $40.00
Husky Chaps and plastic wedge $55.00

When I'm all geared up it almost looks like I know what I'm doin'.