Bad crank seals on a 445 Husqvarna chain saw

[Tom in TN]

I've never gone inside an engine on a chainsaw so I'm really in the dark. Two months ago I took one of my chainsaws to an ACE Hardware that repairs small engines. The saw had been starting and running very well up until the day before I took it in. On the day I took it in, I couldn't get the engine started. Today, I got a call from them saying that my chainsaw was irreparable because the crank seals are bad and it costs more for the parts than the chainsaw is worth.

I THINK that the seals are in integral part of the crankshaft so I'd have to buy a unit that includes the crankshaft, seals, and something else that looks like a cover for the ends of the crankshaft.

So, what do you think? Is it possible to just get the seals and install them without buying the crankshaft? And most importantly, is it worth trying to fix this 10 year old saw or should I just bite the bullet and buy a new one?

Thanks for any advice.

Tom in TN

 

[M-MAN]

Seals will be replaceable. Go to one of the online parts places and look up your model number.

 

[Duner Wi]

This is 445 but maybe not your year range.
Item # 3 part number 544013801 $12.59 each
https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/manufacturer/husqvarna/chain-saws/445-2011-07/crankshaft

 

[Steve@Advance]

Never had a Husqvarna apart, but the ones I have all had replaceable seals.

Next question, were the seals really bad? That happens, but not a real common failure.

And what are they going to charge you for tearing it down? And maybe they didn't take it apart, all the better! Might ask how they come to the conclusion they were bad, just to see if they even know... (It's quite involved, requires blocking the exhaust and intake ports and pressurizing the crankcase.) Then you can either try to repair it yourself, or get a second opinion.

They generally are not difficult to work on.

 

[Tom in TN]

Duner,

Thank you for that information. I'll look at my saw tomorrow and see if I can find a serial number/date of manufacture. The place that worked on my saw told me that the seals were an integral part of the crankshaft and could not be replaced individually. I doubted that fact, and you've shown that they apparently are available. Thank you.

Tom in TN

 

[Duner Wi]

I doubt seals of crankshaft but cannot say for certain as I don't know build date or serial.
Unless you really have to stay on the good side of these guys I might point out that seals are sold separate if indeed they are for you saw.

 

[Phil Tibbetts]

Like most dealers these days, they don't want to fix anything , just sell new junk.

 

[T in NE]

It depends on how badly your dealer wants to sell a new saw. ]
My dad had a hard-starting Stihl, his dealer told him it needed a carb and it costs as much as a new saw, so he got one and gave that one to me.
Took it to North Platte and $70 later, new carb, new plug, tuned, and full of gas.
Similar story with a 262xp husqvarna. Took it to mccook, would hardly run, adjusted carb and new spark plug and $70 later, it ran through almost a half tank of gas.
Took it to North Platte, and it was $85, they found something else they fixed when changing the carb.

 

[Phil Tibbetts]

I would have called then an out and out liar and not do any business with them. Most likely will lie about almost anything.

 

[Bret4207]

Take the saw to a real chainsaw mechanic and have it tested. The seals may or may not be bad. There are any number of other things that will make a running saw into a non-runner overnight, but seals are generally one of those "performance dies off over a period of time" type of things. I have not heard of a Husky with integral seals on the crank either, but I won't say it couldn't be possible. But this diagram shows separate seals available as individual parts. Not a real hard repair either.

https://www.partstree.com/models/445-husqvarna-chainsaw-2011-07/crankshaft-6/

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

(quoted from post at 00:05:34 05/27/21) Like most dealers these days, they don't want to fix anything , just sell new junk.

Like most customers these days, you expect service people to work for free.

A brand new Husqvarna 445 can be had for about $350.

$350 gets you the new seals, and about 2-1/2 hours of shop time. Can the seals be done in 2-1/2 hours? Most modern saws have to be completely disassembled and the case split to replace the crank seals.

When all is said and done, you have $350 into an old saw that is still an old saw. Smart math says if you're going to spend $350, get the new saw with the new warranty.

It's worth it to try replacing the seals yourself, just don't complain that shops don't want to work on anything. They will gladly work on it if you insist, but it's not the wise choice.

 

[K Effective]

There are several YouTube videos of guys replacing the crank seals in a Husky, even a 445 exactly, if I remember.

I watched to see how he got the carb off, as I needed to clean mine and the removal steps were not clear to me. By then, I was hooked and watched the whole thing through.

IF your two options are buy new at $350, or try to tear yours apart and put it back together with $25-50 worth of new parts, seems like cheap entertainment and possibly a good learning opportunity.

 

[showcrop]

I agree with Phil. He didn't want to admit that he makes enough on his labor to make the bill more than the saw is worth, so he tried to shift the blame to Husky.