My Husqvarna 55 rancher chain saw quit

[37 chief]

I was cutting wood today, it was a rather hot day. My saw quit, low compression. On a two stroke that is not good. The heat scuffed up the piston, and stuck the one ring to the piston. I had another cylinder and piston. I have the saw running again. Now I am wondering if I add a little more oil to the gas will the extra oil give me more lubrication, maybe better for the piston? Any two stroke mechanics out there? I'm only going to cut wood in the morning when it's not so hot also. That may be better for the saw, and for me. Thanks to China a new top end is under 35.00. Stan

 

[Janicholson]

A bit more oil won't hurt. Best quality oil is even better. VP Husky, Stihl full synthetic are all good. do not over oil, Jim

 

[stevieb49829]

And clean the oily debris out of it often. The air needs to get from the flywheel out to the fins on the cylinder jug. My recoil rope side (air intake) routinely gets plugged. Compressed air helps, but its best to pull the covers and brush/wipe/wash the gunk out. I've never burned a jug, during 100's of hours cutting fireline in 100+ weather. And like Jim says: only high quality mix oil. Steve (2-61 Ranchers, and a 455).

 

[rustred]

Definitely use more oil . Lack of oil was your problem. In my Stihls I use 40:1 instead of 50:1. I mostly use castrol 2 cycle. Oil.

 

[da.bees]

I suggest you increase oil in the combustion chamber by running a richer carb adj rather than higher % oil to gas in tank. To support that I offer this. A 4 stroke running on lean air/gas mix runs hotter than on proper air to fuel. Heat is what mainly causes the damage. Having said that a rich mixture is difficult to attain with any CARB compliant engine because fuel passages are the very smallest that will allow engine to run. Any time I have a carb apart I slightly increase size of jets. A set of letter bits and pin vice work well and torch tip cleaners do also but I recommend keeping a set strictly dedicated to jet cleaning. A kinked tip cleaner will ruin jets.

 

[Butch(OH)]

Exactly, I would only add that a piston thats scuffed only on the exhaust side is caused by a lean mixture condition while one that is stuffed all the way around could be lean mixture but more likely lack of enough oil. With current fuel qualities and EPA compliant tunes it is imperative that only fresh mid grade fuel us used if using pump gas.

 

[Richard G.]

Stan, an old friend of mine that was a small engine repairman, said always use more oil in the 2 cycles.
If you are really working them, they need it and it definitely won't hurt them in any way.
I run 25 to 1 in my Stihl saw and it just keeps on going.
I had 2 Husky 55's and ran 50 to 1 in them and they both bit the dust way too soon.

 

[johnlobb]

I use Amsoil Interceptor at 50-1 (full synthetic) in all my 2 stroke equipment and have never had a problem...

 

[Harold Hubbard]

Pretty much the only saws I ever burned up were back when everything changed to unleade gas. It took me three rebuilds before I smartened up an started burning hi-test. Now I use non-ethanol, but it isnt easily available around me. Sunoco Ultra 93 is my next choice.

Mix is synthetic @40 to 1.

 

[Russ from MN]

I have heard that too, Jim, that too much oil can cause this. Because I have some saws that are 50 years old, I mix my fuel 3 oz to the gallon, 43 to 1, and always use 91 without ethanol. Maybe non-ox isn't available in California? I know it's really hard to find in Arizona, we are lucky in MN!

 

[Russ from MN]

I guess I misread your post Jim, and I can't seem to edit. I think one problem with too much oil is it lowers the octane of the fuel. I don't have any trouble, but I don't used my saws for a long period of time in hot weather.

 

[Gene Davis (Ga.)]

I ran a saw dealership and also raced 2 cycle Go-Karts for many years. This I learned over the years. Use the recommended mix of a good 2 cycle oil for air cool, not the water engine cooled oil versions for outboard engines and during hot weather a slightly richer mixture of the high speed jet will run cooler. The extra fuel will serve to cool the piston an provide a little more lubricant for the cylinder. When the engine is running full throttle under no load it should sound like a four stroke engine then leans out under a load for best performance.Of course this is just my experience.

 

[DaveBN]

My Husqvarna has a small plate in the hood that you open for hot weather and close for cold weather. It lets more air flow over the cylinder when open. Do you guys have this feature? Have you ever looked for it? I'll bet that was the problem. Mine is a professional saw so maybe others don't have this feature you should look.
Dave

 

[DeltaRed]

I thought that gas powered chainsaws were no longer allowed in California? Only electrics were allowed?

 

[Jimmydog]

My Husqvarna Rancher 460 seized the ring on the piston like wise. It stuck hard on the exhaust port side. There's a guy on YouTube that claims this is caused by not letting the saw get warmed up before using it hard. I've always ran 50:1 per the manufacturer's destructions. I run everything on 40:1 now.

Say what you want about cheap Chinese replacement parts, but OEM parts would have made it cost ineffective to repair the unit. 580$ saw back in service for under a hundred bucks. Gotta like that!

 

[Tgrasher]

I run everything that's 2 cycle on a 32 to 1 oil mix. I run my Husqvarna Rancher hard, cutting oak, hickory, iron wood, and hard maple. I also always shake the gas jug before filling.

 

[37 chief]

Different towns have different rules. My town banned gas powered leaf blowers. People still use them, like me. Stan

 

[2x4]

x2 on shaking the jug

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I agree with the others. Don't adjust your oil ratio. Adjust your carburetor. Maybe even rebuild your carburetor, because it might have something in it that's causing the lean condition that wiped out your piston and cylinder.

 

[DaveBN]

Did you look to see if it has the plate under the hood to let more or less air flow over the engine? I forgot to open mine one summer and the saw got really hot. I figured out the reason before I did any damage to the engine.
Dave