High Quality Chainsaw Bars Husqvarna Toys

Husqvarna 266 question

Stump Shot

Disciple of Monkey's
GoldMember
Local time
10:55 AM
User ID
1377
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
30,974
Reaction score
193,745
Location
Northwoods of Wisconsin
Country flag
According to the IPL etc. story, the 272xp replaced the 268xp as the top model in this "family" early 1991, and was virtually the same saw as a late production 268xp, except for the top end and decals (+ number tag of course).

At the same time they basically put the open port 66 top end on the 268, and called the result just 268 (no suffix). On many markets this 268 open port version replaced the (266 based) 66, but not on all.

In addition they continued to make the 268xp for a while, but called it the 268 Special. At least some of those saws said both XP and Special on them.

An other thing that happened with this model family early 1991 was that the 61 got the one piece coil and case + a lot of other (more or less associated) changes. A larger carb venturi and a larger muffler was part of this.
The top cover still was gray, but not the same one (more room was needed under it). Some time in 1993 the top cover was changed to orange color (not connected to any major internal changes, that I recall.

Production of the 66 and 266xp was transferred from Sweden to the Tomos factory in Koper, Yugoslavia/Slovenia at some point, but I haven't been able to pinpoint it on the time-line (the 66 may have been made there all the time, for all I know). Possibly the pre-1991 61 has been made there as well, and the 162SE certainly has.

Then there are the Brazilian production, concerning the 61 (post 1991 version), 268 (open port version) and 272xp - that should be fairly well known, and still is going on.

The above is "as far as I know" at this point, it isn't necessarily the eternal truth, carved in stone.


...and all wonderful saws.

Was there anything "Special" about the 268 Special? Or was it just a name?
 

SawTroll

Information collector
Local time
4:55 PM
User ID
507
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,515
Location
Troms, North Norway
...and all wonderful saws.

Was there anything "Special" about the 268 Special? Or was it just a name?

The rather erratic way they have used that designation trough the years makes me say it basically is just a name. Some times it was connected to a specific change to the model, some times it seemed like just marketing (nothing really was changed at all).
Anyway, most changes to a model did not lead to that designation being used - and there "always" were a lot of them with Husky (at least from the 1980s and on).

In this case all that changed was its place in the model line-up (+ that it may have been removed from the catalog etc?).
 
Last edited:

Spike60

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
11:55 AM
User ID
835
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
1,895
Reaction score
16,326
Location
Ulster County, NY
Country flag
266 piston will work in that 670. If from Husky, it will supersede up to the 268XP item. They are interchangeable, with the only difference being the 266 piston was a full skirt design.

What makes the 268 Special is..............the decal! :) I think it was on most, but maybe not all open port 268's. Like Niko says, that designation sort of came and went without any clear definition.
 

wcorey

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
11:55 AM
User ID
29
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
4,571
Location
ma usa
Country flag
So then there was both an xp special and just a plain ol special?
Did the xp specials have the newer style recoil?

Don't ask me why I give a chit, lol...
 

SawTroll

Information collector
Local time
4:55 PM
User ID
507
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,515
Location
Troms, North Norway
So then there was both an xp special and just a plain ol special?
Did the xp specials have the newer style recoil?

Don't ask me why I give a chit, lol...

According to the IPLs I am right about what I originally wrote (just checked again to make sure) - the Special was continued production of the XP (and the "plain" 268 was not).
 

Onan18

OPE Sponsor
GoldMember
Local time
11:55 AM
User ID
344
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
4,444
Reaction score
24,735
Location
Georgia
Country flag
According to the IPLs I am right about what I originally wrote (just checked again to make sure) - the Special was continued production of the XP (and the "plain" 268 was not).


Hi Niko! :hello: That is the exact opposite of what I have seen here in the States. I have a plain 268 in the shop right now that was a factory closed port and have seen several 268 Specials that were all open port. Appears things were backwards here, wonder why?
 

SawTroll

Information collector
Local time
4:55 PM
User ID
507
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,515
Location
Troms, North Norway
Hi Niko! :hello: That is the exact opposite of what I have seen here in the States. I have a plain 268 in the shop right now that was a factory closed port and have seen several 268 Specials that were all open port. Appears things were backwards here, wonder why?

Parts may well have been swapped and changed in all those years (about 27 of them at most) - what is in the different saws today may not be what originally was there.
 

SawTroll

Information collector
Local time
4:55 PM
User ID
507
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
730
Reaction score
1,515
Location
Troms, North Norway
Hi Niko! :hello: That is the exact opposite of what I have seen here in the States. I have a plain 268 in the shop right now that was a factory closed port and have seen several 268 Specials that were all open port. Appears things were backwards here, wonder why?

I'm just telling what the IPLs say (and it makes sense as well, a 1991-2 268 (no suffix) and a 1991-2 268 Special would make no sense if the innards were the same).
A lot of parts (including the top end) may of course have been changed trough the years on saws of that vintage + decals may have been placed on saws where they don't belong.

As far as I know 268xp cylinders have been NLA from Husky for a long time, which increases the chance that they have been replaced by something else (like an open port one, or a 272xp one).

When buying a used saw (particularly an older one) it is good advice to check which parts actually are there, and not trust the model designation to tell the story.
 

Tugg

Super OPE Member
Local time
9:55 AM
User ID
2254
Joined
Dec 7, 2016
Messages
107
Reaction score
198
Location
Montana
Country flag
Well after reading all this 266, se, sg, Xp, special, 66, 61, 268, 272, 625, 630, and 670 ,super and champ I think I am more confused then ever and starting to get a little dizzy. I can tell you definitely 266's are very solid runners
 

Stump Shot

Disciple of Monkey's
GoldMember
Local time
10:55 AM
User ID
1377
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
30,974
Reaction score
193,745
Location
Northwoods of Wisconsin
Country flag
Well after reading all this 266, se, sg, Xp, special, 66, 61, 268, 272, 625, 630, and 670 ,super and champ I think I am more confused then ever and starting to get a little dizzy. I can tell you definitely 266's are very solid runners

Best part is, not a bad one in the bunch. And no matter which model or brand, can be repaired to run good with no troubles. Watch the video I posted of Spike 60's saw college for a better understanding of the family ties.
 

wcorey

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
11:55 AM
User ID
29
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
4,571
Location
ma usa
Country flag
Well after reading all this 266, se, sg, Xp, special, 66, 61, 268, 272, 625, 630, and 670 ,super and champ I think I am more confused then ever and starting to get a little dizzy. I can tell you definitely 266's are very solid runners

You forgot the 162se/sg, 166 and super II's, lol...
I still can't quite get a handle on the special, op, cp thing...
 

p61 western

Ol Mudflap
GoldMember
Local time
8:55 AM
User ID
2003
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
28,781
Reaction score
125,243
Location
GFY
Country flag
You forgot the 162se/sg, 166 and super II's, lol...
I still can't quite get a handle on the special, op, cp thing...
Yep still wondering the same thing.
 

Spike60

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
11:55 AM
User ID
835
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
1,895
Reaction score
16,326
Location
Ulster County, NY
Country flag

It would be nice if @Spike60 could take a look at this thread!

The last 351's we received from Husky had the capped port 353 cylinders on them. There is no documentation to support this. It's not in any service bulletins or IPL's, but we got them. The lesson here is that you have to be careful drawing conclusions from older IPL's; particularly the electronic ones. So, while we can go back and look things up to try and solve these puzzles, ya gotta take it all with a grain of salt. Especially where there are model/chassis changes like we are trying to sort out here.

Niko and I have been having some fun with this, in particular whether the 268 Special was closed or open port. Could have been both for all we know. One rule for me is that in most cases, "there's nothing special about the "special". 268 or 365 or 362. One exception that you can rely on is the 50 Special in that it was the break, (1998???), where the crankcase was enlarged to accept the 45 and 46 mm top ends of the 51 and 55. Saws built before that only accecpt 44 mm cylinders. But until I see other wise my feeling is that once the 272XP came out all 268's were open port..........at least in the US market. Other markets could well be different. And I could very well be wrong, and Niko could be right, (ouch that hurts!), in that there are 268 Specials with the 268XP closed port cylinder.

So, to settle the friendly argument that Niko and I are enjoying, we need real examples of the saws more than we need to study old IPL's. There is one old dealer I can ask, and his word would be something we could take to the bank, even if it kills the fun we are having. :) But yes, I think I need to give him a call.

266's did have the full skirt piston, and the 268XP had a half skirt or whatever piston. They are interchangeable, and ordering the 266 part number supersedes to the 268 number. Same piston is used in the Jonny 670. These closed port saws run like CRAP if you use the 268 open port piston. I had a 670 Champ that just wouldn't get up off it's behind and run. Finally took it apart and found that open port piston which was an AM job to boot. Proper piston and it's a great running saw.

Other lesson there is that you have to also be careful drawing conclusions by what you find on your own saw, unless you know it's history since it was new. There's no way to know what changes may have been done to a saw over the last 25-30 years. Jonsered certainly never built any 670's with that open port piston.

This is a fun chassis and sorting out these riddles is part of that fun. :)
 

Stump Shot

Disciple of Monkey's
GoldMember
Local time
10:55 AM
User ID
1377
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
30,974
Reaction score
193,745
Location
Northwoods of Wisconsin
Country flag
While the history and ties are most definitely interesting, it all doesn't matter when you take one out and cut with it and marvel just how well for how old they get along this day and age. Been cutting with mine the last few days and having fun doing so. That to me is the real magic of this series of saw. Much like the old timers that worked in the woods and not with any other saw that followed as the saw had more than proved its worth.
Hooray 266!
IMG_20180321_155625209.jpg
 
Top