Husqvarna 285cd

[thedude74]

Hi folks.
Been lurking around here and AS for several months now. Have found endless amounts of usefull information here. Thanks to all those who have shared their knowledge on everthing from saw specs, repair, chains, porting ect.

I have been rebuilding a Husky 285 cd for the last couple months...So far I have completely disassembled it, cleaned, sanded, painted, replaced crank bearings, crank seals, new cylinder(n.o.s.) and vec piston with oem rings, about .022" end gap(vec rings about ".210 end gap...useless), rebuilt the carb with the correct kit. Ran into some issues along the way including leaking gas from faulty vented fuel cap(cap with orange diaphram on inside), leaking gas frim where someone used too long of a bolt on the handlebar mount, I asume, and broke into the gas tank. Epoxied the hole, drilled tapped, seems ok now. Saw has good compression, havent put gauge on it yet...dont have one. The spark is nice blue...easy to see. Saw has fuel....even tried a little mix in the carb. Saw started once for about 2 seconds then died. This is after about 50 good pulls. When I assembled it used a few drops of 2stroke oil on the crank, rod bearings...used about 2 drops to coat the cylinder. Pulled the muffler...exhaust port has a film of oil on the port floor. Cleaned, removed plug, cranked a few times without plug, blew out with compressed air...thinking its flooded. Put the muffler back on tried to start...nothing....added a few drops of mix to the carb....nothing. Who needs a gym when you have one of these? Any thoughts on what I might be missing? Thanks for any and all help in advance.

 

[thedude74]

Good day fellow chainsaw enthusiasts and power eqipment fanatics. Quick update.
Last night after my original post decided to check a couple things....first. took the carb off again. Found the spring that holds the needle lever out of place....would explain the flooding? Second, pulled the spark plug turned the saw upside down to drain any excess oi/gas from the cylinder...found a pin hole in the fuel line.
Ordered a new oem fuel line. In the meantime, going to recheck the carb and compare to the parts schematic to verify correct order of gaskets, diaphrams ect.

 

[thedude74]

Anyone...anyone.... Bueler....Bueler

 

[flying pig]

Can't be anything difficult. It just needs fuel, spark and compression to run. One of those three is missing.

 

[KYsawman]

Is it a points ignition ? The timing may be out. Clean and gap the points has resurrected many of an old homelite for me.

 

[thedude74]

Thanks for the reply FP and KY. KY nailed it! Out of time indeed! Pulled the flywheel last night found a sheared crank/flywheel key. With file, dremel, bench grinder, scrap angle iron.....kustom key almost finished. Note to self....torque flywheel nut to spec. Replaced the fuel line last night also found a crack on the plastic 90 degree carb fuel inlet. Should have some time later today to finish the key....Thanks for pointing me in the right direction guys....

 

[Marshy]

Hope you get what you need. The 285 is essentially the same as the 2100, 2101, and 298 saws. They might have a little different CDI between them (two styles) but the carbs are the same AFAIK. You'll like the saw when it's done, I like mine.

 

[thedude74]

Thanks Marshy. Finished fitting the crank key last night. Excited to fire it up and try it on some eucalyptus. Bought this saw on ebay about 6-7 years ago. Finally got around to it a couple months back. The piston and cylinder were scored when i got it. Had planned on buying a 100 cc top end for it...2100,2101,298 etc...Last month a new, oem(yea, brand new old stock, oem) husky 285 cylinder showed up on evilbay. Bid on it...got...couldnt pass that up for $65.00.

 

[thedude74]

Howdy rowdy rippers and crazy cross cutters. Ok. Got it all back together.....and....nothing....sob still wont start!! Going back out to the garage.....Begining to think this saw might make a better target or boat anchor. Im running out of ideas, double, triple checked, carb, timing, ect. Wont even pop with some mix dumped down its throat. Im thinking maybe the flywheel and coil are mixed(coil is SEM). Maybe someone put a FEMSA flywheel on? Anyone know how to tell them apart? Thanks guys.

 

[Dub11]

Have you tried the Husqvarna thread? Might get a little more action.

 

[thedude74]

Thanks Dub. Might give that a try. Anyhow, good news. Not finished yet but, spark is good. Got it running a bit tonight. Appears theres a carb problem. I dont think its just tuning....but could be wrong. Initial settings were 1 turn out on hi and low. 1 Turn in from completly closed on idle screw. The problem is carb floods....bad...changed low, hi, idle...no real difference. With the fuel line disconncted, cyl blown out with comp air....it starts! Dump a little mix in it....starts again!! Going to tear into the carb again....check neadle(and seat too) diapham pump ect.

Overall still making progress, didnt have to shoot or run it over with the truck....good stuff.

I will say while it was running a few times...it sounded mean! Has more of a loud rumble to it than my smaller saws.

 

[Dub11]

Thanks Dub. Might give that a try. Anyhow, good news. Not finished yet but, spark is good. Got it running a bit tonight. Appears theres a carb problem. I dont think its just tuning....but could be wrong. Initial settings were 1 turn out on hi and low. 1 Turn in from completly closed on idle screw. The problem is carb floods....bad...changed low, hi, idle...no real difference. With the fuel line disconncted, cyl blown out with comp air....it starts! Dump a little mix in it....starts again!! Going to tear into the carb again....check neadle(and seat too) diapham pump ect.

Overall still making progress, didnt have to shoot or run it over with the truck....good stuff.

I will say while it was running a few times...it sounded mean! Has more of a loud rumble to it than my smaller saws.

Nice and I don't know crap but I saw were some one said this was similar to a 2100 ? There is a 2100 thread I noticed too.

 

[thedude74]

Yea. 285cd, 298(xp?)2100cd 2101 and and 1100 are the same except for cc, 85cc or 100cc, manual oilers on 2100 and 2101... different ignitions depending on build date....Some other minor things....vented caps vs external tank vent, 2 paul starter vs 3 paul....otherwise crank, rod, crankcase, carb, intake, exhaust, tank handle, clutch, cover all the same.

Hoping to set this saw up for the bigger stuff....might try some milling with it as well.

 

[Deets066]

Where is the metering arm set?

 

[Wagnerwerks]

They make a little gauge for the arms. You should really use one. They're slick.

 

[Marshy]

Nice and I don't know crap but I saw were some one said this was similar to a 2100 ? There is a 2100 thread I noticed too.

You must mean this one...
http://opeforum.com/threads/husqvarna-2100-thread.2740/page-23#post-405866

 

[thedude74]

Thanks for the replies and useful info Deetes, Marshy, Wagnerwerks, Dub11. Thats a good question Deetes. Dont know, but will check it out. Sounds like thats probably the issue....Ill try a search for the tool. Seam to recall reading setting it even with the top of the carb body? Perhaps that was a specific carb not applicable to this carb?

 

[A100HVA]

here's a pic of inlet needle lever height

 

[flying pig]

I also had a bad governor on one. Build a plug or use a welch plug to plug the passage in front of the governor when you screw it in and it will block it out. It might be causing it to dump mega fuel in

 

[thedude74]

Many thanks to A100Hva and flying pig! Both very helpful! Will tear into the carb in a couple hours after the kiddies go to bed. I have a bad governor too!! They keep voting him in though!!! Doesnt really narrow down my state of residence much does it? lol.

Anyway, that could also be the issue flying pig. It literally goes from dry, connect fuel line....half dozen pulls later flooded big time! To the point it doesnt even try to start....Hold the saw bar end up in the air dump out half ounce of fuel out the carb.

Hey FP! I see you have several of these saws....1100,2100.2101 ect. Have you found any particular issues with this series?