November 2020 MS660 build

[Cmarti]

Was active on AS and Sawhawgz, but life put saws on hold for several years. Lost a big oak, and have many 45”+ cuts coming. Not sure my MS 360 or Poulan 3.7 (and my old bones) are up to it. So I got a Farmertec MS660 kit delivered. Thought I would share an update on the current state of the kits, as this seems to be the place with the most interest and least egos over these clones. I’ve widened some ports on other saws, and modded mufflers, but am no saw builder. Just a guy who likes to hide in the barn and tinker

Pleasantly surprised. Cylinder plating looks good, I chamfered the ports and polished the exhaust. Intake had a bugger on it and uneven floor. Biggest problem with jug was I had to grind away some clearance for a cylinder bolt head. Pissed me off I did not realize it until I had the cylinder over the rings and had to pull it apart. Only other problem on assembly was the OEM style circlip that boinged into the stratosphere. Found it on my chest waders… FT clips now come w/o ears, maybe they will stay put.

Case halves in oven at 220 for a half- hour and air dusted crank to -30 and it slid together and tightened bolts up. Added some motoseal as insurance to the case gasket. Crank centered with no interference/rubbing. Base gasket delete caused a head knocker. Went with 20mm metal Hyway base gasket over FT paper. Squish was .26 one side, .25 the other. Compression came to an underwhelming 145 and could not pull over again. ¾ square cut in the front of the muffler baffle with an added ½ inch round port with deflector on the flywheel side. D Handle for replacement knuckles in right hand. A set of ridiculous dogs to make it run better…and to keep the bar off the ground.

Good:

*Correct brake band and spring

*Choke throttle shaft selector work

*Chain tensioner actually worked well

*Drum round and lined up fine with Oiler arm

*Epoxied cap on FT decomp just to be sure

*Cylinder plating

*runs, 2800 idle -12500 WOT after 1 tank. Will keep rich and fine tune after more play time


Needed work

*Plastics better fit than past AM I have used, but still had to grind out spark plug hole in the cylinder cover

*Had to bend carb linkage to get throttle to completely close

*Had to grind the tip of the oiler arm to swing inside the brake band

*Intake not thin, but not shaped well (will replace)

*Ports all flat

* 1 Cylinder bolt head did not clear jug fin


Due to luck, clean living or good looks, I did not have as many of the assembly problems noted in the 2017-18 build threads. Going to run a 28 inch FT 3/8 .063 bar for this tree/my skills. Will stick with 40:1 Red Armor. It. has worked in all my old Poulans ,Homies and Lawn Boys ( as well as new equipment). If it doesn’t blow up on this tree, it goes to my Son in Law to mill with. I owe him, he puts up with the brat daughter I raised.

 

[Jason628]

I just ordered my ms660 kit.

 

[Nutball]

I've had the decomp button still come off even after gluing it on. I can't remember what I used for glue though. I also had a cylinder need clearancing for the large headed screws. It is something I'll always check for on AM parts since I've had other FT and Hyway cylinders not fit the bolts.

Were you saying the intake boot wasn't shaped well?

I would think the squish would be tighter if there was no clearance without a gasket. on a newer and older cylinder I found they are around .018" with paper or metal gasket and will always hit the head without the gasket.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Was active on AS and Sawhawgz, but life put saws on hold for several years. Lost a big oak, and have many 45”+ cuts coming. Not sure my MS 360 or Poulan 3.7 (and my old bones) are up to it. So I got a Farmertec MS660 kit delivered. Thought I would share an update on the current state of the kits, as this seems to be the place with the most interest and least egos over these clones. I’ve widened some ports on other saws, and modded mufflers, but am no saw builder. Just a guy who likes to hide in the barn and tinker

Pleasantly surprised. Cylinder plating looks good, I chamfered the ports and polished the exhaust. Intake had a bugger on it and uneven floor. Biggest problem with jug was I had to grind away some clearance for a cylinder bolt head. Pissed me off I did not realize it until I had the cylinder over the rings and had to pull it apart. Only other problem on assembly was the OEM style circlip that boinged into the stratosphere. Found it on my chest waders… FT clips now come w/o ears, maybe they will stay put.

Case halves in oven at 220 for a half- hour and air dusted crank to -30 and it slid together and tightened bolts up. Added some motoseal as insurance to the case gasket. Crank centered with no interference/rubbing. Base gasket delete caused a head knocker. Went with 20mm metal Hyway base gasket over FT paper. Squish was .26 one side, .25 the other. Compression came to an underwhelming 145 and could not pull over again. ¾ square cut in the front of the muffler baffle with an added ½ inch round port with deflector on the flywheel side. D Handle for replacement knuckles in right hand. A set of ridiculous dogs to make it run better…and to keep the bar off the ground.

Good:

*Correct brake band and spring

*Choke throttle shaft selector work

*Chain tensioner actually worked well

*Drum round and lined up fine with Oiler arm

*Epoxied cap on FT decomp just to be sure

*Cylinder plating

*runs, 2800 idle -12500 WOT after 1 tank. Will keep rich and fine tune after more play time


Needed work

*Plastics better fit than past AM I have used, but still had to grind out spark plug hole in the cylinder cover

*Had to bend carb linkage to get throttle to completely close

*Had to grind the tip of the oiler arm to swing inside the brake band

*Intake not thin, but not shaped well (will replace)

*Ports all flat

* 1 Cylinder bolt head did not clear jug fin


Due to luck, clean living or good looks, I did not have as many of the assembly problems noted in the 2017-18 build threads. Going to run a 28 inch FT 3/8 .063 bar for this tree/my skills. Will stick with 40:1 Red Armor. It. has worked in all my old Poulans ,Homies and Lawn Boys ( as well as new equipment). If it doesn’t blow up on this tree, it goes to my Son in Law to mill with. I owe him, he puts up with the brat daughter I raised.

Theres an actual thread about this kit,started if your interested.
Ive often felt that parts that aren't quite up to snuff might end up in the box for the kits. Where as parts that fit well are used for the pre-assembled saws ,being you couldn't ask unskilled labor for "adjustments " for fitment issues.

 

[Cmarti]

I've had the decomp button still come off even after gluing it on. I can't remember what I used for glue though. I also had a cylinder need clearancing for the large headed screws. It is something I'll always check for on AM parts since I've had other FT and Hyway cylinders not fit the bolts.

Were you saying the intake boot wasn't shaped well?

I would think the squish would be tighter if there was no clearance without a gasket. on a newer and older cylinder I found they are around .018" with paper or metal gasket and will always hit the head without the gasket.

Maybe I should spring for a OEM decomp, to avoid a meltdown. The intake was puckered and the inside bumps to set the ring on seemed too big. I had a heck of a time getting the ring in and get it to stay in.

I know my math on squish does not seem right. Cheap harbor freight caliper, or inept guy measuring it.

All in all things wet well. It was easier than the lawn boy rebuilds I have done. Only done a couple saw bottom ends before this. Always nervous putting a case together.

Did not see the current thread. I wore a couple old threads out before I threw this together. All I have cut is some 16 inch rounds, and went easy. I will jump in over there once I bury the bar.