All Things 288XP

[Funky sawman]

Stumpshot hooked me up with a cherry KS 281 jug. Super thankful to find such a rare gem. Did some horse traden with dave and getting one of those wiseco pistons for it, the 1.2 mm ring version. Trying that with a dp muffler for now. Best 281 I've ran had a ks jug and a 181 thin ring piston in it, I hope the single 1.2 ring will be close to duplicating that saw

 

[markds2]

I've ran a mountain of 281, 288 saws in my life. I prefer the 281 for a couple reasons. To me the lighter weight 52mm piston has less vibrations, and the power curve is very flat, even though it doesn't peak as high as a ks288 jug. User friendly torque. A few 288's ran real well, one was a non decom mahle and the other was the ks jug. Never liked the newer mahle decom jugs that came stock on later 288xp lites

Have you ever run a ported 281/288?

 

[Funky sawman]

Have you ever run a ported 281/288?

Nope, just my puny port job which is just a little mod to the intake port, open the exhaust up and base gasket delete.

 

[Funky sawman]

Old pict of my 281 and new at the time 346xp oe. This was I think 2003 or 04

 

[markds2]

I'm building a high-top 288 with a mahle decomp jug done by Rattler Mike. But just as you say, the early KS jugs were just downright strong. I've never run a 281 but I do have this '89 model 288 with the KS jug, interestingly enough it had nearly exactly the same numbers as the mahle jug stock, except the exhaust was 3 degrees lower (106 rather than 103). Very strong saw, will be interesting to compare it to the ported saw.

 

[Funky sawman]

Nope I'm wrong lol, I think that pict was 2012 because I don't normally log in the winter and there was just a couple winters that I did log, so that 346g was a newer edition model, it was actually being used as a landing saw at the time, loved it because of the heated handles

 

[Funky sawman]

That particular 281 in the pict, with KS jug of course, I recall that I was not able to do a base gasket delete because the piston would kiss the squish band! Talk about set up right from the factory!

 

[Johnmn]

One of the saws I never should have sold was my 288. I'll have another some day.....

 

[markds2]

That particular 281 in the pict, with KS jug of course, I recall that I was not able to do a base gasket delete because the piston would kiss the squish band! Talk about set up right from the factory!

How do you get on starting them? That '89 288 above has 210psi with a base gasket delete....and no decomp

 

[XP_Slinger]

How do you get on starting them? That '89 288 above has 210psi with a base gasket delete....and no decomp

Let the dogs grab on the compression stroke and COMMIT. Only downfall in the 288’s design is the small recoil pulley imo...prone to breaking if you time your pull wrong.

 

[markds2]

Let the dogs grab on the compression stroke and COMMIT. Only downfall in the 288’s design is the small recoil pulley imo...prone to breaking if you time your pull wrong.

Absolutely right, no babying it when you pull...

 

[Funky sawman]

Broke many starters on 281 saws. When it's cold I pull them over slowly with choke on and spark off . I do this for a min or so then pull hard with switch on choke at half, usually fires one pull

 

[jakethesnake]

I'm building a high-top 288 with a mahle decomp jug done by Rattler Mike. But just as you say, the early KS jugs were just downright strong. I've never run a 281 but I do have this '89 model 288 with the KS jug, interestingly enough it had nearly exactly the same numbers as the mahle jug stock, except the exhaust was 3 degrees lower (106 rather than 103). Very strong saw, will be interesting to compare it to the ported saw.
View attachment 273923

I have that same saw. Same year same ks jug. Starts like a total *a-hole. No work done to it that I know of. No decomp. I run 24” 404 on mine. It pulls pretty good I think. Awesome piece

 

[XP_Slinger]

I have that same saw. Same year same ks jug. Starts like a total *a-hole. No work done to it that I know of. No decomp. I run 24” 404 on mine. It pulls pretty good I think. Awesome piece

Reliable, tough and torquey...it’s why I love mine.

 

[rocketnorton]

same hear

 

[BaronVonChickenPants]

I have run my non-decomp 281 with the spring pull handle a few times now and starting is definitely improved, it's no magic bullet and makes almost no difference if you're trying to throw the saw down to start, but standing on the foot rest and holding the handle it definitely smooths the start pull.

Part no: 584156201

I feel this should last better than the Stihl elasto-start, as the Husky handle is a spring under compression, even if it failed you could still start the saw, where as the elasto-start is rubber under tension, when it fails you have no handle.

 

[stihl here]

New Fuel Tanks on Feebay
No connection, just thought this looked like a deal. I bought one anyway.
Husqvarna Genuine OEM Part Tank Cpl 501809105 - B6 | eBay

 

[Funky sawman]

Finally going together

 

[smokey7]

And the description says it's an electric clutch

 

[Funky sawman]

And the description says it's an electric clutch

Not to mention the throttle arm is broke off!