Any Chinese chainsaw and chinese parts discussion

[Spike60]

I found a better quality 365/372 clone that wasn't a holzfforma different castings still had some tinkering to do to them
But they have been fine in our use here.
I was offered a free 660 holzfforma and a ms250 clone
I wouldn't let him put the saws in my truck
Who would want that aggravation or anything stihl related.

Which one was it?

 

[afleetcommand]

It was the rod bearings that went on my 372 clones. And Farmertec / Neotec are tied to the same suppliers, actually a funny story that is spun ever so many ways depending on who you listen too. Farmertec for their part have 372 offerings from two separate "case/bottom end" suppliers.. One I like the other not so much. I put in an OEM crank on the last one from the "less" desirable of the two. It's cylinder is nice, same with the carb. Has an OEM ignition & piston though. ( it's having issues but not sure what exactly yet just to continue the aggravation factor on AM 372's )

My 395 with a different piston, muffler mod, and an OEM handle/bucking spike is dealing at a whole different level than any of the 372 clones , I've cut ( Just did tax returns ) more that I originally thought. Did over 12K with that saw last fall. Don't know how to better define the value and usefulness of that machine. And it seems to be more solid now than new. So for under $450 dollars I have a performance level and to this point a durability level that would take over $1400 from a OEM. Doubt any of the 372 clones would have been as stable.

 

[afleetcommand]

BTW The last time I used the 372 "clone" build was in this video...at the end you can begin to hear it's undoing. A 572 had to cover for it.

 

[Czed]

Which one was it?

The engrish version
It's been 6 years but back then this was all that was available that I could buy from AliExpress
In built 365s then a year later 372s
I bought one farmertec bottom end it was clearly not the same quality or manufacturer
The tanks and plastics were different then also
I have no idea now I haven't bought any since.

 

[Czed]

Working on a condom saw a 345
Using a amazon 10.00 carb kit to refresh the factory zama
Came with air filter and fuel line.
It still has the spring clip on the intake
I'll put a clamp on it I can't remember if 372 fits or not
Has great compression and no scoring.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Used an 18$ 52mm big bore kit from ft on my G372XP 2 years ago. The carburetor is from a Jonsered 2165 ,decomp 372, handle kit ,really the only OEM parts.
I periodically use it at work ,its gets used by me and I have let students use it in classes ( talk about a rough environment!).
I have cut dozens of trees with it , and will run it till it doesn't go anymore, but I can't really complain about the performance for the cost. Its paid for itself a hundred times over.
I've been expecting a catastrophic failure of some sort ,but it hasn't happened yet and when it does at this point its already past the point of useful tool.

 

[Spike60]

This discussion is getting interesting. Especially that spelling of Husqvarna that Dave posted. Try rolling that one off the tongue. Lol.

Now, Walt and I are entering some strange roll reversal territory on these saws. I thought about the 288 ignition, as ignitions in general have been a question mark. But mostly because the 288's use a 2 piece ignition, and the cost of replacing both would be prohibitive if you had to buy new. Plus, I would only replace them if they failed, not because I "don't like" them. Cost of a carb replacement would be a similar scenario. However should that act up, I have a used tilly that I could put on there. Really comes down to what you have lying around. Cost of new OEM ignition and carb would be more than the saw.

On the 372's, I think you have to allow that the current offerings may well be different than the examples that you are still referencing from several years ago. In the same way that the 288 and 395 demonstrate that they have upped their game quality wise, it would be fair to assume that the 372's have also been improved. The blue ones, the white ones, the gray ones; who knows? But either way, judging them based on what we were seeing a few years back is using "dated data", if you'll pardon the pun.

I can see I'm getting sucked into getting one of these things, as my curiosity is getting the best of me. The sick part is that I'll build some real 372's like the other day, and use the proceeds to pay for the clones. I know, selling the real ones to buy the fake ones sounds dumb. But I have 18 of the real ones, including the Jonnys, in various recipes/configurations. Think I'm pretty well set there.

 

[Czed]

This discussion is getting interesting. Especially that spelling of Husqvarna that Dave posted. Try rolling that one off the tongue. Lol.

Now, Walt and I are entering some strange roll reversal territory on these saws. I thought about the 288 ignition, as ignitions in general have been a question mark. But mostly because the 288's use a 2 piece ignition, and the cost of replacing both would be prohibitive if you had to buy new. Plus, I would only replace them if they failed, not because I "don't like" them. Cost of a carb replacement would be a similar scenario. However should that act up, I have a used tilly that I could put on there. Really comes down to what you have lying around. Cost of new OEM ignition and carb would be more than the saw.

On the 372's, I think you have to allow that the current offerings may well be different than the examples that you are still referencing from several years ago. In the same way that the 288 and 395 demonstrate that they have upped their game quality wise, it would be fair to assume that the 372's have also been improved. The blue ones, the white ones, the gray ones; who knows? But either way, judging them based on what we were seeing a few years back is using "dated data", if you'll pardon the pun.

I can see I'm getting sucked into getting one of these things, as my curiosity is getting the best of me. The sick part is that I'll build some real 372's like the other day, and use the proceeds to pay for the clones. I know, selling the real ones to buy the fake ones sounds dumb. But I have 18 of the real ones, including the Jonnys, in various recipes/configurations. Think I'm pretty well set there.

Keep In mind as I bought mine from different sources I put different topends or pistons in them
A couple have ported oem cylinder kits and pistons
A few have ft 268 or 272 popups
I agree not the most powerful but strong enough for a 24" in hardwood and easiest starting 70cc saws I've ever seen
It makes them feel like starting a 50cc saw must be the mass or drag of the piston.
One has a hyway bb popup it runs strong but it easily the hardest starting 372 I've ever seen
It feels like pulling the saw out of mud.
I don't have logger hours on most of them just yearly firewooders or farm cleanup but the first one I had over 20 gallons of mix through it
I used it all the time I forgot but that one did have a case gasket let go
Most of them had too light of chainbrake springs I had to fix
I had to replace all the fuel and impulse lines over the year's they were trash.
One carb wouldn't tune out so it was swapped for a dolmar 7900 carb poleman modified.
Lost one coil and a couple of stop switches
All the saws are still together
I have a couple left the rest are with family they just set around and I gave them out
One they didn't clean the oiler hole when they flipped the bar and fried the oil pump gear
There's no value in a used china saw and they'd just set otherwise.
Nobody should buy these expecting consistent quality I bought them because I had like 30 tsumura bar's and oem parts laying around and everyone wanted like 3-300 for beat to *s-word 371/372s

 

[afleetcommand]

And the time on the saw thing is the key. The 660's all have logger full time years on them, of course all had to be debugged first. Same with the 372's. None of those 372's died wile they were casual saws. All did in production work. Seemed like the 6 month mark was trend. But suspect they all had more time on them in that 6 months than most will ever have in the hands of a farmer or firewood guy, certainly more than a hobby or enthusiast's hands. I can't say my 395 has hit that mark. but it has to be pretty close. A year being my primary saw might be 6 months of a logger saw. Two years certainly would like the test 562's I used and my 660's. So we will see. Ran the blue 395 yesterday. Was easy to start and ran crisp. Really like that machine.

I'll tear into it to check it at some point. But if it's looking as good inside as it runs, I'll upgrade things like ignition and carb for no other reason than I want to. THAT will be a "hobby" logic move.

 

[Spike60]

Well, "THAT" will set you back about $350 if you buy new OEM.

I've got a coil you can have. Will look around for a carb, but I'm not optimistic on that one. New 395 carb was $200 last I looked.

 

[Czed]

Condom saw is done

Somebody set my test wood on fire at my neighbors
The china carb rebuild kit worked fine.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

And the time on the saw thing is the key. The 660's all have logger full time years on them, of course all had to be debugged first. Same with the 372's. None of those 372's died wile they were casual saws. All did in production work. Seemed like the 6 month mark was trend. But suspect they all had more time on them in that 6 months than most will ever have in the hands of a farmer or firewood guy, certainly more than a hobby or enthusiast's hands. I can't say my 395 has hit that mark. but it has to be pretty close. A year being my primary saw might be 6 months of a logger saw. Two years certainly would like the test 562's I used and my 660's. So we will see. Ran the blue 395 yesterday. Was easy to start and ran crisp. Really like that machine.

I'll tear into it to check it at some point. But if it's looking as good inside as it runs, I'll upgrade things like ignition and carb for no other reason than I want to. THAT will be a "hobby" logic move.

I believe that the OEM 395 carb has a fixed high jet? I could be mistaken.

 

[Spike60]

Little update on the g288. Checked the compression and she's reading 145psi. So I figure I'll do the gasket delete and get a look at the insides while I'm at it. That typically yields a 20 or 25 psi gain, so we'll see what we get.

The muffler is empty with no baffles. And the outlet is 3/4" tube. I like that just the way it is and don't see a need to mess with it.

I'll be sure to take pics when I do this.

 

[Czed]

Little update on the g288. Checked the compression and she's reading 145psi. So I figure I'll do the gasket delete and get a look at the insides while I'm at it. That typically yields a 20 or 25 psi gain, so we'll see what we get.

The muffler is empty with no baffles. And the outlet is 3/4" tube. I like that just the way it is and don't see a need to mess with it.

I'll be sure to take pics when I do this.

I found 3 new 288 cylinder kits
High quality they say
2 of them have missing plating in spots but one looks good
They were a 15.00 a kit black friday
Deal 9 year's ago somewhere.
I might try one of duke's 066 popup pistons in it.
Duke's released these thin 288 gaskets this week

DUKE'S PERFORMANCE CYLINDER BASE GASKET FITS HUSQVARNA 281 288XP .006 THICK

THIN CYLINDER GASKET DESIGNED TO TIGHTEN UP "SQUISH" AND BOOST COMPRESSION GASKET IS MADE IN USA FROM .006 THICK MATERIAL IT IS NECESSARY TO MEASURE YOUR SQUISH WHEN USING THESE GASKETS.

www.sawsalvage.co

I'm getting some most logger's here like base gaskets.

 

[Spike60]

Now that is really interesting. Hope Chris also adds thin gaskets for saws like 562's and 262's for which you can't do a simple gasket delete. 390 is another one.

 

[Czed]

Now that is really interesting. Hope Chris also adds thin gaskets for saws like 562's and 262's for which you can't do a simple gasket delete. 390 is another one.

Here's what's available now
https://www.sawsalvage.co/search?q=Dukes+performance+gaskets
Mostly Stihl

 

[Czed]

I found this 372 carb on amazon 8.02
For a builder I found in the shop
Has a lowtop filter horn and a high top filter
Carb is stamped c3m

 

[Czed]

Romantic Valentine's day Chinese chainsaw chain

https://www.amazon.com/Leftwei-Chainsaw-Install-Replacement-Convenient/dp/B08FY44MQH/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=23EWSBRK4F9WZ&keywords=84dl+chainsaw+chain&qid=1680897511&sprefix=84dl+ch%2Caps%2C6459&sr=8-4

 

[Czed]

I gave this chusky to my niece and her husband last year I told them to run it like it's a home depot rental
It has a hyway popup kit on it
He runs that damn klotz r50
That smells like a porta potty in
Summer
I'm not going to clean anything
Other than a missing bar nut and decomp button it's holding up good.
He runs used motor oil in it for bar oil
I always sharpen chains for them
They suck at sharpening.

 

[Czed]

Little update on the g288. Checked the compression and she's reading 145psi. So I figure I'll do the gasket delete and get a look at the insides while I'm at it. That typically yields a 20 or 25 psi gain, so we'll see what we get.

The muffler is empty with no baffles. And the outlet is 3/4" tube. I like that just the way it is and don't see a need to mess with it.

I'll be sure to take pics when I do this.

I like jungle or whatever their called muffler
Has a nice pinging dirt bike sound
And not obnoxiously loud.