Chainsaw build Horror stories

[StihlEchoingHusky]

I have no clue posts like this have been made. Although I'm pretty sure they have. I'm still learning how to work this site.
I'm wanting to hear about what you builders consider your worse failure builds. I'm not looking for people to say I did this and the saw blew my friends dick off or something like that. I'm curious as to how build failures have gone. And how do you sense that something is wrong other than the saw was running rough. 2 stroke modifying/even simple repair is all new to me even though I've been working on engines since I was about 8. No clue why out of 20 years of turning wrenches not once was it on anything but 4 strokes and usually v6 and v8s

 

[jacob j.]

In the early 2000's, I got into modifying saws a lot. I had an 038 Magnum I was going to really turn up, mainly because I'd gotten it for free and it was in great shape. After doing a fairly extensive port job, I lightened the piston "here and there". I took too much meat off certain key points. I was making test cuts with the saw when it blew and it really blew its' guts out. It took out the piston and cylinder, bent the rod, and damaged the case. It was a fun six seconds though!

 

[StihlEchoingHusky]

That's all that matters right? Buddy of mine who's name it's literally Buddy had done something similar but on a lbz Duramax. Blew the driver side head off was still running for a matter of 30 seconds until you saw the oil pan blow out. I'll see if he still has the video. Sadly I wasn't around for this or I would have told him not to do it and to buy parts made by a machine shop. He didn't just do the pistons though he did the connecting rods as well. With a harbor freight rotary tool. Needless to say that engine was a complete lost. Luckily the engine was on a test stand so nobody was hurt or damage to the truck. 2006. 5 Silverado "classic" it was and still is my dream to own a cat eye with the lbz

 

[drf256]

I fortunately haven’t had too many mishaps, though both occurred on 036 models.

I bought a clean one with a “new piston”. Did all the porting work and saw a dot matrix letter on top of the slug. I mistakenly thought that the dot matrix G (golf) was an S (Stihl). I re ringed the piston with her 1.2mm cabers and ran the saw. It had excellent throttle response, but then just quit. I didn’t expect the Golf slug and the fact that it used 1.5mm rings. That really sucked. It’s amazing that they don’t explode at that rpm.

Also did an 036 with new factory oem slug. Went through 3 new ones that got all scratched and scored. Finally realized that one of the large end roller bearings were chipping and throwing metal everywhere. That sucked too.

Here’s the 036 (ms360)

 

[heimannm]

My first kart saw build with a McCulloch 101A engine, wrist pin walked over and turned the needle bearing loose. Like JJ, for a few seconds it was exciting, but the sudden stop was saddening.







Remarkably, Terry Ives was able to save it and the saw still lives.





Mark

 

[heimannm]

I had a close call yesterday, testing a Homelite EZ that I'd just been through without the bar and chain. I thought I had tightened the clutch sufficiently but while I was adjusting the carburetor I saw the clutch in the process of coming off...

One needle roller out of the clutch bearing bounced off my cheek, and I eventually found the clutch drum, clutch minus one shoes and spring, and the large washer between the clutch and the drum. I searched up and down the alley (I was testing it outside) and found the missing shoe. This morning on a hunch I took a magnet out and swept the area between my test site and where I found the clutch...would you believe I was able to recover the spring from some unkept grass?

New bearing on the way, and I have mounted a bar and chain on the saw in advance of the next test.

Mark

 

[hacskaroly]

I'm not looking for people to say I did this and the saw blew my friends dick off or something like that.

Oh...so this isn't what you are looking for??

 

[hacskaroly]

Remarkably, Terry Ives was able to save it and the saw still lives.

How did he fix it? Doen't look like JB Weld filler....

 

[StihlEchoingHusky]

Bruh!!! People like this is why everything you buy nowadays has to be open with 2 people a pair of scissors a bolt cutter and a lock pick.. or everything has some safety feature like freaking gas cans. I say screw the safety features natural selection!!! Obviously some safety features are great like chain breaks but others are just plain stupid and a waste of time and a *f-word ton of money.

 

[SCHallenger]

Oh...so this isn't what you are looking for??

I saw a pic of the guy about to geld himself (that's what it's called when they castrate a horse) with a caption which said, Bad Idea!

 

[StihlEchoingHusky]

I saw a pic of the guy about to geld himself (that's what it's called when they castrate a horse) with a caption which said, Bad Idea!

You know how people act with nails on a chalk board I'm doing the same but instead of covering my ears...... I don't understand how the hell we as humanity are at the most advanced in technology that we've ever been but people are still dumb enough to put something made to cut hard wood and in some cases concrete with rebar at high speeds between their legs. Stupidity is mind boggling at times.

 

[ManiacalMark]

I’ve made 2 good ones in my life. #1 044 10mm with a 440 jug…
#2 066 with way too much compression blew the rod bearing out of the crank in under 10 tanks.

 

[bretts]

Way back when, I built a Stihl MS260, I was trying to save a bit of money (and get a bit of firewood out of it), I used what was sold to me, a chinese cyl kit and used the chinese pin circlips that came in the kit.
I'm sure you have all heard the story... yes the saw lunched itself.
I took it apart and found one of the clips had come out and stuck itself between the piston and cyl wall , I mentioned this to the seller and he sent me another kit, this time I clipped off the ears on the circlips and I run that saw for a long time after that.

 

[heimannm]

Terry welded the cylinder then machined it afterwards.

Mark

 

[EFSM]

I had a close call yesterday, testing a Homelite EZ that I'd just been through without the bar and chain. I thought I had tightened the clutch sufficiently but while I was adjusting the carburetor I saw the clutch in the process of coming off...

I was working on a 550xp husqvarna that would spin the clutch off without a bar and chain, no matter how tight I'd make it. The bottom line is that the clutch isn't meant to stay on the crank without the weight/inertia of the chain to dampen things.

 

[the 28inch mac man]

I was working on a 550xp husqvarna that would spin the clutch off without a bar and chain, no matter how tight I'd make it. The bottom line is that the clutch isn't meant to stay on the crank without the weight/inertia of the chain to dampen things.

I run saws without bars/chains all the time. The thread on that 550xp's crank must be stripped.

 

[EFSM]

I run saws without bars/chains all the time. The thread on that 550xp's crank must be stripped.

The threads were fine, but could have been a little greasy. To be clear, I had just installed the clutch, so it hadn't had any time for lube to dry or rust to develop.

 

[Sloughfoot]

The threads were fine, but could have been a little greasy. To be clear, I had just installed the clutch, so it hadn't had any time for lube to dry or rust to develop.

Makes sense to me that it may not hold without a bar and chain. Sudden deceleration could cause it to loosen, couldn't it?

Crank stops, clutch and drum want to keep going. 99/100 it may not happen, but it could and apparently does.

 

[qurotro]

Putting a husky 365 together with selected good parts from a few carcass. After almost finishing for a test run, found out the clutch drum bearing area is bent! I don’t even understand why it was bent. The bent is so slightly that I don’t even notice without the crank spinning at some speed.

 

[EFSM]

Sudden deceleration could cause it to loosen, couldn't it?

Exactly.