Husqvarna 359, things to do with the jug off

[JMoney]

Hi everyone, I found this place through Mastermind and TreeMonkey's Youtube channels, and this is my first post over here. I just picked up my first pro saw. It is an early (2002) Husqvarna 359 that has been well loved but is in pretty good shape. It is 100% stock.

I'm going to install a full wrap handlebar since I'm a southpaw, and the previous owner had purchased a metal intake clamp and new boot. I've never owned a saw with a bolt down jug, and I haven't needed to break open any of my clam-shell saws. I have been learning the hard way that it really pays to plan jobs on saws because the shipping will burn you otherwise, so I want to start thinking about everything I want to do while I have the jug off to replace the clamp. I don't really need more power, but I like to tinker anyways so I'm considering a few simple mods.

Carb - Its a HDA 199, I've seen TreeMonkey's video on them. Should I send it to him/do a kit, or just leave what ain't broke alone (it's running just fine now)? I will at least be removing or trimming the limiters.

Gasket delete - I know this is supposed to provide a lot of gains, but there is some question about reliability with various gasket makers? I've read how to measure the squish but I would have to buy some calipers. Could I make my own paperboard gasket to be thinner instead of using gasket maker? If I decide not to delete, can I re-use the original gasket?

Clean up the jug - I don't plan to do any port work myself, but I was wondering if I should consider sanding the exhaust ports, transfers and stuff. Only if there is noticeable casting defect? Or should I just polish it up. Can I do it by hand, or should I use a dremel? What grit? I am a bit nervous about taking a dremel to it, even just with sandpaper.

Muff Mod - currently running a stock non-EPA muffler, I will probably leave that alone in case I need to be somewhat quiet in the future, then order an arbor-tec muffler and modding. I don't cut in areas that are subject to scrutiny regarding spark arrestors, but we do have very high fire risk out here, so I would prefer to leave them intact. I can weld but not well, so I'm hesitant to try welding on such thin metal.

Anything else I should do? I just replaced the fuel line and filter last night, and will be placing helicoils in the mount of the bucking spike, then installing the large spike kit.

Whew, thanks for sticking with me, through all that,
Justin

Edit: sorry this probably should be in ask the experts, if a mod could move it please that would be great.

 

[ABarrick]

359's are nice saws. They aren't "bad" runners stock but they really wake up with a simple muffler mod and opening the lower transfers up to flow better. You seem apprehensive about porting it yourself, so my advice would be to either muffler mod it and forget the porting or pay somebody to do it. A Red97 or similar deflector with spark screen installed behind the baffle does wonders for helping it run cooler and have better response. I wouldnt waste my time with the larger spikes either. They eat up quite a bit of bar length on these saws and aren't really necessary for a 60cc saw imho. Assuming what you are used to running were homeowner cheaper saws, maybe you should just run the 359 as is for awhile till you determine you really need/want/can use more power.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

And post is right on. I will add that this is the easiest jug to port with the removable side covers. It's a great saw to get your feet wet.. .

 

[JMoney]

After keeping a freeby craftsman 36cc going for about 8 years, I just purchased a Husqvarna 440 and the 359. I'm cutting about a cord a month, but not bucking it down as small as someone heating a home.

I agree with leaving the saw as it is for a time being, and I do hope to have it ported sometime. I'm also open to mildly porting it myself, especially if I study and learn a lot over the next few months. Knowing my personality is such that I get really interested in something and learn what I can before I get tired of it and find something else, I would love to do some modifications that will be reliable when down the line it's just a work saw and not a hobby. I will probably run it through the summer as is, then pull the jug to replace the intake boot this fall, but I want to plan everything out that I'll want to have on hand when I do that.

Should I go ahead with a base delete, or just leave it as is unless I want to port it? I just don't want to be randomly pulling the jug this winter when its -10 because the sealant didn't hold up (either due to operator error or whatever).

Does anyone have experience with the arbor tec/farmer tec mufflers? It appears to be a knockoff of the NWP. I am wondering if it is a hollow can or has a baffle. I am thinking I could close the pipe port and then add two of the OEM style exhaust deflectors for a dual port setup.

On a saw of this age, would you just do a carb kit while you have it taken apart, or just leave it alone until it starts giving problems? I've been inside a few small carbs but never messed with welch plugs etc.

Thanks,
Justin

 

[bikemike]

Do the basic mods and run the crap out of it as is. If you want more then you can get more later. But you can turn back once you remove material

 

[Woodrow]

You will be very happy with the gains from a muffler mod and a gasket delete. Whatever you do, don't run it anymore until you change the intake clamp and boot. You are asking for a scored piston and cylinder if you don't replace them. I agree with Wagonerwerks, the 359 and 350's are great saws to learn on.

 

[JMoney]

Heeded Woodrow's warning and replaced the clamp, pulled the jug to do it since I didn't know if it was OK to use the original plastic "partition." All the gaskets available in town were super thick, so I just reused the OEM one (it didn't tear). No decent micrometers or calipers in town, so I skipped the delete. Plus I'm a little worried about upping the compression without the added cooling of a muffler mod. I also cleaned the Piston top with a wire brush and some carb cleaner, after stuffing newspaper into the case.

Everything seemed well lubricated. There is a mark on the exhaust side of the Piston, and the cylinder (they match up). I can just barely catch a finger nail on the marks/scores. Not sure if this needs attention. Made sure the ring was in line with the Piston looking through the intake.


Sorry for the crappy phone pics.

Edit: I'm starting to worry about the mark on the P&C. Is this something that can be fixed if corrected soon enough? Is it nothing? Does it mean the P&C are on the way out? Thanks.

 

[JMoney]

I cleaned things up a bit today, thought I'd bring the thread up to post some pics. I used the split nail and emery paper, as well as the scotch bright drill techniques shared in one of mastermind's vids. I cleaned all the carbon out of the exhaust port to prevent more damage, and accidentally removed some material from the floor, but no free porting. I also "lapped" the piston skirt with some emery board. I was pretty conservative on the cylinder wall and piston. Squish was .024 without a gasket, even though I didn't get the squish band totally clean, so I used 518 for a gasket delete. Also modded the muffler by port matching and adding an additional hole under the OE deflector. Will post tomorrow how she runs.

 

[JMoney]

Finally got to run the 359, have it tuned pretty fat, easily pulls with the bar buried even after the chain starts to dull, almost tempting to run a 24" skip, but I'll give it a few tanks on the 20" and see what I think. I would mostly be using the longer bar for noodling and to make up for the bigger spikes. I also may just put the smaller spike back on, but what's the fun in that?

Tuned the muffler mod husq 440 in the wood as well, runs strong but the chain is toast. It's a third or fourth hand saw that hasn't seen many hours but lots of abuse it seems. There are still machine marks on the exhaust side of piston skirt, but I had to replace the oiler worm gear and oiler gear as they had melted, causing enough friction with the crank to turn the cylinder over with the chain (still oiling though lol). Also the chain won't hold an edge even though it's the semi-chisel, so I'm thinking it was run without bar oil and the B&C overheated.

 

[Adamski]

Finally got to run the 359, have it tuned pretty fat, easily pulls with the bar buried even after the chain starts to dull, almost tempting to run a 24" skip, but I'll give it a few tanks on the 20" and see what I think. I would mostly be using the longer bar for noodling and to make up for the bigger spikes. I also may just put the smaller spike back on, but what's the fun in that?

Tuned the muffler mod husq 440 in the wood as well, runs strong but the chain is toast. It's a third or fourth hand saw that hasn't seen many hours but lots of abuse it seems. There are still machine marks on the exhaust side of piston skirt, but I had to replace the oiler worm gear and oiler gear as they had melted, causing enough friction with the crank to turn the cylinder over with the chain (still oiling though lol). Also the chain won't hold an edge even though it's the semi-chisel, so I'm thinking it was run without bar oil and the B&C overheated.

24" bar is 372xp and upwards territory. I'd stick to the 20" it will cut faster and be a lot happier and it will be more balanced. An extra 4 inches of metal will make the saw nose heavy too. Enjoy cutting!

 

[JMoney]

Thanks Adamski, didn't see your message until now. I've decided the same thing. I mainly wanted a longer bar for noodling, but then I saw the "don't need no Alaskan mill" thread and realized I can noodle pieces as long as I want.

I wanted to post an update, saw is running well with a few tanks through it, but I feel like it can do a lot more. Takes a bit of pressure but I can still bog it in dry hardwood (not sure of species, hard to tell when the bark is off, maybe cottonwood). I also wanted to play with my new toy, it's called an an95. It is a little scope that attaches to a USB (Android) smart phone. I think it's pretty cheap (was a gift), but still fun. The inside looks pretty rough, do I need to pull the jug and maybe replace the ring, the whole piston? I think the lower quality camera the worse things look but I'm still nervous about it. First pics are from the scope, second set are from my phone. For the oil thread people, this is running H1R at 40:1, tuned pretty rich to my ear.

Flywheel side transfers

PTO side

Exhaust

Exhaust port and skirt from phone, you can see where I got carried away with the sanding drum and Dremel, just meant to remove hard carbon.

 

[JMoney]

Ring and top of piston

BDC

Muffler mod


I'm fairly satisfied with it now, but more power would be nice. Should I be worried about these pics? Should do a dual port muffler, or more aggressively grind under the original deflector, removing part of the tube? Or should I just run it like it is for a while?

 

[Adamski]

I was majorly suprised with what these 55cc's can do with a tiny bit of work.

If you tuned the high needle in a bit so that it cleans up just as you start cutting you may feel it bog less. But don't tune it too lean, you should hear the change in note from wide open throttle out of the cut and when you start cutting wood, it should should smoother.

Not sure about the cylinder marks, I find they sometimes look far worse in photos than they actually are. I'd pop the cylinder and check

I have a 357xp plus a 372xp and they are same type of build, it takes all of 5 mins to pop the jug off. I usually leave all the carb, intake boot and muffler on the cylinder with these 3 series. They are pretty easy to fit back on with all those parts assembled and it halves the time..

Enjoy the building and testing.

 

[Adamski]

Ring and top of piston
View attachment 78584
BDC
View attachment 78585
Muffler mod
View attachment 78586

I'm fairly satisfied with it now, but more power would be nice. Should I be worried about these pics? Should do a dual port muffler, or more aggressively grind under the original deflector, removing part of the tube? Or should I just run it like it is for a while?

From the look of the top picture it looks like there has been scoring on the cylinder below the ring. The ring looks OK to me which would suggest it has been apart and had the ring replaced. I'd pop it off..

 

[JMoney]

I would like to run it tomorrow so I'm hesitant to pop it off tonight, but 518 should still cure in time I guess.
When I got it there was some transfer under the exhaust port and scoring on the piston, but didn't impact the ring. There was a boatload of carbon in the exhaust port, on top of the piston, and in the compression chamber and on the squish band. I pulled the jug a couple of times already, and I cleaned up the transfer using mastermind's method with a dremel, split nail and emery paper. I also lightly filed the piston with emery board (for nails) but I didn't want to create any slap so I stopped well short of actually removing the damage, I just wanted to eliminate any really rough edge that would quickly transfer back onto the cylinder. I also deleted the base gasket squish 0.024". Other than the gasket delete, muffler mod, and inadvertent exhaust port grinding, saw is stock.

 

[Adamski]

I would like to run it tomorrow so I'm hesitant to pop it off tonight, but 518 should still cure in time I guess.
When I got it there was some transfer under the exhaust port and scoring on the piston, but didn't impact the ring. There was a boatload of carbon in the exhaust port, on top of the piston, and in the compression chamber and on the squish band. I pulled the jug a couple of times already, and I cleaned up the transfer using mastermind's method with a dremel, split nail and emery paper. I also lightly filed the piston with emery board (for nails) but I didn't want to create any slap so I stopped well short of actually removing the damage, I just wanted to eliminate any really rough edge that would quickly transfer back onto the cylinder. I also deleted the base gasket squish 0.024". Other than the gasket delete, muffler mod, and inadvertent exhaust port grinding, saw is stock.

You sound like you have done a good job then sounds to me like the marks in the pictures are staining or what is left when you have got rid of the transfer. I had an 066 with a piston as you have mentioned. Run good so I see no issues. I'd leave it then. Worst case stick a new caber ring on. Are you running .325 with a 7 pin rim sprocket? Or 3/8"

Sent from my HTC One M8s using Tapatalk

 

[JMoney]

3/8"

 

[Adamski]

3/8"

If you want it to run faster. And if the wood you are cutting isn't too big (less than 18") then you could convert it to a .325 chisel chain. The gauge of the links are smaller and less effort to pull the chain. My 357 had a 20" .325 chisel. It rips nicely. Just buy more saws if you want more power !!!!

Sent from my HTC One M8s using Tapatalk

 

[JMoney]

The Dremel felt unloved, so I opened the muffler up some more.

I will think about converting it to .325, or at least getting a cheap rim and trying the B&C from the Husq 440. I don't think I can really justify a bigger saw right now, but this one seems to have more power hiding under it's skin. Right now it's a gradual learning process of modifying and maintaining saws. I imagine I eventually be pulling the transfer covers and grinding just about anything I can, just want it to last long enough for me to do so.

 

[JMoney]

Much happier with the saw after the additional grinding on the muffler. Also getting it leaned out to where it cleans up in the cut better. Still not fast in the really hard wood, but lots more torque.

Also it's like 100 degrees out so I'm sure that doesn't help, haha, me or the saw. At least it's not humid