Husqvarna 51 build, What would you do ?

[Magic_Man]

Hey Guys, long time forum lurker turned active, turned chainsaw junkie here. So I have fixed up and repaired several saws but now I'm ready for a little more in depth project. I picked up this 51 pretty reasonable on eBay. Seller said it had low compression from a scored piston besides the obvious dirt and grime. Here is where I made my rookie mistake, I went ahead and bought a Hyway closed port top end (On sale CHEAP), gasket and seal set, intake boot, impulse nipple, carb kit, air filter, and carb base plate before the saw made it here. Well when the saw got here there is nothing wrong with the top end, it looks like new and pulls great compression for still having a base gasket. But the saw wouldn't run, no fire, bad coil, easy fix, fired right up.

My dilemma is this, I bought the saw to build as my introduction to porting/hot rod ding. Thoughts were playing with porting and timing, muffler mod, set squish/gasket delete. I'm really itching to get my grinding tools out and go to town. I want to make a hot little play toy, I have plenty of other saws for firewood and work. Not to say I want to build an all out race machine, but I don't need this saw to keep me warm or make me money.

Should I use the factory top end to port ? I'm assuming it's open port. Or set it aside and start with the closed port AM big bore kit ? Looking for a little help from the experienced minds that are here.

 

[dougand3]

I don't do porting but have messed with a few 55's. 175# is really good compression. If you increase it to 190-200, it REALLY helps to have a decomp valve. I've broken 2 recoils with 200 PSI before I tapped one in.

 

[Magic_Man]

I would port the Orem cylinder and save the hyway for the next build,Open port cylinders port just fine,They respond well to finger ports also.Thats good compression.

Finger ports, those look interesting. Maybe a bit much for my first port attempt. But not to say I won't try them later.