Porting an old Husqvarna 357

[MAF143]

Huskie 357 that I just picked up from one of my wife's highschool classmates. He had just put a new bar and chain on it. It has some issues but even with a filthy air filter it was a tad faster than my MS362C with a MM, timing advance, and square filed chain.







It's missing the duck bill vent and filter. The one AV mount needs a new screw.


The plan is to put in new bearings and crank seals, new intake rubber and metal clamp, new caber ring, and some other misc. parts that are missing, cracked, or broken.

The timing numbers without the base gasket are:
exhaust: 108*, 144* duration
intake: 73-1/2* for 147* duration
x-fers: 126* for 18* of blowdown
squish: .020"

The plan is to raise the exhaust 4* about .030" to get 152* duration and widen the port (haven't calculated that dimension yet). This should move the blowdown to 22* (there was carbon in the upper transfers)
It will get sanded down to 320 to get it pretty smooth.
Lower the intake 3* about .025" for a duration of 153* and widen it some (haven't looked at the dimensions for that yet).
I won't touch the upper x-fers. The lower transfers will get some opening and matching to the cases for improved flow.

The muffler, gasket, and heat shield will all get opened up a tad and matched to the port exit.
I have a cheapo aftermarket Muffler on the way to play with as the stock one is actually kinda complicated and I don't want to hose it up yet without playing with this other first. I haven't really pondered on this yet and was hoping for some suggestions from the crowd here as how to deal with this muffler. It has a couple baffles inside and a tube it looks like. I haven't taken it apart yet to examine it closely. I was hoping it would be a two piece muffler but it's rusty and it has resisted coming apart at the seam so far. Are these welded closed or just rusted enough that it needs some persuasion?

Advance ignition timing 6*
Squish looked good at .022" with the base gasket gone.
This saw has the crank stuffers that lower the crankcase volume.

This is only the third saw that I have ported and I'm trying to stay a little on the conservative side. Am I on the right track or am I gonna ruin this saw? These numbers look to be an improvement while still being on the mild side. I'm not looking for a wild saw, just a strong running work saw. The other two I've done (other models) have shown nice gains but I have approached this with baby steps and stayed conservative.

 

[MAF143]

checking the timing.

 

[drf256]

Your plan sounds pretty good to me.

I have one here I plan to play with this winter.

Supposed to be a great saw.

 

[davidwyby]

@Benwa digs these, as do I.

I think when I did my MM, I stuck a drill in thru the exhaust opening/inlet and Swiss cheesed the baffle. Largest drill that would fit…11/16”?

 

[Stevetheboatguy]

357 can be a mean machine. I have one done by a friend in pa. Came third hand from another friend. And he can verify. Right @JohnnyBlade


Steven

 

[redline4]

This is my self ported 357xp getting whooped by a Mastermind 357.

 

[huskihl]

I’d widen the exhaust and intake a little. Maybe lower the intake. Match the lowers and unshroud them. They like 15-18° bd more than they like 22°. No sense making it free-rev to the moon if it loses it in the wood

 

[shadco]

My sausage stuffed 357 punches way above its weight. I’d be inclined to incorporate his suggestions.

.

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

I have a cheapo aftermarket Muffler on the way to play with as the stock one is actually kinda complicated and I don't want to hose it up yet without playing with this other first. I haven't really pondered on this yet and was hoping for some suggestions from the crowd here as how to deal with this muffler. It has a couple baffles inside and a tube it looks like. I haven't taken it apart yet to examine it closely. I was hoping it would be a two piece muffler but it's rusty and it has resisted coming apart at the seam so far. Are these welded closed or just rusted enough that it needs some persuasion?

I'm not so pro, so i just used a medium size @Red97 deflector on the exhaust port side of the baffle, step-drill hole size of your choice. Carefully placed it won't foul on case or chainbrake handle. 357/9 mufflers all seem to have the baffle in my limited experience, but a ten minute twin port seems to improve them just fine.

 

[MAF143]

I guess some of my questions are:
Since it has the crank stuffers, is it more suseptable to spitback as intake duration approaches 160*? If so, at what duration do things start going south?

Thx @huskihl . That's the kind of info that will keep me out of trouble. I really liked the way it ran before I started working on it. I'd really hate to do something stupid to it. I know enough to be really dangerous... LOL

This is my self ported 357xp getting whooped by a Mastermind 357.

I can only hope mine runs anywhere close to those. I'm not a racer, but just like having a nice durable, fairly fast saw to work with. I'm not looking to impress anyone, just make my life a little easier and more fun.

 

[huskihl]

I guess some of my questions are:
Since it has the crank stuffers, is it more suseptable to spitback as intake duration approaches 160*? If so, at what duration do things start going south?

All saws are different. Sometimes I don’t add intake duration beyond what it gained from the lathe. Yours shouldn’t be an issue at 78-80

 

[MAF143]

All saws are different. Sometimes I don’t add intake duration beyond what it gained from the lathe. Yours shouldn’t be an issue at 78-80

The info you share is awesome and greatly appreciated. I'm wanting this saw to get a Big Gulp of intake, but I don't need it barfing it back up either. As a "dabbler" in the porting world, knowledge like that is most helpful in keeping me out of trouble on the couple of saws that I will do for myself and a couple of buddies who could never afford to have a new or ported saw. My neighbor is very happy with his 55 Rancher that I "warmed" up for him a little. It makes cutting wood for him and his boys a little quicker and more fun. I'm hoping that this 357 will be the last saw I will "aquire" and that full blown CAD doesn't set in...

You are all great sources of knowledge on the best side and enablers on the... LOL I thought I was done when I got the MS362...

 

[JohnnyBlade]

357 can be a mean machine. I have one done by a friend in pa. Came third hand from another friend. And he can verify. Right @JohnnyBlade


Steven

Yes sir! A ported 357 can be Bad mamma jamma! Im still smiling from running it a year ago

Happy Thanksgiving fellas!

 

[Benwa]

You're on the right track. On these saws I like
Intake 77-78° I have a pretty spicy 359 set at 80° without issue
Exhaust 103° most like the 105° +/- range
And as @huskihl stated they like less blowdown
I set mine 16°-18° BD as well.
I widen both intake and exhaust ports to 65% as well as stretching the upper transfers a touch. I open up the lowers too, but I don't go crazy here. More or less I "clean them up." As for the muffler, they are one piece. They do not come apart. Well, not without a torch or slitting disk. Easiest method is to open a port on the PTO side, BEHIND the baffle that divides the muffler, and add a @Red97 deflector. If you have the time, pick a method and gut the baffle & tube. Open up the top factory outlet as well a adding the 2nd side port. They really come alive once gutted, but you'll be surprised at what just adding the 2nd port to the stock muffler will do. They really like the slight bump in ignition timing too! This is only one man's opinion. As others chime in, you'll start to get a feel for a good approach that fits the bill for you, but it sounds like you're already headed for success.

 

[Benwa]

Keep us updated on the build! They're phenomenal saws. It's always fun to see these come to fruition!

 

[P.M.P.]

Here's my Hot rod I feel like I did something right with it.

 

[MAF143]

they seriously don't want any who isn't serious getting those carb jet limiters off...

Figures that I finally buy a Huskie for me and I can't find my spline tool...

 

[huskihl]

they seriously don't want any who isn't serious getting those carb jet limiters off...

Figures that I finally buy a Huskie for me and I can't find my spline tool...

View attachment 317425

I trim the limiters off in place without actually removing them. Pulling that style off usually results in something being destroyed for me at least

 

[Wolverine]

Yep, I just cut the ramp/limiter off. They can be a pain to adjust when the plastic is missing.

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

they seriously don't want any who isn't serious getting those carb jet limiters off...

Figures that I finally buy a Huskie for me and I can't find my spline tool...

View attachment 317425

Start looking for some short lengths of fuel line that fit snugly over what's left of your H&L. It'll give your tuning screwdrivers a fighting chance of hitting that little slot.