Saw build/Degreaser parts cleaner

[D. Akins]

I picked up 2 power heads this weekend for wasting money and have a couple of questions.
first one is an 06, 365 that is locked up so I know I will need piston and cylinder.
Second one is a 03, 372 that spins free but is missing recoil cover and a handle and couple of other items.
Let me preface this by saying I have never fully rebuilt a saw, just carbs and minor stuff.
1. I am gonna buy a case splitter and bearing puller, anything else I may need?
2. After I tear down and split cases, will the solvent in a parts cleaner damage plastic or peel paint? We have a safety kleen solvent cleaner at work and I thought about using it, these saws have never been cleaned and are caked with years of oil and grime.
3. Oem parts of aftermarket? If aftermarket , which brands ? Saws will not be race saws, cut occasional firewood and trees as needed on hunting land.
I will start with the 365 SP since it is complete with all its parts ( I think ).

 

[Mack 880]

1. I am gonna buy a case splitter and bearing puller, anything else I may need? Maybe a flywheel puller - most pop off with sharp tap to the crank, just protect the threads

2. After I tear down and split cases, will the solvent in a parts cleaner damage plastic or peel paint? We have a safety kleen solvent cleaner at work and I thought about using it, these saws have never been cleaned and are caked with years of oil and grime. Check with your safety kleen rep on the solvent and he should be able to tell you.

3. Oem parts of aftermarket? If aftermarket , which brands ? Saws will not be race saws, cut occasional firewood and trees as needed on hunting land. If you don't plan on selling them, just using them I'd go AM. They work as well as OEM in my experience. Which parts depends on what you are replacing.

For smaller parts, I've had success with newer Farmertec stuff. YMMV

 

[redline4]

A case splitter isn't a must have.
I split all mine with a heat gun and a rubber mallet.

You can go aftermarket with some good case bearings, Nachi, Koyo, Skf, Timken to name a few, provided place of manufacturing.

Pistons can go Meteor or oem.

Cylinder if necessary go oem. Your better off in the long run. Unless the plating is fubar there's probably a good chance yours could be cleaned of transfer and re-used.

You will probably want to invest in a Mity-vac. Vac and pressure test cases, check carb pop off pressures, ETC.

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

And a @Mattyo reassembly tool makes life very easy.

 

[Woodslasher]

I've used Solvent on a lot of saws, sometimes it'll make them look faded after it dries but if you rub in a little bar oil they regain their sheen.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

I think non chlorinated brake cleaner doesnt fade plastics, i might have that backwards though, a blow gun from air compressor is your friend, spray a little cleaner than use air mostly

 

[Mattyo]

I picked up 2 power heads this weekend for wasting money and have a couple of questions.
first one is an 06, 365 that is locked up so I know I will need piston and cylinder.
Second one is a 03, 372 that spins free but is missing recoil cover and a handle and couple of other items.
Let me preface this by saying I have never fully rebuilt a saw, just carbs and minor stuff.
1. I am gonna buy a case splitter and bearing puller, anything else I may need?
2. After I tear down and split cases, will the solvent in a parts cleaner damage plastic or peel paint? We have a safety kleen solvent cleaner at work and I thought about using it, these saws have never been cleaned and are caked with years of oil and grime.
3. Oem parts of aftermarket? If aftermarket , which brands ? Saws will not be race saws, cut occasional firewood and trees as needed on hunting land.
I will start with the 365 SP since it is complete with all its parts ( I think ).

pm replied

i've got lots of vids ...bolt for bolt on youtube on how to do stuff. tons of 372/365 vids that'll help a lot.
case splitters help for sure ... but the hardest part of any saw assembly imho is the crank install, which my tools help with and makes it a snap.
if you don't have a case splitter, you'll probably need a bearing puller. you can remove the crank/bearings with just heat, but often when you do that they bearings stay on the crank and then removing them tends to be trixy without a bearing tool ...harbor freight has this for about 45 $.
with a case splitter, often the bearing stay in the crankcase and then you just pop em out with heat... much easier imho.

best of luck with the builds

 

[Partner]

I use a degreaser from the kitchen it works great, shines and is cheaper than workshop fluids, It can also be difficult to remove the oil pump drive without damaging it

 

[Mack 880]

I use a degreaser from the kitchen it works great, shines and is cheaper than workshop fluids, It can also be difficult to remove the oil pump drive without damaging it

Now that is an idea ! I've used engine degreaser before and it worked really well too. I will have to try the kitchen degreaser.

 

[D. Akins]

Well, I got the 365 tore down as far as I could go. I was hoping the cylinder and piston was seized as I knew it was locked up, but I pulled the cylinder off and the bottom end is locked up. I guess I will order a case splitter tomorrow and work on it some more next week. I will clean it up and degrease all the plastic this weekend. She is a dirty girl, I don’t think this saw was ever wiped down. Depending on the failure in the bottom end, I suppose I might be putting a crank and bearings in the saw. Have you had a bearing fail and seize up the crank? The cylinder does not look scarred up.
More to follow.

 

[Shane¹]

Looks like some corrosion in there could have corroded the crank to the case. If you heat around the bearing pockets and hit the crank with a rubber hammer you should be able to split the cases without a case splitter then you will just have to use a puller to remove the crank bearings from the crank if the crank is even any good

 

[D. Akins]

In a soak of simple green and dawn.

 

[D. Akins]

Soaked for several hours, not much good but can see orange now. Didn’t get to split the case. Hoping it’s a shaft bearing and not the rod.

 

[Duce]

Half diesel, half gas will clean that up, without fading. Just wear gloves, use small brush and air.

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

OP you do know you essentially bought two saws the same ay? Just one has a 72cc jug, the other a 65cc. You should easily be able to build one from the two, and then complete the other with little more effort and parts gathering.

 

[D. Akins]

Thanks! Will try that mixture.
Look at this ring, just now noticed this.

 

[D. Akins]

OP you do know you essentially bought two saws the same ay? Just one has a 72cc jug, the other a 65cc. You should easily be able to build one from the two, and then complete the other with little more effort and parts gathering.

Yessir, the 365 was a complete saw and the 372 is missing quite a few parts. Both are scrappile saws. Just wanting to tinker and learn a little. So I started with the 365. Hopefully will have a running saw before too long.
Time is scarce for me

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

Yessir, the 365 was a complete saw and the 372 is missing quite a few parts. Both are scrappile saws. Just wanting to tinker and learn a little. So I started with the 365. Hopefully will have a running saw before too long.
Time is scarce for me

I guess my point was although I love a 365SP, most including me love a 372 more....
Ida started on the 372 and raided 365 bits to complete it.

 

[D. Akins]

I guess my point was although I love a 365SP, most including me love a 372 more....
Ida started on the 372 and raided 365 bits to complete it.

Ah, I see your point. From what I understand a 372 cylinder and piston will work on it. I may just go that route

 

[Farmer Jean]

Just don't go using Vaseline to shine up the plastics like some sites suggest. The plastics might look good but if you use worn gloves on a greased saw long enough you might not.

I like rubbing in a 3-1 mix of olive oil and lemon juice, and then wipe it off completely. Doesn't cost much, It will look a little better, and it smells like lunch.