Started Asian 440 BB #4 Today

[MustangMike]

I was not planning on doing another saw before Tax Season, but my friend Harold's son needs a saw, so he is getting the best 440 BB I've done so far (Harold ran it and fell in love with it, so...). His son has a new house with a few acres and some trees that need to be converted into fire wood.

So, I will replace it with BB #4 so I have one I built to go to the GTG's next year. Hopefully, I can get this one to run just as well.

 

[MustangMike]

As many have pointed out before, these Asian kits are fun, but they require your attention and a lot of extra time. If you don't enjoy solving puzzles, don't bother!

So far I have done the following tasks that would not be necessary on an OEM saw:
1) Modified the case so the drift pin can not float through and into the clutch (hammer and screw driver to crimp the end of the hole).
2) Shortened the nipple for the impulse line. Used a file and a drill bit, and kept crap from coming through by sticking a pipe cleaner in the end of it, then running it through.
3) Put an OEM Elastostart rope and Handle on the starter.
4) Added some mass to the choke lever on the control lever so it will activate replacement carb chokes (lightly sand and add PL Premium).
5) I will replace the carb with one from DDave, the ones that come with these kits are just not worth playing with.
6) Used OEM piston pin bearing.
7) Will use the New West BB kit (P,C, Rings, Clips, Pin) I like what comes in that kit. (But the cylinder needs lots of port work)
8) The large chain adjuster gear did not fit in the case, so I chocked it in the drill and filed it down. The chain adjuster still would not work, so I put a washer under the large gear to shim it up and align it with the small gear axle. Of course the washers with large enough holes to fit over the post are too large, so I took a smaller one and drilled the center larger. Seems to work real well now, I was pleased!
9) Add washers to the upper vibration damper, OEM dampers are thicker. I will also make sure the handle does not put any stress on the saw to defeat this modification (I often open the bend in the handle just a bit to accomplish this).

 

[MustangMike]

I like the squish band on the New West BB cylinders, and the D combustion chambers, but the cylinders need a lot of work. The Exhaust needs to be lowered a bunch, the upper transfers need to be moved over toward the intake (I find it easier to do this by adding bridge ports), and the exhaust needs to be widened on the inside and opened up on the outside. The outside of the intake is not too bad, but I will massage it a little bit.

The squish was good w/o a base gasket (.020), Ex 99, Tr 118, and In 63. I plan to widen the Exhaust port both inside and out, add bridge ports and move the upper transfers toward the intake, and lower the Intake to about 77/78.

 

[MustangMike]

The squish band and outside port openings: The outside of the Exhaust Port is Horrible!

 

[Nutball]

What's a drift pin and where is it?

 

[MustangMike]

There are two of them that align the case halves. Several of the Asian cases don't have the appropriate "stop" in place, so the drift pin can drift and eat your clutch, etc.

 

[MustangMike]

Made some more progress today, and my friend Harold stopped by to pick up the good running 440 BB for his son. His Son is enthusiastic about getting it (I guess it runs a lot better than the saws he gets to use at work) so I'm pleased about that! You always want them to go to a good home!

Ported the cylinder, glued it down, installed the flywheel (key cut .020), and installed the oil pump and clutch. Also matched the gasket and muffler to the saw, and opened up the muffler a little (we will see how it likes it).

 

[MustangMike]

I did the porting on my outdoor workbench (I C clamp the cylinder to my trailer). It was actually nice (very briefly) in the early afternoon. Colder this morning, then got windy and colder again in the late afternoon.

This cylinder needed lots of work. My work is not as pretty as some, but it will run a lot better than it was! Did not want to move the exhaust much, but was hard to fix the problems and not move it a bit. The intake came out right about where I wanted it.

Final #s are Ex 95, Tr 118 and In 78. I think those #s should be good. Increasing the width of the exhaust, moving the upper transfers toward the intake (and the small bridge ports), and lowering the intake should make a nice difference in how this thing runs over how it would have run unmolested. Maybe tomorrow we will get to fire it up!

 

[andyshine77]

Looking good Mike!

 

[MustangMike]

Thanks, it is a lot of work!

 

[stihl_head1982]

Sounds like you are getting your wizardry documented on these builds. I appreciate your attention to detail and the post.
Do you feel that for the price, and with your modifications that these saws are worth what you put into them?

 

[MustangMike]

Money wise, yes … Time wise … only if you enjoy it! Although I guess porting any saw involves a lot of time, there are addl challenges with the Asian saws.

I guess the fact that I still have more to build says where I am, but I'm semi retired. If you don't have the time, they are very frustrating, but I'm happy to work on them on rainy days (and they are clean so I can bring them in the house).

At this stage of the game we have identified the problems, and I'm confident I can make them run strong, but it remains to be seen how well they hold up. I think they will do better than most people think.

 

[drf256]

I'd like to see you do one with a 101 ex.

Send one down anytime your ready, I'll take it for a spin on the lathe.

At sub $10 sane day shipping, it's hard to beat.

 

[MustangMike]

Thanks Al, I will keep your generous offer in mind. They all have slightly different #s. BB#2 (that just went to Harold's son) was a VG runner, the #s were Sq .018, 102.5, 122.5, 81. I also still have BB #1. It runs OK, but I did not open up the exhaust on that one (yet), the #s are Sq .021, 101.5, 118.5, 79.5.

I should have timed the one you gave me, don't like the squish band on that one as much as the others.

I'm not planning on building another before Tax Season, but if I don't like how this one runs, I'll yank the jug and send one down you can work with. (I lowered the intake to 78 on this one, so it may not be a good candidate).

I just put the top cover, handle, coil and recoil on this one last night.

Man, you got my wheels turning, I may just have to rip down #1 and time another jug to send you!!!

 

[Nutball]

What about dishing the piston too?

 

[MustangMike]

Why?

 

[MustangMike]

#10 is to glue the plastic cap to the decomp, other than that, I like how they work. I mark them with silver ink after I do it so I know it is done. I glue it with PL Premium, none of my pistons will get eaten by a decomp that lost it's cap!

#11 Check that you have the correct Brake Flag, and even when you do, drill the hole through with a 13/64 drill bit. Otherwise, you will not get that brake flag over the pin. The drill bit fits in the hole in the outside, but not on the inside! Sorry the one pic is a blur!

I also took a pic of my control lever mod for the choke (see #4).

The elves were busy last night! I have to walk the dogs, but she is ready to fire now!

 

[MustangMike]

As I mentioned earlier, I like to install the bar bolts backwards to leave the long end out, and I was pleased this kit came with a good clutch washer (not a stamped metal one), I think it is just luck of the draw!

 

[Nutball]

Why?

I think it can add even more volume to the combustion chamber without affecting port timing, but offsets a compression increase a little

 

[MustangMike]

Well, she is running, but not before scaring me!

First, it took 12 pulls to get her to kick, seemed like a lot. Then she seemed to be running fine, did 5 nice cuts, then she dies.

I check the plug connection, then I'm worried that the flywheel spun, so I prime it and she kicks. Even though I had a DDave carb on it, based on past problems I change the carb … no help.

Prime it again, she kicks. So I change the fuel filter and we are good to go!

Saw feels good, but I've been running the 066 so much lately I may be expecting too much from her! We will let her break in a bit and see how she does, but she does not run bad! Very responsive to the throttle.

Gotta run, my Step Son's Birthday today!