346XP needs a little more Umph!

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Beetle-Kill

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Sep 8, 2009
1,849
Colorado- near the Divide
My recently aquired Husky 346XP needs a little more power. It's a 45cc version, not the newer 50cc. I'm thinking skip-tooth chains, and a muffler mod. Anybody have a link to download the owners manual? Guy I bought it from didn't have it. Sticker shows 346XP/XPG 45cc. My dealer is tough to locate at times( he fishes alot). Thanks, JB
 
I would muff mod it first.
 
Smokin- what do you think about the skip-tooth chain? Bar is 18". TMonter, thanks for the offer. I'll PM you in a few.
 
Beetle-Kill said:
Smokin- what do you think about the skip-tooth chain? Bar is 18". TMonter, thanks for the offer. I'll PM you in a few.
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I would do the muff modd. first and see what you got! Then if you need a little more I would look at a 16in. bar and chain even a .325 set up before skip tooth but thats just me. Or 3/8 low profile.
 
Right now it's 18" Husky safety chain I ground on a little. Profile is .325. I don't know of anyone local the mods. mufflers, but I'll check around. Thanks, JB
 
Beetle-Kill said:
Right now it's 18" Husky safety chain I ground on a little. Profile is .325. I don't know of anyone local the mods. mufflers, but I'll check around. Thanks, JB
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Its just a matter of taking it apart and see how it can be open up take the limits caps off and retune....16in. seems more suited for that saw....Post some pic's and we can all give you a hand its easy!
 
Thanks, I'll take it off and see what's what. As far as pic's go, I just learned to tie my own boots last week, so pic's may take me awhile. I'm serious, you should see my feet. :ahhh:
 
Muffler is off. No catalyst to be found, just an expansion chamber. Exhaust port looks good, and the gasket doesn't look to cause any interference, matched up pretty good. So the actual exhaust port on the muffler seems to be the only area to modify. The spark screen is large enough to allow a substatial enlargement of the port, but I'm not removing it unless that's the area to modify. It can't be that easy, can it? If so, what ID do I shoot for, or is this a trial and error thing.-- Removed the screen, couldn't quite get the calipers in there, but visually lined up to about .425" diam. I can cut-off the deflector and re-weld it on, just wondering what diam. to enlarge the hole to? Anyone ever tried this, and if so what did you do? Thanks, I love this sh*t!
 
Buy a 372 ,or 576 ,and be done with it . If that doesn't get it for You , an Ms 660 ,or 390 xp just might :)
 
Beetle-Kill said:
Muffler is off. No catalyst to be found, just an expansion chamber. Exhaust port looks good, and the gasket doesn't look to cause any interference, matched up pretty good. So the actual exhaust port on the muffler seems to be the only area to modify. The spark screen is large enough to allow a substatial enlargement of the port, but I'm not removing it unless that's the area to modify. It can't be that easy, can it? If so, what ID do I shoot for, or is this a trial and error thing.-- Removed the screen, couldn't quite get the calipers in there, but visually lined up to about .425" diam. I can cut-off the deflector and re-weld it on, just wondering what diam. to enlarge the hole to? Anyone ever tried this, and if so what did you do? Thanks, I love this sh*t!
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You could just drill it over 25-50 percent (seems to be the sweet spot fo most saws) .53-.63 would put in a good range.....Then tune it.
 
Sorry, out for a bit, but sold my Scrambler in the meantime! WHOOHOOO!! Anywhooo's, Nixon, forget about a new saw- I mention it and I'll never see another sunrise. Smokin- Thanks for your previous input on my new saw, kept me alive I believe. :lol: The screen on my muffler covers more than the port diam., so I'm thinking making the port oblong, and angling it towards the out put cover. I could get an easy 50% more exit volumne, but I'll keep it closer to 25-35%. I think worst case- I screw it up. seal the existing port, and re-port facing out, with a smaller diam. to keep some backpreassure, and see how it goes. The 16" bar is gonna happen with this saw. I'm ordering that tomorrow-(did I mention I just sold my Scrambler?) Thanks, JB
 
No issue at 25-35 percent to screw it up and lose power it would be 100+ percent and probaly much more.
My 460 went from 3/8 to a 3/4
 
Beetle-Kill said:
Right now it's 18" Husky safety chain I ground on a little.
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With my similar sized Red version of that saw, going from safety chain to chisel was night and day.
 
SolarAndWood said:
Beetle-Kill said:
Right now it's 18" Husky safety chain I ground on a little.
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With my similar sized Red version of that saw, going from safety chain to chisel was night and day.
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Yep- I had the same experience with my little Homelite saw. Wimpy with safety chain, a whole different animal with some good Oregon 91VXL chains. It gets the job done now.
 
Good advice so far.

Get a 16" bar and throw the safety chain in the trash.

Remember to retune after opening the muffler (may require pulling and trimming the limiter tabs on the H and L carb adjustment screw).
 
I was told all the 346/2145's have a coil that limits it to 9800 rpm or so. I just ordered a unlimited coil for mine. I think between modding the muffler and the new coil it will really come alive.

Billy
 
Going through the archives on arboristsite, and one recommendation was to drill another port straight out throug the bracket and muffler both. Hole diam was spec.'ed at 11mm (.433). That would double the current exhaust flow. i'm gonna cut and reweld the existing cover, and oblong to existing port. Adjust carb., and have at it. hopefully the new 16" bar will get here by this weekend.
 
Beetle-Kill said:
Going through the archives on arboristsite, and one recommendation was to drill another port straight out throug the bracket and muffler both. Hole diam was spec.'ed at 11mm (.433). That would double the current exhaust flow. i'm gonna cut and reweld the existing cover, and oblong to existing port. Adjust carb., and have at it. hopefully the new 16" bar will get here by this weekend.
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Sounds pretty good for someone who just learned to tie their shoes! :-)
 
Shoe laces- meh. That's why Velcro was invented! First off, TMonter, a BIG thanks for the manual, really gonna help me out! ;-P Sooo, I opened the exhaust port to .625" wide X .750" long. Stock was .4375" diam., so I did make it an oblong. But my math skills are failing me, so who can tell me the actual increase in volume? Percentage wise over stock, I think I'm around 65% over stock, but I'm getting numbers all over the board, 'cause I have forgotten how to calc. an oblong. So I'm basically guessing. Any help out there? I want to make sure before I weld the deflector cover back on.( And I did take pictures of the whole deal, just have to figure out how to post them.) Thanks all, JB.
 
I'll take a stab with a caveat that I was never that great in math!

Stock- .4375/2 = .21875
.21875 x .21875 = .0479
.0479 x 3.14 (pi) = .1502

Mod- .625/2 = .3125 .750/2 = .375
.3125 x .375 x 3.14 (pi) = .368

.1502/ .368 = .41

100- 41 = 69 %
 
Like Jay said earlier, you could probably double the stock port and be fine. Knowing that, I just eyeball my muffler mods around 50 to 75% addition to stock.

We'll need pictures of course and a maybe a short video once you get it retuned!
 
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