I'm trying to decide what to do my my backup saw.

crazyal · Sep 9, 2015

Until this spring my 357xp was my goto saw for pretty much everything. I bought it used for $100 from a logger friend of mine. He bought it new and used it to cut limbs. He put a lot of use on it and noticed that the cylinder was starting to score. He said he found an air leak and was able to clean up the cylinder and replace the piston and ring. I didn't ask too many details since it ran fine. He had it for about 5 years before I got it, think it was in 2007.

Since getting the Dolmar I've been using that saw exclusively to break it in. Last weekend I decided to use the 357 and noticed it seamed like it should have more power than it does. I pulled the muffler and it looks like the Nikasil is starting to flake off. This saw is one of the first made and has an unusual connecting rod in it. From everything I've read so far the connecting rod is either 13mm wide while newer versions are 15mm wide. One website said it was the diameter of the wrist pin not the width of the connection rod. I'll have to pull it apart to be sure which is correct.

Everything I've found so far says that the new 15mm piston will not work with the 13mm connecting rod. It could be because the pin is different diameters or maybe the connecting rod is a different length. Since the 13mm version is on the rare side there doesn't seam to be any cylinder kits for it. Husky no longer sells the stock cylinder or piston and all the aftermarket ones either don't say they will fit the 13mm connecting rod or specifically state they will not.

I did do a little checking and the crank case part numbers are the same between the two versions. So I think my options are to just wait until the saw dies, take it apart, and sell the parts on ebay. I would think that I could get $100 or more for the parts. Replace the crankshaft with the newer version (I have found several aftermarket ones for around $50 and a used OEM one for $70), replace the bearings and seals, and then get a newer cylinder/ piston combo for the saw. But depending on what parts I buy (a new OEM cylinder/ piston is $200, a meteor piston would be about $120, and there are some cheaper Chinese kits for about $50) it could cost me around $300 (or more). It would basically be a new saw since I replaced the carb a couple years ago. I could just try, if the wrist pin diameter is the same between the two, putting the 15mm piston kit on the current connecting rod and check the squish. If it looks good run it and hopefully nothing bad happens. Or i could keep it for parts and try to find a used 357xp in good shape (I'm guessing about $300~$350) or sell the parts and buy a slightly smaller saw that would compliment my 7900 better.

XYZ123, I did join the chainsaw repair site and will also post this over there. I'm wondering if anyone would know what would happen if I did try to use the the 15mm kit on the 13mm connecting rod (assuming it's width not diameter).

dfkrug · Sep 9, 2015

I have had good luck with aftermarket pistons and jugs. The last one I got directly from China for a
Stihl 026, and it worked fine. You DO need to clean them first of all sand, esp in the scavenger ports.

IMO, you should fix it as that is a great saw.

crazyal · Sep 9, 2015

I did pull it apart and found the wrist pin is 12mm in diameter. The width of the connecting rod is 13 mm. I think he might have used the wrong piston as the gap where the connecting rod fits is 15 mm wide while the needle bearing is only 13mm wide.

It looks like I could just use the newer version cylinder kit. I could even get a 1mm shim for each side of the wrist pin bearing.

The OEM cylinder kit is $200.
A meteor cylinder kit is $140
A Hyway cylinder kit is $120

Then there are various Chinese kits for as cheap as $40 but they have much smaller transfer ports, probably based off of the 359.

Anyone have an opinion which would be best? I did read about porting the 359 cylinder to make it perform like the 357xp cylinder. I would rather not bother doing that.

Bluegill2 · Sep 9, 2015

Oem is by far best!

Are you sure the cylinder can't be cleaned up? Never saw the plating flake off on any oem jugs. Usually just aluminum transfer from the piston.

I'd sure give ya $100 for it. Let me know.

Bluegill2 · Sep 10, 2015

If it's a 2007 model saw, it will have the new style 15mm. The 13mm was the first run, 2001, 2002 or so. Not sure about the exact dates. And I believe the size is the diameter of the wrist pin, but not sure... Date is on the tag under the handle bar on the clutch side.

357xp is my favorite saw & is well worth fixin. But I'll take it if you don't want to mess with it.:thumbsup:

LD1 · Sep 10, 2015

Get a dolmar 420 or 5105 for a backup

crazyal · Sep 10, 2015

Bluegill2 said:
If it's a 2007 model saw, it will have the new style 15mm. The 13mm was the first run, 2001, 2002 or so. Not sure about the exact dates. And I believe the size is the diameter of the wrist pin, but not sure... Date is on the tag under the handle bar on the clutch side.

357xp is my favorite saw & is well worth fixin. But I'll take it if you don't want to mess with it.:thumbsup:

It's one of the first 357xp made. I think he said he bought it in 2001 but it could have been 2002. The wrist pin diameter is 12mm. The 13mm is width of the connecting rod, I pulled it apart and confirmed it.

I cleaned up the cylinder and nikasil is starting to come off near the intake port. I'm not going to worry about it. I tried to take a picture but it doesn't show up. I had a cylinder from my CR250 that the coating was coming off that I sent out but I doubt it makes much sense with a chainsaw since the cylinders are so cheap. I decided to replace the piston and ring, since I had it apart and it has the wrong piston in it. I'm going to put a 1mm shim on each side and run it like that for a few tanks then inspect it.

I think I'll keep an eye out for a good used OEM crankshaft and in a few years replace it and the seals. By then I'll know more just how much I'll be using it. If it gets lots of use then I'll spend the money and fix it up like new, if I rarely use it then I'll probably leave the 13mm crankshaft/ connecting rod in it. It's a good saw but it's right at the point of almost being too heavy to be a good compliment to my larger saw.

crazyal · Sep 10, 2015

The 5105 wouldn't be worth the effort. It's about the same weight as my 357xp with less hp. The 420 would be an interesting choice but I probably would get the Husky 543XP since it's lighter and has slightly more power (plus I can buy parts locally). But I just can't see spending money on a new saw as a back up so it would have to be used, which favors the 543XP as well, since Dolmar just doesn't sell a lot of saws in the US.

Bluegill2 · Sep 11, 2015

crazyal said:
It's one of the first 357xp made. I think he said he bought it in 2001 but it could have been 2002. The wrist pin diameter is 12mm. The 13mm is width of the connecting rod, I pulled it apart and confirmed it.

I cleaned up the cylinder and nikasil is starting to come off near the intake port. I'm not going to worry about it. I tried to take a picture but it doesn't show up. I had a cylinder from my CR250 that the coating was coming off that I sent out but I doubt it makes much sense with a chainsaw since the cylinders are so cheap. I decided to replace the piston and ring, since I had it apart and it has the wrong piston in it. I'm going to put a 1mm shim on each side and run it like that for a few tanks then inspect it.

I think I'll keep an eye out for a good used OEM crankshaft and in a few years replace it and the seals. By then I'll know more just how much I'll be using it. If it gets lots of use then I'll spend the money and fix it up like new, if I rarely use it then I'll probably leave the 13mm crankshaft/ connecting rod in it. It's a good saw but it's right at the point of almost being too heavy to be a good compliment to my larger saw.

Sounds like a good plan, too bad it's the earliest model. Look for a used 346xp for a smallish saw, it's one of the best saws ever made and you'd likely use it more than you realize. I have 3 of em.

crazyal · Sep 17, 2015

The parts I ordered, piston/ ring/ wrist pin, the base gasket, and the shims came yesterday. So last night I installed them. I ordered a Meteor piston since it was half the price of new. I didn't bother measuring how close the piston came to the top of the cylinder because I measured the distance between the top of the wrist pin hole to the head of the piston. The new piston matched the old one (since it's a direct replacement for stock I expected as much). The ring gap was 9 mils. I debated using the shims, I put the piston onto the connecting rod without them and then with them. With them the piston felt better. I don't know how to describe it, just the lack of slop felt right so I used one on each side. I like to use lots of two stroke oil when assembling two strokes, on the rings, the piston skirt, the wrist pin bearing, and the crank case bearings. I used a very thin layer of high temp gasket sealer, mainly where the two cases come together. I sharpened the chain before calling it a night.

This morning after everything was dry I tried to start it. The compression felt the same so I was trying to lower my expectations. It popped on the first pull, moved the choke to half was and it started right up on the second pull. After a few minutes of the extra oil burning off the saw was up to temp and I tried it out. Even though I didn't push it and didn't use more than 3/4 throttle I could still feel the power was back. Before if I tried pushing it a little hard it wanted to stall. Not anymore.

I bought two base gaskets so I can pull it apart if I desire to make sure there is no unusual wear after I get some hours on the saw. The exhaust gasket broke on my so I need to get a replacement. I'll inspect inside the cylinder through the exhaust port once I get it and then later down the road since pulling the muffler is pretty simple. Over all I'm very happy with it's performance.