1986 husqvarna 181se needs new piston and rings

[sawdusty1]

I was opening up my muffler today and saw that the double ring piston had a little scoring half way down the piston.  The rings look fine.   I love this saw but it is hell to pull start.   Could I get by getting a piston and rings and what brand or kind should I get.  Thanks in advance. 

[sawdusty1]

What about the meteor rebuild kit--Anybody have and experience with this kit.

[dougand3]

Can't say for 181 but I just put a Meteor piston in a 372xt - it was great quality and saw runs great.
What is compression? You sure jug isn't scored? Be good to pull it and examine before you buy.
Does saw run good after trouble starting or low on power? 
Carb good? Fuel line/pickup good? Impulse good?

[sawdusty1]

Saw cranks and runs good.  I bought a new muffler for it and it really lost power, so I had the muffler off putting another exhaust port in it and drilling a couple of holes in the baffles.   It made a huge difference.  Any way while I had the muffler off is when I saw a slight scuffing on the piston about a inch under the rings.  I was thinking I could buy a new piston for it and hone the cylinder, but the piston that came in it has been discontinued.  Your right, I need to pull the head to check the cylinder.  I bought the saw used from a dealer that rebuilt it in 1992.  The piston should have a letter or number on it shouldn't  it to know what size over the piston is.  I don't think the double ring piston is available or is it.  I have read somewhere if you put the single ring piston in it is even harder to pull to crank, so maybe the meteor 54mm rebuild kit would be the way to go with the compression release. Whats your thoughts. 

[Al_Smith]

You could always slip the cylinder off and buff out the piston . Chances are you'd never know the difference .

[sawdusty1]

I will do a compression test tomorrow. 

[Pine Ridge]

I have a 288xp that I had a new meteor piston and rings installed, used the original cylinder. I don't know if it had 1 or 2 rings on the piston, I wasn't there when it was put together and I can't remember  what the original piston had. I don't use the saw a lot, I have a 28" bar on it and use it for bigger stuff. It runs good and strong, has all the compression I can handle, it's a real bear to pull start when it's cold.

[sawdusty1]

Yes, it will pull your arm out of socket when it's cold.  The 181 is my dedicated bow saw and I use my 372 for my bar saw.  Most people have forgot how great a bow saw cuts.  It doesn't pinch as bad and easier on your back. Of course you have to respect it.  I have two friends that got a bow saw to the face.

[Al_Smith]

Well people are of the opinion things like a piston have to be perfect which in reality they don't .A slight gouge normally won't hurt things and could be caused by piece of carbon that got shoved into the piston ,chewed up and spit out .A high spot could hurt you because it breaks down the surface tension of the oil film but usually a low spot will not .
I had one which was either a 181 or a 281 that had a little scuff .Nothing to it,some 3M green pad and that fixed it which it most likely never would have caused a problem .
I've got a 281 which is a good saw but it doesn't see much action .I've got so many saws it's hard to keep  them all exercised .
Now I could be ornery and revive the age old great oil debate but I'll let that sleeping dog lie . 8)

[Al_Smith]

If you folks think a 181 or a 288 pulls hard try a 2100 some time .About like rope starting a Harley twin .I would suggest a Stihl 460 rescue saw D-handle to tame that beast and perhaps save you from being wound up in the recoil starter if it ever decides to be contrary .Those Viking Swedes are tough but they aren't that tough .Those saws should have had decomps .

[sawdusty1]

I was surprised that the compression was 122lbs, so I guess I will leave a sleeping dog lye.  The rings do look a little pitted.  Wish I could just find some rings to fit it.   Someone on this forum told me about the stihl rescue saw handle, it may have been you Al, and I just ordered one.

[sawguy21]

With 122# you have nothing to worry about but to each their own. Some of the old Huskys are nasty beggars to start, I won't do it without gloves. My L65 is like that, it's one of the reasons the saw was given to me. The young fella also wouldn't use it because no brake.

[Al_Smith]

Caber rings,52 mm by 1.5 mm $12.95 e-bay .

[sawdusty1]

Well I got a black Friday deal on my 54mm meteor cylinder and piston kit($93) from HL.   No cylinder scoring on take off, plus piston and rings looked all right.  Man it sure is easier to start with the decompression valve.  It was a bitch to pull on cold mornings.  All My chainsaws are getting a work out.  Hurricane Michael put 10 acres of huge black cherry, hickory, red and white oak on the ground and 10 acres of pines.   One 200 year oak in the center of the living room doing $170K damage to my house, Wiped out my sawmill shed and huge pole barn, totaled travel trailer. I've ran 30 gallons of gas through my chainsaws since the storm. Took 4 days to cut myself out to the highway. 

[Al_Smith]

I've got a 281 in the shed which really doesn't get much run time mainly because I have so  many saws .I've only been into one 181 that had something wrong with the linkage that I did one of my hillbilly fixes on .Got the parts from a dealer in North Carolina ,no stocking dealers in this area .
I did lift the cylinder because the piston had a little burn on the exhaust side and buffed it out .Interesting design on the intake port of that thing .
Any way ,repaired it ,gave it back to the tree trimmer and some low life stole it and about 3000 dollars worth of saws from his bucket truck .He had to borrow saws from me to run his business for a short time .

[thecfarm]

sawdusty1,don't know nothing about chainsaws.
But sorry to hear of the tree damage.  :( That's alot of trees to lose. Sounds like alot of work too.

[Blaszer]

This post is ironic...My husky 394xp has the same problem.....And while driving  down a sidereal near my house, There was a husky 50 in the garbage...I stopped and asked the homeowner what was up with it...He said it won't start and its mine if I want it..I pulled the muffler and this one has the same problem too!! rings are worn right to the piston....Its making me wonder if I should ditch my 3 huskies and get a few more stihls

[sawguy21]

It makes me wonder if air filter maintenance is an issue.

[Al_Smith]

Makes me wonder if the rings were made of soft lead . :D

[Blaszer]

wouldn't air filter maintenance cause an overfuel/flood effect rather than a lean ??

[sawguy21]

If it can't get adequate air fuel is also decreased, the low pressure in the carb throat is what controls the amount of fuel drawn into the venturi. Eventually contaminants are pulled through and around the filter as the engine struggles to breathe.