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walkerized 353

Started by havenodog, November 09, 2006, 08:52:06 PM

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havenodog

Hi guys,

  Am new to this website but have been reading it for some time. Sure is a lot of useful info to be had besides it is great entertainment. I have a question regarding my 353. I wanted a light saw to use when cutting firewood, could have gone with a more powerful saw but I'm over 50 and have a tendency toward backaches after a day in the woods. My question is, I love the saw and Walker did a great job on the mod. Is there any way or anyone you guys might know who can get a little more power out of it without compromising the life of the saw? I don't want a race saw but something that pulls a 20" bar with absolute certainty. Maybe its not possible but thought you guys might know. Thanks for any help you can give.

MDP

What did Walker do to your saw? If it's just a muffler mod you might go a little further and have the cylinder ported, not sure if the smaller saws handle those mods well or not.

Mark

Bill

Don't know much about the 353 ( I've run stihl, poulan and mccullough ) but on Bailey's web site they show the 353 using up to a 20" bar though a 16/18 is more typical.

Could you tell us more about your saw ( how old/how many hours on it ) what you're cutting ( softwood, hardwood, or ??? ) and what bar/chain you have now ?

Maybe as simple as just keeping the saw well maintained and a freshly sharpened chain around might do it  ? ? ?

And most important welcome to FF. Great group of people on FF ( though I can't vouch for myself as they didn't do a background check when I snuck in   ;D   )

Certainly others more knowledgeable than me will chime in with better info . . .

Good Luck

thecfarm

I can't help you.Just want to welcome you to the forum.  8) Good luck with your saw.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

BBTom

I would try a skip chain.  Half as many cutters in the wood means there is twice as much power to use for each cutter.  With the ample power the cutter actually cuts and does not just scrape so it cuts just as fast or faster.  It is also twice as fast to sharpen, so you can take a stroke or two each tankfull and keep it sharp. Just be extremely careful of kickback when using skip chain.
2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

havenodog

Thanks for the welcome guys. It is a new saw and runs fine. Walker did all they said they would do and great guys to deal with. I'm always looking for a little more power but think maybe walker got all they could out of that saw. I guess I want it to run like a full modded 346 and its just not in that saw. I like the wider powerband of the 353 though.

Cut4fun

What did walkers do exactly? Did they cut the cylinder down, change the timing, transfers,port and polish the exhaust-intake, muffler modded, change carb settings, etc? Did you pay walkers $200-$300 for the modding,over the cost of the new saw, if so then you should have woods port. If not you didnt get the full treatment, like a muffler mod and carb adjustment only for about $60. If that saw has a woods ported mod to it, it should fly through the cuts with a 20". I have a 357 modded and it flat out cooks.

jacob j.

Most likely they enlarged the intake and exhaust ports and modded the muffler. Generally Walker's doesn't cut the cylinder to raise compression and the 353 has open transfers and they leave those alone too. A Walkerized 353 would be a good saw to have for firewood, I've had several Walker's saws and they were all good runners.

jacob j.

If you want the best power from this saw, run a quality full synthetic mix oil and premium gas, keep your chain razor sharp, replace your sprocket when it shows signs of wear, and keep your air filter as clean as possible. If the saw is going to sit, run the fuel out of it and put some straight 2-cycle oil in the cylinder.

ehp

the 353  has transfer ports just like the 359, they have a door on the outside of the jug, and the transfer ports are very low on the porting on degrees  , they will need to be raised if you want a higher rpm in the wood . for the money Walkers does a very good job

jacob j.

The 353 cylinder I saw at the logging show had finger ports. Maybe it was mislabeled?

ehp

 the 353's I have ported here have been closed ports with the door on each side. their in the wood rpm is quite low stock but ported they get closer to the 346's rpm in the wood

SawTroll

Quote from: ehp on November 12, 2006, 11:04:24 PM
the 353's I have ported here have been closed ports with the door on each side. their in the wood rpm is quite low stock but ported they get closer to the 346's rpm in the wood
Didn't you state some time ago that you had ported a 353 so it outperformed both ported 346xps and ported PS-5100 - why so modest.... :) :)
Information collector.

havenodog

Hey guys;
  Thanks for all the replys on the 353. The full Walkerization was done on the saw. I've been told that a 20" bar on the 346 or 353 would be too much for this saw. I didn't know the porting on these saws were different. Is it capped ports vs. open ports? And are the two able to be modded having the same results?
   I've just heard such good things about the 346 but was a little hesitant about the narrow power band. I'll be using the 353 this week on some 20" to 24" oak, dead standing. So I'll keep you posted on how it works. I don't usually cut this large diameter wood only now and then.

ehp

yes I have ported 353's that out cut the 346/5100, this is not my site and I am not a sponsor so I feel it would be unfair to Jeff . If someone ask a question that I can help answer then I try to do that .

From the Walkers motor I have worked on they pull the base gasket out, open up the base of the transfer ports but leave the top of the port the way it came from the factory, open up the ext. port and polish it and the same for the intake port and muffler mod .
They do very good work and are not to costly

Cut4fun

ehp, I have ran modded  359 and 357 huskys, modded by 2 well known modders. What is the big difference in the cylinder head stock porting between the two saws? I find the 357 having alot more zip with its woods ports compared to the 359's. I am basing my findings on cookie cutting and timed cuts.

ehp

my 359's are faster than my 357's by  a couple tenths in woodsaws , main reason is the 359 has alot more torque because of the lower transfers and opened crankcase , the modded 361's are faster again

rebocardo

I tried running full skip on my 20" bar with a Husky 365 and saw no improvement in cutting speed on white oak. So, I stick with full comp except on the 28" bars.

If you are running 3/8 50 gauge maybe you could go to a narrower kerf and lower profile chain and pickup some speed there since the main use of the saw is firewood.

jokers

Quote from: rebocardo on November 15, 2006, 07:12:15 PM
I tried running full skip on my 20" bar with a Husky 365 and saw no improvement in cutting speed on white oak. So, I stick with full comp except on the 28" bars.
I tend to agree with this statement.

Havenodog, get some time on the 353 and it will improve. Also be sure that the carb is set up rich enough so that you are making good power, not just screaming at full throttle out of the cut.

I`ve found the 95vp chain that comes standard on this saw works very well and would probably stick with it.

havenodog

Thanks again guys. I have run the Walkerized more, about 10 or 12 tankfuls in it. Even had to cut up a red oak laying on its side for about 5 years, 36" in diameter. Don't normally like to do this with this saw but I must say the saw was buried and it never skipped a beat with a 20" blade. Think I'll stick with the smaller stuff from now on. The saw runs great and its very usable. Now I'm waiting for a muffler bolt that fell out while cutting. Never noticed it was missing until we were done. Thanks again guys for all your help.

sawguy21

Not really on topic but does anyone notice increased vibration from skip tooth on shorter bars? I get customers asking for it on consumer saws because 'my brudder in law/buddy/etc says to use it'
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

ehp

I have ran it on a 20 inch bar on a 7900, seemed fine just not as fast cutting. 1 of the guys uses skip tooth on his saw when the wood gets real dirty

SawTroll

Quote from: jokers on November 26, 2006, 10:04:43 AM... I`ve found the 95vp chain that comes standard on this saw works very well and would probably stick with it.

That is my experience also, and some others that I know of.  :)

...but that is on stock saws - I can well imagine that Oregon LP and Stihl RS are better on modded saws.
Information collector.

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