372XP clone: Your experiences?

[Old Greenhorn]

OK, so I really wanted to get a new 372, even got a great price from a dealer that is hard to walk away from. But the key words here are that I WANTED ONE. I don't NEED one. That is, I don't cut the big stuff enough to justify it, nor do I get paid for the cutting I do, it is just part of my life. For the few times a year I NEED a 372, the justification is simply not there. I am very close to pulling the trigger on a clone.
 I know that it is like playing roulette with these clones, but frankly it seems like the only responsible choice I have given the usage. I know @weimedog has a lot of experience with these as rebuilding and souping them up and mixing in OEM parts, etc. I have read all his posts at least once and think I've seen all his videos (THANK YOU!). I am talking about out of the box stock units here. Yes, I clearly know that a clone may require some tinkering from time to time. I am not afraid of that, but it should run well out of the box in the beginning at least. I keep my stuff clean and serviced, it saves a lot on repairs and lost work time.

 The question: For those that have gone this route, what has been your experience on how these things run new and hold up with occasional use? Are those $9.00 bars they sell any good? What about their chains? Figured I would order everything from them to get it started, then replace with better parts as it wears. I know there were some horror stories in the early days of folks not even getting what they ordered or having it not run out of the box. Looking to make sure I am not throwing all of my money away. I should at least get a saw that runs and cuts. SO, tell me your stories, good and bad, please.
Thanks,
Tom

[Air Lad]

Mine is a good experience 
I dont know what this one was a copy of but after the coil died suddenly at 3 months
The selling company replaced free
This saw seems more powerful than the 51.2 cc
in nine years only replaced a tiny quad ring (square edged O ring) inside the oil pump to stop a leak when parked up
Recently did a carb kit
She is running sweet
Might be a Jonsered copy
Cheers

[Allar]

You might wanna check this thread out.
http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=103476.0

[Old Greenhorn]

Yup, as I said, I have read them all as far as I know. I am just looking for the general experience of those who actually made a purchase. Sometimes what works for one turns out to be a totally different experience for the next fella.
 It appears, through lack of response, that not many folks have actually bought one of these or think I am going to the dark side if I do. I just wanted to see if there are any horror stories out there. I still want an OEM 372, but unless my life changes, I can't justify the cost. So it's the clone or nothing for now.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well due to the underwhelming response I have been left to make a decision on my own (thanks Air Lad, you had the deciding vote). I pulled the trigger tonight and placed the order for the clone. I also ordered some other parts for other saws and spares.
My thinking in all this is that I want to see how this stuff can function well for such a cheap price. I fully expect some failures right out of the box. I hope the saw can run well enough to cut on short duty cycles, that's all I need. I bought some rims, 3 bars, 2 chains, air filter, a muffler, etc. SHipping was not cheap, but not crazy. I am concerned that it all even shows up at my door.
I am sure many think I am selling out to the cheap knock-offs that are undercutting the guys developing the good stuff. Of course, you are somewhat right. I did make the purchase which supports their business. I feel more than a fair amount of guilt for this, given what I have seen of their business practices and their effect on the world economy. I also know first hand the quality that I can expect. If this all blows up on me and I look foolish, I will let you know. I have no illusions of coming off cheap and well in this deal, but lets see how it goes. It's an experiment I plan to learn from. I don't think this would change how I buy stuff in the future, I like to get OEM whenever it is available for important things like saws. I am actually holding the dream that I can make a few bucks using the clone to sell it and buy a real 372. If that works out then I will call it a win.
I'll let you know how it plays out.

[Air Lad]

Although very strong about genuine gear I have and trust .My little "china doll" has done
nothing wrong for what she has been put through.
Not a 372 clone but
Good luck with you're decision mate
In the event of failures I think genuine parts should fit along the way
Just got my old Echo running tonight
Back in the 70's they used to say Japanese machinery was cheap rubbish
This old Echo seems to be really well built

[HolmenTree]

I bought a 372XP (old edition) new 15 years ago. Loved that saw from that era, but sold it a year ago. 562XP is presently my main bigger saw soon to be replaced with a MS462 cm.
But if you're a Husqvarna owner with lots of bar/chains for them you'd be foolish not to look into a 572XP. Maybe a little overkill for some but I'm sure you wouldn't  be sorry.

Here's my old 372XP when I sold it.




But if you like older Huskies here's a pic of my mint like new 1993 272XP that I also sold .

[Old Greenhorn]

Nice clean saws Holmen! However, the Husky's are just out of my price range, even used. (A co-worker found a 'not running' 372 for $200 bucks last night, but by the time he told me today, it was sold. I would have grabbed it up.)
 SO I am stuck with the clones (for now) as the only available alternative to get me into the bigger bar 70cc class for the few times I need it a year. As I said, if I get to the point of generating some cash down the road, then getting a real saw would be more likely and I may have had enough of the tinkering with the clone by then anyway.
 That's why I was asking what folks actual experience was with the clone saws.

[cliffreaves]

I took the plunge a couple months ago and bought the 372 clone.  I am really happy with it!  I already had bars and chains though from my 395xp (Oregon bars and carlton chains).  So far I've cut down and bucked 3 36" white oaks and 1 40" poplar  with it.  No trouble at all.  As far as longevity, I have no idea.  Worst case scenario all of the parts are cheap from the same supplier.  I've ran a 36" and 24" bar on it with no problemo. Perhaps I got lucky with my particular saw though.

[HolmenTree]

Fellas, I have no experience with clone saws but if the savings are there I see no reason owning one if it's not used every day to make a living with.
If a part breaks or goes defective you're not out alot of money to replace it.
Better yet replace that defective part  with a OEM part and you should be good to go for the long haul.

[weimedog]

I've had a "kit" saw 372, a Holzfforma g372 and a g372xp go through the program here. All needed a little "development" but made chips when done. All are still running (elsewhere) now as I moved them along to make room for other project saws. I guess I have mixed feeling on all this, as documented in the video's. I don't think they are for everyone. If a person has the skills and doesn't mine a bit of a gamble, they can be a lot of fun. For those looking for a tool and want it to be "right" out of the box, buy OEM.  And from the hobby stand point....again mixed. As it can be a lot of fun building kits, I had a pile of fun developing the 660 kits to real productive machines; for many that would be a pain. One advantage is the parts are clean.. But from a price performance perspective, sometimes you can end up with a better situation starting from a dead OEM saw, again depending on the skill set and tools. SO as I said ...mixed. Of the options, the g372 had nicer plastic than the g372xp...and was a lot easier to get sorted out. The kit was better yet as you can "sub" in better parts right during the build...so bottom line for me? Not for everyone. But with the right expectations, mind set, and skill set can be a lot of fun as well as a productive tool.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yes @weimedog I have read all your posts and watched all your videos I could find. I thought too long and very hard on this. Now that I have pulled the trigger and ordered the G372 powerhead complete, I am still on the fence. I can fix most anything and I know you are a good resource if I get stuck. You have always been very clear "If you want trouble free, but OEM" I get that. But I could not even find a dead OEM carcass around here for a decent price.  By 'decent price' I mean a price that I can afford plus the cost of repair parts to bring it to a reliable working condition. I don't think $400. for a dead carcass is a decent price. Even my wife thinks I should have gotten the OEM, but she doesn't understand the minimal usage time this saw will see in my hands.
 I also ordered 3 bars while I was at it (for this and other saws), but now I am reading here and there that they are total junk as manufactured. I haven't read any opinions from you on the bars. Can you share a little on that aspect? Having been warned, I will keep a close eye on them and dress them as needed (this being the chief complaint I have heard, the rail heights do not match, as well as the groove being oversize for a given gauge).
 I'll wait my two weeks, hope all the stuff shows up, and then go from there. If you have any specifics on the things I should check before I even fire it up, I would be all ears. (I am a bit concerned that the tracking number they sent me shows up as "invalid number" on the China Post website and even though they say "1 year warranty", there is no way on their website to contact them. Yeah, this could be an expensive adventure.)
Tom

[weimedog]

I have never tried their bars. I've used Total's for the past few years, Sugi's before that, and now moving on to the Much less expensive Oregon versa cut's as they are light and seem to be durable, certainly durable enough for what I do. I had some Forester bars, they were OK just a bit heavy. I caution on putting too much value on "online" expertise as often its as much about "look what I have!, I'm so great!" as a real objective analysis and understanding. A lot of those bars are just fine for many folks. Since my priority is weight, ( Because I am old and hurt a lot) I have gravitated away from the lower cost bars, not because they won't guide a chain, just a lighter bar is worth the money to me.

Chances are the g372 will do just fine. The saw snobs in the "kit saw" world can recommend a gazillion ways to make it almost OEM....and by the time u have done that you might as well have purchased OEM! The kits saw thing has developed a life and culture of its own. Never second guess once the money is spent on something like that, put the pedal down and figure how to make it work usually ends up with the best results.

As far as saws are concern, just look at Face Book Market as there were several 372's for under $400. I just picked up a well worn but running 372xp XT for $200 bucks from an Amish fellow, (who bought a 576 ). Figure its a project saw now, will get bearings, seals, and maybe a Hyway 52mm top end with a Popup, blended to the carb that is on that "XT" saw. SO dollar wise, $200-$250 for  saw, $30 for bearings, another $20 for seals, $25 for a OE OEM 372 intake boot....and elbow grease. Oh yeah, $100 for the Hyway top end. Total price: $375-$425 for a fresh saw that has a lot of punch, and no big dollar porting either to make it cut faster than a stocker. Maybe a video....documenting the cost of a project saw such as this. Like we did with the 390's... I'm leaning that direction vs. AM at this point for me. I've built the 2171 and this will be the second "personal" use saw for the season. The other 372's are out with loggers in the HTSS test program..

But to the original posting, I can't see a reason why you can't make the g372 work and be pleased with the results.

[Old Greenhorn]

If I could have found a decent carcass for $200. I would have jumped on it.
 When I watched all your videos and read your reports, I was looking for issues that I would not be comfortable dealing with. I didn't see any. The fancy porting stuff you do to improve performance is not something I have a need or desire to do, and for the rest, I was comfortable in my understanding and ability to work through the issues. The only tools I lack is a case splitter and a compression gauge. Easy to fix that.
 I am actually a little excited to get started on this. We shall see where it goes. Thanks again for all the posts and videos. I would not be at this point without your help.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, nearly 2 weeks of waiting and UPS tracking tells me the saw (along with a bunch of other parts and bars) will be delivered today. It has been sitting at their terminal here in Town since Saturday. Would have been nice to have it then, but maybe I can sneak out of work a little early today and check it out. I guess I should give it a good checking over before I throw a bar on it and head to the woods. I have only ever bought 1 new saw, the rest were used.
 Here goes nothin' ;D

[Old Greenhorn]

Well my gut was probably right. I just got home from work expecting the saw to be here and there was a well wrapped package that only contained the bars, chains, and parts I ordered. There is no saw power head. I think I got the shaft and foresee lots of emails back and fourth with the bottom line being that I lose. I should have never let myself be taken in. *DanG, I feel like a jackass.

[lxskllr]

Don't give up yet. These tend to be small operations, and stuff doesn't go as smoothly as it does with amazon. You'll probably get your stuff, but it may take a little while, especially if it's coming from China.

[Old Greenhorn]

Don't give up yet. These tend to be small operations, and stuff doesn't go as smoothly as it does with amazon. You'll probably get your stuff, but it may take a little while, especially if it's coming from China.

They only gave me one tracking number for a single package. That package arrived without the saw. I am pretty sure I got taken. I should have known. I am the guy who always takes it in the shorts on these deals.

[motzingg]

did you order from hutzl/farmertec/ holzforma whatever?  i've got a couple things from them and they have come through. 

i would be concerned with buying the fully assembled power head since you never know what kind of epa/customs shenanigans might be involved.  i'm sure you'll get it eventually.   I have had motorcycle parts get held up in customs before since it has to do with engines and stuff they have different customs declaration codes,  if the shipper fills it out wrong it can delay things.  

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah, from Hutzl. My concern is that there was only one tracking number provided for one package. That package arrived. It could not have gotten separated if it was all in one box. I think they never shipped it in the first place. The package was listed as 11 pounds and what I got weighed 11 pounds. That's another concern. Even if they ship another one (the first one?) I will be waiting another 2 weeks. I had a job planned for it and allowed 3 weeks for delivery from the order date. Now I am screwed even in the best of circumstances with the exception of coming home tomorrow and finding it sitting here. I doubt that will happen. That never happens to me. It will be a long painful process from here out, I can feel it. It's what I get for buying this stuff. I took a look at the bars they sent. and have spent a half hour trying to dress the short (20") down to where the rails are even height. Terrible manufacturing work, but I expected it and know how to fix it.

[hamish]

I have never had an issue with delivery from Hutzl, but have had many an issue with UPS, USPS, FEDEX, US Customs, CDN Customs, Canada Post and the list goes on and on........
Figured if they can ship me a powerhead from China and all the super efficent western carriers have there stars align and I can get it in 9 business days, all is good.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well I wasted all of last evening on this and didn't get any work done, I was so pithed off. After several messages back and forth with them, I learned that they shipped the saw the day after the other stuff and gave me the Chinese tracking number for that second box. That was a dead end at customs where it was last reported to be 7 days ago. This morning I got a UPS number from them, but this shows that they (UPS) have not yet gotten the package. It also shows the package at around 5 pounds, which can't be right.
 I understand this stuff takes time, but I am really ticked that they didn't give me all the shipping information as it developed, or at least update the order info on their web page as it changed. I had to find out the hard way, then waste an evening trying to find out what was going on and ask multiple questions before they finally offered up the info they should have given in the first place and avoided the whole mess. I'll just sit on my hands and hope it shows up.
 I got one and a half bars dressed last night, holy cow those rails are so mis-matched it's unbelievable. probably off by .02-.03". I am wearing out a brand new dressing file already and haven't even started on the 28" bar. Hopefully with proper preparation and fixing, they will last for a reasonable amount of time. It's not the first time I had to fix something brand new before I can use it. Well, i was looking for a little adventure, I guess I got one.

[bluthum]

For what it's worth I ordered a Joncutter 58cc saw 14 days ago and got it today. Factors influencing my decision were price and the fact I have bars,  chains and other parts to fit. Also my saw demands are decreasing as I get older.  I think this is a copy of a 261 Jonsered, no?  If to be believed the power/weight ratio on paper is pretty decent.

Anyway I put on a bar and chain, fueled and lubed it and it started right up after a few pulls. After warming it started easy with 1 pull. I stuck it into a dead post oak and it cuts at least ok, further testing  is in order. I really like the feel/balance and the old school controls and adjustments. 

It is very loud and I don't see me forgetting using ear plugs with this, I guess that's one old school part I could live with out. The big question is of course durability over the long haul, who knows about that. For sure If I were using a saw for a living daily I would spring for a name brand saw but perhaps these knock offs have their place?  Fun to explore without a big investment at any rate.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well good luck with it! I a glad you have your own bars. I ordered a few to try them and am already sorry I did. As mentioned earlier they need dressing right out of the box. The longer the bar, the worse the mismatch in the rails. Finished the 24" last night and started the 28" holy cow! Got one side pretty much done, but it took all night. Tonight I finish it off and do the other side. They are so bad you can't even stand them on edge. After filing, much better. My hands are getting pretty sore.
 tomorrow is 14 days and no hoe to see the saw, it still has not cleared customs. Quite a fight to get the second set of tracking info out of them. I still hold out hope, I hear stories on both sides.

[Pine Ridge]

Been keeping an eye on this every evening, truly hope this has a happy ending for you and things are good.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well sometime late last evening it cleared customs and UPS got it, it went through 2 more transfers then made it to the local depot here in town at 5:50am today. Hopefully it will make the delivery truck as they plan. It should be here when I get home from work. Steady rain here until at least noon, then more rain. Don't expect to do more than test it in a log tonight if I can get it that far. Here's hoping.
 I pretty much have the bars dressed up, but boy do I have a pile of steel shavings on the floor! Looks like the gauge grooves may be oversize too, might have to hammer them in. More work, but that's the game with these things.

[motzingg]

Do you have any pics or explaination of 'dressing the bars'

i think you mean making it so either side of the groove, i.e. the two laminated sides, are even with each other and perpendicular. 

never something i've measured or considered, my first china bar should be showing up any day here, be interested to check it out. 

[Pine Ridge]

Good , your making forward pogress then.

[Old Greenhorn]

Do you have any pics or explaination of 'dressing the bars'

i think you mean making it so either side of the groove, i.e. the two laminated sides, are even with each other and perpendicular.

never something i've measured or considered, my first china bar should be showing up any day here, be interested to check it out.

No, sorry I don't have photos. Normally it's routine maintenance I do from time to time, just a few swipes to even and flatten them out. I also file the faces when they wear. In this case they are so mismatched I have little hope of any kind of decent cut without fixing them. Yes, it is leveling off the top edges. a good bar should stand straight up on edge if it is dressed properly. These bars won't even stand crooked, they won't stand at all without an hour of filing. I probably should have skipped using the bar dresser file and went right to the belt grinder.

[Allar]

I dress my bar once a week, rails on my bars get uneven real fast.
I use bar dresser that i ordered  from china for 5$ and i absolutely love it.

Old Greenhorn, hope you receive the clone soon. Kinda curious to hear your opinion on that particular saw.

[Old Greenhorn]

Allar, what kind of bars do you use? These that I bought were just so I could try the different lengths on the saw and decide which is the best fit for my work, then buy a good one. I can see these probably won't last, the steel looks like it has porosity pockets here and there and is fairly soft. The 28" bar was just to slap on for that rare large tree once or twice a year.

[Allar]

I use the basic Husqvarna bars. Not completely sure why rails wear uneven, perhaps because of felling spike.. and probably because of the angled face cut.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well the saw showed up today at 4:30 in the afternoon. I arrived home at 4:50, not that I was watching the UPS tracking or anything like that. ;D Packed very well. Came with a little kit and they threw the screws in the kit bag loose for putting on the felling dogs and chain brake handle. No instructions on that stuff at all I figured it our fairly easily but was missing the screw that goes though the recoil cover and the chain brake bar as a pivot point. It's a weird screw (not standard). That pithed me off a bit. Took my time putting the 24" bar on, messed around a bit with fits and stuff. The bar tension adjustment screw is horrible tight to move (with no load). I will have to pull that apart and figure it out. It can't stay that way, I won't have it, because you have no feel as you adjust the chain. The chain brake works as it should but has an awful lot of freeplay in it, maybe 15 degrees, that I find annoying. I threw a little gas in it and filled the oil. No primer on this saw so it took a few pulls to get it to pop. Then it fired right up. Carb adjustments sound pretty close. It's raining pretty steady here tonight, so I walked over to a log and did a few plunge test cuts. Sounded good, cut good, but when I started the 3rd plunge it stalled right out. It took a few pulls to restart then cut fine again. The chain (theirs also) stretched out pretty good at that point and I was wet enough, so I went back in the shop, re-tightened the chain, and called it a night. Tomorrow the clouds will clear and I will try it out on some logs, maybe a tree or two if I am in the mood.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well I put in in service this morning and cut a little over a half cord. The wood was kind of dirty (mud season, right?) but it zipped on through. It did keep stalling when I would go from a high cutting load down to idle quickly. After restarting it about 10 times, I adjusted the idle up just a bit. Now it seems to idle way too fast when it is cold. These are tweaks and the saw has to run in a bit anyway. I used their chains and bars too just to see how they would do. I think I made a comment above about all the dressing I needed to do on the bar before I used it, anyway it cut well, but after that half cord the chain is quite dull. Likely the condition of the wood contributed to that, but still the chain did seem to give up quickly. I will sharpen it tonight or tomorrow morning more likely.  So far, so good. No additional complaints.
 It is interesting, I have never had a 24" bar before, so getting used to the length requires me to pay attention. I don't have to bend over as much, but I found I got a lot closer to hitting the dirt than I normally do. I've been working with an 18" bar so long that I always know where the tip is even if I can't see it. SO I gotta work on that. Wonder how it will feel when I put the 28" on? ;D ;D


 

[Pine Ridge]

Glad to see you finally got it and it's working for you. The fiasco you had to go through to get it is about how it is for me in everything I do these days, always a hang up or glitch of some kind or another, I really need an "easy button" these days.

[motzingg]

un-seated rings (or badly worn) can act like an air leak, i've seen that before

might be worth taking the time to pop the cover off and just make sure all the rubber intake manifold clamps and everything are seated-down nice and tight

any time a two stroke wont idle down, i get paranoid and look for an air leak. 

[Old Greenhorn]

I still have break-in tweaking to do, the idle issue is coming along, just getting used to it. I do like the power this saw has, but am getting used to the weight and length of that 24" bar. I am so used to that 50cc 18" that I have to re-think a lot of small stuff and be more careful. For bucking it cuts really quickly compared to the smaller saw. Last night I think I noticed the chain oiler is not working as it should, so if I have time today i will sneak a look at it. I have the oiler wide open. I hear this happens from time to time on these saws new out of the box. Its not something I didn't expect to have to deal with.
 All in all, so far, so good.

[Air Lad]

Since you went this way on the strength of my good experience , Old Greenhorn ,I hope that you get as much success out of your " China doll " as I have enjoyed for coming on ten years out of mine.
I also hope you don't blame me if things go south. 
In the event of issues that may arise they can all be sorted out one way or another.
Some of the aftermarket stuff says to run 25:1
What were you,re instructions on fuel mix ?
Cheers

[Old Greenhorn]

The saw is running well. I use 50:1 in all my equipment and that is what is reccomended for this saw. I dropped a 20" ash with it Friday evening and it worked very nicely. I am just working on getting myself used to the physical size of it and where the bar tip and edges are when I can't see them. Nearly cut through my hinge the other night. It cuts pretty fast. Happy with it so far.

[Air Lad]

How is she doin ?

[Old Greenhorn]

Thanks for asking. I have been on the mill a lot lately, but I did drop a nice maple with this the other day. It is working well. The power is good and it is nice to not have to bore cut from both sides on bigger wood.  I only have about 4 tanks through it. I am trying to get the low idle tweaked a bit, She stalls if it's warm and I go from high rev to idle quickly, Also, I think the high speed is a tad low. This has been changing in the last 2 tanks, so I am waiting until it settles in. Nothing problematic. I feel like it is not using as much bar oil as it should, but it does leak a little bar oil when it sits. All in all, I am happy with it. It was never intended as a full time saw and it is doing the job very well. I have yet to try the 28" bar on it. But I have a job coming up, if the ground ever stiffens up.

[Air Lad]

Good to hear mate
Mine leaked bar oil until I sourced a better quad ring for the oil pump(different to yours BTW)
Cheers

[Satamax]

Well, got mine today. 

Carrier lost the guide bar.  

Mine started right away.. Sounds good. 

But one of the studs retaining the guide bar was tucked in the aluminium body. Making it impossible to fit the bar and use the saw.  I sorted that redneck style. I couldn't fit the guide bar with the tensioner. I had to file the tensioner holes. 

Tried it, and it's nice and nervous. Will see how it goes when broken in. 

[Old Greenhorn]

SO you are a French redneck? That paints quite the picture in my head.  :D :D ;D
 Good luck with the saw, mine is still working well. Leaks some oil, but oh well. I will pull it apart over the winter.

[Satamax]

French redneck enough? 

VID 20190520 194103 - YouTube

[Old Greenhorn]

That looks like a French sawyer to me.  ;D The redneck comment paints a different picture in my head. Beautiful mill and setup. I am jealous!

[Satamax]

Don't be Jealous. It's a lot of sacrifice. And since i'm extremely lazy, it takes forever. 

No wife, no kids. A sawmill, and many other tools. Lotsa beer. A fat belly. And lots of swearing!  ;D

[Old Greenhorn]

No wife, no kids. A sawmill, and many other tools. Lotsa beer. A fat belly. And lots of swearing!  ;D

Sounds to me like you are doing it right.

[Riwaka]

Is it possible to upgrade/ update the CD4 sawmill so you do not have to ride on it?
Turn it more into a Mebor?
effificiency and safety?
http://www.lbl-brenta-cd.com/en/scie-cd.html

Horizontal BAND SAW MILL MEBOR HTZ 1000 - YouTube

[Satamax]

Riwaka, i quite like riding on it. You're close to the wood, you can see what the blade is doing. 

But there's plenty of CD saws which you don't have to ride on. 

Here's a big CD8 i think, at work. 

HORIZONTAL BANDSAW CD - YouTube

[Satamax]

Guys, didn't i read somewhere, that there was air venting problems with those chainsaws sometimes?

[Satamax]

Well, got mine today.

Carrier lost the guide bar.  

Mine started right away.. Sounds good.

But one of the studs retaining the guide bar was tucked in the aluminium body. Making it impossible to fit the bar and use the saw.  I sorted that redneck style. I couldn't fit the guide bar with the tensioner. I had to file the tensioner holes.

Tried it, and it's nice and nervous. Will see how it goes when broken in.

Few days later. The idle was kind of bad, i sorted.  that my way, when i was releasing the trigger, it was stalling. So i enriched the mix at iddle. Untill it slowed down. Then raised  the iddle speed. Doesn't stall anymore. They told me how to fix the stud. Kind of rustic as far as customer service goes. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Their customer service is pretty close to nill. The shorted me a part and offered me 2 dollars credit. I just wanted the part, but they failed to send it. bought it locally for $16 . You have to be your own service department with these.

[Satamax]

Did you buy chains from them? 

They're dang tough. I wrecked, or rounded if you prefer, the teeth of a stihl file on the chain i've bought from them. The file they provide seems a smidge tougher.  

[Old Greenhorn]

Yes, I bought some chains to try them, seem to sharpen fine with my own file. I haven't tried theirs yet. I buy quality files though. I think the one I am using now is a pferd. I do think the rivets on their chains are a little proud (high) and my roller guide does not fit well.

[Satamax]

I've cut some more, with an oregon guide and chain. Well, compared to my ageing 045. It's a world of difference. I'm digging it. 

[Satamax]

Little update. I am having hard time tuning it. I don't seem to be able to have a brick colour on the spark plug.

I tried to make an inductor around the spark plug wire. And check with a hertz meter. To no avail.

And i broke the spark plug ruber cover. Easy fix thought.

Mind you. It cranks!

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, I have had that 372 Clone for nearly 6 months now and I thought I would add an update for anyone who references this thread. As planned I am still doing most of my cutting with my 450 but am using the new 372 for bigger felling and bucking. I have lost count of how many tanks through it, but safe to say at least ten.  The stalling issues I had early on went away as the saw ran itself in and I did just a little carb tweaking. It idles a little high until it warms up, then after some cutting it settles into normal. The chains sharpen ok and cut pretty good. I bought a 24" and 28" bar with it to try out the quality. I believe I mentioned in an earlier thread that the bars each required 45-60 minutes work to make them presentable before mounting, mostly because the side rails were not of matched height. I have run only the 24" until tonight when I decided to change to the 28" for some big stuff I am working on. That's when I found out they sent me a .050 gauge for the 28" bar and a .058 gauge for the 24" bar. This could have been an ordering error on my part, but I doubt it. I am not going to even bother checking because I have matching chains for each bar and the pitch on both is .375 so who cares? But the hole that the tensioning stud goes into on the 28" bar was undersized. I had to open it up and that stuff doesn't drill easy! When I took the 24" bar off and inspected it for wear and condition I found that there was chipping on both rails in the same spot on the top of the bar just before the chain enters the sprocket area. I have no idea why this might be. I could see if it was on the bottom, but not the top. Maybe from bore cutting? I don't really do that too much with this saw. Not sure what I can do to fix this. It is minor at this point but very noticeable to my eye. I had heard in many places this is a known problem with these bars, so no surprise. I had always thought I would get a good bar for this but I wanted to decide what length I really needed before i spent good money. After I run the 28 we will see what is best for me. 28 is a pretty good sized bar to be whipping around. Not sure I want that, but sometimes I need that.
 I do have an issue with an oil leak I have not figured out. There is always a small puddle under it and it's annoying. The chain is getting oil somehow, but i can't find where or why it is seeping. Annoying, but not a big problem. Also a minor annoyance is starting. It takes a few more pulls then I would like when it's cold, maybe 5-7 before it pops over, then I set the choke on half, give it another 2-3 pulls before it starts, then I push the choke it and let it warm up at a semi high idle before I start a cut. As the saw has broken in, it has gotten really good on restarts once it is hot. 1 pull most times and I do like that.
 Today I had my first failure. I was working on a big blowdown and taking my time with the bucking work because of the weight and hazards. So I would make the bucking cut, wedge it, finish it, then shut down the saw and set up a yank with a chain to give me a working gap for the next cut. At one point when I tried to shut the saw down, it wouldn't quit, just kept running. I worked the kill switch back and forth a dozen times, but it would not kill it. So I worked with it until I ran the tank dry and quit for the day a little ticked off. I threw it up on the tailgate and did what I could by confirming the wires were intact and connected in the field but it needed a fuller tear down and I also wanted a meter to check the switch so I brought it home to the shop and found that the switch was just not shorting out. I took the switch apart and actually got it working again, but I ordered a new switch (not made in China) to change it out later. Very annoying. (To be fair I have heard that Husky 372's also commonly have this problem.)
 In summary, the thing performs to my expectations. I did not expect Husky quality from an Asian saw. I did expect some parts needing changing and parts that would wear quicker than normal, and I expected to have to tinker a bit. But I was hopeful it would cut OK, and with respect to that I have to say that it does. So all in all I am pretty pleased with the saw so far. I don't depend on this to make a living and I never would. The worst that happens if it fails is that I can't complete the work I wanted that day, like today. I fix it and come back another day, but it doesn't affect my income. Frankly, it doesn't fail often, so far.

[mredden]

I bought one a few months ago. Ran about 5 tanks through it, then set it aside for a couple of months while working primarily with my 390.

Tried to run it Saturday. First, it had no bar oil in it. Every bit had leaked out. Refilled and cranked. It fired right up, but shut down after a couple of seconds. It does not keep running if the choke is not left in the half throttle position. It stalls out every time when I try to close the choke all the way down.

Air issue? Trouble shooting suggestions.

[Old Greenhorn]

I found that after 5 or 6 tanks I had to re-adjust the carb a bit. That helped solve my stalling issues. It still idles fairly fast until it warms up with a cut or two. Seems like the longer I work with it in a session, the smoother and calmer it gets. 
 Try adjusting the idle and once you get it going let it warm up for a bit. Mine still seems cranky when cold, but I am used to it, once it gets hot there are no issues. 
 No, I still can't figure out where that oil is going, but it does look like the bar is getting oiled just fine.

[Pine Ridge]

I bought one a few months ago. Ran about 5 tanks through it, then set it aside for a couple of months while working primarily with my 390.

Tried to run it Saturday. First, it had no bar oil in it. Every bit had leaked out. Refilled and cranked. It fired right up, but shut down after a couple of seconds. It does not keep running if the choke is not left in the half throttle position. It stalls out every time when I try to close the choke all the way down.

Air issue? Trouble shooting suggestions.

I don't know what kind of gas you use, but if you use ethanol gas and it has sat with it in the tank and carburetor for awhile that could be the culprit, sounds like the carburetor is plugged up if it was running fine previously.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah, I didn't even think of that. I run non-ethanol is everything with Sta-bil added. I never have fuel issues. If you are not doing that, it would be my first guess.

[Pine Ridge]

I would also check the tank vent.

[mredden]

I bought one a few months ago. Ran about 5 tanks through it, then set it aside for a couple of months while working primarily with my 390.

Tried to run it Saturday. First, it had no bar oil in it. Every bit had leaked out. Refilled and cranked. It fired right up, but shut down after a couple of seconds. It does not keep running if the choke is not left in the half throttle position. It stalls out every time when I try to close the choke all the way down.

Air issue? Trouble shooting suggestions.

I don't know what kind of gas you use, but if you use ethanol gas and it has sat with it in the tank and carburetor for awhile that could be the culprit, sounds like the carburetor is plugged up if it was running fine previously.

Nah, emptied tank and re-filled before I ran it. I used 40:1 non-ethanol gas. Less than two weeks old. Same gas that I'm running in my other saws.

[Pine Ridge]

Still sounds like its not getting enough fuel to me if it won't stay running when you take it off choke. Might check fuel line and see if its pinched or twisted. I mentioned the tank vent, if its messed up they won't run right.

[mredden]

Fuel lines are pretty easy check but what am I looking for in the vent line? Do I check it or assume it's bad and go ahead and replace?

[Old Greenhorn]

Until you go through the basic carb tuning process, I wouldn't be looking for deeper problems. Things change and when a new saw wears in. I found mine just needed adjusting to bring it form all kinds of stalling and idling issues into peaceful and reliable operation. I think your issue is closer to that rather than any serious issue. Try a tune up first. The procedure is widely available through google. I am no expert on this and look it up when I do it.

[Pine Ridge]

Check the tank vent hose to see if its kinked or twisted, or come loose . What brand of carburetor is on this saw ? Old greenhorn may be right about it needing adjusted to get it to run right. Its just odd to me it was running fine then was parked for awhile, and now won't run unless choke is partially on.

[mredden]

My tuning experience is very limited. I have never tried to tune a saw that wasn't running at all (even poorly) with the choke in.

I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that I don't want to tune it with the choke half open. I guess I'll back all screws out one full turn then fiddle with the idle and low screws between cutoffs and restarts until I can find a point where it doesn't cut off - if such point exists. Then tune as normal if I can stop it from cutting off.

[Old Greenhorn]

Your saw should have limiting caps on it, so you won't be able to move things very much. There are tune up instructions in the manual.
 Yeah, you need to find a point where you can get it running and warmed up, then got through the steps. If that doesn't work, look for air leaks and loose stuff, next best bet.

[weimedog]

Beginning to accumulate time on the clones. This week the g372xt variant. Has a few little issues but in general runs pretty well. The chain adjuster got a little "crunchy" so swapped in a OEM screw. Tank handle throttle/trigger doesn't snap back to idle. So swapped out the tank for another one. Had the thing die and found the ignition wire was a bit too long therefore pushed it into the hot cylinder fins...cut it about an inch shorter. and the saw runs again. 

BUT unlike the first g372xp, the thing runs smooth and idles well, actually quite a surprise. Responds to the tuning screws.. I like the cases as the bar oil "slot" is in the right place vs. the g372. ( g372xp was "right" as well ). But so far, generally a positive experience with that saw. Has a better filter than the g372xp had as well. Little things point to a little more development on this saw than the last one I tried.

Thoughts? Curious on other folks experience with the XT version

[donbj]

Just an opinion but these clones are robbers of technology and innovation that was created by the same system we are trying to preserve. Like most other knock off crap.

[Old Greenhorn]

This is true Don, but it is the state of the world at this point. As I and many others have said here and on other threads these saws do not have the quality of the originals. If you buy one you must expect to work on it to keep it going and replace failed parts. Just see my mention above about the condition and wear on my 24" bar after not too much use. It won't last long. 
 I could never spend or even justify to money for a OEM 372, this fills a gap for me, but I know I can't depend on it. These Asian builders have no (ZERO) customer support and no service. They barely have a working communication system with their customers. When you buy from them you have to accept this and I don't believe this is acceptable to the average consumer. If I couldn't fix my own stuff, this saw would be in search of a repair shop that would work on it right now, or on the junk pile. 
 So if there is a silver lining in this cloud I think it might be that it allows the entry level person into the pro-saw size to buy and try a decent sized saw with a bigger power head. This gives a taste for what can be done. I can say that should the situation change, having played with the clone, I would buy the OEM to get some real work done.

[weimedog]

Just an opinion but these clones are robbers of technology and innovation that was created by the same system we are trying to preserve. Like most other knock off crap.

Actually an interesting conversation and brings up a variety of things. For me the entire aftermarket business in all industries follow an interesting path as the premise is either to offer lower cost "parts" for a system of some kind, be it Automotive, Electronic, or as we see here Chainsaws. Two scenarios come to mind. Direct copy's of the entire system trying to compete head to head, one without the quality and regulations, the other from the original OEM. I have a problem with that. The other copies and parts that come onto the market after the OEM has moved to their "next" generation product effectively obsoleting the older ones. Some of the clones "push" that boundary. For example the 372 clones first released were of origional edition 365's and 372. Husqvarna moved away from them back in 2010. The problem is the reason for the change in 372's back in 2010 partly was an artificial one created by regulations....so the "earlier" version in some cases was more attractive. I don't believe the clones have matched the quality of those original edition Husqvarna's any more than the Stihl based saw matched their OEM counter parts yet. BUT the price points reflect that.
For me I would be more upset if a complete clones of current products like the 562's, 572's, etc. hit the market. But would welcome an aftermarket carburetor / ignition system, even cylinder / pistons to keep the cost of extending their life down after a couple of years. And also a way to make the carb/ignition "free" from being locked into dealer service. Do we have that with our newer cars? But I'm not particularly upset with enough parts to build a complete "obsolete" saw such as those MS660's or Original edition 372. EVEN though I recognize those older designs are so good they can compete with the newest at some level. Also recognize the OEM's have some recourse here as demonstrated when Husqvarna dropped their cylinder prices to the point there was no logical reason to consider an AM option. So there is that grey line for me....

Second scenario is parts support for the now obsoleted saws. Where do you draw the line? Everything from cars to railroad trains have "aftermarket" parts that started by replicating or copying OEM designs. No one has a problem with DART heads or Pro Circuit pipes, even Meteor Cylinders. So why Hyway and Farmertec parts? Fenders for Mustangs are AM, Keith Black motors are "inspired" by Hemi's...a gazillion Harley Davidson Aftermarket parts are on the market. You would have a very hard time finding OEM parts at an Autozone or NAPA. I actually look forward to better aftermarket coverage to saws like the 288 and 272's. Wish there was even more AM coverage for those. Same with 390's although having a good AM MS660 option pretty much scratches the 90cc itch.

SO while I "get" it, and have a tougher time with complete saws, the aftermarket parts business is a natural follow on and a way to keep the older saws in service....which is how I stumbled into this Aftermarket mess....a friend kept crushing his Stihl MS460's and 660's. Got real expensive with OEM plastic and AM plastic was good enough to last until the next "skidder" event. I have no problem with that scenario. Even with my first AM experience with a "Golf" brand piston for my Jonsered 820, then "espian" branded pistons, then Meteor for a 372...now Hyway or Farmertec.

[donbj]

"SO while I "get" it, and have a tougher time with complete saws, the aftermarket parts business is a natural follow on and a way to keep the older saws in service.."

Very good points! The aftermarket is an open target imo if the oem parts are no longer available or getting into high performance and custom parts.

It is a big problem across a lot of products. Tech products are being knocked off with stolen technology all the time and always have been. Like OG said it's the way the world is today, too bad in some ways.

[Gearbox]

I have never gotten a new saw and I have had many . So I buy used who do I support ? I buy new I buy from Sweden or Japan . I buy parts from my dealer he tells me OEM or knock off . Just my 2 cents its hard to buy American .

[Air Lad]

And while some guys say they can't do something IE repair/maintain a machine.. Others are learning via youtube/google etc
A little time learning can help one understand how these machines work and can be diagnosed and fixed .
Can be very satisfying seeing a condemned piece of equip running sweet again and knowing how it was done.
Just my 2 cents

[ChrisRoss]

I prefer learning through YouTube and online communities. A bit knowledge will help you run your saw smoother and makes it easy to do small repair by yourself. 

[Satamax]

 Following Weimdog's last post,. I would like to add. 

There is patents, usually, these last 20 years, with a possible five years extension. 

After those 25 years, the patent becomes public domain. And you can copy it, if you feel like it. 

I know, that some manufacturers copy old designs, and patent these, while they weren't supposed to. Like Randall Smith of mesa boogie. 

I don't know how much patents are in a 372, but most is old technology. 

And being a fan of the right to repair movement, i'm perfectly happy that some people make parts  for a lot of things. 

I wish i could find body panels, or an entire body for my toyota HJ61. The French government wants it off the road. Because it's a rust bucket. 

And there is no new "equivalent" of this vehicle anywhere in Europe.  So i will have to buy something i don't like.  To carry on lugging myself around. Dang ecologists!