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Husqvarna 455

Started by Rob30, March 29, 2018, 08:40:27 PM

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Rob30

My husky 455 has been giving me trouble pretty much since new. I find it does not like to idle for any length of time and if it does, as soon as I hit the throttle it dies. Starts right back up, but gets pretty annoying when working. Lately I find it is flooding, stalling more frequently. If I hit the brake it dies. I am thinking the carb was out of adjustment. I turned up the idle screw to see if that helps, but it did not. It is idling fast enough the chain is always spinning, and it still stalls. I will try to clean the air filter better on my next day off, to see if that helps. 

Rebarb

I've had several Rancher's and absolutely loved them.
Sounds definitely like a L adjustment....starving. 

Run 93 Octane non ethenol if possible. 

Rebarb

Ooooops missed that.....the spinning chain represents a high idle but get your L set right.
I tune by ear so whats that mean ?

Turn up your idle screw and go ahead and let the chain spin then find the middle of your L adjustment, should sound pretty smooth.....now turn the L counter clockwise until it starts to bog slightly, should be good.
Then you can adjust idle so chain doesn't spin.

mike_belben

Crank up the LA screw and get it running fast.  Adjust the L screw until you find the highest idle speed then turn LA back down until chain stops walking/shuddering.  

Now adjust the H screw so that at WOT no load there is a bit of a raspy burble called 4 stroking, this is a rich condition.  You have nailed the H setting when dogging into the wood makes that burble suddenly shift to a crisp clean dirtbike sound, called 2 stroking.  Lift off, raspy.  Dog in, sharp.  
Praise The Lord

Rebarb


wild262

          If the carb. adjustment won't correct it, than I would be looking for 3 things.  May need carb kit, clutch springs weak, or a air leak.  Those 3 things usually fixed most of those symptoms for me.

Woodcutter_Mo

 That sounds like what my 455 started doing quite some time ago. A carb adjustment fixed mine, and also replacing the fuel lines, fuel filter and primer bulb fixed a later issue that acted similar.
I don't know how common it is, but I've read where these saws are sometimes set pretty lean from the factory. I'd first look at the carb adjustments or if you're not confident with it, bring it to a professional to have the tuning checked. Good luck
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

wild262

Quote from: wild262 on March 29, 2018, 10:15:15 PM
         If the carb. adjustment won't correct it, than I would be looking for 3 things.  May need carb kit, clutch springs weak, or a air leak.  Those 3 things usually fixed most of those symptoms for me.

     As Woodcutter said, fuel lines might be the best place to inspect before going any further.  Just a pin hole can suck air causeing carb tuning impossible.  If no change, you can rule that out.

John Mc

It sounds like a mixture problem (though I wold not discount the other possibilities mentioned here about fuel lines, filters, etc.). If you are not familiar with adjusting the mixture or with what a saw should sound like when properly tuned, I'd suggest taking it somewhere to get this adjusted.

If you want to try this yourself, take a look at the Madsen's Chainsaw Maintenance & Repair page. Click on the "Saw Tuning" link there. They walk you through the process, including playing some recordings of what the saw should sound like when properly tuned (you'll need GOOD speakers/headphones to hear this properly - many laptop speakers are just too cheap to play this back properly).  It's not rocket science, but you should be aware that doing it incorrectly (particularly the high speed mixture) can damage your saw.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Rob30

Thanks, I will be trying to adjust the carb, I have done other small motors but never a saw. Could be a mixture issue as well. I had my daughter pick up my gas, I think she bought regular gas not supreme. But these issues were there before, maybe just not as bad. The stalling does drive me nuts, especially when in the middle of cutting a big tree or fighting through limbs of a dense spruce.

mike_belben

I dont think i have EVER put 93 in a saw.  Higher octane is only for detonation resistance, it has a higher flash and autoignition temp so it burns slower. The only time high test ever makes more power is when it staves off knock thats preventing a timing advance.  

At 10 to 12,000 rpm you arent gonna have knock issues.  There are not enough microseconds available to the combustion event for heatsoak to cause detonation of the fuel in the chamber.  Thats what knock is.   
Praise The Lord

Woodcutter_Mo

Quote from: Rob30 on March 30, 2018, 09:25:41 PM
Thanks, I will be trying to adjust the carb, I have done other small motors but never a saw. Could be a mixture issue as well. I had my daughter pick up my gas, I think she bought regular gas not supreme. But these issues were there before, maybe just not as bad. The stalling does drive me nuts, especially when in the middle of cutting a big tree or fighting through limbs of a dense spruce.
Be sure and let us know what you find out  :)
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

Rob30

I will let you all know how it goes. I watched a couple videos on carb adjustment just to refresh my memory. I won't get at it until next week, I work all weekend and Monday I have to go get hay off the fields before the thaw, things are starting to warm up here.

Spike60

ALL 455/460 Ranchers need to be adjusted by the seller when new. As Rob posted his saw has had this problem since new, I suspect it was never properly set up. These saws are all too lean as they come out of the box, and act just as Rob described. Both the hi and lo usually need to be opened 1/8 to 1/4 turn for the saw to run properly. Solves the stalling issue and you'll have more power and quicker acceleration.
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

DelawhereJoe

A friend of mine has a 455 and its a great running saw, its 8 years old never had a new airfilter or spark plug , gas sits in it from one use to the other chain doesn't get sharpened only replaced once it doesn't pull dust anymore. But she starts and runs whenever she is needed.
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

mike_belben

I think most of us would call that luck   :D


(I wish mine was that good)
Praise The Lord

John Mc

Quote from: Spike60 on April 03, 2018, 07:11:12 AM
ALL 455/460 Ranchers need to be adjusted by the seller when new. As Rob posted his saw has had this problem since new, I suspect it was never properly set up. These saws are all too lean as they come out of the box, and act just as Rob described. Both the hi and lo usually need to be opened 1/8 to 1/4 turn for the saw to run properly. Solves the stalling issue and you'll have more power and quicker acceleration.
Good advice, and all dealers should be doing this. If you are doing it at home and unfamiliar with the process, it's complicated by the fact that these saws come with adjustment limiters on the mixture screws which may prevent you from enrichening the mixture enough. (And I'm guessing that these days, the adjustment screws all have those funky heads on them to make the process even more of a pain in the neck)
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Rob30

Well it is not just a carb issue. I took the cover off to look at the clutch springs as suggested, soon as I touched them with a screw driver (trying to see if there was any play etc.) one of the springs broke in two. The clutch was also covered in burnt chainsaw oil. 
That being said I think there is still a carb issue. As most a few have mentioned is seems to run lean. I made up an adjustment screwdriver out of an old screw driver. Seemed to work. I will replace the springs tomorrow and see if I can adjust the carb before getting back to the firewood pile. 

knuckledragger

I sold a 455 last fall to a man who can't say enough good about the saw.  The saw was a trade in on a 51 believe it or not. The reason for trading the saw was for the same symptoms mentioned in the original post. I simply cleaned up the saw and made the necessary H L adjustment and viola two happy saw owners.  The man who has the 51 says that it is the best saw he has ever owned. Lean factory carbs setting.

kalevan


On the Husqvarna website I saw a link that discussed/recommended using Alcohol-Free gasoline, especially if the saw just sits around for weeks at a time. 
Go looking for it.  The issue is the gummy stuff 'stale' fuel mix can deposit in your carburetor. 

If at the end of your using it, you always run it out of fuel, and drain the tank, and air it out, it's probably OK. 

Try a new spark-plug if the saw has been used for a long time.  The electrode insulator should be a grayish or wheat color... not black and oily. 

Use a great synthetic 2-stroke oil in your mix. Not cheap crap... not that you ever  would. 

I have a 455Rancher I picked up off of Craig's list. It's been OK. Starting is OK. I keep a spare plug in the toolbox. 

That's my 2ยข

kenskip1

What causes this? Inside the crankcase of the saw while sitting there idling unburned  gas will form into a puddle. As soon as the saw is lifted the puddle gets drawn into the cylinder and flooding it out.This should not happen to any saw. New or used.An overly rich mixture is a possible cause but not  a definitive reason.Option number two,the  saw does not have enough velocity at lower RPM's to draw the mix into the cylinder.Why? Worn rings sits high on the list.
Stihl The One
Stihl Going Strong
Stihl Looking For The Fountain of Middle Age

streem26

Checking the fuel line for cracks...I'd put in a carb rebuild kit.
Not expensive...$10 or so...and not difficult to do.
Just make sure you replace the new parts exactly the same as you removed them..!!

First though...check the exhaust screen to see if it is clogged up with carbon build-up.
i just did this on my Husqvarna 460 https://cozzy.org/best-professional-chainsaw-reviews/

It seems your saw is either not getting enough fuel...or...it's not being able to exhaust
the spent gas through either blocked screen...muffler..or maybe even exhaust port.

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