Help with Husky 55 compression release

[wademartin]

We bought my father a Husqvarna 55 Rancher about 2 years ago. Since then he has had problems with this shoulders (rotator cuff) and can no longer start the saw. He can start his old McCullough which has a compression release (The poor old McCullough is heavy and on its last legs)

This version of the 55 does not have the compression release installed but it does have the port (no fully drilled out and untapped).

I would like to drill and tap this port out so we can install the missing compression release rather that spending 100 bucks on a new cylinder.

Has anyone ever finished drilling this port out and tapped it?
and
can some post/email me a picture of the port with the sompression release valve removed so I can see how it is drilled?

Thanks for any help
Wade

[chainsawr]

I don't have any pictures. 

Buy the decomp valve, a head gasket, and the tap before you start.  I can't remember what the thread pitch is off the top of my head, so you may want to get the valve so you can measure it and buy the correct tap.

Drill, tap, clean, and install.  Preferable if you have a drill press for that part.

[Rocky_J]

If you don't own the tap set then it may be just as well to have a machine shop do it for you. Can't imagine a reasonable person charging any more than $20-25 for drilling and tapping a hole.

[stonebroke]

Stihl has a easy start option on their smaller saws.

Stonebroke

[chainsawr]

If you don't own the tap set then it may be just as well to have a machine shop do it for you. Can't imagine a reasonable person charging any more than $20-25 for drilling and tapping a hole.

That is a good point, most of the guys I know would do it for less than the cost of a good tap.

I looked at a cylinder today, and it is threaded the same length as the threads on the valve, then a shoulder drilled out just enough to allow the moving end.

[wademartin]

Thanks for all the info.

I just ordered the compression release and gaskets.

I'll start looking for a shop to drill and tap it tomorrow.

[John Mc]

I have a friend who has a similar problem with a Husky 51. She'd like to add a compression release, so starting wouldn't aggravate her tennis elbow (actually it's more of a "firewood chucking elbow"). Does the saw need to be disassembled to do this (remove the cylinder)? The process would be a good bit quicker and cheaper if it could be done right on the saw. If this is possible, how do you keep the shavings from getting into the cylinder, or assure you get them all cleaned out when you are done?

John Mc

[JohnG28]

I would think you would want to remove the cylinder for the reason you mentioned JohnMc.  Im not sure you could effectively keep all the shavings out between drilling it out and then tapping.

[stonebroke]

Not that I would recommend it but one way is to grease the drill bit and the tap to keep shavings from going in the cylinder.

Stonebroke

[chainsawr]

Definitely remove the cylinder.  It isn't hard to do on the 50/51/55 chassis.

[John Mc]

I'm convinced. We'll take the cylinder off. I sort of figured that was the case, but didn't know if anyone had some good tricks. (the grease on the bit was a good one, but still not worth risking losing a saw over...)

John Mc

[Ed]

I added the decomp to my dad's 346xp. Not hard to do.
Cylinder needs to be removed.
The "boss" needs to be machined also, just enough to clean up the surface. The decomp button seals on the face, not the threads.
Tap is an M10x1.25, which is a extra fine thread. McMaster Carr has them. http://www.mcmaster.com/#taps/=6saney

The through hole is 3/16 dia, tap needs almost 1/2" of threads, not alot of extra depth to play with, be carefull and check your drill depth often.

Ed

[Squirreldog]

Anyone know what decompression release I can put on my Husqvarna 66 saw?