572XP AutoTune

[will49766]

Hello everyone,

  I bought a new Husky 572XP last February from a local dealer by me.  I have been using it every other week for cutting firewood, even throughout the summer.  Haven't had an issue with it until now other than it really never seemed to have the power I was expecting.   When I purchased it I mixed up a 5 gallon can of rec fuel with the husky oil they recommended.  I have not gone through that initial five gallon can yet.  This last weekend it started acting up, bogging down upon applying full power.  It runs great at idle.   To get through one cut I was having the constantly idle down and then go back to full throttle...   I dropped it off at the dealer today so they could diagnose the issue since it is still under warranty.  The technician initially though it would be a quick fix so he grabbed his screwdriver to adjust the carb.  Once it was running I informed him that it has AutoTune.  His attitude changed very quickly saying that he wasn't a fan of AutoTune.  He shut the saw down at that point and said he would need to hook it up to the computer to diagnose the issue.  He did verify my complaint.   To me, it sounds like the saw just isn't getting fuel at full throttle, but he stated that it probably was just never tuned correctly.  I would normally diagnose this type of problem myself, but being that this is still under warranty I figured it was best to have them deal with it.

  Has anyone else had an issue with AutoTune?  I really like this saw.   Could this type of problem be induced by AutoTune?

[Old Greenhorn]

The tech grabbed a screwdriver to adjust the carb? At the dealer? You needed to tell him it was autotune?
 Standby, I think @spike60 will check in before too long and there is no sense me even opening my mouth any longer.

[will49766]

I tell you no fibs!  Of course I am new to AutoTune myself... but it made me wonder if it was a good decision to leave it with them.  lol :D  From the little I have learned off of YouTube today, it sounds like it should have been tuned before I picked it up new.   I know that wasn't done.

[Big_eddy]

I'm guessing your saw will idle all day long, but when you go to cut, it will rev up then die out as soon as there is load. Hold the throttle all the way open and it could even stall. Feels like the saw is out of gas, but the tank is full.

I'll bet your fuel has gone bad. It's likely starting to separate. There is a tiny screen in the carb which is starting to get plugged. At low throttle enough fuel gets through, but at full throttle no.

Remove the air box and carb, flip it over, remove the horns on bottom, then remove the bottom plate and diaphragm. You'll see the screen. Clean with the carb cleaner of your choice, or compressed air and reassemble.

Saw may need to relearn it's tune as it's been trying to richen up the mix. A few logs and all should be fine.

Oh - and dump that year old gas.
Photo below one of two saws that both started misbehaving identically after being filled from the same tank of 3 month old fuel (non-E, properly mixed stored in a sealed container)

[will49766]

Thanks for the input!   It's acting exactly as you described...  So I take it even rec fuel has a limited life span.  I am letting the dealer fix it at this point but they stated there would be a nominal charge if it's fuel related, which is fine by me.   It made be a little leery of AutoTune after his comments.  It could be just inexperience.  I will dump the old fuel for sure and not mix as much this time.  

[ehp]

Ya , thats a long time for fuel to be around , I hate fuel being around for a month . I mix 2 1/2 gallons at a time and that should do me a day or maybe 2 so my fuel is always fresh 

[Old Greenhorn]

I have to ask, because I don't know, what is "rec fuel"?

[will49766]

According to a quick internet search...   "REC-90 is an ethanol-free, 90 octane unleaded gasoline blend designed for use in recreational/marine engines which can be damaged by the ethanol found in other gasoline blends". 

[Spike60]

What the heck is "rec" fuel?  

No reason to be leery of autotune, but I'd sure be leery of letting that guy work on my saw. Not knowing that the 572 is AT, is kind of on the pathetic side. Of course he's not a fan of autotune. He's afraid of it. 

I think Eddy is on the right tract here. Never a good idea to mix a years worth of fuel at one time. My freaking brother does that. So if it sounds like I'm busting your b's a little, well I am. His name is also Will BTW.  :laugh:

Has anyone dumped the fuel and had a look at it yet? Or tried it with some fresh fuel? That should always be step #1. What is the saw trying to run on? If found to be suspect, the nice thing about any saw with a primer is that it's easy to purge the fuel line and carb. 

Don't know how much of that old fuel is still around, but bad fuel cannot be fixed by adding fresh fuel. Analogy I've always used is you can't add fresh milk to spoiled milk and expect to drink it.

[Spike60]

Another quick thought is how does that primer feel? If it's slow to pop back out, or doesn't come out at all, then there's a blockage in there. In addition to the screen in eddy's pic, you'll need to pull the AT module and clean those ports as well.

[beenthere]

The technician initially though it would be a quick fix so he grabbed his screwdriver to adjust the carb.

That right there is a game changer for me. He didn't know right off that it was autotune?  Others have sorted the likely problem out well.

If there is a spark arrestor in the muffler, pull it and clean it well (blow torch).

Let's hope this tech isn't the one working on your saw.

[Big_eddy]

Don't know how much of that old fuel is still around, but bad fuel cannot be fixed by adding fresh fuel. Analogy I've always used is you can't add fresh milk to spoiled milk and expect to drink it.

And a plugged carb screen won't clean itself, even if the old fuel is discarded and the tank filled with new fuel.  
Personally, I love auto tune. Hot, cold, high elev, sea level, clean filter or not, it just adjusts and runs strong from the first cut of the day to the last.

[will49766]

Spike60 Thanks for your reply.  I probably deserve the criticism.    I will take a look at the fuel when I dump it.  I'm sure now that the fuel is the cause of my issue.  Should I not be using Rec-90?  Does the oil go bad like the fuel does?  I bought two husky brand two-cycle oil containers when I purchased the saw last year.  One container mixes to make 5 gallons.  Will that oil be bad at this point as well?

Another question.  When I purchased this saw, the dealer did not inform me that i needed to purchase the Husky pre-mixed fuel to get an extended warranty.  I found out afterwards...  How much of a warranty did I miss out on by this?

Sounds like I might need to find a better dealer.

Primer bulb is good.  Primes like new.  Also, I did check the spark arrester.  It's clean.  Started the saw real quick to try it without it and had same issue.  Reinstalled the spark arrester.

[Larry]

Haven't had an issue with it until now other than it really never seemed to have the power I was expecting.

My 572 is about 4 months old now.  Has a lot more power than my old 272 it replaced.  It has been running perfect but the operator is a little slow at times. :D

I only mix a gallon at a time just to insure my fuel is always fresh.

[Spike60]

The problem with running a chainsaw on marine fuel is that it will not atomiz properly unless you are cutting within a 1/2 mile of a body of water large enough to accommodate motor boats.

That's no dumber than trying to adjust a 572 with a screw driver. ;)

That rec fuel is fine, and so is the oil. The culprit here is how old it is. And also, where it is stored could be a contributing factor. Big temp swings, for instance in a shed that could be cold in the morning and then go past 90 degrees when hit by the sun can cause condensation on the inside of a fuel can. And metal cans are much worse than plastic in such an environment. 

Just throwing ideas at the wall here. 

[will49766]

Got it!   ;D :D  :embarassed:  I will let you guys know how I make out when I get it back.  

[Woodfarmer]

You don't need to mix the whole 5 gallons at once. Sounds like for the amount of cutting you do only mix a gallon at a time which would use 1/5th of the oil.

[Old Greenhorn]

See, I asked and I learned something! Never heard that term before.
 I get 90 octane ethanol free, but I always put stabil in it. I only mix a gallon at a time, sometimes I will do 2 (1)gallon jugs. But I like cycling it through quickly.  I never had any hang around for very long, I would expect problems after several months though.

 Tell us something else: Is this 'dealer' a saw shop? I am guessing not and that they sell a lot of lawn equipment, blowers, maybe even larger stuff like tractors, etc. and probably carry several lines of gear. How close did I come?

[barbender]

Yeah don't mix a years worth of fuel at once. If you didn't get that point already😊

I'm glad that the saw is AT, just so that tech didn't get to turn screws and mess something up worse. 

[donbj]

Ya me too! Don't mix a years worth of fuel😂. 

[will49766]

Yes, I learned something as well Greenhorn!  I really appreciate the input.  

Yes, you are correct.  This shop sells everything you mentioned.  The salesman was in the process of selling a couple snowmobile suits when I was there.  He acted irritated when I interrupted asking about chainsaws.  I am not positive but I think the repair guy was his brother.

I will look for a Husky saw shop near me to deal with instead.  Lesson learned.


Thanks again!

[will49766]

Oh, and yes, I will stick to mixing way less fuel at one.  I initially did this to make it easier to measure the mixture not realizing that rec fuel doesn't last long.

[Spike60]

Saw is not in good hands there.

[Spike60]

The old saying about only being able to serve so many masters applies to the OPE biz as well. Mixing OPE with rec equipment is a perfect example. And the "we sell everything" aproach pretty much ensures that some of those things aren't going to be done very well. Doesn't sound like these guys are good on saws.

Another local dealer/friend who sells Toro, told me to feel free to send our Exmark customers his way when we close because "we take in everything". To which I answered: that's why your turnaround time is measured in weeks, if not months.

I get it that some shop owners can't comprehend turning away a potential sale/dollar. But every shop has a capacity that is a reality that should be recognized. Ignoring that isn't good for the business or the customers. 

[Old Greenhorn]

It wasn't very hard to figure out your dealer, even from way over here. ;D 
Well I don't know where on the globe you are but best of luck finding a servicing dealer with a real tech. Either way, don't trust the guys you bought it from with anything more complicated than a snowmobile suit.
 I mix Stabil in all the fuel I buy for my small engines, I think it helps, a lot of folks don't. All I know is, in the years I have been doing that I have zero carb issues with anything. I mix my saw gas in 1 gallon increments, which for me can either be a day or a weeks worth, sometimes a bit more. Saws get used in rotation, more or less, but that stabil is in there because there is always some fuel sitting in the tank and I don't want that to turn on me too soon.
 Good luck with your fix, and finding a real tech. Let us know how it works out.

[NE Woodburner]

OP, I am surprised that you didn't use the 5 gallons of mix sooner if you were cutting every other week for almost a year. Maybe I missed something or misinterpreted something, but I have a 572XP Autotune and I burn up a gallon of mix pretty quickly - many times in one day...

Overall I like my 572 and hoped it might have a bit more zip than my old 372 (which I still have) but sometimes I think the 372 might have a slight edge. I am running a 24" bar on the 572 and a 20" on the 372, so maybe that is the difference.

[mudfarmer]

To answer your question about the warranty, standard is 2yrs and if you buy the fuel that bumps it to 5years - That dealer let you miss out on 3years of warranty by not selling you $30 worth of fuel that gets burned up first day anyway.

[will49766]

Ok, I stopped by the dealer and explained that I am 90% sure I am dealing with stale fuel and told him I would like to try to fix this issue myself.  He was in the middle of a major snowmobile track system repair so he gladly said go for it.  I didn't want to be rude and left it at that.   I now have my saw back.  Time to fix this mistake myself.   

I may have over exaggerated my usage a little.  I haven't gone through a full 5 gallon can yet.  All I use the saw for is firewood to heat the house.  If it still feels like I have issues after my attempt to clean the carb then I will need to find a better local dealer to help me.  I am in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

Big Eddy, when you say remove the carb and flip it over and remove the horns.  What are you referring to when you say horns?  I have cleaned carbs on other saws.  My last saw was a Johnsered 2050 which had more room to work with.  This carb is more compact it seems.  I picked up a bottle of carb cleaner as well.  And Spike, what do I need to do to pull the AT module?  This is all new to me.

I want to thank everyone here for all the comments and all the help!!!  This is a great learning experience for me.

[will49766]

I understand what the horns are now.  A couple YouTube videos cleared that up for me.   :embarassed:

[Spike60]

Will, just 3 small phillips screws hold the AT module to the carb body. Be careful pulling the gasket.

And let's not get ahead of ourselves here. First thing to do is try the saw with some fresh fuel before pulling the carb. Prime it about 15 times and see what it'll do. 

If you get it closer, do a field reset cut and see if it fully wakes up. As someone already mentioned, the settings might be out of wack from trying to run on bad fuel. One continuous cut along the length if the log. Stick the nose of the bar in 4 to 5 inches and walk down the log. 

[will49766]

I was just thinking maybe it would be a good idea to just run some new fuel for a while to see what that does.  I will mix some fresh fuel tomorrow and give that a try.  Thanks for the help.

[Old Greenhorn]

It can't hurt, but it probably is too late to fix the buildup. You might need to cut a lot of wood before you see improvement, if any. Certainly, get rid of that old gas, run it thought the mower or some other machine to use it up. It will smoke some, but it will run.

[Big_eddy]

It won't hurt to full the fuel filter out of the tank and give it a once over. I've been known to submerge it in some fresh mix and  blow some air through it backwards..

[Spike60]

There's more than one fuel filter for these saws as well. The OEM filters are color coded. Orange top is the standard filter. All of the AT saws now use a blue top filter that has a finer mesh. There is also a magnetic fuel line to trap any metallic particles that fine their way into the tank. 

Depending on how fresh the stock was when you  bought that saw last year, you may have these updates. The blue filter is a good idea if you don't already have it. I wouldn't worry either way about the magnetic fuel line.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Had my 562xp to a knowledgeable fellows place to get the chain brake reset as I tripped it inadvertently and couldn't figure out how to release it.
He got it done in a jiffy.
also told me that just let the saw idle for maybe a minute and it will auto tune.
Spike60 is this correct?

[Spike60]

The lo speed samples every 3 minutes, so it'll take a little longer than that knowledgeable fellow suggested. 

Hi speed is a 30 to 45 second deal.

[Woodfarmer]

I mix sea foam into everything now from chainsaws, atv's and outboard motors.

[will49766]

Ok, here's what I've done so far.  I went and got some fresh rec fuel from the station.  Mixed some newly purchased oil, Husky brand, mixed to 50:1.  Completely emptied the saw tank and pulled the filter and blew it out.  The filter is stock orange.  Reinstalled the filter and filled the tank with fresh mixed fuel and using the primer bulb gave it probably 20 or more primes.  Although I am having difficulty with the primer bulb filling back up now.  This might be a symptom of the problem, as was suggested.  I was able to start it and idle it for 30 minutes or so.  Every time I would try to add any throttle it would die.  It stalled several times.  While idling, the primer bulb filled but it still is not refilling correctly.  It's slow to pop back.  I am assuming I will need to clean the carb at this point.  I was able to let it idle for several minutes in between throttling up.  It eventually allowed a faster idle but as soon as I throttle it, it dies.

[Spike60]

Yes, you'll need to pull it and do a complete cleaning. Take your time. Clean surface. Don't mix up the screws. You should be fine.

[will49766]

I will save that for this weekend.  Thanks so much for your input.  I will let you know how it goes.  

[Big_eddy]

A few tips
Before you disassemble, Take a picture of how the on off switch engages the carb lever. It's straight forward, but important. Also note how the rubber gasket around the switch fits the saw body. It's going to try to go back in different.
When you reinstall the carb, make sure the locking lever is properly engaged with the tab on the bottom of the right hand horn. 
Small needle nose pliers are useful for removing and installing the fuel lines. 
The white AT connector needs to be out of its holder before you disconnect it. When you reinstall it, each wire has its own slot.

Hope those help. You'll do fine.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Spike60, so the saw should keep itself tuned properly just in normal sawing?

[will49766]

Big Eddy thanks for the tips. Is there anything I need to do to get the lock lever unlocked on disassembly?  Does the carb just pull away from the intake manifold?   What holds it in place?  What is the procedure to remove the carb, it is self explanatory?

[DHansen]

A question on the orange fuel filter vs the blue fuel filter.  Is it recommended to upgrade the saw to this new filter ASAP or should we wait till fuel filter replacement is due?  Seems like it would be a good idea to upgrade early since it is a better filter. 

[Spike60]

Pete, yes she's tuning all the time.

Dave, no big hurry for immediate filter change. I didn't do any of mine. Has as much to do with good fuel handling habits as anything. I've been doing OK with the regular filter for a while now. 

[KEC]

Spike 60, Amen to fuel handling habits. When I drove trucks another driver alluded that you need not be concerned about dirt getting into the fuel tank while refueling; the filter will get it. I just recently saw a guy using a chainsaw with the air filter off, sucking air and dust directly into the carb. He had a gas can with a missing cap. I peeked into the can and saw debris/dirt in the bottom. When I said something about it he dumped it out onto the ground. And he was a guy who cuts and sells firewood who should know better.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Thanks

[Big_eddy]

Big Eddy thanks for the tips. Is there anything I need to do to get the lock lever unlocked on disassembly?  Does the carb just pull away from the intake manifold?   What holds it in place?  What is the procedure to remove the carb, it is self explanatory?

My tips above and below are for the 562 XP cause I just went through 2 of them and they are fresh in my mind. I think the 572 is the same or close.  This is how I do it but others may follow a different sequence. 
The also may be a sequence in the service manual. I don't  know
There are two long bolts hold the air box and carb on. Once out, there are two rubber straps, one on each side, that hold the airbox in place. Pop those off the studs. Disconnect the Z shaped fuel hose from the top of the carb and remove the air box. As it comes out, disconnect  the tank return fuel line at the purge bulb.
Disconnect the two electrical contracts for the on off switch. You can pry with a small screwdriver or use needle nose pliers. One wire is longer than the other so make a mental note. Set aside.
Now the carb is held on by the throttle cable, fuel line and the locking tab plus the AT wires on the other side 
Disconnect the throttle cable
Push down on the locking lever and rotate the carb clockwise slightly. Remove the fuel line. Now pull the carb back and then up and out, being careful of the AT wires.  Pop the AT connector out of its holder and disconnect. 
Done. 

[will49766]

Success!!! 

  Thanks again for everyone's input on this.  You guys nailed it.  Bad fuel caused the carb to gum up.

Here are before and after pictures of the internal filter.  It was a mess.













I still need to do a reset cut, but it's now running great!

Thanks for the step by step directions as well Big Eddy. 

[will49766]

Here are a couple pictures of the horn locking tab as well.  

I placed an arrow on it's location.









This was a great learning experience for sure.

[Big_eddy]

Success!!!

 Thanks again for everyone's input on this.  You guys nailed it.  Bad fuel caused the carb to gum up.

...

I still need to do a reset cut, but it's now running great!

Thanks for the step by step directions as well Big Eddy.

Happy to have helped and that you're up and running again.

[Smgchandler]

Big i wanted to post just to make you feel better about your fuel.  I also purchased a new 572  About a year ago and saw performed perfect until few weeks ago.  Same symptoms as yours except i had not even finished the 3 cans of husky fuel !!   Saw is at dealer now getting fixed and the only difference i noticed was my primer bulb was very slow to return full when pressed so i know something was stopped up - assuming it is screen in carb.  It's either filter in tank or something breaking down prior to fuel reaching screen in carb because i assume carb screen is stopped up.  I will post again on this after i pick saw up and ask questions to dealer.  I didn't see a lot of post about new 572's giving problems.  Guess we were just lucky !!  I didn't have a problem with cleaning screen and replacing lines and filter but when a fella spends a grand for a saw - expects it to run problem free for years but i had a problem turning a screw on it with it still under warranty.  I have a dozen husky saws and some are 25 years old still running strong.  Am a fan of AT too so far and believe this is a filter break down problem and not AT problem.  I didn't see blue or orange on the fuel filter - maybe white ?  Hopefully that was the problem.

[Log-it-up]

Kinda off subject but I figured I start here since it's on the 572xp
Question: dose any know if the chain break handle crosses over with any thing else or is it model pacific 
 And has any one had any problem with the sight on the fuel tank leaking and suggestions how to fix it 

[Spike60]

Other than the 565, the answer is no. Are they still on backorder? They were on backorder back in December. 

[Log-it-up]

So there the same as the 565?

[Log-it-up]

Another question for the saw guru's I'm the forum
I'm have a problem throwing chains when I limbing in heavy brush I tried different things with bars and chains from cheap to fairly expensive
Right now I'm using Husqvarna chain .50 3/8 84 drivers and a Oregon power cut bar and the same problem with it all at least once a day it will throw a chain most of the time I can salvage it in the field but some time I have to change them out do too driver damage I put on new bar ,basically brand new chain and drive sprocket on this morning and it happened again 
I find it sometime difficult to tighten the chain properly on my Husqvarna saw that I have (562,572) it seems like when I tighten the bar it gets bango tight so I have to compensate for that when tightening is this normal I guess it's kinda a two part question
I'm not green at cutting and felling but this kinda puts a damper in the day when I constantly putting a chain back on the side

[mudfarmer]

Can't help but have had the same trouble with 572 when limbing/lopping, keeping an eye on this for sure. Mostly have gone back to limbing w/ 346 just to avoid throwing the 572 chain.

[rusticretreater]

It sounds like you have a problem with the bearing or the clutch.  As things turn, they wobble and get loose again.  You need to take it apart all the way down to the shaft.  Inspect and replace parts as necessary or just because. Lubricate that bearing.  

Check your sprocket to make sure that you have the right one.  There are a thousand variations of sprockets and they are really similar in size.

One other thing, how far back in the slots are your adjusting/mounting bolts when you tighten up the chain? If you are nearing the end of the travel, your chain has stretched significantly and should be replaced.

[barbender]

I've always had to run my chain tighter than I like when in brush. The longer the bar, the harder it will be to keep it from happening. Brush makes harvesters throw chains too🤷

[donbj]

One thing I found very helpful when cutting brush is to "attack" it at 90 degrees. Try to avoid coming down at an angle at it. If the brush is at an angle to the chain it literally gets forced into the chain as its pulled down the bar/chain and can be forced under it, throwing it off. Try it out, I think you'll notice quite a difference. Keep chain tight.

[mudfarmer]

Mine has done this since the first tree it ever cut, did seem to be better when running chain uncomfortably tight. Will do some more limbing with it this week and run uncomfortably tighter as well as pay attention to angle, see how it goes 👍 have not had the same issue really with the small saw but such is life. Maybe because of the shorter bar I am accidentally keeping closer to 90. Then again running 20 on the 60cc as well with better results...

[Log-it-up]

Thank for the responses, it's nice to know other people are having the same problem I wish there was a better fix than slowing down instead of bull and jamming this mostly happens when I gather or pull a hitch of hardwood out a hole and its all kinda bundled together, it usually happens on the red maple or beech 
I'll check out the bearings on the clutch end of things, I would say the chains still have plenty of life there's still a lot of adjustment left 
I have been tighten the chain more than I would like but I feel I'm burning up the sprocket on the bars 

[mudfarmer]

For me it has been while lopping ash tops. But I have not had the saw that long and have only cut ash, sugar maple and cherry with it so far.

With the little saw I just go at it hacking and slashing like it is a horror movie audition. Long day of cutting with 572 yesterday and no problems! Running chain pretty darn tight and tried to stay conscious of angle of attack... Will see how it does today waiting on equipment to warm up



 

 

[will49766]

I just wanted to let everyone know that my 572XPG is working like a top since I cleaned the carb.  It winds right out now.  I have enjoyed reading the further discussion on throwing chains.  When I bought my saw it came with a .058 gage bar and chain.  They are now packed away new for future use as needed.  I really wanted a .050 gage bar and chain because it seems like this gage replacement chain is more readily available... So I bought the Oregon PowerCut .050 bar with the matching DuraCut DPX chain and haven't had any problems.  I like how long the chain stays sharp as well.  I really enjoy using this saw.  

Smgchandler  I had noticed my primer bulb was also slow to return as well before I cleaned the carb... Keep us posted on your issue.  It will be interesting to see what they find. More than likely its the same issue.  It's a fairly easy fix to do yourself if you don't want to wait for the dealer.