Broke the 460: first the starter cord, then the flywheel too boot!

I've been busy working on the last downed tops left out back the past few weeks. The ground has been froze up nice here for a change, and the snow was not too deep to stop me until just this last weekend. I was using my 024 this day to top up the "smaller" stuff and I'd brought the big boy out with a 25" bar to work on the butt of that white oak top.




It started up after its usual couple of pulls except the starter cord didn't want to retract normally and I had to "jiggle" it to get it to rewind back in. I cut everything except the last final biggest piece. I shut the saw off to rest a minute and shift that last piece a bit before cutting. When I started the saw back up, the cord gave some trouble again going back in, then stopped with about 3-4 inches hanging out. It would not go in any more. It was too short to get caught in the chain, so I figured I'd just make that last final cut. You know, that proverbial "one last effort" before something always goes wrong.............

So I made the final cut. The 460, with its wide open winter muffler and bio-gel handles in full deafening glory, sent the chips flying! I went to shut it off and noticed that the starter handle was missing???? Oh great I figured, it must have grabbed it back so hard it broke the handle off the cord. Could not find it in the snow around me. Oh well I figured, a new starter cord, no big deal. Not to be .......................... as you can see in the photos. The loose cord apparently looped up around a flywheel fin/fins leading to the loss of 4 fins and shredded cord blown into the cylinder fins in tight behind the exhaust shield .






I've already put a new OEM flywheel on it and I'm working to try and figure what was hanging up with the starter cord in the first place. A new OEM cord and handle seems to be working fine on the bench, need to put it back on the saw and try and start it up!

While I was waiting on the flywheel, I used the 038 Mag trying out the 8-pin rim off the 460. I figured it would run a 20" fine, but it even seems to run a 25" nice although I only had the bar buried in about 18-20" wood trying it out. I might just leave that 8-pin on that 72cc saw .

 

why so many holes in the muffler ?

 

Well if that dont ruin your day

 

Yeah, that's the trouble with them "off brand" saws! Ya just never know what quality your gonna get!

Ted

There needs to be a smiley that shows a guy ducking when he's getting punched!

 

I have a 038 Mag & I thought there might be a big difference between it & the 460, so i had to get a 460... They are darn close, i might have to get the 460 ported to see a jump from the 038. 038 mags are great saws.

 

Was just tinkering with an extra cover to give it a "mellower" sound with full flow versus formal dual/tri/quad port openings ................. I was sort of copying a circular small hole pattern off my Homelight generator's muffler, then got carried away .

 

Gosh, break a little flywheel and the vultures immediately start circling

 

Locals call um buzzards around here ....................... Hinckley Buzzards. To quote from About.com "The buzzard, a common name for the "turkey vulture," is a large graceful bird with a bald head and red beak. No relation to the black, Old World vulture family." Somehow, the image of Dex as a large graceful bird just doesn't do it for me, I think you're being too kind!
Besides, what he really wants is my 191T, 360 Pro, and 440 Mag ................................. just make sure you bring plenty of cash to the GTG!

 

Ja,,,this long standing cold is hard on everything !!!
Ready for a warm up.

 

If you didn't pull the spring, please do. Often the spring itself binds on it's own coils. The best thing you can do is remove the spring and parts wash the housing. Clean every inch of the spring with carb cleaner, and once dry wipe it with a rag with a trace of oil. Not to much or it will attract dirt and bind up again. Assemble it clean and dry, and you should not have future trouble.

 

Yup. That one got a high compression piston. I really like 029 Supers. I think I have 3 right now. There is a cooked one at the shop I'm going to make a trade in offer on, so maybe 4 soon....

 

That just plain sucks !

Did you find the "root cause"?

Broken spring or just gummed up ?
Could a stick or ice got in there ?
Cold weather ?

 

Thanks for the advice SawDoc. I did take it apart to check the spring. Everything looked fine so I just reassembled it. Only thing detectable was that the tips of the starter pawls were a little worn leaving a little "lip" on the tip so I bought new ones. I have not mounted it back on the saw yet so I guess I'll take that spring back apart and clean/lube/assemble it up properly. Thanks again!
I haven't been in a big rush to fix it as I've been having lots of fun with the 460's "8-pin" in my 038 Mag. I'll have to move the "8-pin" back to the 460, buy another 8-pin, or just put a 7-pin back in it to run it. Decisions, more money ................ its always something .

 

I order them with other stuff from Madsens as they're $4.50 or so a piece if you buy a dozen.

 

I think you and SawDoc were onto it ................. possibly dirty, gummed up, froze up spring. I cleaned and lightly lubed it as SawDoc advised. I definitely got some gunk off it. It runs very smoothly now. New cord, handle, and pawls too. Saw runs great again, the new OEM flywheel must be spot on!