Never had a first gen but the second gen is absolutely the most incredible 50cc machine I have ever touched once I changed it over to 3/8, it was decent with .325 but the 3/8 really brought it to life.
I like the gen ones to run better. A little "Angrier" and lighter. SO let them blow up, I'll have a lot of fun right until they do. And bones are cheap.
@Timberslasher mk2 is a animal. Id race my stocker "just muffler mod"against the majority of old 60cc saws. I almost think my stock 550 mk2 will beat or keep up with my stock oe 372 in average wood
Hearing you laugh when you got it going made me smile i know the feeling. When i take mine out in the bush i'm all smile's as well, fun little bugger's to run hope you enjoy your's Walt take care.
Glad your having fun, these videos are great ,for one it's like hanging out in the shop. Flywheel suggestion position Flywheel correctly on crank and run a small drill bit into it, and use a round dowel e.g welding rod or old drill bit shank...
Good vid Walt. I run both generations of saws. My oldest, a 2015 550Xp has over 700 hrs on it, only had one issue with it, the pop off spring in the carb needed tweeking. Fuel/oil wise i run everything 2 cycle on Aspen 4 Fuel and Motul 800 at 37-1. That said the Mk2 is a very different saw.
After seeing the piston damage from the piston stop l now know why Tinman uses and recommends the rope method . Thanks for these videos Walt. I learn something new every episode
I know this requires tools, but an impact driver or wrench works without any stop by using a glove and grabbing the clutch or flywheel with your hand. Don't use anything non-impacting or you will pinch or hurt your hand.
I had one saw that was running rough, on strip down the piston crown was punctured almost through!! I never use piston stops, I just use a low power 3/8ths battery impact 👍
So with this Video you know that you just caused the Resale Price of these 550's to instantly increase by 100% or more "LMAO" because everyone will now be wanting one. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 A VERY GREAT Informational Video, Eventhough the price jumped 100% in less than 35mins I still might try to fine one to build. 🤔 Thanks 👍
Yep! I just got done doing my first gen 550xp with a lil red barn pop-up, an ebay (company out of Ohio) .014 gasket, cleaned up that casting flash on the transfers, and a muffler mod. It tuned itself and jt rips!
Planning next video to do the same on a 562. I found said company, and want to do a video as the ( for 562 ) is prolly the cheapest hop up concept ever, going from the stock .030 to the AM ( Ohio) .014. If you watched the channel I would cut my gaskets out of a .010" material instead of machining the cylinder base. :)
@@afleetcommand yeah, I've seen you cut them out over the years, but I saw these on there for like $3-4 each, and laser cut, and couldn't pass it up! Plus, they were exactly what mine needed, to give me like .023 squish. I got the thin gaskets and a pop-up for my 572 as well, which I'll put together this week. It already pulls a buried long bar better than my ported (by Joe Stanley, who lives a few miles from me in Indiana) 371xp, so I'm pretty excited to see how it does with the pop-up and less gasket!
Thanks so much for your expertise. I bought a 550xp back around 2017 I have around 25 hours on it, still looks like new and running great. I run a 20 inch and 18inch bar - I prefer 18 better performance. I mostly use it for deer camp gathering fire wood. I also bought a 592xp in May wow she is a BEAST!!! I'm using Bellray's H1-R 40:1 great film strength, mixed with 90octane ethanol free gas. I run 5 gallons gas through my saws using that oil then I will use AMSOIL Saber and run a gallon through the saws because Amsoil has good detergents for cleaning then back to Bellrays - DO you think that is a good idea? Also how many hours does the 550xp on average run till you think they blow up? I make sure I keep a sharp chain and keep the saw into the wood.
Point taken. I'm an older guy like you. Actually I'm older 🙃. But anywho, I do quite a bit of firewood stuff here in MI. I'm very familiar with 2 & 3 series. Awhile back my wife picked me up a 460 at a garage sale. Yes it's the plastic bomb model. It runs great. I put a 24" bar w/. 325 chain & it does well. BUT I hate the way it wobbles all over and it doesn't feel right. Behind watching you with these 5 series I'm going to find one. Between you & the tinman I'm going for a 572. Thanks.
Yup I have three in that class now when you count the 565. Funny how the "pro's" around here love them. But it takes a bit to break in and then catch up with the tune. SO the instant gratification cookie types doing their first impression really miss it with them.
You should try the installing a 545 pulley system on a 550xp junk pile built I think you will really like the easy to start aspect of it. These 50 cc saws don't really get the love they deserve.
someone sed 550 run hot any truth to that im running a ms290 and my dad gave me his husky 450 and im saprized with throttle response and how light it is and seems like it cuts just as fast as my 290 so i thought about getting a 550 just wonder how long they last my 290 is going on 8 years all oem never been rebuilt but gotta love the weight to power from the 450 and 550
So much depends on how they are setup and used. SO jut out of hand dismiss generalities. I can make them run hot easier than say a 288. But I can get them cool as well. I think I would like the leverage the hearsay for folks on my channel to get raw materials and have a little fun with those. We can develop them into fun little screamers
@@afleetcommand yep been watching the channel for a couple years now like i sed im not a fan of the 1 bolt bar deal on the 450 but the saw is super snappy and light stock it actully blows my mind how light it is how good they cut enuff to retire my ms260 and if i get a 550 might retire my 290 if the 550 is better then the 450 when you start to get older i look for the light saws that cut as good or better then the heavy saws
Actually that's a tough one. Depends on the definition of win I guess. The 359/7 chassis is a very capable 60cc platform. They had a few issues that were easy to solve, the early intake issues solved with a steel clamp and the removal of the "Auto decomp" being two. And they were simple and easy to modify with a standard layout, predictable results. Prolly the better saw it that is in your future. 550mk 2 had a few "supply chain" issues were there were a series of saw in the 2020 -21 model years where the PTO side radial seal needed to be replaced , My guess if there was an issue with a 550KM2 it's already happened as they showed the issue fast and should have be warrantee's out of the work rotations. They are a snappy 50cc saw better for small work. While closer than you might think on performance, they are still a 50cc saw. Their benefits would be fuel usage, the Autotune feature which does help, parts availability as the are current. And maybe lighter and less vibration. I think I would pick as a general saw the 357 and go put on a new intake boot and clamp for the hobby type/fire wood type. A later than 2021 on the tag 550MK two for the pro or hobby type who doesn't want to mess with a saw assuming a good dealer as well. But really why not fine a 555 if you are buying new and you want a small mount or a 562 if you want a large mount?
@@afleetcommand i cut timber with a 066 mag 395xp 390xp ms461 an a 371xp an occasionally a sxl925 an a superpro 81 4 fun. Im lookn to get something smaller an lighter 4 smaller timber occasionally but mostly firewood.
@@afleetcommand Apologies,I may have put that badly,but I was under the impression that the CST was needed to keep Auto tune up to date. And by extension, if not up to date, not working properly ?
Premise is off a bit. CST is a awesome tool for diagnostics and that's it's most important function. An additional tool for that and an aid to reduce the time. Also a great tool to communicate what's happening with a saw to a customer. They do "updates" but in reality they are tweaks, and if the saw runs fine not needed at all. The newer saws have even less need. The early 562's prolly benefitted more than the new saws as they evolved from el44 to the new carbs. From the 2016 time forward the "updates" are really not needed for 99 percent of the saws out there. And yet again it's an "asset" not available to non Autotune saws. The fact its available doesn't mean all not updated are not running property. All it does is give additional tools for a dealer to move a customers saw to a better place even if its incremental. So no. CST isn't required to make an Autotune run properly at all. It's all upside tools available when there is a good customer dealer relationship, tools to track, interact, and tweak to help that become better.
Kind of equal, the 261 is more reliable than the 550mk1. The 550mk2 is a match. So I prefer the Husqvarna for no particular reason other than they are easier to work on and have a more straight forward design in things like the anti vib and throttle linkage/cable. I did a video a few years back on a 261 :)
@@afleetcommand , now I have stihl ms 201tc, 261 and 500i, i need and some saw from Husqvarna, i prefer 560xpg, from Husqvarna, i have some trimmer, Husqvarna 545rx
