Husqvarna 440

[gusg]

Afternoon all,

First time poster...I do not use a chainsaw much. I use it for an occasional tree trimming or for a tree that may have fallen to get rid of it. I just purchased this saw maybe 18 months ago so still relatively new. So I maybe use it a several times a year at the max. I was over at an elderly man's house doing a good deed, and the chain had stopped moving as fast as it was and was acting like something was caught up in it. So I pulled the chain side off and it looked pretty dirty from the oil and shavings. When I took the side off the bar safety spring set and could not get it to reset, so I just placed everything in the cab of the truck and finished with a pruner, limb saw, and ax. Got home got the safety reset cleaned it all up put it back together and it was the same thing...this time it seemed like the clutch might be having an issue and smoking. Disassembled it all again and everything turned easily by had no binding. Put everything back together and the chain does not move freely...am I missing something? I also cleaned the bar and the chain. When I tighten chain, the tension is to where the drive links barely raise out of the bar. Is the clutch assembly already bad?

Thanks ahead of the time for any advice.

Gus

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Are you 100% sure the brake is fully disengaging and staying set in that position- or is it tripping easily?
Also sounds like your chain might be a bit tight in the adjustment- this is never good as it puts load on the drive region of clutch and crank bearings.
Did you fully remove, clean and inspect the clutch? Glazed, worn, full of crud clutches slip, get hot and smoke- especially if full of oily gunge.
Broken clutch spring or worn stretched spring.
Worn needle bearing on clutch.

Photos will help diagnose- take the clutch cover bar and chain off inspect for blackened melted plastic around the clutch region.

 

[gusg]

Thanks, for the response...I went out there and took some pictures of it today. The brake is staying set, I only had to reset the one time. With cover on the chain was binding when trying to move it manually. With the cover off and the bar pulled on to give it tension everything moves freely. The only odd thing that I saw was the two dark areas on the clutch. See the pictures below, thanks for the help!