Install a New Cylinder and Piston Kit

For all of “DIY” people, there is satisfaction in doing a job yourself. You save time, money, and there is also the satisfaction gained when accomplishing a difficult task. Remember Tim Allen on “Home Improvement” when he would grunt loudly when working on a project? That's his “I am a man working with tools” grunt.

But as we all recall from watching the show, many times Tim didn’t quite know what he was doing. He knew just enough to get himself into trouble. That’s when the comedy ensued. Many times folks fixing their own equipment run into the same problem. They may be able to take the old part off and put the new one on, but usually there is more to it than that.

Installing a new cylinder and piston kit on a chainsaw for example is one of those times where you really need to know what you are doing, or you can easily ruin $200.00 worth of parts. The store where you purchased them is not going to be too cheerful about issuing a refund if they suspect malfunction was because of improper installation. If you broke it, the store cannot resell it. That means they must “eat it” to give you another one. If you do the same thing to the replacement, well, you can do the math.

Here is a good video explaining what you should do when installing a new cylinder and piston kit into a saw.

Andrew has many helpful videos on YouTube for you chainsaw enthusiasts to watch. They are informative and many times also entertaining.

YouTube is an excellent source for videos showing how to do things yourself. There is nothing wrong with learning how to fix your own equipment as opposed to paying someone else or worse yet, pitching a perfectly good saw in the trash. Just make sure you know the proper installation and break-in procedures when you tackle the job. If you have any doubts, it is always a good idea to go online and consult the owner’s manual.

Here are helpful hints when installing the parts. Check the packaging to make sure the part number and description matches what is on your packing list. Mistakes can happen, especially when pulling parts for hundreds of orders each day. Also check to see if the new part looks like the old part before you damage it trying to “make it fit”.

Clean the parts before installing them. Some parts can be cleaned with an air hose such as the lines. Others can be cleaned with soap and water (cylinder and piston). Some may need to be oiled first (some air filters). Do your “pre-installation” work before installing.

After installing, be sure not to over rev the engine. You may think it is an old saw and therefore it is “broken in” but if you just put a new cylinder and piston on it, it is now a new saw.

As always, when in doubt, call somebody before you make a mistake.