Husqvarna 550XP II Chainsaw Won't Start

In this video I will take you on a diagnostic journey of a Husqvarna 550XP II chainsaw that won't start. This video covers the process after we've hooked it to the computer for error codes. #smallenginerepair

[@peterjiran7652]

Wow that is a mess. These saws…low vibrations, high chain speed enormous acceleration but they need to be treatened like some princess. You can’t push them… we’ve had troubles with camshaft bearings on almost every single one of them… Good job there as usuall mate! 👌

[@richardflagg3084]

Shocking! Another bearing failure on a low hour 550/562. Nice video and diagnostic process.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks. Yes there have been a few of these failures but to be fair, Husqvarna has done a good job working with us in the warranty process.

[@barrymacokiner9423]

Damn, I have one of those

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

They don't all fail.@@barrymacokiner9423

[@richardflagg3084]

@@TheGreasyShopRag I work 2 days a week at a Husqvarna dealer and can confirm they are very reasonable when doing warranty work, especially the battery stuff.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Agreed. I don't think I can remember a single warranty claim on battery equipment that was turned down.@@richardflagg3084

[@tomasznumrych7187]

The finger on the spark plug adapter when removing the clutch is such a small but extremely useful tip that I'm going to use from now on.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Great! I hope it helps.

[@tedneitzel]

I run my Huskys at 40:1. Every saw I tear down that's run 50:1 the bearings always seem a bit dry! My 550mk2 has 75 hrs on it so far and hasn't missed a beat! Good stuff as always see ya next time!

[@gabortoro1236]

Így van. 40:1 arány a jó.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

40:1 seems like a popular plan. You never hear, "I run 40:1 and my saws keep throwing bearings".

[@daphlavor]

Try a different oil? I’ve swiswitched to Red Armor at 45-1. Richard Flagg has some really good analysis videos on different oils, with surprising results.

[@tedneitzel]

@@daphlavor I've been watching Richard Flagg for a long time. I use belray H1R. Good oil!

[@markm0000]

@@daphlavor I use Penzoil 2 stroke oil and can’t say enough good things about it. Works good in any engine even diesel to get better efficiency and keep everything running smooth.

[@markm0000]

I learned so many tips and tricks from watching your videos I decided to give back a little and get a sticker. Thank you 🙏

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks for supporting the channel!

[@Anders-x6h]

You repair a lot of Huskies. Is it because you are specialized on Husqvarna or are there generally more problem with Husqvarna chainsaws than Stihls? Great videos- I learn a lot! Best regards from Sweden 👍

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I work at a large Husqvarna dealership. Thats the brand we sell the most of but we will work on anything that comes in the door. There is a Stihl dealership just blocks away.

[@mikefortunato9800]

Wonderful, just bought one of these. Likely been on the shelf for awhile, so if there was an issue with a bearing manufacturer, saws purchased today are very likely affected depending on when built?

[@McCullochMac6]

Your work station and tool box is fricken awesome...You sure come up with some great ideas to make it easier on yourself...I'm thinking your brain works overtime during idol time...Love it...

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Ya sometimes I cant get an idea out of my head until I build the project. Thanks for watching!

[@rcf8367]

Great diag video, hope you make a final repair clip if you do the job!

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

[@larryweinberg1191]

Have one bought near when they came out in 2011. It has been fine, once I read manual that says, flick on/off swich up/down between shutdowns. thanks for your posts.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@Chucky-b7v]

Good find, Scott 👍🏼

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks for watching!

[@jamiewykes8585]

Wow! Did Husqvarna cover that under warranty?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Many of them get covered but sometimes we get one in that has a very neglected air filter. Those don't always get covered.

[@toyotagtcoupe8487]

Good work bud...are you gonna fix it?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I think that one was replaced under warranty.

[@marklobbett455]

Well done Scott! But why did this happen? I understand the main bearings have a plastic collar?? Maybe it was an operator problem?ive got one of these saws, & its awsome!! Apart from a tank vent problem ive had no issues, Thanks for a good video! 👍

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

The talk around the water cooler is that Husqvarna had a problem with a bearing supplier.

[@marklobbett455]

@@TheGreasyShopRag ok thats interesthing, thanks 👍

[@PelicanIslandLabs]

@0:14. Are you pointing to some debris stuck in the muf exit port? Thanks for another interesting vid!

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Yes. That debris is melted plastic that used to be a crank bearing cage.

[@traktorkongen1]

Hi, I'm a 16-year-old boy from Denmark. i have a husqvarna 450. it's like i can't adjust the carburetor even though it's brand new. think it's the saw since I've tried 3 carburetors now. beyond that back fire it. Do you have any idea what it is?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

The carb is brand new or the saw is brand new? I assume the carb because otherwise it would go back to the dealer. If you'ver tried three carbs then my guess is the problem isn't the carb. If its backfiring then look at the flywheel key or ignition module.

[@spelunkerd]

Do you think that autotune run these new saws so close to stoichiometric that the risk and durability of their new product line is inferior to older saws? Or, is that balanced by factors like long term problems from old saws tending to run a little rich?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I think they had some air filters that let some dirt in and I think they had a questionable batcxh of bearings. The tune seems legit to me.

[@PhillipDrumz]

What causes these bearing to fail most often? Any debris to cause that or just random occurrence?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

The textbook answer is dirt ingestion. A lot of these are failing so some have suggested bad seals or a bad batch of bearings.

[@outman6207]

Hi awesome video, I have a question: my k970 has really high compression, so hard to pull. I can pull fine without plug. Plug only goes in 2-3 thread. I remove carb, remove muffler, no change. I remove top end, it looks ok, no scar on cylinder, 2 small scratches on piston. I remove decompression plug, clean the hole. Still same…any suggestion ? Really appreciate it.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

It would be nice to know how many pounds of compression it has to help determine if this is a compression problem or a binding problem. Also, what do you mean you plug only goes in 2-3 thread? Whats going on there?

[@olepedersen2795]

Any theory on why something like that goes bad on a relatively new saw. ?

[@UpInSmoke54]

Low-quality bearings!

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Maybe low quality bearings but lets just say for a minute that the bearings are the result of the problem and not the cause. Most of the failures are on the clutch side. Certainly over-tightening a chain can contribute to early bearing failure. Dirt ingestion can also cause bearing failure and that would most likely first show up on the bearing with the most stress on it. Maybe theres more heat there than the bearings like. Not sure.

[@olepedersen2795]

@@TheGreasyShopRag thank you sir.

[@UpInSmoke54]

That is what the Husqvarna dealer told my friend when his 550mkII had a bearing failure, he told him that he had seen several...🤷‍♂. @@TheGreasyShopRag

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thats true. I was just pointing out other reasons this could happen. @@UpInSmoke54

[@IraqiVet]

I was looking online at Amazon on your Mity Vac system. Sorry to ask but di recall the model number you bought. Thank you for another great video.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I was unaware of a recall. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

[@IraqiVet]

Im sorry i didn't mean recall i meant do you remember the model number of the particular unit you purchased im sorry about that.​@@TheGreasyShopRag

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Mityvac MV8500@@IraqiVet

[@markm0000]

Good job 👏

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks for watching!

[@chrischiampo7647]

Good Morning Brother 😀👍🏼

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Good morning!

[@44place85]

Would this be a whole crankcase replacement?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I guess that depends how much damage was done and who is paying for the labor. Sometimes its cheaper to replace the whole saw.

[@gabortoro1236]

Helló üdv Magyarországból. Én ugyanígy jártam tavalyelőtt, kb 10-15 üzemóra után. Garanciában megcsinálták és azóta jó. A csapágybeszállítóval volt a gond, úgy tudom a Hq azóta beszállítót váltott.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I believe you are right about that. Thanks for watching!

[@henrikjonsson3397]

how many hours did that saw run? it looks brand new

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I think this saw only had 6 hours run time.

[@deweyarnett556]

Thanks for making videos!!

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

You're welcome! As long as I keep enjoying it you will keep seeing them.

[@jamesb6864]

Similar issue to what I'm dealing with on my 550. Do you do mail in repairs?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

No we've never done that at the shop and I don't have any free time at home. Sorry.

[@Brian-Outdoors]

That’s my favorite XP saw😮. Kind of scary it ate a bearing this early in its life. I also have the 540iXP, 562XP, 572XP, 395XP and 592XP. Hope mine stay working like they have been.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

@@Brian-Outdoors It's a screaming fast saw for sure!

[@markm0000]

I like how you have a piece of tape on the long driver to see the direction and speed.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

It also tells me its a T20 bit 🙂

[@joeellestad8912]

Got a 545xp given to me and figured it was the coil as it had no spark. Replaced the coil with one from a 550xp. Have spark now and it fired only once and now it only floods. Any ideas?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

545 coils do not cross reference to 550's so thats a problem. If you find a 550 coil and it uses a different part number than the one you're replacing then you need to update the firmware in the autotune module.

[@joeellestad8912]

@@TheGreasyShopRag So if I update the firmware then I can use a different coil? Would any coil work as long as the wires are correct? Appreciate the feedback 😊

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Heres the deal. When you update firmware it asks you to select the coil part number from a drop down menu. If you use a coil from a different saw thats not on the list and select any random number from the drop down, then I suppose you end up with a saw that runs like yours does.If there is a work-around for this I don't know what it is.@@joeellestad8912

[@joeellestad8912]

@@TheGreasyShopRag Think I would be better off buying the correct coil? Would flooding be caused by the coil or carb issues?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

It could be either one but you said the coil had no spark. That would certainly cause a flooding issue.@@joeellestad8912

[@albertkropp]

Man, I thought the newer bearing seal design on the 550 Mk II's, and the newer 562's was less prone to seeing this kind of failure...

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

To be fair, I've seen way less 550's come back than 562s's and we've sold a lot of 550's.

[@albertkropp]

@@TheGreasyShopRagOn another topic, do you have any idea why the new 562XP Mark II's don't have the grey styling on the top covers, even though most of the promotional imagery has it?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I don't but next time I see our Husky rep I'll see if he knows anything about it.@@albertkropp

[@albertkropp]

​@@TheGreasyShopRagThanks!

[@tedneitzel]

@@albertkropp The first round of 562mk2s don't have the Grey but my husky dealer said next round will have the grey!

[@BruceLyeg]

If it seems to be a common issue, have they done anything to address it?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Yes I think they have updated the bearing.

[@chainsawredeemer85]

"But it's gonna lose, we'll get it" 😂 dunno why that made me laugh so hard.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Because you know that we can be just as stubborn as those parts.

[@jonathanfierberg3807]

Awesome thanks

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thanks for watching!

[@steveriggenbach90]

I try not to ask questions that aren’t related to your videos. Do you have another method?

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Do you mean another method to ask questions? Yes. Click the "more" button in the description and then hit "about". Click on "show email address" and start typing!

[@steveriggenbach90]

@@TheGreasyShopRagI followed the steps but show email address was not shown.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

[e-mail]@@steveriggenbach90

[@w6qd]

Walt from the @afleetcommand channel has pointed out this issue with Husqvarna's plastic cage bearings.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

So many good channels. So little time. Thanks for watching!

[@Gary67242]

i sure hope this doesn't happen with my 572...thumbs up !!

[@scottsouthwell4968]

It did to my friends

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Me too. Thanks for watching!

[@UpInSmoke54]

550xp MKII that ate a crank bearing no surprise here!

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Its not a surprise but its not a given either. There are many high hour 550's still cutting wood.

[@UpInSmoke54]

I'm not hating on the saw, I have the exact same saw but with very low hours on it.@@TheGreasyShopRag

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

I get it. I just don't want to fuel the fire-except for that whole making a video about a bearing failure thing 🙂. I hope yours lasts as long as you need it to.@@UpInSmoke54

[@UpInSmoke54]

I have a 5 year warranty 👍@@TheGreasyShopRag

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Good plan!@@UpInSmoke54

[@cheba4786]

🔥🔥😁👍

[@steveriggenbach90]

Seems like either way the repair goes, except the pressure/vacuum test, you follow same procedures.

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Getting into a routine and following it is a good way to not overlook something. It doesn't take any more time than just scratching your head and going full speed into a guess, only to have to go back and test things. Now I won't pressure test a fuel line just to fix an oiler issue but I do look into the cylinder. If its scored then fixing an oil pump is a waste of time.

[@kenj469]

I must have missed the cage in the spark arrestor.

[@w6qd]

Me too

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

It wasn't a great shot but I didn't want to give away the ending. I'll try to post a nice pic in a future video of what that actually looks like.

[@MarkOxley-vo3kq]

I like strohs

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Thats one beer I never enjoyed.

[@chainsawredeemer85]

Later

[@noelstractors-firewood57]

Well now. That’s nasty. 👍🏻👋

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Agreed. Thanks for watching!

[@johnclarke8180]

Ffs Scott, low hour saw!

[@TheGreasyShopRag]

Yes, very low in this case.