Chainsaw Repair

I'm a 288XP guy and I agree with Spike......................although I prefer a 272XP to a 372XP as well (and wish we could still get 'em here).

My three favorite European saws are the 272XP, 288XP, and 2101XP.    The 288XP and 272XP are still being produced in Brazil.  Wish the 2101XP still was too.  A few of us nuts are looking into getting new 288XP's from Brazil.  So far, it's too expensive for most of us (looking like over $1300 by the time all is said and done...........OUCH).  Might yet be a way to shave some $$$ from the total cost.

So does the 281 181 288 all weigh about the same PHO?  About 16.7 to 16.11 give or take

I raced a 281 with 181 top at Webster 2010. Just cant remember the feel etc.

So does the 281 181 288 all weigh about the same PHO?  About 16.7 to 16.11 give or take

I raced a 281 with 181 top at Webster 2010. Just cant remember the feel etc.

From what the scales say, there's only a 4 ounce or so dif between a high top/HD filter 281/288XP with the dawg mounted front AV spring and the low-top 288XP Lite (which is basically the same saw as the  low top 181/281 except for 2mm of bore).  Seems to me like that should be greater.  That spring mount/bracket is heavy by itself, and that HD top cover has a lot more plastic in it.  Guess it adds up to 4oz.  I oughta weigh that spring and bracket.

I really like the feel of these saws, especially the low-tops.  My high-top 288XP feels like a 5-cube class saw should with a 32" b/c.  To me a low-top saw with a 24-28" b/c feels like a 372XP or 385XP with the same length b/c (talking weight/bulk).   I want to set up a low-top saw with a 28-30" b/c (maybe a LW).

Digging again.

I was thinking of using the 181se to make a 288. Maybe I shouldnt.


copy pasted info =   All parts are interchangeable. Some things to note are the 181 may have a non governed carb and the cylinder is a little higher quality and not made by Mahle.  Gilardoni
The 281 had a option of a high top HD air filter setup, but you can put the parts on the 181.
I swapped a 288 cylinder onto a 181 a while back and when I took off the 181 cylinder I almost put it back on because it was that much better quality. 2 ring piston, ports are clean with no casting marks, more cooling fins. I'll keep it for when I toast the 288 top end.

I have rebuilt a few 181's recently and also have quite some parts from a 281.
That doesn't make me an expert though but the differences I have noticed are :

- 181 has thin ring piston, the 281 has the classic 1 ring piston
- 181 has old style chain brake, the 281 new style
- 281 has spring mounted spike, the 181 doesn't. The fuel tank is therefor slightly different at the front end (allows for spring plate fixation)
- different spikes
- different thottle linkage and carb lever.

But they are basically the same saw, all the other parts do interchange.

The 288 is the same saw as the 281, only it has a bigger P/C (54mm instead of 52 mm piston).

I've mounted the front AV spring of a 281/288 on a 181 tank. You just have to take a little off the mounting plate to fit into the slot on the tank.

Also something to note, the aftermarket chain brakes don't fit very well on the 181 case. There is a little rubbing on the brake band so you have to take a dremel and clearance that area to allow the brake band to move further away from the clutch.

181 carb has a metal linkage to the throttle trigger where the 281/288 use a arm contacting a roller setup. It's the same carb style so you can swap the throttle shafts.

There is also a difference in the muffler deflector/cover setup. The 181 has a complete muffler cover on the front where the 281/288 has the just the tie strap setup with the case.

copy pasted =

281/288's have a carbs have a dump valve that opens with vaccume and let's more fuel in the limit the RPMs of the saw. Sometimes the spring gets weak in these and causes issues but they are easily bypassed. Limited carbs will have a large brass threaded plug on the left side of the carb in-between the throttle and choke shafts.
 
brass gov plug 281





281 piston