Author Topic: building up a 394 395 but which top end..  (Read 913 times)

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Offline wisecobandit

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building up a 394 395 but which top end..
« on: May 04, 2014, 05:37:59 am »
Ok I bought a 394 parts saw and hopefully have more spares coming.
To cut a long story short ive rebuilt the 394 crankcase itself and replaced the bearings and seals. The crank was good as I wanted to use the 394 crank anyway as slightly heavier so should have more torque. Also I have a 394 carb to use simply as its probably I can get a bit more from it being non epa etc.

Question is altho (but I haven't seen yet) there is meant to be a good cylinder in the "more spares" I have on there way what do people feel I should use either a 395 or 394 pot? (I know I would have to buy the inlet related stuff if I went 395)

The 394 is only single port compared to the 395 being dual port however the 394 port is actually larger than the 395's dual ports.Then to throw a spanner in the works theres also a hyway big bore kit for the 395 which is 58mm compared to the 394/395 being 56mm....  :-\

Eitherway whatever I use will get ported etc.
So OE 394 top end with meteor piston
Meteor 395 pot and piston
or Hyway 58mm big bore kit.

What would you use and why?

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Offline KilliansRedLeo

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2014, 08:21:27 am »
I have built up a few of 394/395 saws and another member (Alsled) built up one using a Hyway BB kit. Perhaps Al will come along and tell you about his experience with that. I do know that he was having a hell of a time finding replacement 58mm rings for the 'split groove' ductile iron rings that came in the kit.

As far as the cylinders go, IIRC the 394 cylinder has more meat left in it so is probably a better candidate for the porting you plan to do. Also, I think you can get away with no base gasket if you are running the 394 top end.
I agree on the non epa carb idea.

Both the 394 and 395 are fine saws but IMO they are nearly equal performance wise, with slight nod going toward the 94 for low end grunt.

If the C/P coming in your spares is good I would use that, put the saw together and determine what more if anything you want out of the saw. When guys come into my shop with a formula in their head for a saw I agree to build it in stages for them. Sort of like curry, mild, medium and HOT! That way they can run the saw as each stage is completed. Most find a good balance between performance and reliability somewhere before full-blown HOT!
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Offline wisecobandit

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2014, 11:22:13 am »
Thanks for putting me in the picture about the hyway ring situation, I was rather reluctant to go down the big bore route anyway to be fair and would rather use oe.
Ive already got a 394 and 395 so its "just for a bit of fun" and not a saw I seriously need although whilst its getting a full rebuild may aswell have a play and make it as strong a runner as possible hence asking for a few views.
I already have a 394 meteor piston here on the shelf new if i decided on the 394 route which to be fair is what im favouring to do as wouldn't involve the ££'s as I already have it (well once it turns up and IF its ok) but just wanted to know if anyone had already fitted the 395 top end to a 394 and found it any stronger (r possibly weeker?)
I think the extra weight in the 394 crank/flywheel give it a minor torque advantage but then on a comparable theoretically the 395 dual port top end should give better torque than the 394 single port top end.

Offline KilliansRedLeo

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2014, 11:39:11 am »
Lots of folks use the rings that come with the kits with no problems. They take a little longer to seat than Caber, in my experience. They also have a square outer corner both top and bottom of the ring. Which can be quite problematic with a new or used cylinder, catching on the ports and such. So, there is some messing about you should do before using them. Make sure the edges of your ports are radiused correctly and will not catch the rings.

The Meteor pistons come with Caber rings because Meteor owns Caber. Problem is that Caber does not make a ring that will fit the 58mm BB kit. They do make a 58mm ring but it is not the correct thickness IIRC.
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Offline wisecobandit

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2014, 02:17:50 pm »
Ive got a heavily ported b/b hyway kit on my 365 and found it good quality/power etc however ive heard since the initial batch where the plating was coming off the cylinder that there has been a few rare cases of the 365/372 rings wearing down quick. Ive not had any issues with mine but it plays a bit in the mind when you've heard it a couple times tho.
Think I will try get away and use the 394 cylinder and new meteor piston when it turns up and if its good. When it comes to cylinders I don't think you can beat the oe quality, just a case of keeping the fingers crossed its as good as its meant to be.

Offline alsled

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2014, 07:25:01 pm »
I have a 394 with a meteor piston, oem jug and the saw is a beast as you know.  I have another 394 that I put a hiway BB kit on.  Unfortunately I have not got a chance to really put it through its paces yet.  I was not really happy with the quality of the ports in the hiway bb kit, looked like a bunch of buggars of aluminum every place.

I say stock 394 jug, meteor piston, no base gasket if the squish comes out around .025, dual port the muffler or make the stock hole bigger, and have fun.

I have a bb hiway kit on a 365 special that runs like a **** ape with no base gasket, stihl piston, and the ports were nice and clean on this jug.

Offline wisecobandit

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2014, 06:58:50 am »
Thanks Asled, think I will go down the 394 pot route and just port it up etc and see how it goes. Should have all the bits for that to so wont cost me any £££'s either.  :D Just need to get it ported up when it turns up so will keep me occupied for a few hours 1 evening.

I was pretty impressed with my 365 hyway kit to and no misshaped ports like you can hear about - not that it bothered me as I ported it before I even fitted and tested it! Runs a twin 1" ported muffler so has bite and bark lol. It actually didn't need a cylinder as the previous owner only used it to cut down 3 trees, however I obtained a blown 362 so the 365 cylinder got ported and put on that one.  ;)

Offline sharkey

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2014, 06:52:04 pm »
If you choose the 394 parts, keep an eye on that intake block.  Sometimes they will crack, and draw air.  Its really hard to see or find a crack in that block without a pressure test. 

Offline Cut4fun .

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Re: building up a 394/395 but which top end..
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2015, 05:32:24 pm »
Saving JJ info.  Thanks for bringing this back up Mike.

Posted by Jacob J.

The early 394 used 1.5mm thick rings and were pinned much in the same manner as a Stihl 460 piston- out by the skirt edges. Later 394s used 1.5mm thick rings and were pinned in the center, same as 395. The first 395s that came out used this same piston so you'll see some 395s with a piston using 1.5mm thick rings. Later, the 395 was switched over to the 1.2mm thick rings still pinned in the center.

The Meteor 395 piston works perfectly in a 394. I've put many of those together. I've even used the Meteor 395 piston in a Jonsered 2094.

Offline mdavlee .

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Re: building up a 394 395 but which top end..
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2015, 07:18:06 pm »
No problem. I knew one of them was like that so it might save someone a problem on ordering rings

 

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