Chainsaw Repair

How To Basics - Carb Fixes + Mods - IPL and Service Manuals => How To Basics and Fixes => Topic started by: reynog on May 15, 2012, 06:53:54 pm

Title: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: reynog on May 15, 2012, 06:53:54 pm
Can someone post or point me in the direction of using muriatic acid to recondition a cylinder?
The more info the better.
I have a Stihl HS 45 hedge trimmer that needs a little freshening up.

Thanks, Glenn
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: man of stihl on May 15, 2012, 07:42:12 pm
All i do is add the acid to the aluminum transfer on the cylinder with a q-tip. sand that area and repeat several times untill all the transfer is gone.
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: reynog on May 15, 2012, 08:27:53 pm
Where do you get the acid?
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: man of stihl on May 15, 2012, 08:31:54 pm
I got mine from a swimming pool chemical place.
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: mweba on May 15, 2012, 10:33:49 pm
Where do you get the acid?


Menards carries it as well.  I like to heat the cylinder as well.  The acid reacts faster warm.   Make sure your work area is well ventilated, the fumes are very strong.
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: rms61moparman on May 16, 2012, 04:09:37 am

I'm pretty sure someone put a video of the process on youtube.
I saw it on AS, it could have been from one of the other hosting sites.


Mike
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: Al Smith on May 16, 2012, 12:51:34 pm
FWIW you can use easy off oven cleaner and get about the same results . A word of caution do not get impatient and use a flap wheel on a cylinder .You'll grind right through the plating faster than you can say Jack  Robinson.Been there ,done that .

I might also add that 3M abrasives like the green pads are less agressive than sandpapers .Unless you really lay the elbow grease to them they will only take out the tramp aluminum .Wear some kind of rubber gloves weather you use oven cleaner or muratic acid and have plenty of ventilation else the fumes will get you .Not good . :o
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: EHP on May 16, 2012, 02:57:09 pm
I use a flap wheel everyday and have never even marked the chrome but like I say , I take a new wheel and grind steel with it for a minute or 2  but I'm also thinking that maybe we are not taking the same thing here on the flap wheel, Where I buy them that is what they call them , I also use easy off with a bit of heat before hand on the jug, works very well and fast , On most jugs I clean up I'm 5 minutes and I'm done
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: Al Smith on May 16, 2012, 03:34:02 pm
A flap wheel is a flap wheel . I can't remember exactly what grit it was but I can assure it will cut right through the hard nickle alloy Stihl plating .

They make them in different grits ,different hardness and in fact in 3M greenies if you want .My problem was I just got impatient and got a little heavy handed with it .---soo the result was an 036 cylinder and piston on an 034 bottom end which worked up  better any way .Live and learn they say . :)
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: EHP on May 17, 2012, 08:15:01 pm
I also think there is quite a difference in the grades of flaps wheel besides the grit number , I know the wheels from fastenal and no where near as good as the wheels from Brafsco , huge difference , same grit and size
Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: Al Smith on May 17, 2012, 09:52:16 pm
I think that's pretty much true with all abrasives .The ones I have are just throw aways they used to shine up stainless steel pipe after they heliarced  it .Probabley much more aggressive than should have been used on a saw cylinder .

I learned my lesson though .Actually I could have ran the soft stones in the Lisle micro hone except I didn't want to foul the stones with tramp aluminum .If I'd had used the hard ones ,impregnated diamonds they would have cut that nicosil faster than the flap wheel did . --kinda caught between a rock and a hard place -- ;)

Title: Re: Cylinder recondition how-to help
Post by: joe_indi on June 12, 2012, 01:45:06 pm
Before using muriatic acid, I use a cordless chain grinder at low speed to grind down the bigger blobs of aluminum.
The grinding stones dont wear out the chrome of the cylinder. The job is so much simpler and fast because  this kind of grinder can be used like a mechanical eraser to 'erase' the aluminum.
90% of the time after the grinder, muriatic acid is no longer required. Just a final touch with a very fine emery.