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Just picked this up

Started by woodsdog2015, October 02, 2015, 01:34:48 PM

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woodsdog2015

I was driving home from work yesterday and saw this at a yard sale.  I didn't have a clue what it was but knew it was a big saw and it looked in decent shape except for the chain and very small bar.  What is this saw worth.  I wanted another back up saw and that was my interest but when I started to google this it appears there is some collector value for this.  I want to use it and it started up good after I put some fresh non-ethanol 91 at the recommended 32:1 ratio.  The previous owner said he bought it new and he used it last year but the rear sprocket housing/brake cover inside and out was covered with oily gunk.  I spent all evening cleaning it, taking apart the chain brake and giving it a good cleaning.  The manual came with it and it said not to take the clutch off have a dealer do that.... do any of you folks have experience with this saw and I would take recommendations on a compatible longer bar and chain for it?   

 
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

sawguy21

First I have heard of this model, Mike Acres site has nothing on it either. It looks like a Solo, they built some Homey's in the 80's, but they weren't made in the U.S. and parts are non existent. If it has .325 chain the longest bar readily available would be 20".
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

WV Mountaineer

That saw says "Made in the USA".  So, it isn't a solo.  God Bless
Trying to live for the Lord, spend all the time I got with family, friends, hunting, fishing, and just enjoying my blessings.

Pine Ridge

My dad was a homelite fan, a 944 homelite was his pride and joy. I've never saw one like you've got, it looks like its in really good shape.
Husqvarna 550xp , 2- 372xp and a 288xp, Chevy 4x4 winch truck

67L36Driver

Solo is good bet.  88.5cc, big motha.  Homelite 540 is same as 880.

30" bar would be no problem for that puppy.
Over 40 old magnesium runners.  Plei Trapp Valley Duck!!! Club.

woodsdog2015

Its not .325 the manual says "The 8800 is equipped with a 3/8" pitch drive sprocket, both 3/8" and .404 square ground chisel chains are available. Order drive sprocket part no. 63285-A to equip the saw with a .404 chain."  So my interpretation is that it'll use a 3/8" chain.  As far as bar length the longest listed is a 31" sprocket nose.  It has combos ranging from 20" up to the aforesaid 31"  from 70 links for the 20" bar up to 103 for the 31" bar.  I was thinking of outfitting it with a 24" bar I wonder if Oregon or someone else makes one that will fit this????  As far as this being a Solo, I don't even know who that is but the owners manual says "Homelite Division of Textron Inc." Headquarters in Charlotte, NC USA with Overseas offices in the Netherlands, France and Australia and Canadian Offices as well.  The manual was also printed in the USA so I think this is an American Made Homelite. 
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

49er

I found this with little trouble.

i Dennis,
Yes, the 8800 is virtually identical to the 540. Looking at the IPLs, the muffler appears to be slightly different, the 8800 has an air deflector on the carb inlet whereas the 540 doesn't, but in general everything else appears identical. There may have been changes to the porting, piston rings,carbs, etc. but I can't tell this from IPLs. Most part numbers are different due to nomenclature changes and I haven't cross referenced, but I'd dare say they're the same parts. I have also heard these were Solo saws, but I have no clue what the Solo equivalent was.

Based on some of my workshop manuals, the 410 was out a few years before the 540 and/or 8800 were inroduced. General design of the 410 and 540 are similar. Both have a handle/tank assembly thats isolated from the engine at 6 rubber anti-vibe locations. Similarities end however at the general design as few parts interchange between the 410 and 540. The 410 has a reed cage with the carb on the left side where the 540 was piston ported with the carb up top. They even use different fuel caps.


Husqvarna EC390 365xt
Jonsered 2188 2165 2260 2253 70e
Redmax GZ4000

HolmenTree

From my information the 540 Homelite was introduced in 1987 and was still marketed in 1990.
I suspect the 8800 came out mid 1990's.
It's debatable that the 8800 is a rebadged Solo as the 1987 Homelite 540 is exact design right down to the same decals as the 8800 in the OP'S picture.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

woodsdog2015

Thanks for the information so if I couldn't find a part for the 8800 I could likely use 540 parts for the most part?  What bar and chain would you recommend?  I'm going to try this out as is after I clean it up some more, tension it and sharpen the chain but I'm thinking down the road a total bar and chain replacement and this saw should be good to go.
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

346xp

The 540 and 8800 were beasts back in the day!! Good luck with it

mcourtney

I was told a few years ago that Solo designed some saws for Homelite so they could have a commercial duty saw to compete with the pro European saws. I have actually ran one of these , quite the thumper.

Spike60

I believe the 540/8800 are genuine Made in the USA Homelites.

Only Homelite models that I'm sure were built by Solo were the 290 and 340. They were rebadged Solo 647 and 654 saws; 47 and 54 CC's.

I think that because this is the case with those saws, the "made by Solo" label occasionally gets pinned on a few genuine Homelites by mistake. Especially a few of the less common saws that Homelite introduced near the end, like the 540/8800. If they were made by Solo, there would also be Solo models on that chassis, and I'm not aware of any such saws. If Homelite had received any large saws from Solo back then, they would have been rebadged 680/690/603's.
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

HolmenTree

The Homelite 540/8800 is definitely a "made in U.S.A." engineered saw as my pictures prove here.  From what I can see it was the last good big displacement pro saw out of North America .
It was introduced with good timing as one year earlier in 1986 Stihl set the chainsaw industry on it's ear with the introduction of the 85cc 064AV.
The Homelite 540 had a good manufacturing  run up into the early 1990s and had to be a good design going that many years since 1987.
By 1990 the 540 dropped a 1/2 lb. drop in weight and added 3 oz extra fuel capacity. Specs in 1990 show the 88cc 540 weighed 16.0 lb. The Husqvarna 87 cc 288XP weighed 16.0 lbs.


  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

fossil

You can find an IPL for the 8800's about half way down the page at this site.

http://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Homelite-Parts-Manuals-For-Chain-Saws/
Tim

woodsdog2015

Great info. folks thank you this is very helpful.  So would any 3/8" pitch chain work on this saw then?  The rails on the bar are worn over so I'm going to file those down too.... what about an aftermarket bar for this?  Does anybody have a resource?  Thanks again for the interesting information.  I want to get cutting with this thing!!!
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

Spike60

Oregon still makes bars for these Homelites. Sizes are limited to 20 and 24 Inch lengths. 24" should balance out real nice on that 8800.
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

sawguy21

I suggest going to the Oregon site to match your bar's tail pattern. 
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

woodsdog2015

I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

woodsdog2015

I went on the Oregon Bar & Chain Selector site and they don't have the 8800 listed but they do have the 540 listed.  Since this is virtually the same saw, should I just use that to select the right bar and chain?
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

rburg


HolmenTree

I found this info about the Homelite 540 and 8800.
The 540 cylinder had open transfer ports and thin piston rings.
The 8800 cylinder had the more disereable closed ports and had normal thickness rings.
The 8800 had different cylinder fins as the 540 had some over heating issues with 43" bars.
The 8800 had a magnesium fuel tank the older 540 had plastic.

So it appears you got the very last model of the great made in U.S.A. pro saws, so enjoy it. :)
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

woodsdog2015

Too Cool!  Thanks for the information Holmen Tree and everybody else.  I will post some pictures when I get it back together.  I took the drive sprocket cover off and cleaned all the accumulated oil/gunk whatever off of that and now I'm trying to figure out how to clean the oiler, clutch and sprocket area I've left it open to dry out the oily residue and am going to try and use my compressor to blow the rest of the area out.  The manual gives me little direction regarding removing the clutch and drum/hub it would be easier to clean that all up if I could remove it but the manual says to take it to an authorized Homelite repair shop???? Yeah, right.  So what do you recommend I do to remove that clutch and drum/hub to clean all in throughout there? 
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

sawguy21

Disconnect the plug wire and pull the rope slowly until the piston is firmly against compression. Place a suitable driver, I use a brass drift, against the clutch hub and hit it firmly spinning the hub clockwise. It is left hand thread. After reinstalling, make a couple of cuts to firmly tighten the clutch. You do not want to be revving the saw up and have the clutch come off the shaft. Don't ask how I know. ::)
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

woodsdog2015

Thanks Sawguy.  I will try that.  What part of the hub/drum do you place the brass drift punch against?  The drum on this model is a smooth "cup" type of deal, could I try to position the punch on the clutch itself for enough purchase to be able to loosen it?  Does that make sense???
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

sawguy21

old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

woodsdog2015

I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

woodsdog2015

Ok so an update on this 8800 too.  I took it apart enough to where I could get most of it cleaned up.  I also took the oiler off and I'm not certain I have the orientation of the thrust washer and other associated parts on right.  Holmen Tree do you have any other photos or visuals of the 540 or better yet the 8800 that has the sprocket side? 
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

HolmenTree

I think someone posted earlier in this thread of an IPL on this saw.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

woodsdog2015

Quote from: woodsdog2015 on October 30, 2015, 04:30:35 PM
Ok so an update on this 8800 too.  I took it apart enough to where I could get most of it cleaned up.  I also took the oiler off and I'm not certain I have the orientation of the thrust washer and other associated parts on right.  Holmen Tree do you have any other photos or visuals of the 540 or better yet the 8800 that has the sprocket side?



Ok so I finally got the 8800 all cleaned up and set up with a new ring sprocket, gas and oil tank gaskets(the original cork ones were leaking),  and a new 20" Oregon chain and bar.  FYI the D196 configuration is what best fits this saw.  Seems to be oiling nicely and running beautifully.  I haven't cut wood with it yet though that's the next step after deer season.  Thanks for all your help on here.[
I'd rather be in the woods.
MS362CM
MS251
CS-300
Homelite 8800
FiskarsX27

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