Husqvarna 350 Chainsaw Specs and Review

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Husqvarna 350 Chainsaw

With over 60 years experience building chainsaws, Husqvarna has become a leading manufacturer in the power saw industry. If you are looking for a chainsaw that combines excellent performance, relatively low weight, easy handling and a good price then it appears that the Husqvarna 350 might be the saw for you.

Is the Husqvarna 350 for you?

On paper the Husqvarna model 350 chainsaw is the real deal when it comes to fast and efficient cutting without the bulk. A lightweight engine construction not only makes the chainsaw easy to handle but increases acceleration power too. The Husqvarna 350 chainsaw boasts superior features such as a vibration dampening system, an automatic chain lubrication pump and great safety features: a double acting chain brake, right hand guard and a chain catcher. All of this for a relatively low cost price.

What owners say about the Husky 350

There’s more to this story and it’s not all good news. Every manufacturer, now and again refines the build of a product to the most efficient way possible. Their production engineers hone every feature to manufacture the product with the absolute minimum of waste and the maximum of efficiency in order to get the best features and the most competitive price. It seems that Husqvarna almost got there with the model 350 but, as sometimes happens they went a bit too far. Paring to the bone is good for the price but (to continue this analogy) taking away some of the bone impairs the final product.

With no doubt there are many happy Husqvarna 350 owners in the world who get good service from their saw. It seems they got lucky, their saw had all the right tolerances in all the right places which kept their saw together and operating well.

Husqvarna 350 Engine Failure Issues

There are many others who didn’t get so lucky. Complaints of catastrophic engine failure, often in the first few hours of use, brought about by overheating are common. This was made worse by really poor customer service experienced at the hands of some Husky dealers, blaming customers for the failure and accusing them of incorrect fuel mixture. It’s a given that some customers definitely fall into this category, there are always people who think they know better than the manufacturer when it comes to two-stroke fuel mixture. Statistically it’s unlikely that they all have failed because of poor mixture, it’s obvious that the Husqvarna 350 has some inherent design features that could cause overheating and engine failure. Examining the engine construction illuminates the pared down construction; a lightweight, unlined cylinder and single piston ring, great for achieving a low mass engine but a recipe for early failure.

Husqvarna 350 Exhaust Muffler Issues

Another very common complaint is that the exhaust muffler simply shakes loose and falls off. Customers reattach the muffler and re-tighten the bolts; the muffler falls off again and the customer tightens the bolts even more. The cycle repeats itself until the screw thread is stripped in the cylinder body and the machine is rendered all but scrap.

It does raise the question of whether there’s a connection between the two issues. As the muffler works loose the exhaust port is directly exposed to the atmosphere. Does this alter the fuel mixture causing it to burn lean and hot? Maybe!

Preventing or Repairing the Husqvarna 350 Muffler Problem

If you’re lucky and have a Husqvarna 350 that hasn’t yet experienced the exhaust silencer issue then now is the time to take preventative action. You might avoid this common failure and get many more years service from your machine.

If the muffler bolt threads are still in good condition then you can simply proceed with fitting an aftermarket support bracket for the muffler ( listed below ) as shown in this really helpful video. When refitting the muffler bolts it’s important to only tighten bolts to a torque of 8-10Nm, then run the saw for at least 1 minute to warm up the cylinder and muffler, then re-tighten the silencer bolts to 8-10Nm.

If you’ve been really unfortunate and stripped the bolt holes in the cylinder body a repair can be made by drilling out the stripped bolt holes and fitting 5mm thread repair inserts. If you have the skill to do it yourself this is a cost effective repair but if you are paying the workshop it could cost half as much as a new saw!

Muffler Repair Ebay Parts

Exhaust Muffler Bracket

5mm Thread Repair Insert

Muffler Support Bracket Install Video

Husqvarna Muffler Support Bracket Installation

Husqvarna 350 Chainsaw Specifications

Model Name	Husqvarna 350
Engine Type	single-cylinder two-stroke
Engine Capacity	45.0cc / 2.75cu.in
Cylinder Bore	42mm / 1.65in
Piston Stroke	32mm / 1.28in
Ignition Type	Electronic (Breakerless) magneto
Spark Plug Type	NGK BPMR 7A (eBay) or Champion RCJ 7Y (eBay)
Spark Plug Gap	0.5mm, 0.02in
Carburetor Type	Walbro HDA 195 (eBay)
Fuel Tank Capacity	0.5 litre
Fuel Mixture	50:1 with Husqvarna two-stroke engine oil (eBay)
Weight	4.7 kg
Catalytic Converter	n/a
Chain Lubrication Type	Automatic oil pump
Oil Tank Capacity	0.25 litre

Positive Comments About Husqvarna 350

Still going strong after 12 years use.
Definitely a cheaper build Husqvarna chainsaw but for the money it has good power.
Excellent chainsaw I would recommend it for domestic or semi-pro use.

Negative Comments About Husqvarna 350

Died after less than 10 hours use, burned piston and cylinder. Used 50:1 pre-mix as specified.
Three times the exhaust muffler has fallen off the cylinder body.
Exhaust silencer came loose and almost melted through the cylinder case.
Impossible to reset chain brake lever if you remove the cover while the lever is engaged.