400 restoration project

These posts document restoration experiences of our members
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Barrie2777
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Location:Arundel Quebec
Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:05 pm

I didn't do a complete description of rebuilding the recoil because I had done it and posted the details somewhere on this site. I think a little searching will find it. I found it...go to the home page under Bolens Husski information

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Barrie2777
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Joined:Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:17 pm
Location:Arundel Quebec

Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Thu Mar 02, 2017 5:23 pm

With less than one winter's riding my recoil was not returning. Mystified by this since all the interior parts were new, I took off the cover plate to discover a common problem for jlo recoil had struck. When the pawls release the starter hub, they bump against a cast aluminum ridge. After many years of use the ridge can break away. Why this happened after such little use I'll never know but a recoil rebuild is in order. Three day val des bois ride starts tomorrow!!
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broken recoil drum.jpg
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:13 am

Further inspection finds that one of the pawl return springs was unhooked. Operating like this, a bump would cause it to try to engage the starter hub. Of coarse this cannot happen at operating revs so it is bounced back hard against that ridge causing the breakage. This is my best answer for this break.

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Jano
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Joined:Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:43 am
Location:Gatineau, Qc

Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Jano » Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:05 am

Bruce,
In regards to your post on the mechanical advance on JLO, I now think I know what you mean.I just took apart two JLO 292 engines to find that they have a similar mechanism in the flywheel. No cam or spring on the shaft like the 252 but the cam is attached to the flywheel with that spring mechanism moving it slightly via centrifugal force. I am no expert at this but now I have to figure out how to make the 292 rotate in the opposite direction. As Barrie once said, 252 parts are probably required, like cam spring and flywheel.

Jeannot

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Jano
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Joined:Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:43 am
Location:Gatineau, Qc

Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Jano » Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:09 am

Oh yeah Barrie,
The stop switch at Canadian Tire UN 28770 is 12 volts and is too big for the JLO, the stem being well over the required half inch needed. Maybe good for a Diablo.
Jeannot

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Barrie2777
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Location:Arundel Quebec

Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Aug 22, 2020 8:36 pm

400small.jpg
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i've gone and done it again...another 400 to restore but after reading this thread i may change my mind. In any case I will be giving a few more details about the 400 which make it unique.

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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:24 am

In 1964 hus-ski offered two models, a 200 and a 400. They only made one base for both models. For this rebuild I really only had an original 400 hood but scavenging a base from a 200 is the plan. However it is only the base that is needed because the rigid plate which the motor mounts to is not the same...the support rails are further apart. Interestingly, this support used for the 400 was the same one used many years later for the 444 so I have scavanged one from a beat up 444 body.

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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:15 pm

engine support small.jpg
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this trapezoid shaped piece is on a 444 and has a rubber bumper in it to reduce vibrations of the front motor support. It is not present on a 400. The motor support springs dip down between the support rails on a 400 thus not permitting this piece to be there. Easily cut out.

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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Aug 29, 2020 5:33 pm

20200828_193853-800x600.jpg
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the 400 needs 4 lift handles. These were removed from a 200-a but a few alterations are necessary. Because the 200-a hood is so narrow at the front, the two small plates attached to the front x-tube are at about 80 degrees. These need to be rotated to 90 degrees to the lift handle then shortened by 1" to accomodate the wider hood.

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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Aug 29, 2020 5:35 pm

20200829_092546-600x800.jpg
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This is a complet set of 400 handles. The rear handles are shorter than the front ones. The second set was salvaged from another 200a body.

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