I was always a guy who wanted to repair my things. I found a carburetor kit for a chainsaw for $12. A replacement carburetor with a length of fuel line, two primer bulbs, an air filter and a spark plug was $15. If I added a can of carburetor cleaner to the carb kit, it exceeded the price of the carburetor, not even including labor. I bought the carburetor and it solved the problem. I was hesitant about the odd brand spark plug but I never had a problem with it. Ever since then, I check to see what a carburetor costs first and I've replaced them on several two stroke engines and 2 four stroke engines with great success.
I am happy and glad to see I am not the only one who stops and cleans the grime from chain oil and wood chips when servicing a chain saw. I feel like it was an OCD but always felt it's necessary. Thank you for this awesome instructional video. You are easy to understand and always clear to the point. Keep up the great work!
I have the same exact saw. The Poulan Pro brand gets made fun of because it's not one of those ridiculously expensive chain saws. For what it is, it works perfectly fine. It's intended for homeowners, not people that are lumberjacks. Mine has been perfect, owned it for about 20 years now and it works fine.
I bought one of these about 25 years ago and it has NEVER ran for long. It stayed in the shop more than it should have. I just bought an electric saw from H F and it will do all I need. I am glad that You've had good luck from yours.
Its made fun of because they are junk. They are mass produced and one might be good one might be total junk. Cmon, those things are like 60-80 bucks, you can get a craftsman for what 40 bucks more?? A poolan might run good at first but they will stop running good.
@theunknownandunsolved6963 well it's not the fact that it is mass produced it's because they use bushings in place of bearings, don't sleeve the block and countless other cost saving measures that affect durability and reliability. They mass produced the expensive brands also, they just used more and better parts.🤣
Rance here. That was another good video and it really shows the way it goes when fixing up a chain saw. Nothing is easy you always spend more time than you thought it would take. Thanks for sharing your time and expertise with us!
The only suggestion I would add is on setting the high speed screw, always set it in the cut, meaning it should sound rich when out of the cut with a 4 stroking sound or burbble, then as soon as it is under load, it smooths right out. These saws are notoriously hard to maintain a tune due to disintegrating fuel lines.
A mixture adjustment tool should come with every saw. Better yet, if manufacturers simply understand differences in fuel and altitude and breaking in of saws absolutely requires individual tuning and just put standard screws of some type on carburetors, revealing something called common sense. Improperly tuned saws won't run efficiently and it isn't mysterious how to correct that issue does not require a master mechanic or repair shop. On vintage equipment the mixture screws are just conventional screws. It really was not progress to make mixture screws a proprietary design to cause people difficulty needing a special tool. You are right about tweaking the mixture on the saw in use by making small adjustments to find the sweet spot. The saw operator can hear and see the result of small adjustments to find what works best. The fuel line issue has always been there. There is an immersion rated fluoropolymer fuel line I have retrofitted on a similar Poulan, that came with a similar version fuel line. LP=1200 Tygon is a clear fuel immersion rated fuel line that has I think an ETFE teflon lining coaxially laminated with a jacket polymer of unknown composition, and the line is not as flexible and soft as usual fuel line. So it does not stretch and squeeze easily to pull through the same size opening in a hard plastic tank as the softer and more flexible regular Tygon yellow fuel line. LP-1200 goes through the rubber grommet fuel tank bushings with no problem because the bushing stretches. But the smaller opening like for the purge bulb return line that goes through a bare hole in the hard plastic tank, I had to burnish carefully to a larger size to accept the larger LP-1200 line used there also, where the OEM Poulan used a smaller purge return line. I wanted just one size and type line used for both the fuel pickup and the purge return line so I made this a custom modification that just makes sense to me, to use one size and one type of fuel line both places. I used numbered drill bit shanks incrementally burnishing the opening larger until I could forcibly pull the taper cut end of fuel line to squeeze through the opening when pulled by a hemostat or needle nose pliers from inside the fuel tank. To do this upgrade on a couple of other saws I have a #2 taper pin reamer and precision 3/16" set collar to use as a depth stop for the reamer to leave a reamed opening slightly under 3/16" so the LP-1200 line will be a firm leak free squeeze fit. There is also available from Walbro a purge bulb that is heavier duty and longer service life made of a different type material that is black and I have not yet tried that upgrade, but that is next as a retrofit that should be better than new compared to the OEM purge bulb. Those purge bulbs do crack with age and are a routine replace usually done same time as fuel lines and carburetor rebuild. That shiny material fuel pump diaphragm is ethanol fuel rated. Some carb kits come also with the rubberized fabric diaphragm that holds up better in non-ethanol straight gasoline. The shiny material is good for either fuel, so the extra one is a spare for future use but better not used with ethanol blended fuel. I never run that blended fuel in any small engines because of guaranteed issues with corrosion and water contamination. Ethanol blended fuel is engineered for causing trouble. Corn is for feeding chickens not fueling chainsaws.
@@artpatronforever They frown on the consumers having those adjuster tools,, Its an emissions thing, but agree the first couple of times using any of the small 2 cycle stuff , sometimes an adjustment is needed, altitude wether you are in Denver Co, or Portland Or, and fuel quality affect performance also,winter and summer has its effects to,
@@jeffclark2725 I have 3 of these Poulan Pro chainsaws. All 3 saws had mixtures factory set rich for the break in run. All 3 saws had to be gradually leaned out during the first 10 hours. It really can't be an emissions issue when new saws come set rich from the factory. Emissions go down as the saws get broken in and the mixture leaned out. But if an interference is done there it causes more emissions. I have encountered the same scenario with a blower so it can't be emissions or if it is what is done is counter to reason. However, if government is involved then that would make perfect sense.
With that old chain, we use our chains until a chisel breaks off (less than 1/8”), lol. That old chain should have many more sharpenings left. Just from looking at it, the rakers looked as through they’d never been filed, hence very poor cutting performance. Keep the videos coming, they’re full of useful info. Thanks for posting Cheers.
I fell asleep watching last night so I gave it another shot. Excellent work and explanations, James. I've been watching Poulan Pro chainsaw videos and 2-stroke carb and engine videos for a while now. I appreciate the teardown, carb rebuild, reassembly, fuel/air adjustments and finale with all the details in between. I found a great descriptive tutorial about 2-stroke small engines which gave a full explanation of how they work, including carburetion, air and fuel flow, compression, firing and exhaust, how the Low and High mixtures work together, how and why, fuel/air adjustments and the whole shebang. Your video tied it all together in a rebuild and adjustment procedure. I bought an inductive Tach/Hour Meter and have the Idle and Full Throttle speeds now, so I can set my new Poulan Pro PR5020 to perfection now, and be able to adjust it for the various working conditions, like elevation (the first thing to do), then changing conditions like hot and cold weather, humidity, and all of that. Thank you!
As others have stated, the metering side gasket goes against the body with the diaphragm against the cover. @ 23:30 Been there, done that. Irregular start and run was the result.
I've done that before. The metering diaphragm and the pump diaphragm. I was getting aggravated with then realized that I had the diaphragms on backwards
When I saw you running the saw without top cover my first thought was "don't do It". A couple years ago I was working on my old Poulan after a carb rebuild. It was a warm day and I keep trying to make it run better. Finally it started to lock up. Of course I ran it too long and over heated the engine. I didn't realize that even on no load condition the engine would overheat without the cooling shroud. Wish I had seen your video first!
Jim: Great job as usual. A few suggestions, Pull the spark arrestor out and burn it off if it has lots of carbon. Sometimes the carb can't be adjusted if the arrestor is plugged. Also run the saw wide open and adjust the high speed jet to it fastest RPM and then turn it richer until the RPM's slow some. This will save it from running lean and burning the piston. Try to file down the chain guide depth gage in front of each tooth, this will allow an old chain to cut properly. Should be done every time the chain is sharpened. Thanks for an excellent video.
Yes I agree, he never did the fast running jet. To set the slow running, you can tune the jet for the fastest idle chain speed, then add a bit of richness.. Then slow the throttle stop, so that the chain just stops moving. That old chain was a safety chain, so maybe the safety ramps would also need to be ground down as well as the rakers.
James, I’m hoping you didn’t ship that saw back before reading the comments! I was hoping to see a Sticky informing us you took the carb off again, reversed the order of the metering diaphragm and its gasket and retuned. I agree with others about cleaning the spark arrestor and replacing the fuel lines. If the fuel lines are dark in color I’d automatically replace those and the purge bulb because it wouldn’t be long before they’re ready to go. I also would have removed the recoil and cleaned under there because that’s another place that can get full of debris, affecting cooling airflow. Also agree with filing down the depth gauges. That’s what affected your ability to cut, more than anything else. Running a chain like that will do more to overheat and destroy an engine than almost anything else. One other tip - when tensioning the chain it’s easier to just tip the saw forward and touch the end of the bar to the table to elevate the bar rather than lifting it up with your fingers. 👍
I have 2 Poulans (POlan, not poo-lin), and they run great. They come from the factory set a little lean, so I richen them up just a tad. Once set, they start and run just great. What usually happens is people leave gas in the carb for years, and it leaves a messy goo in the bowl and prevents sufficient fuel from passing. Methanol fuel makes it worse. Fuel injector cleaner can sometimes make it run great without further work, depending on the crud deposits which are sometimes insoluble. When the bar wears out, get a new Oregon and a better chain too.
Good job on that poulan chain saw. Lots of people call them "a piece of junk". I have a similar one, but older. It helped me clean up after several hurricanes (Rita, Ike, and Harvey, to name a few) We had trees down all over the place. It was a real trooper. Jimbo in Southeast Texas
I am glad you got the chainsaw is back up and running. The one problem with lending your tools out is people sometmes don't care for it like you do or they lend it out to someone else. Great video enjoy your channel and content. ❤🇨🇦
Running as good as possible and cutting the same way. Up to max possible levels, the standard we expected from you James. Good content, I learned a few things.
Mine is doing the same thing… I’ve spent hours and hours trying to get it to its former glory. Everyone talks down about poulon but I’ve really enjoyed mine, just wish I was more competent on how to maintain and tune it
Wow 10 year loan Holly Molly I borrow something for a month and I'm getting screamed at were is my tools lol very generous to let them use it for 10 years @James Condon
Great video! Mine not starting after I used it a week ago and stopped due the chain going dull. It seems like the fuel prime bulb is pumping but no fuel is coming up to it. May have a crack in the draw line. You proved some good starting points and how to hold the darn thing down while pulling the rope! 😅Thanks for taking the time to make this! 👍
After watching your video I went back out and examined the fuel primer lines and found them broke and crumbling! These are cheap white fuel lines that I replaced with yellow Tygon small fuel lines. Put her all back together and now she is starting well! Thanks for the inspiration to get out there and figure it out!
Outstanding video James! Great teaching on the carburetor rebuild. Another thing to check on the chain are the depth gauge or rakers. They need to be filed down along with the teeth so the teeth can chip away at the wood and not ride along the top of the wood if the rakers aren’t filed as well when sharpening a saw chain.
Great repair James ! My old poulan needed a new carb , I tried cleaning it a couple times and gave up and got a new one from across the pond .. ENJOYED
Correct chain tension - snug it up to the bottom of the bar, lift up the end of the bar and re-snug it to the bottom of the bar and tighten the bar nuts while you continue to hold it up on your saw, tighten the tool less adjuster. I want about a 1/4” gap between the top of the bar when I lift the chain up at its midpoint of the bar and it snaps back to the bar when I let go of it. I tighten all chains on all saws the same.
I was working on a chainsaw very similar to this one. The high and low screws were out too far and idle was in all the way. It was getting late and I couldn't find information on what they were set at originally. My phone must have been listening to my frustrations because this morning I woke up and this video was waiting for me lol.. it's kind of weird the way that happens..I definitely appreciate it and thank you for being clear in regards to diagnosing, disassembly, cleaning, reassembling, tuning and showing us the final outcome. I liked and subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning and watching videos from you in the future. GREAT JOB!! Thank you...
Good job and good video. Some of the people commenting just have to cry about the smallest things. I have a friend that's real bad about it. You can solve the biggest problem but you tied your shoes wrong.
One other thing to check is the muffler. There is a spark arrestor screen that can clog up after extended use. Burning the carbon build up off with a propane torch can make a big difference
I think first, I would check that the air cleaner is not clogged, then check the spark arrestor screen. While that is out, use a flashlight to check the piston for any scoring. If it is scored, engine is dead. Also, keep in mind, that these carbs are very sensitive to vacuum leaks. Old fuel lines with cracks or pin holes must be replaced !
Interesting. I have the Craftsman model # 358.350991 and is nearly identical to the Poulan saw and it's exhibiting similar behavior . You've given a new avenue to explore. Thanks!
I've watched plenty of videos trying to get my chansaw running after I had to replace the fuel lines. I've followed instructions from others but your adjustments are the only ones that have got my McCulloch saw working like the day I bought it. I got it running great yesterday and thought, but will it start in the morning when it's starting from cold. Second pull and it fired up and ticked over perfectly. Thanks a million.
I always enjoy and learn from your videos, they are very thorough and show many of the different issues that I would run into while working on the carb. Great job as always!
Excellent work as always James, the carburetor diaphragms in 2 cycle carburetors seems to be the most common problem on non-running engines, ethanol fuel just wreaks havoc on the diaphragms which is why I run ethanol free canned fuel in my 2 cycle equipment.
Ethanol is bad for car engines too! & it really doesn't help reduce carb emissions ... because as it ruins the engine ... causing it to run improperly ... also causes it to spew more emissions ! 🤔
I have a gasoline-powered radio control model helicopter and because of the ethanol problem and not having canned fuel where I live, I reverted to using exclusively aviation gasoline (Avgas) in the model. It's the low-lead variety, no problems after some 16 years flying.
James, great video. You have a lot of great subscribers as they are offering great advice. I love your videos and have used them to maintain my small engines.
Good show .I watched the carb assembly and I finally got it . Clean the groove in bar with a blade and file off rollover on bar invert bar sharpen well including rackers .Good as new no .But if the chlps are the size of the cutters the best you can get.
Great job getting that saw running and cutting. Watching how terrible that saw cut with a new bar, chain, and like new running engine reminded me as to why I bought a Stihl. The Poulan is a good saw for residential and occasional use but if you heat with firewood, that saw would drive me crazy. LOL! As always, I really enjoy your video's and learn something new.
Great video as always, this is exactly why I switched over to True Fuel gas for my 2 cycle stuff about 10 years ago, never had any issues since. I’m just a homeowner so the 5-6 cans a year I use is completely worth the price.
True fuel is a waste of money. There are a decent number of gas stations that sell ethanol free gas at a quarter of the price. And, it's the same fuel.
Take that big block and cut it into a couple of cookies. The color of the heartwood combined with the spalting would make a great looking bowl!! Good fix on the saw too!!
Great video! I don't know if you've covered before, but I remember my surprise at discovering that little hole at the front of the bar is for greasing the front idler. There's even a special grease gun for doing so. Maybe something for a future chain saw maintenance video..
really great video! Your thorough attack of a piece of equipment is far above the average individual and don't ever stop because im going to get my grandson involved. 😉😉!
Bough a used one for $20 ,came with case, a new chain, barley used ,called up poulan rep in canada 🇨🇦 and sent me fuel cap and chain adjustable side cover with nuts for free. The toolless chain adjustable cover is garbage, chain was always getting loose, love the video.
Pump side, metering side was correct, diaphragm side, Gasket goes against the carb body. You did fairly well with adjusting the low speed, but high speed was too rich! it should 4 stroke at full RPM no load and 2 stroke when a good load is put on it in the wood. And the chain you took off could be sharpened to out-cut that new chain you put on it. For people who don't know anything about how to get their old chain saw going, this vid will help a lot. You are doing a good service here so keep up the good work and don't get discouraged with comments like mine. I mean it in a constructive way, I just don't have much tact.
I ended up leaning out the high speed jet before sending it back to the owner. Definitely messed up the gasket. Generators are my strength but still learning on two stroke engines. Do not fix many of them. Thanks for the feedback.
I have the same saw. The it stopped running when the upper carb linkage fell off at some point. It never ran great from the start. The carb was replaced but still doesn't run well. Spent a ton of time tuning it before giving up and taking it to a saw shop. They worked on it for a while and told me it was as good as it was going to get and suggested buying a better saw. I still pull it out when I want to be aggravated. I purchased a "better" saw and have had zero drama with that saw over the last couple years.
Hi James, still watching this video however unless that carb is different then the Metering diaphragm doesn't go below the gasket it goes above, the pump diaphragm goes below the gasket they're different. On all the saws I've fixed it's that way or the metering doesn't work right. If what i just looked up is correct that's a zama w26 carb, look up the parts diagram for that you'll see the gasket goes against the carb body then the diaphragm. Can't post a link as YT will delete it Edit, Zama official TH-cam channel also has a rebuild video (different carb) but also states this, gasket first on metering side
You are correct. I also checked Zama parts diagram for this carb, and watched the Zama video, and have the Zama service manual, 3 in agreement, the gasket goes first against the carburetor body, then the metering diaphragm with the metal disc side also towards the carburetor body and then the cover. That gasket is also a shim thickness that positions the metering diaphragm at correct height for its metering function to occur as designed.
@@artpatronforever Correct, otherwise the metal disc will press on the lever when it's not running and will flood the saw, will also run rich in operation. You can tune around this but it's not ideal. I bought a Husqvarna 365 couple of years ago, guy sold it cheap because it "would never run right", basically couldn't even start it cold because it was flooding. Luckily it's easy on that saw and only need one screwdriver so i dismantled the carb on the spot and sure enough someone had done this exact thing, so i fixed it, started right up. I think he was a little sad he was selling it now but too late
@@CSkwirl I have not looked closely to tell, but it may be possible to replace a metering diaphragm without removing the carburetor for access. Generally it is only a brittle from age metering diaphragm that will make a saw be wandering at idle, and other stuff on the carb is good. It could be a low complexity quick fix for idle issues to just replace the metering diaphragm.
James, you need to do a follow up epilogue on the metering diaphragm issue because of the misplaced gasket / shim assembly error. That saw isn't right until that gasket placement error gets attention.
My exact saw and I just cleaned it up and started it after setting for several years. Mine runs fine under power and cuts great with a new chain. So far it is idling a little too high but if I can't get it to adjust after a little test I will go through the carb and make sure it's ready. I have a oak tree that has been needing to be cut down because it has been growing sideways bowing over my driveway for years. The extra hot dry summer has either killed it or put in to some state of looking dead. So now is the time to make fire wood. I also have a Echo CS-346 16" and an older Craftsman 18". The Craftsman is the simplest to work on and only needed new fuel line. It is old enough that it doesn't have the chain brake but has never been used very much. With the three of them and a back-up cordless Ryobi I think I'll get the job done. The cordless Ryobi gets used a lot but 14" is not enough for this tree.
I put an orange mark on my splined adjusting tool, so I can count the turns. I mark my Stihl adjusting screwdrivers with a mark of black paint, so I can count the turns on it when adjusting carbs with slotted adjustment jets. My rule of thumb is 1.5T out on smaller carbs and 1.0T on bigger HD carbs used on my big saws and tune from there.
One of those wretched things is the reason I bought my only NEW saw, a MS 261 Commercial and never looked back. The son-in-law grabbed it but I still have my MS 440 Magnum. Never again! BLESSINGS!
You might want to check an IPL but I think you reversed the diaphragm and gasket on the metering side of the carb. The gasket goes on first and then the diaphragm, just the opposite of the pump side.
Great video. I see it still runs a tad rough and takes a bit more time cutting through logs or wood. Sometimes other symptomatic issues that seem like the carburetor aren't the issue. A blocked or caked spark arrestor or carbon fouled muffler can cause too much backpressure sending exhaust through the blow down of the transfer ports robbing the saw of its full potential power. During a tuneup sometimes these mufflers can be taken partially apart and cleaned to prevent too much back pressure. I would suggest during a carb rebuild, sparkplug and air filter change, clean the exhaust system as well clean or replace the spark arrestor if possible. This will prevent future idle stalls especially ramping down from high speed back to idle. Exhaust tuning is also very important, because one doesn't want backfire as well.
I have two of these saws out in the shed I will let people borrow. It saves wear and tear on the vintage saws I usually run. One was given to me and the other was five dollars at a yard sale. Both needed fuel lines because of ethanol fuel. Good video, as usual!
I have a 50 year old Homelite with point ignition that starts first pull. I have 2 other vintage implements also have actual one pull starting, Three or four newer improved modern manufacture, one pull? Nope.
James a few hints, to start a two stroke go on full choke, start pulling, as soon as it crackles like it's going to start, come off choke! Most people flood a two stroke by leaving choke on two long. When adjusting hi/low always adjust while running, "low" is the crisp trigger pull your looking for at the bottom end and you adjust the "hi" wide open.
yeah its super easy to fflood them aswell! 1 or 2 extra pulls with the choke on is all it takes. I flooded my 025 just to see how many pulls it would take to unflood it and it was 23.
Glad to see the chain saw back to being able to run and cut. When you cut the large log section at the end, the grain has some nice spalting. That may have been a very good turning blank - if it had been sealed to prevent cracking. Well done. Dave.
A lot better than when you got it. I bought a new Poulan chain saw in the early 80's when they were green in color. The absolute worst chain saw I have ever used. Might as well have used it like an axe it possibly would have cut better lol.
I worked on a Poulan Pro like that recently. Tellingly, it had shipped with a Husqvarna labeled spark plug. Husky bought Poulan over a decade ago so perhaps more & more, the Pro's are becoming "yellow" Huskies. I tested the saw after I worked on it and was impressed by its performance. Longevity? Don't know. But a Husky 20" Rancher is about $500 vs $250 for the Pro.
Cleaning these with compressed air works good, and that fuel line is brittle. The trick with the choke is you pull with choke on till it berps a little start, then choke off and should start right up.
Jim, my dad said he didn't have good success rebuilding carbs until he used compressed air to get them cleaned out. Of course he didn't have an ultrasonic cleaner back then, or he would have used it.
When those saws run well, they run well and you can got a _bunch_ of wood. When they don't run well, they suck. I think the issue is if you adjust the carb for summer work you must readjust it for using in the winter and vice versa. Nice job! (I hate those little carbs!)
Did you ever try just closing the idle or high speed screws all the way down to maybe clear any dirt out then readjust. This has worked for me in the past and saves carb removal and tear down.
The Poulan Pro/ Weed Eater/ Husqvarna/Electrolux that I owned was a dog. It was similar to this saw. I had to return it and get a Echo which had some serious Rippems as Ave would say. The Poulan just didn't turn out the revs. Consumer grade Echo seems to wind out well.
I never owned anything but Stihl saws. I have three infact. I was showing off my new saw about 14 years ago. The neighbor had a Poulan saw. I never saw one before. I asked a colleague about it? He was very nice in describing the brand. He said it’s a homeowner saw. It’s made for someone who maybe cuts about an hour of wood a year for ten or so years. After that they are junk. He said most people who use a chainsaw only ever use them for light trimming. Not for cutting down trees or commercial use like what we use a saw at work for cutting trees & pole pieces.
great video as always...just a note, ive gone thru dozens of chain saws in my time and to me it didnt sound like you were going a high enough top end speed there
Yep, I agree with James, these cheap saws just don’t run like the better quality ones. Running them on the rich side and thus slower makes them last a bit longer (being relative as these things are just cheapie throwaway saws).
Hi James, watched two of your chainsaw videos. If you are cutting WOT sounds like your hs jet adjustment could be better. Some experts say out of the wood setting about a quarter rich from point of max speed gives the "four strokin". You cut a log WOT without changing get it runs just right, smooth lots of torque , no overspeed. If you are in wood and getting four stroking noise go slightly leaner. Thoughts? @jcondon1
Nice job on this. I have an 18" Poulan, it seems to not be the easiest thing to keep in adjustment. Probably need to get more thorough as you did. And very surprising that the fuel lines were still good. Two Poulan blowers and the chainsaw - all three needed new lines within four years!
If you get four years out of fuel lines that is excellent. For lines left wet with fuel on equipment used regularly 2 seasons use is not unusual before fuel lines are needed or soon will be.
@@artpatronforever Always tried to leave them dry when they were going to sit a while. I've got a couple of Ryobi chainsaws that are about 5 years old and get lots of use year-round, and still have the original lines. But I've already purchased the spares in anticipation of the inevitable!
@@freecycling6687 Running engines dry is the best thing and fuel lines will last sometimes 10 years or more stored dry. Another thing I have seen is some lines harden rigid and don't crumble or break unless pushed against and broken. I have seen clear lines become a brown amber color and harden to a rigid form but continue working so long as they aren't moved or flexed. Often old lines crumble and disintegrate into chunks after they get brittle. The longest lasting black rubber lines I ever saw were the old school OEM Homelite fuel lines which would get brittle after years and eventually break but lasted for at least twice as long as the plastic clear fuel lines. There was a gray silicone line that is pretty good also and would outlast the clear and yellow fuel lines. Strangely when it aged it would get soft and sticky. From what I see so far the fluoropolymer laminate Tygon LP-1200 may win the endurance contest for fuel lines, but it will be awhile before I know that since it is only about 6 months I have used that. I had thought a long time ago that solid teflon fuel lines using laboratory grade tubing would be absolutely a permanent fuel line solution. On very old saws I know soft copper fuel lines were used.
@@artpatronforever I had similar experience with these fuel lines. Are you buying the Tygon LP-1200 fuel line straight from Tygon industries? I have bought " Tygon" advertised fuel lines that were not Tygon.
@@JOEZEP54 The supplier was all seasons parts inc in Buffalo MN and 10 feet of the 3/32" X 3/16" LP-1200 shipped was fifteen dollars, but it is a little more now. Yeah tygon has become a generic term for fuel line and quality definitely varies for fuel line. Over 60 years I have sampled many different type lines and this is good fuel line.
Great video James! My experience with the carbs on Poulan saws is they sometimes can be rebuilt and be tunable, however, sometimes the carb just needs to be replaced. I’m also wondering if the ultrasonic cleaner is the difference. I don’t have one so I’ve only cleaned carbs with carb cleaner and compressed air.
Consider a parts cleaner dip. Like Berryman Chem-Dip or Gunk Pail with basket. They are a liquid cleaner in one gallon paint cans with a basket, and about $40. Not at the level of a carb ultrasonic, but I have the Berryman Dip. It does a great job cleaning the carbs I put in it.
Nice to see some variety on the channel. You should have pulled the chain and bar at the start. There is no point having the chain running whilst sorting the engine. You could have also done with some chain oil when doing a test cut, the bar can overheat far too quickly otherwise and ruin the chain and the bar. Flipping the bar upside down every so often also allows more wear before it needs to be replaced, since it wears on both sides then and you get twice the lifespan on it. I've got the same zama carb on my saw, not a Poulan, but looks fairly similar, so I've been there, done that. I've also done a full tear down and piston ring replacement on the same saw since it threw a small chunk of overcasting metal on the inlet that stuck there for more than a decade before letting go and lightly scoring the bore and burring piston so that the rings no longer sealed. That was my intro to stripping down 2 stroke engines. Much fun.
I guess you figured out the half choke only works when the throttle lock is on. Good video, I put a HIPA carb on my saw, same as yours. Had to modify the top cover for clearance for the throttle mechanism
Its a tough gig making videos for the masses to scrutinize only to have the armchair mechanics tell you what you did wrong. I enjoyed YOUR video.
I was always a guy who wanted to repair my things. I found a carburetor kit for a chainsaw for $12. A replacement carburetor with a length of fuel line, two primer bulbs, an air filter and a spark plug was $15. If I added a can of carburetor cleaner to the carb kit, it exceeded the price of the carburetor, not even including labor. I bought the carburetor and it solved the problem. I was hesitant about the odd brand spark plug but I never had a problem with it. Ever since then, I check to see what a carburetor costs first and I've replaced them on several two stroke engines and 2 four stroke engines with great success.
Same here.
I am happy and glad to see I am not the only one who stops and cleans the grime from chain oil and wood chips when servicing a chain saw. I feel like it was an OCD but always felt it's necessary. Thank you for this awesome instructional video. You are easy to understand and always clear to the point. Keep up the great work!
I have the same exact saw. The Poulan Pro brand gets made fun of because it's not one of those ridiculously expensive chain saws. For what it is, it works perfectly fine. It's intended for homeowners, not people that are lumberjacks. Mine has been perfect, owned it for about 20 years now and it works fine.
Has saved me a ton of money in the backyard , feels good to save a buck
I bought one of these about 25 years ago and it has NEVER ran for long. It stayed in the shop more than it should have. I just bought an electric saw from H F and it will do all I need. I am glad that You've had good luck from yours.
@@TPINSC😂 I also have given up and purchased a HF electric saw. It has started every time 😂
Its made fun of because they are junk. They are mass produced and one might be good one might be total junk. Cmon, those things are like 60-80 bucks, you can get a craftsman for what 40 bucks more?? A poolan might run good at first but they will stop running good.
@theunknownandunsolved6963 well it's not the fact that it is mass produced it's because they use bushings in place of bearings, don't sleeve the block and countless other cost saving measures that affect durability and reliability. They mass produced the expensive brands also, they just used more and better parts.🤣
Awesome. My Craftsman 14" has been sitting for years. Last time it ran, it lacked power. It's time to dig into it again. Thanks for the motivation.
Rance here. That was another good video and it really shows the way it goes when fixing up a chain saw. Nothing is easy you always spend more time than you thought it would take. Thanks for sharing your time and expertise with us!
The only suggestion I would add is on setting the high speed screw, always set it in the cut, meaning it should sound rich when out of the cut with a 4 stroking sound or burbble, then as soon as it is under load, it smooths right out. These saws are notoriously hard to maintain a tune due to disintegrating fuel lines.
Agreed, been sitting that long yea, those lines work today, dissolve tomarrow along with the primer bubble
A mixture adjustment tool should come with every saw. Better yet,
if manufacturers simply understand differences in fuel and altitude
and breaking in of saws absolutely requires individual tuning and
just put standard screws of some type on carburetors, revealing
something called common sense. Improperly tuned saws won't
run efficiently and it isn't mysterious how to correct that issue
does not require a master mechanic or repair shop. On vintage
equipment the mixture screws are just conventional screws. It
really was not progress to make mixture screws a proprietary
design to cause people difficulty needing a special tool. You
are right about tweaking the mixture on the saw in use by
making small adjustments to find the sweet spot. The saw
operator can hear and see the result of small adjustments
to find what works best. The fuel line issue has always been
there. There is an immersion rated fluoropolymer fuel line
I have retrofitted on a similar Poulan, that came with a similar
version fuel line. LP=1200 Tygon is a clear fuel immersion
rated fuel line that has I think an ETFE teflon lining coaxially
laminated with a jacket polymer of unknown composition,
and the line is not as flexible and soft as usual fuel line.
So it does not stretch and squeeze easily to pull through
the same size opening in a hard plastic tank as the softer
and more flexible regular Tygon yellow fuel line. LP-1200
goes through the rubber grommet fuel tank bushings with
no problem because the bushing stretches. But the smaller
opening like for the purge bulb return line that goes through
a bare hole in the hard plastic tank, I had to burnish carefully
to a larger size to accept the larger LP-1200 line used there
also, where the OEM Poulan used a smaller purge return line.
I wanted just one size and type line used for both the fuel
pickup and the purge return line so I made this a custom
modification that just makes sense to me, to use one size
and one type of fuel line both places. I used numbered
drill bit shanks incrementally burnishing the opening larger
until I could forcibly pull the taper cut end of fuel line to
squeeze through the opening when pulled by a hemostat
or needle nose pliers from inside the fuel tank. To do this
upgrade on a couple of other saws I have a #2 taper pin
reamer and precision 3/16" set collar to use as a depth
stop for the reamer to leave a reamed opening slightly
under 3/16" so the LP-1200 line will be a firm leak free
squeeze fit. There is also available from Walbro a purge
bulb that is heavier duty and longer service life made
of a different type material that is black and I have not
yet tried that upgrade, but that is next as a retrofit that
should be better than new compared to the OEM purge
bulb. Those purge bulbs do crack with age and are a
routine replace usually done same time as fuel lines
and carburetor rebuild. That shiny material fuel pump
diaphragm is ethanol fuel rated. Some carb kits come
also with the rubberized fabric diaphragm that holds
up better in non-ethanol straight gasoline. The shiny
material is good for either fuel, so the extra one is a
spare for future use but better not used with ethanol
blended fuel. I never run that blended fuel in any
small engines because of guaranteed issues with
corrosion and water contamination. Ethanol blended
fuel is engineered for causing trouble. Corn is for
feeding chickens not fueling chainsaws.
@@artpatronforever They frown on the consumers having those adjuster tools,, Its an emissions thing, but agree the first couple of times using any of the small 2 cycle stuff , sometimes an adjustment is needed, altitude wether you are in Denver Co, or Portland Or, and fuel quality affect performance also,winter and summer has its effects to,
@@jeffclark2725 I have 3 of these Poulan Pro chainsaws. All
3 saws had mixtures factory set rich for the break in run.
All 3 saws had to be gradually leaned out during the first
10 hours. It really can't be an emissions issue when new
saws come set rich from the factory. Emissions go down
as the saws get broken in and the mixture leaned out. But
if an interference is done there it causes more emissions.
I have encountered the same scenario with a blower so
it can't be emissions or if it is what is done is counter
to reason. However, if government is involved then that
would make perfect sense.
I was gonna say the same thing
You are the small engine Guru when it comes to repairs 😊
With that old chain, we use our chains until a chisel breaks off (less than 1/8”), lol. That old chain should have many more sharpenings left. Just from looking at it, the rakers looked as through they’d never been filed, hence very poor cutting performance.
Keep the videos coming, they’re full of useful info.
Thanks for posting
Cheers.
Yepper, I caught that
I fell asleep watching last night so I gave it another shot. Excellent work and explanations, James. I've been watching Poulan Pro chainsaw videos and 2-stroke carb and engine videos for a while now. I appreciate the teardown, carb rebuild, reassembly, fuel/air adjustments and finale with all the details in between. I found a great descriptive tutorial about 2-stroke small engines which gave a full explanation of how they work, including carburetion, air and fuel flow, compression, firing and exhaust, how the Low and High mixtures work together, how and why, fuel/air adjustments and the whole shebang. Your video tied it all together in a rebuild and adjustment procedure. I bought an inductive Tach/Hour Meter and have the Idle and Full Throttle speeds now, so I can set my new Poulan Pro PR5020 to perfection now, and be able to adjust it for the various working conditions, like elevation (the first thing to do), then changing conditions like hot and cold weather, humidity, and all of that. Thank you!
As others have stated, the metering side gasket goes against the body with the diaphragm against the cover. @ 23:30 Been there, done that. Irregular start and run was the result.
I've done that before. The metering diaphragm and the pump diaphragm. I was getting aggravated with then realized that I had the diaphragms on backwards
Well, somebody saw it! Good job ... was wondering if this was some kind of different saw ...
I find this mistake alot and it’s a easy fix, but I tell them what they did wrong 😊
When I saw you running the saw without top cover my first thought was "don't do It". A couple years ago I was working on my old Poulan after a carb rebuild. It was a warm day and I keep trying to make it run better. Finally it started to lock up. Of course I ran it too long and over heated the engine. I didn't realize that even on no load condition the engine would overheat without the cooling shroud. Wish I had seen your video first!
To avoid kickbacks, always have the chain at full speed before making contact with the log. It also keeps chips from clogging the drive sprocket.
Yes, true. B-)
Jim: Great job as usual. A few suggestions, Pull the spark arrestor out and burn it off if it has lots of carbon. Sometimes the carb can't be adjusted if the arrestor is plugged. Also run the saw wide open and adjust the high speed jet to it fastest RPM and then turn it richer until the RPM's slow some. This will save it from running lean and burning the piston. Try to file down the chain guide depth gage in front of each tooth, this will allow an old chain to cut properly. Should be done every time the chain is sharpened. Thanks for an excellent video.
Thanks for the tips.
Yes I agree, he never did the fast running jet. To set the slow running, you can tune the jet for the fastest idle chain speed, then add a bit of richness.. Then slow the throttle stop, so that the chain just stops moving. That old chain was a safety chain, so maybe the safety ramps would also need to be ground down as well as the rakers.
James, I’m hoping you didn’t ship that saw back before reading the comments! I was hoping to see a Sticky informing us you took the carb off again, reversed the order of the metering diaphragm and its gasket and retuned. I agree with others about cleaning the spark arrestor and replacing the fuel lines. If the fuel lines are dark in color I’d automatically replace those and the purge bulb because it wouldn’t be long before they’re ready to go. I also would have removed the recoil and cleaned under there because that’s another place that can get full of debris, affecting cooling airflow. Also agree with filing down the depth gauges. That’s what affected your ability to cut, more than anything else. Running a chain like that will do more to overheat and destroy an engine than almost anything else. One other tip - when tensioning the chain it’s easier to just tip the saw forward and touch the end of the bar to the table to elevate the bar rather than lifting it up with your fingers. 👍
Great points explained for us novices to the chainsaw world
I have 2 Poulans (POlan, not poo-lin), and they run great. They come from the factory set a little lean, so I richen them up just a tad. Once set, they start and run just great. What usually happens is people leave gas in the carb for years, and it leaves a messy goo in the bowl and prevents sufficient fuel from passing. Methanol fuel makes it worse. Fuel injector cleaner can sometimes make it run great without further work, depending on the crud deposits which are sometimes insoluble. When the bar wears out, get a new Oregon and a better chain too.
It's nice to see you take on something other than a generator. Variety is the spice of life.
Good job on that poulan chain saw. Lots of people call them "a piece of junk". I have a similar one, but older. It helped me clean up after several hurricanes (Rita, Ike, and Harvey, to name a few)
We had trees down all over the place. It was a real trooper.
Jimbo in Southeast Texas
Poulan is cajun for Husqvarna
@@artpatronforever LOL
I am glad you got the chainsaw is back up and running. The one problem with lending your tools out is people sometmes don't care for it like you do or they lend it out to someone else. Great video enjoy your channel and content. ❤🇨🇦
Running as good as possible and cutting the same way. Up to max possible levels, the standard we expected from you James. Good content, I learned a few things.
That old chain is hands down the worst performing chain I have ever seen. Good job making this video. I learned a bit.
Mine is doing the same thing… I’ve spent hours and hours trying to get it to its former glory. Everyone talks down about poulon but I’ve really enjoyed mine, just wish I was more competent on how to maintain and tune it
Poulan is now owned by Husky, better quality
There good saws and really air filter and proper type of fuel with no corn crap with red armor oil is the way to go
Wow 10 year loan Holly Molly I borrow something for a month and I'm getting screamed at were is my tools lol very generous to let them use it for 10 years @James Condon
Great video! Mine not starting after I used it a week ago and stopped due the chain going dull. It seems like the fuel prime bulb is pumping but no fuel is coming up to it. May have a crack in the draw line. You proved some good starting points and how to hold the darn thing down while pulling the rope! 😅Thanks for taking the time to make this! 👍
After watching your video I went back out and examined the fuel primer lines and found them broke and crumbling! These are cheap white fuel lines that I replaced with yellow Tygon small fuel lines. Put her all back together and now she is starting well! Thanks for the inspiration to get out there and figure it out!
Well done James. Although they’re a cheapie, they serve a purpose and you got it running well. The owner will be happy I’m sure.
I have fixed 9 last week and there very popular here because of TSC, just ordered 20 more carb kits
Outstanding video James! Great teaching on the carburetor rebuild. Another thing to check on the chain are the depth gauge or rakers. They need to be filed down along with the teeth so the teeth can chip away at the wood and not ride along the top of the wood if the rakers aren’t filed as well when sharpening a saw chain.
Great repair James ! My old poulan needed a new carb , I tried cleaning it a couple times and gave up and got a new one from across the pond .. ENJOYED
Correct chain tension - snug it up to the bottom of the bar, lift up the end of the bar and re-snug it to the bottom of the bar and tighten the bar nuts while you continue to hold it up on your saw, tighten the tool less adjuster. I want about a 1/4” gap between the top of the bar when I lift the chain up at its midpoint of the bar and it snaps back to the bar when I let go of it. I tighten all chains on all saws the same.
I was working on a chainsaw very similar to this one. The high and low screws were out too far and idle was in all the way. It was getting late and I couldn't find information on what they were set at originally. My phone must have been listening to my frustrations because this morning I woke up and this video was waiting for me lol.. it's kind of weird the way that happens..I definitely appreciate
it and thank you for being clear in regards to diagnosing, disassembly, cleaning, reassembling, tuning and showing us the final outcome. I liked and subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning and watching videos from you in the future. GREAT JOB!! Thank you...
Good job and good video. Some of the people commenting just have to cry about the smallest things. I have a friend that's real bad about it. You can solve the biggest problem but you tied your shoes wrong.
One other thing to check is the muffler. There is a spark arrestor screen that can clog up after extended use.
Burning the carbon build up off with a propane torch can make a big difference
I was thinking the same thing, first thing I check, after fresh fuel and purge the carb
Yeah. First thing I thought of. They can get crudded up surprisingly quickly especially when it's running rich to begin with.
I think first, I would check that the air cleaner is not clogged, then check the spark arrestor screen. While that is out, use a flashlight to check the piston for any scoring. If it is scored, engine is dead.
Also, keep in mind, that these carbs are very sensitive to vacuum leaks. Old fuel lines with cracks or pin holes must be replaced !
Subscribe please !
Ok thanks for the advice I’ll try
Interesting. I have the Craftsman model # 358.350991 and is nearly identical to the Poulan saw and it's exhibiting similar behavior . You've given a new avenue to explore. Thanks!
I have worked on both and videoed it, they are identical.
Stay safe, Joe Z
Craftsman saws are rebranded Poulans.
I've watched plenty of videos trying to get my chansaw running after I had to replace the fuel lines. I've followed instructions from others but your adjustments are the only ones that have got my McCulloch saw working like the day I bought it. I got it running great yesterday and thought, but will it start in the morning when it's starting from cold. Second pull and it fired up and ticked over perfectly. Thanks a million.
Nice to hear. I do not do many 2-stroke repairs so it’s good to hear others find this useful.
I always enjoy and learn from your videos, they are very thorough and show many of the different issues that I would run into while working on the carb. Great job as always!
Excellent work as always James, the carburetor diaphragms in 2 cycle carburetors seems to be the most common problem on non-running engines, ethanol fuel just wreaks havoc on the diaphragms which is why I run ethanol free canned fuel in my 2 cycle equipment.
Ethanol is bad for car engines too! & it really doesn't help reduce carb emissions ... because as it ruins the engine ... causing it to run improperly ... also causes it to spew more emissions ! 🤔
I have a gasoline-powered radio control model helicopter and because of the ethanol problem and not having canned fuel where I live, I reverted to using exclusively aviation gasoline (Avgas) in the model. It's the low-lead variety, no problems after some 16 years flying.
number one thing is not to lone your chainsaw to your b i l. 10 years? really. Great video James, keep up the good work.
James, great video. You have a lot of great subscribers as they are offering great advice. I love your videos and have used them to maintain my small engines.
James, I noticed the Torch brand spark plug caught your attention. I just ran across one of. Those on a Bighorn ATV.
Good show .I watched the carb assembly and I finally got it . Clean the groove in bar with a blade and file off rollover on bar invert bar sharpen well including rackers .Good as new no .But if the chlps are the size of the cutters the best you can get.
Bought a brand new carb on line for $18.00. I use to love doing this kind of repair, now it’s easier and cheaper to repair by replacement.
Nice transition from keep poulin, it might start before your arm falls off, to a nice running saw. Best of Luck..............
Great job getting that saw running and cutting. Watching how terrible that saw cut with a new bar, chain, and like new running engine reminded me as to why I bought a Stihl. The Poulan is a good saw for residential and occasional use but if you heat with firewood, that saw would drive me crazy. LOL! As always, I really enjoy your video's and learn something new.
Great video as always, this is exactly why I switched over to True Fuel gas for my 2 cycle stuff about 10 years ago, never had any issues since. I’m just a homeowner so the 5-6 cans a year I use is completely worth the price.
True fuel is a waste of money. There are a decent number of gas stations that sell ethanol free gas at a quarter of the price. And, it's the same fuel.
Awesome video and just to let you know the saw is performing perfectly, thanks Jim, keep up with the great videos!
Take that big block and cut it into a couple of cookies. The color of the heartwood combined with the spalting would make a great looking bowl!! Good fix on the saw too!!
Great video! I don't know if you've covered before, but I remember my surprise at discovering that little hole at the front of the bar is for greasing the front idler. There's even a special grease gun for doing so. Maybe something for a future chain saw maintenance video..
This was very helpful. Thank you for doing such a great job filming, editing, and narrating! It was all very clear.
really great video! Your thorough attack of a piece of equipment is far above the average individual and don't ever stop because im going to get my grandson involved. 😉😉!
Great job James as always. Hope you and the family are all well. Thanks for sharing.
Nice work, if enough people have not already said so, you've got to get that engine up higher in the rpm range. Good Job.
James, another video that is cut above the rest (Could not resist) Carry on Professor :) Enjoyed as always
Bough a used one for $20 ,came with case, a new chain, barley used ,called up poulan rep in canada 🇨🇦 and sent me fuel cap and chain adjustable side cover with nuts for free. The toolless chain adjustable cover is garbage, chain was always getting loose, love the video.
Pump side, metering side was correct, diaphragm side, Gasket goes against the carb body. You did fairly well with adjusting the low speed, but high speed was too rich! it should 4 stroke at full RPM no load and 2 stroke when a good load is put on it in the wood. And the chain you took off could be sharpened to out-cut that new chain you put on it. For people who don't know anything about how to get their old chain saw going, this vid will help a lot. You are doing a good service here so keep up the good work and don't get discouraged with comments like mine. I mean it in a constructive way, I just don't have much tact.
I ended up leaning out the high speed jet before sending it back to the owner. Definitely messed up the gasket. Generators are my strength but still learning on two stroke engines. Do not fix many of them. Thanks for the feedback.
I have the same saw. The it stopped running when the upper carb linkage fell off at some point. It never ran great from the start. The carb was replaced but still doesn't run well. Spent a ton of time tuning it before giving up and taking it to a saw shop. They worked on it for a while and told me it was as good as it was going to get and suggested buying a better saw. I still pull it out when I want to be aggravated. I purchased a "better" saw and have had zero drama with that saw over the last couple years.
Hi James, still watching this video however unless that carb is different then the Metering diaphragm doesn't go below the gasket it goes above, the pump diaphragm goes below the gasket they're different. On all the saws I've fixed it's that way or the metering doesn't work right.
If what i just looked up is correct that's a zama w26 carb, look up the parts diagram for that you'll see the gasket goes against the carb body then the diaphragm. Can't post a link as YT will delete it
Edit, Zama official TH-cam channel also has a rebuild video (different carb) but also states this, gasket first on metering side
You are correct. I also checked Zama parts diagram for this carb,
and watched the Zama video, and have the Zama service manual,
3 in agreement, the gasket goes first against the carburetor body,
then the metering diaphragm with the metal disc side also towards
the carburetor body and then the cover. That gasket is also a shim
thickness that positions the metering diaphragm at correct height
for its metering function to occur as designed.
@@artpatronforever Correct, otherwise the metal disc will press on the lever when it's not running and will flood the saw, will also run rich in operation. You can tune around this but it's not ideal. I bought a Husqvarna 365 couple of years ago, guy sold it cheap because it "would never run right", basically couldn't even start it cold because it was flooding. Luckily it's easy on that saw and only need one screwdriver so i dismantled the carb on the spot and sure enough someone had done this exact thing, so i fixed it, started right up. I think he was a little sad he was selling it now but too late
@@CSkwirl I have not looked closely to tell, but it may
be possible to replace a metering diaphragm without removing
the carburetor for access. Generally it is only a brittle from age
metering diaphragm that will make a saw be wandering at idle,
and other stuff on the carb is good. It could be a low complexity
quick fix for idle issues to just replace the metering diaphragm.
James, you need to do a follow up epilogue on the metering diaphragm issue
because of the misplaced gasket / shim assembly error. That saw isn't right
until that gasket placement error gets attention.
Exactly right. I noticed the error as well.
My exact saw and I just cleaned it up and started it after setting for several years. Mine runs fine under power and cuts great with a new chain. So far it is idling a little too high but if I can't get it to adjust after a little test I will go through the carb and make sure it's ready. I have a oak tree that has been needing to be cut down because it has been growing sideways bowing over my driveway for years. The extra hot dry summer has either killed it or put in to some state of looking dead. So now is the time to make fire wood. I also have a Echo CS-346 16" and an older Craftsman 18". The Craftsman is the simplest to work on and only needed new fuel line. It is old enough that it doesn't have the chain brake but has never been used very much. With the three of them and a back-up cordless Ryobi I think I'll get the job done. The cordless Ryobi gets used a lot but 14" is not enough for this tree.
I put an orange mark on my splined adjusting tool, so I can count the turns. I mark my Stihl adjusting screwdrivers with a mark of black paint, so I can count the turns on it when adjusting carbs with slotted adjustment jets. My rule of thumb is 1.5T out on smaller carbs and 1.0T on bigger HD carbs used on my big saws and tune from there.
One of those wretched things is the reason I bought my only NEW saw, a MS 261 Commercial and never looked back. The son-in-law grabbed it but I still have my MS 440 Magnum. Never again! BLESSINGS!
Great video. I have a saw a little older than this one and I should get a new carb and repair the oilers. Thanks for the videos.
That’s why I never loan out my chainsaws to anyone. I will go and cut what need to be cut for them.
I feel the same way I loan out my gas power weed eater it came back not running because he put regular gasoline not two cycle gas
A friend once said he'd loan his wife before he'd loan his chainsaw.
Amen!
Rod H 😂👍
@@rodh2168 Damn right!!
Great video, diagnosis and explanation! I'm working on this exact model saw I just bought cheap! Very helplful, thank you!
Hi James lovely saw I've recently repaired one on my own channel was a freebie nice job buddy
You might want to check an IPL but I think you reversed the diaphragm and gasket on the metering side of the carb. The gasket goes on first and then the diaphragm, just the opposite of the pump side.
Wow! Such a nicely detailed video! Thank you very much for your knowledge and for putting this all together.
Great video. I see it still runs a tad rough and takes a bit more time cutting through logs or wood. Sometimes other symptomatic issues that seem like the carburetor aren't the issue. A blocked or caked spark arrestor or carbon fouled muffler can cause too much backpressure sending exhaust through the blow down of the transfer ports robbing the saw of its full potential power. During a tuneup sometimes these mufflers can be taken partially apart and cleaned to prevent too much back pressure. I would suggest during a carb rebuild, sparkplug and air filter change, clean the exhaust system as well clean or replace the spark arrestor if possible. This will prevent future idle stalls especially ramping down from high speed back to idle. Exhaust tuning is also very important, because one doesn't want backfire as well.
❤saw many 4218c carb adjustment videos.
You got it right.
I shouldve let my ultrasonic do all the hard work and save my shoulder.
I have two of these saws out in the shed I will let people borrow. It saves wear and tear on the vintage saws I usually run. One was given to me and the other was five dollars at a yard sale. Both needed fuel lines because of ethanol fuel. Good video, as usual!
I have a 50 year old Homelite with point ignition that starts first pull.
I have 2 other vintage implements also have actual one pull starting,
Three or four newer improved modern manufacture, one pull? Nope.
Hi, James. I think the carb is the most expensive piece of a chainsaw. They are basically a one-speed wonder. Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
Idling is for those occasional pauses when the saw isn't running wide open
Ten years? 🤔 Again thanks!😎 Now you can make a movie. 🎦🎬
Another very interesting video as always. You always have the coolest tools, from the little gas filler to the inductive tach. Always entertaining.
James a few hints, to start a two stroke go on full choke, start pulling, as soon as it crackles like it's going to start, come off choke! Most people flood a two stroke by leaving choke on two long.
When adjusting hi/low always adjust while running, "low" is the crisp trigger pull your looking for at the bottom end and you adjust the "hi" wide open.
yeah its super easy to fflood them aswell! 1 or 2 extra pulls with the choke on is all it takes. I flooded my 025 just to see how many pulls it would take to unflood it and it was 23.
Glad to see the chain saw back to being able to run and cut. When you cut the large log section at the end, the grain has some nice spalting. That may have been a very good turning blank - if it had been sealed to prevent cracking. Well done.
Dave.
You truly are a talented guy thank you my friend im sure as myself people are learnig so much.
Good job James, especially with the needle, spring and lever. Can be a PIA!
A lot better than when you got it. I bought a new Poulan chain saw in the early 80's when they were green in color. The absolute worst chain saw I have ever used. Might as well have used it like an axe it possibly would have cut better lol.
This is why I love the notification bell. :)
Me too 🖖
Around 38 it shows the oiler is working better now. Thanks for sharing.
Cuts like butter James, great job😊
I worked on a Poulan Pro like that recently. Tellingly, it had shipped with a Husqvarna labeled spark plug. Husky bought Poulan over a decade ago so perhaps more & more, the Pro's are becoming "yellow" Huskies. I tested the saw after I worked on it and was impressed by its performance. Longevity? Don't know. But a Husky 20" Rancher is about $500 vs $250 for the Pro.
You my good sir are an amazing technician!!!
Excellent video, well put together and clear explanation of services you provided to the chainsaw , very helpful- thank you
James the metering diaphragm on backwards the gasket goes first then the diaphragm and then the cover.
I watch all your video's,you do a great job.
Cleaning these with compressed air works good, and that fuel line is brittle. The trick with the choke is you pull with choke on till it berps a little start, then choke off and should start right up.
Jim, my dad said he didn't have good success rebuilding carbs until he used compressed air to get them cleaned out. Of course he didn't have an ultrasonic cleaner back then, or he would have used it.
Thank you for your time making this video. Extremely helpful!
Too funny. "Hey can I borrow your saw?" Brings it back 10 years later, broken, and says "Here's your saw back."... LOL
Typical when something borrowed is finally returned!
😂Hey Rob Can I borrow your chainsaw?
It came back... Mine dont. I never lend out anything now.
When those saws run well, they run well and you can got a _bunch_ of wood. When they don't run well, they suck. I think the issue is if you adjust the carb for summer work you must readjust it for using in the winter and vice versa. Nice job! (I hate those little carbs!)
Did you ever try just closing the idle or high speed screws all the way down to maybe clear any dirt out then readjust. This has worked for me in the past and saves carb removal and tear down.
The Poulan Pro/ Weed Eater/ Husqvarna/Electrolux that I owned was a dog. It was similar to this saw. I had to return it and get a Echo which had some serious Rippems as Ave would say. The Poulan just didn't turn out the revs. Consumer grade Echo seems to wind out well.
I never owned anything but Stihl saws. I have three infact. I was showing off my new saw about 14 years ago. The neighbor had a Poulan saw. I never saw one before. I asked a colleague about it? He was very nice in describing the brand. He said it’s a homeowner saw. It’s made for someone who maybe cuts about an hour of wood a year for ten or so years. After that they are junk. He said most people who use a chainsaw only ever use them for light trimming. Not for cutting down trees or commercial use like what we use a saw at work for cutting trees & pole pieces.
great video as always...just a note, ive gone thru dozens of chain saws in my time and to me it didnt sound like you were going a high enough top end speed there
I tend to run them a little rich. I think this one was running close to 11,000 rpm.
Yep, I agree with James, these cheap saws just don’t run like the better quality ones. Running them on the rich side and thus slower makes them last a bit longer (being relative as these things are just cheapie throwaway saws).
Hi James, watched two of your chainsaw videos. If you are cutting WOT sounds like your hs jet adjustment could be better. Some experts say out of the wood setting about a quarter rich from point of max speed gives the "four strokin". You cut a log WOT without changing get it runs just right, smooth lots of torque , no overspeed. If you are in wood and getting four stroking noise go slightly leaner.
Thoughts?
@jcondon1
Nice job on this. I have an 18" Poulan, it seems to not be the easiest thing to keep in adjustment. Probably need to get more thorough as you did. And very surprising that the fuel lines were still good. Two Poulan blowers and the chainsaw - all three needed new lines within four years!
If you get four years out of fuel lines that is excellent. For lines
left wet with fuel on equipment used regularly 2 seasons use
is not unusual before fuel lines are needed or soon will be.
@@artpatronforever Always tried to leave them dry when they were going to sit a while. I've got a couple of Ryobi chainsaws that are about 5 years old and get lots of use year-round, and still have the original lines. But I've already purchased the spares in anticipation of the inevitable!
@@freecycling6687 Running engines dry is the best thing and
fuel lines will last sometimes 10 years or more stored dry.
Another thing I have seen is some lines harden rigid and
don't crumble or break unless pushed against and broken.
I have seen clear lines become a brown amber color and
harden to a rigid form but continue working so long as
they aren't moved or flexed. Often old lines crumble
and disintegrate into chunks after they get brittle. The
longest lasting black rubber lines I ever saw were the
old school OEM Homelite fuel lines which would get
brittle after years and eventually break but lasted for
at least twice as long as the plastic clear fuel lines.
There was a gray silicone line that is pretty good also
and would outlast the clear and yellow fuel lines.
Strangely when it aged it would get soft and sticky.
From what I see so far the fluoropolymer laminate
Tygon LP-1200 may win the endurance contest for
fuel lines, but it will be awhile before I know that
since it is only about 6 months I have used that.
I had thought a long time ago that solid teflon
fuel lines using laboratory grade tubing would be
absolutely a permanent fuel line solution. On very
old saws I know soft copper fuel lines were used.
@@artpatronforever I had similar experience with these fuel lines. Are you buying the Tygon LP-1200 fuel line straight from Tygon industries? I have bought " Tygon" advertised fuel lines that were not Tygon.
@@JOEZEP54 The supplier was all seasons parts inc in Buffalo MN
and 10 feet of the 3/32" X 3/16" LP-1200 shipped was fifteen dollars,
but it is a little more now. Yeah tygon has become a generic term for
fuel line and quality definitely varies for fuel line. Over 60 years I
have sampled many different type lines and this is good fuel line.
Great video very entertaining lots of maintenance on this video @James Condon
Great video James! My experience with the carbs on Poulan saws is they sometimes can be rebuilt and be tunable, however, sometimes the carb just needs to be replaced. I’m also wondering if the ultrasonic cleaner is the difference. I don’t have one so I’ve only cleaned carbs with carb cleaner and compressed air.
Consider a parts cleaner dip. Like Berryman Chem-Dip or Gunk Pail with basket. They are a liquid cleaner in one gallon paint cans with a basket, and about $40. Not at the level of a carb ultrasonic, but I have the Berryman Dip. It does a great job cleaning the carbs I put in it.
I use ultra sonic cleaner and have had no problems with kits at all
Best 300 I ever spent
I love mine and use it for a lot of things besides carb cleaning
I ultra sonic clean carbs and some times twice
Have very good luck with just dawn and water
Nice to see some variety on the channel.
You should have pulled the chain and bar at the start. There is no point having the chain running whilst sorting the engine.
You could have also done with some chain oil when doing a test cut, the bar can overheat far too quickly otherwise and ruin the chain and the bar.
Flipping the bar upside down every so often also allows more wear before it needs to be replaced, since it wears on both sides then and you get twice the lifespan on it.
I've got the same zama carb on my saw, not a Poulan, but looks fairly similar, so I've been there, done that. I've also done a full tear down and piston ring replacement on the same saw since it threw a small chunk of overcasting metal on the inlet that stuck there for more than a decade before letting go and lightly scoring the bore and burring piston so that the rings no longer sealed. That was my intro to stripping down 2 stroke engines. Much fun.
Thumbs up, great video,usually break even on these saws being cost effective ,overhaul it with a new chain or replace the machine
Great show of the rebuild!
what did you do about the chain oiler? makes a big difference on cutting ability
I guess you figured out the half choke only works when the throttle lock is on.
Good video, I put a HIPA carb on my saw, same as yours. Had to modify the top cover for clearance for the throttle mechanism