Craftsman 3.7 18" information

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promac850

formerly promac610
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Craftsman 3.7 with 18" bar

Any of you seasoned chainsaw owners know where I can get parts (air filter, etc.), and a manual? (btw, I did post on beg for manuals thread) If you have had any experience owning and/or using one of these, I would like to know what you liked/hated about it.
My uncle gave it to me on Thanksgiving, and said he wanted to see if I can get it running. I like the saw, and it is in good shape. I'm working on getting the fuel lines exposed so they can be replaced, and also plan to clean the decompression port. Carb rebuild will also be done. (it's a Walbro carb)
Thanks in advance for reading or helping, I really want to get this saw to run.
Kyle

EDIT: It is a Craftsman/Roper
 
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Craftsman 3.7 with 18" bar

Any of you seasoned chainsaw owners know where I can get parts (air filter, etc.), and a manual? (btw, I did post on beg for manuals thread) If you have had any experience owning and/or using one of these, I would like to know what you liked/hated about it.
My uncle gave it to me on Thanksgiving, and said he wanted to see if I can get it running. I like the saw, and it is in good shape. I'm working on getting the fuel lines exposed so they can be replaced, and also plan to clean the decompression port. Carb rebuild will also be done. (it's a Walbro carb)
Thanks in advance for reading or helping, I really want to get this saw to run.
Kyle

Welcome to the site.
If the saw has a decomp valve its a Roper/Craftsman. I have had 2 but sold both as runners so I never worked on them. They seem like solid saws. I would check the link promac put up. I had good luck finding parts there for one of my Poulan/Craftsmans.
 
Welcome to the site.
If the saw has a decomp valve its a Roper/Craftsman. I have had 2 but sold both as runners so I never worked on them. They seem like solid saws. I would check the link promac put up. I had good luck finding parts there for one of my Poulan/Craftsmans.

i just used mine this afternoon... i posted a thread a month or so about replacing the fuel line from carb to tank without tearing teh whole saw apart,,,you can use teh search tab at teh top of teh page,,,

there is an ipl at teh link the op posted, but not many new parts available,,, i found that the craftsman/poulan bars fit ropers,,, the carb kits are available, and i used echo fuel line in mine,,, it is a little tricky to work on, even removing the carb takes a little time, but it has a lot of torque, and even tho it isn't as fast as a modern saw, it doesn't seem to slow down with the bar buried....

post some pics of yours, and we'll get it running,,, they are built like a tank....
 
I currently have two of the Roper/Craftsmans 3.7/18 saws, one with power sharp and one without. I have never ran either of them, both need about the same work your saw does. I have heard they are very strong and dependable saws, but new parts are not much available anymore.
Saw 1
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saw 2
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Craftsman/Roper pics

Here are some pics, carb pics didn't turn out, but otherwise most of them are purty goood. Yes, the saw has been disassembled, and yes, my workbench is a mess of tools and chain oil. The saw, before I took it apart, had so much compression that I couldn't pull it over. (on the bench anyways, this was after I let oil soak in the cylinder) Even with the decomp activated, it still is amazingly difficult to pull over. Also, it came with the original case, which is now filled with bar oil. (hmm...) Did the saw leak it into the case from a bad gasket or sealer, or did it just seep out of the bar lube hole over the last ten years? Look at the bar, you can see how much my uncle used it...
The last picture is of the muffler, starting at the left, inner baffle, spark arrester, outer baffle, outer muffler cover. I was thinking a light muffler mod, no hacking and drilling, mind you, but a little bit of bending and prying of the deflector inside the outer cover. Which baffles should I pull? Inner, outer, or both? Or are the gains pretty much worthless on a saw of this vintage?
Thanks for helping me, I'm a simple little :newbie: :laugh:

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ps I look up to you guys :bowdown: and hope to have a collection with as many saws possible. We all got CAD. :chainsawguy:

EDIT: model # is 917.353770 It does have the powersharp option, but the powersharp chain and related stuff is missing.
 
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Have the same saw.. got it from my dad. Funny..i have the case with oil in the bottom as well!
 
I've got one just like it and I have one just like the one in knockbill's avatar, they are both dissembled right now, they got put on the back burner for a while....
 
Thanks

Thanks guys, this helps me a lot. I will post pics and maybe a video of it running. Thanks again! :biggrinbounce2:
Kyle
 
looking at picture #3 it looks like you have a scored piston, that could explain the difficult to pull it over thing, it should be pretty easy to pull until the piston reaches the top of the cylinder where the spark plug is and it makes the compression....another thing on these saws is the starter rope pulley will seize up on it's shaft, the one I have the guy thought it was locked up but the pulley was seized...couple squirts of wd-40 fixed that..
 
Got a couple of them as well (but apparently only a picture of one). I probably need to give it a workout at some point.

Craftsman37004.jpg
 
pics...

A scored piston is gonna be a problem isn't it? Well, I put it back together and took some pictures. We'll know for sure fairly soon if it runs or not. It's got spark, the carb is clean, and it turns over. What do you guys think?

pics will be posted tonite. technical difficulties.
 
A scored piston is gonna be a problem isn't it? Well, I put it back together and took some pictures. We'll know for sure fairly soon if it runs or not. It's got spark, the carb is clean, and it turns over. What do you guys think?

pics will be posted tonite. technical difficulties.
yep but not as bad as it seems, I'm sure you could find one, do you have a compression gauge?
 
Saw pics...

Yes, I do have a compression gauge, do I just pull the saw over until it produces it's highest value or something like that? btw, I've only done compression tests on 4 stroke engines. A little advice would be appreciated. also, heres the pics...

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Now, this last pic, is of the manual, I'm confused as to why I can't use premium fuel instead of regular. Someone clarify this for me please. I need to know whether I can or cannot use 93 octane premium. Do I just buy cheapo generic non-detergent SAE 30 or should I go with Quicksilver TCII Outboard mix oil? Or recommend something. Thanks for helping. I really appriciate it. I told my dad we gotta mix 16:1, he said holy crap, that's a lotta oil! :laugh: We run 40:1 in the McCulloch PM 610.
 
Now, this last pic, is of the manual, I'm confused as to why I can't use premium fuel instead of regular. Someone clarify this for me please. I need to know whether I can or cannot use 93 octane premium. Do I just buy cheapo generic non-detergent SAE 30 or should I go with Quicksilver TCII Outboard mix oil? Or recommend something. Thanks for helping. I really appriciate it. I told my dad we gotta mix 16:1, he said holy crap, that's a lotta oil! :laugh: We run 40:1 in the McCulloch PM 610.

Use a high quality two stroke mixed at 40:1 will be just fine, 50:1 would probably do just fine but I have always liked a little extra oil. You can use any grade of fuel you would like but try to find some without ethanol, if possible. I don't know anyone who still uses SAE 30 motor oil, but it will work in a pinch. I would suggest using a 2 stroke oil made for small engines, the outboard stuff is different and can cause a lot of carbon build up.
 
you use the compression gauge the same as you would with any other engine, screw it in and give the saw a few yanks..

as for mix oil, just use whatever you do with any other 2 stroke stuff you have but mix it at the right ratio..
 
Mix

So stihl or quaker state two stroke oil should be good, right? The can of gas I have mixed for the McCulloch is made of 93 octane with stihl oil at the previously mentioned 40:1. If compression test turns out good, I should just pour the gas in and try to fire it up? That should be okay, right? Thanks again. Kyle
 
compression test results

I did a compression test, and the result was 100 psi of compression... I filled it up and gave it a try, it's got fuel, spark, and seemed to want to run. In fact, it seemed to get too much fuel. The carb had fuel puddling inside it, as well as the muffler. Does turning the low speed fuel adjustment screw in lean or richen the mixture? Anyway, I'm going back out to fart with it a little more. I almost forgot to tell, it also pulls over a easier now that premix has been interduced to the crank case. Advice would be appreciated. Kyle

EDIT: Nevermind I got her running! It runs good, but needs a little more farting around with the low speed as it dies if you are off the trigger for too long... I might have my neighbor (who has an old Homelite) tune it for me and teach me more about tuning saws. Also, this saw does not have a high speed adjustment. Do I just roll with it or what is there a better carb to put on to replace the Walbro SDC. Again, thanks for all the help, I'm so exicted and can't wait to cut some wood with this old saw. My uncle will probably be happy to hear it run again, my dad said he simply got PO'd at it when it wouldn't start, I found the culprit to be a dirty spark plug... and it sat in storage for the last ten years... til I got my hands on it. Thanks, thanks,thanks. Kyle
 
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I did a compression test, and the result was 100 psi of compression... I filled it up and gave it a try, it's got fuel, spark, and seemed to want to run. In fact, it seemed to get too much fuel. The carb had fuel puddling inside it, as well as the muffler. Does turning the low speed fuel adjustment screw in lean or richen the mixture? Anyway, I'm going back out to fart with it a little more. I almost forgot to tell, it also pulls over a easier now that premix has been interduced to the crank case. Advice would be appreciated. Kyle

EDIT: Nevermind I got her running! It runs good, but needs a little more farting around with the low speed as it dies if you are off the trigger for too long... I might have my neighbor (who has an old Homelite) tune it for me and teach me more about tuning saws. Also, this saw does not have a high speed adjustment. Do I just roll with it or what is there a better carb to put on to replace the Walbro SDC. Again, thanks for all the help, I'm so exicted and can't wait to cut some wood with this old saw. My uncle will probably be happy to hear it run again, my dad said he simply got PO'd at it when it wouldn't start, I found the culprit to be a dirty spark plug... and it sat in storage for the last ten years... til I got my hands on it. Thanks, thanks,thanks. Kyle
is that 100 psi with the compression release closed, if it is, that could be the reason it slowly dies when it idles..
 

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