Porting a Chinese G621 Clone

[heyduke]

The fun never stops. I was looking over the Richmond, wishing it would oil just a little better. I noticed that the fat part of the arrow pointed to MIN and the skinny end pointed at MAX, odd. I looked in the Redmax User manual and found that the control is indeed labled backasswards, what a hoot.

 

[heyduke]

The fun never stops. I was looking over the Richmond, wishing it would oil just a little better. I noticed that the fat part of the arrow pointed to MIN and the skinny end pointed at MAX, odd. I looked in the Redmax User manual and found that the control is indeed labled backasswards, what a hoot.


here's the illustration from the owners manual

 

[Chris-PA]

The fun never stops. I was looking over the Richmond, wishing it would oil just a little better. I noticed that the fat part of the arrow pointed to MIN and the skinny end pointed at MAX, odd. I looked in the Redmax User manual and found that the control is indeed labled backasswards, what a hoot.


View attachment 344703

OK, that is by far the funniest thing on this saw yet! I didn't notice, but then I have it set right in the middle. I guess I'll remember that the symbol is right and the text is wrong, since the people who did it could not read the text! Then again, it's a Japanese designed saw and they got it right.......

 

[heyduke]

OK, that is by far the funniest thing on this saw yet! I didn't notice, but then I have it set right in the middle. I guess I'll remember that the symbol is right and the text is wrong, since the people who did it could not read the text! Then again, it's a Japanese designed saw and they got it right.......

yeah, when i get time, i'll check to see if that knob is really connected to anything...

 

[Chris-PA]

yeah, when i get time, i'll check to see if that knob is really connected to anything...

Oh, it is - I've had it apart down to that level when I had the jug off. I do like having the knob on top - especially now that I know which way to turn it!

 

[heyduke]

Oh, it is - I've had it apart down to that level when I had the jug off. I do like having the knob on top - especially now that I know which way to turn it!

i've had the clutch off but didn't remove the cover over the oil pump.

when i got the saw i turned the knob to wfo since i like plenty of oil but ever since then i've been stressing, thinking that the pump was failing.

 

[HarveyCat]

BTW - I looked at the line in my tank, and the filter is sitting towards the fill cap. I have not had any issues running it, but then I seldom hold it starter side down either (I find it uncomfortable).

If the fuel filter is always up towards the fill cap -- and you never turn it with the fuel cap towards the ground -- do you find you need to keep it topped off when cutting on it's side (fuel cap upwards) -- or am I reading you wrong about which way is up?

Gonna give it another go tomorrow -- funny about the oiler!

 

[Chris-PA]

If the fuel filter is always up towards the fill cap -- and you never turn it with the fuel cap towards the ground -- do you find you need to keep it topped off when cutting on it's side (fuel cap upwards) -- or am I reading you wrong about which way is up?

Gonna give it another go tomorrow -- funny about the oiler!

Lol. No you're not confused, but clearly I am!

I will look inside again and see where the line sits or if it seems to flop around. I have not had problems with it cutting out while on its side, but maybe I never ran it long enough in that orientation.

 

[Chris-PA]

So I looked in the tank and the filter sat near the opening. You'd think that would cause a problem but I didn't notice anything. I pushed it down to the bottom, reinstalled the cap and turned all around and shook it good - the filter stayed at the bottom. I probably should remove an inch or so of line.

 

[HarveyCat]

So I looked in the tank and the filter sat near the opening. You'd think that would cause a problem but I didn't notice anything. I pushed it down to the bottom, reinstalled the cap and turned all around and shook it good - the filter stayed at the bottom. I probably should remove an inch or so of line.

Thanks! I did remove an inch -- it is like brain surgery through the fill opening. I used needlenose pliers and pulled it pretty hard then clipped it off and replaced fuel filter -- I hope this didn't cause my problem with getting it running -- I hope the line isn't kinked where it goes into the tank somehow. Even after I shortened it an inch -- it still just stays right wherever I place it -- it is still a tad long -- but at the moment this is the least of my problems --but after I get it going I will play with trying to free this also.

 

[HarveyCat]

Ok another failed day -- first the gas tank cap gasket failed -- I ended up replacing it with a plumbing gasket -- and I was able to get it goin -- babying it with the trigger -- but after a minute whitish smoke started to come out of the engine -- not out of the muffler -- and this part (see above) turned Blue and multi colors -- and would burn your finger if you touched it! So what gives?

 

[heyduke]

Ok another failed day -- first the gas tank cap gasket failed -- I ended up replacing it with a plumbing gasket -- and I was able to get it goin -- babying it with the trigger -- but after a minute whitish smoke started to come out of the engine -- not out of the muffler -- and this part (see above) turned Blue and multi colors -- and would burn your finger if you touched it! So what gives?

You've got a problem with the clutch. you need to remove the clutch drum, needle bearing and clutch rotor to analyze the problem. You're most of the way there but you need to first remove the starter assembly so you don't damage it while reassembling the clutch. Then use a piston stop (an old piece of starter rope works well, just stuff it into the spark plug hole.) Then. remove the clutch nut on the end of the crankshaft. It has left hand threads so you must turn it clockwise to loosen it. Pull the clutch drum and sprocket rim off the crank shaft. and then the clutch rotor. You should be able to find the problem. When you replace the clutch bearing lubricate it with grease. They probably failed to do that at the factory.Take pictures.

Regarding the fuel cap, husqvarna has some caps that will work. I like the fuel cap from a 575. The stock caps and gaskets are sketchy. Replace them and you'll find you use less fuel.

 

[LegDeLimber]

??Funny how it only got hot enough to tint blue on one side of the drum.
Is the drum somehow not not centered over the shoes and spider or was something able to pull that much heat away from the un-blued side?
Is one shoe dragging and hot then it sat there and dumped all of its heat into the drum after the saw was stopped?
Was it run with the brake on and the clutch spring is sagged now
and letting one shoe hang a bit wide?

 

[heyduke]

??Funny how it only got hot enough to tint blue on one side of the drum.
Is the drum somehow not not centered over the shoes and spider or was something able to pull that much heat away from the un-blued side?
Is one shoe dragging and hot then it sat there and dumped all of its heat into the drum after the saw was stopped?
Was it run with the brake on and the clutch spring is sagged now
and letting one shoe hang a bit wide?

i suspect a clutch needle bearing failure, but i can't troubleshoot remotely. he needs to get it apart and use his eyes and brain. it uses a "garter" style spring so its unlikey that one shoe would be dragging and even so, that wouldn't cause the weird discoloration. my guess is that the needle bearing failed and the clutch drum is jambed at an angle to the crankshaft causing the rotor to rub on one part of the drum, just a guess.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Yeah the shell does lose the hot spot where it curves away from the shoe area.
I can imagine a bearing problem could let the drum sit crooked.
But yet that wildthing that i grabbed off of C'list did have a pretty puckered garter spring
(was run w/brake on, to meltdown of plastics)
Hopefully we'll get to see some sharp pics.

Can ya tell that I'm thumb twiddling while waiting on diagnostics to run on a second hand laptop
with undetermined power issues ?
So I'm looking at anything and may just be thinking too much.

 

[Chris-PA]

You've got a problem with the clutch. you need to remove the clutch drum, needle bearing and clutch rotor to analyze the problem. You're most of the way there but you need to first remove the starter assembly so you don't damage it while reassembling the clutch. Then use a piston stop (an old piece of starter rope works well, just stuff it into the spark plug hole.) Then. remove the clutch nut on the end of the crankshaft. It has left hand threads so you must turn it clockwise to loosen it. Pull the clutch drum and sprocket rim off the crank shaft. and then the clutch rotor. You should be able to find the problem. When you replace the clutch bearing lubricate it with grease. They probably failed to do that at the factory.Take pictures.

Regarding the fuel cap, husqvarna has some caps that will work. I like the fuel cap from a 575. The stock caps and gaskets are sketchy. Replace them and you'll find you use less fuel.

I think that's good advice. I did have the drive sprocket off mine, and there wasn't much grease (I won't say none as I'm not sure, but it seemed pretty dry).

Also, how high is the idle? Maybe if the idle was just high enough to start the clutch to engage, but the chain could not move (brake on, bar groove packed up with junk, etc.), the shoes were hitting on a high spot on the drum. That would heat it unevenly.

 

[HarveyCat]

I think that's good advice. I did have the drive sprocket off mine, and there wasn't much grease (I won't say none as I'm not sure, but it seemed pretty dry).

Also, how high is the idle? Maybe if the idle was just high enough to start the clutch to engage, but the chain could not move (brake on, bar groove packed up with junk, etc.), the shoes were hitting on a high spot on the drum. That would heat it unevenly.

Thanks all -- I will look into the idle setting -- when I get the saw back in my hands -- that will be a few days but I will report back. It has been a bear -- we still could not get it running on it's own without triggering it ---- the seller has been pretty helpful so far -- though now he thinks the brake was on because of the photo I have shown here --- but keep in mind that the photo was taken after it smoked up, got real hot and changed colors -- to shut it down the the brake was used and kill switch turned off -- but it could well be that the idle adjustments are still way off -- I will get back here with news & photos next week...

 

[HarveyCat]

Chris (or any fellow owners) -- any advice about setting the (T) idle control would be great! Which way would you turn it now -- how much at a time? This time we will keep an eye on the chain wheel -- no cover!

 

[Chris-PA]

The idle setting is just a throttle stop, nothing magic about it. Once you have the L mixture set pretty close, you just set the T so that the chain does not move at idle. You turn it in (CW) to raise the idle, an out (CCW) to lower it.

 

[Chris-PA]

I had to take today off to remove a counter top, but once I got that done I was free to play and I took the Chinasaw out. It ran great, but after a bit I noticed that there was just a hint of damage to the side plate of two cutters on the inside. This was with a 20" 0.050" bar and proper chain, not the B&C that came with it. With all my messing with shims and whatnot it was still brushing the cutters on the clutch drum. So I removed the cover and attached the bar with some big nuts so I could look at the alignment. It turned out that entire clutch drum and spur was sitting way too far outboard.

I pulled the drum to figure out what positioned it out so far, and it clearly is positioned by the clutch behind it. So I stared at it for a while, looked at the IPL - and then it finally dawned on me. THE CLUTCH WAS ON BACKWARDS!

Like this:

Rather than like this:

DOH! I'm not used to this saw design or I might have noticed it before. Or not. It is not symmetrical, and this was forcing the drum outboard and causing the whole problem.

So that meant I needed a clutch tool, which I had not got around to ordering, so I needed to make one. Take one old Poulan drive sprocket, remove the flange, drill some holes, add some bolts:


It all fits properly now, and that should finally fix the issue for real. Of course, I've lost most of the cutter length on the chain that came with it (OK, I did hit a rock bad once too).