Homelite C-5 bogs in the cut

[bama]

It has 120 lbs compression, no scoring, and starts/runs great. The guy I bought it from used it for cutting only softwood, so I noticed the rakers are filed quite a bit lower than I ever would. Well, I tried cutting with it last night and it just stops(the chain stops) in the cut when I try cutting Ash. Could the rakers be the reason, or could a worn spur sprocket/clutch shoes do this? It is semi-chisel .404 chain on a 16 inch bar.

It tuned easily and I have it set like my other saws. Idles forever and hits full RPM quickly. New fuel line and filter and I cleaned the carb even though it looked very good. Any ideas?

 

[Sprig]

I could well be wrong but if its bogging (ie. the clutch isn't slippin') then it is not the clutch shoes, has the weather changed since you ran it last? Have you played with the L/H screws? Though 120 sounds like its getting near the low end of optimum comp its quite a saw and would take a bit of force to bog it down if running correctly. I am thinking a minor carb adjustment if the weather is changed, just a thought.



Serge

 

[bama]

This age and type of saw is not in my general area of interest, so I set the screws like I did the Jonsered. I started one turn out and set the idle so the chain doesn't move. The high side is set about 7/8 to 3/4 in and it seems to have the four stroke sound.

To me, it feels like the chain digs in so hard that it catches on the wood. But, I have never experienced a saw stopping in the cut. The motor tries to move the chain, but no joy.

Is 120 on the low end for this saw? Maybe she is too worn to get any better and I am looking at a parts saw. I guess I could throw in some rings if I have to, but I am looking at getting rid of the saw. That would eat up the margin real quick. Before I tear it down or part it out, I want to know it is not the chain.

 

[Sprig]

This age and type of saw is not in my general area of interest, so I set the screws like I did the Jonsered. I started one turn out and set the idle so the chain doesn't move. The high side is set about 7/8 to 3/4 in and it seems to have the four stroke sound.

To me, it feels like the chain digs in so hard that it catches on the wood. But, I have never experienced a saw stopping in the cut. The motor tries to move the chain, but no joy.

Is 120 on the low end for this saw? Maybe she is too worn to get any better and I am looking at a parts saw. I guess I could throw in some rings if I have to, but I am looking at getting rid of the saw. That would eat up the margin real quick. Before I tear it down or part it out, I want to know it is not the chain.

I really do not think it is the chain but a tuning issue, or the motor is gettin' weak, there are a few old Homie folks here and I'm sure you'll get a decent answer soon enough. Its a 77cc saw, though slow by todays standards at 6-6500rpm not a screamer I can't see bogging or stalling the chain (esp. anything under 20") unless it was tired, new rings might well be in order. Maybe pull the muffler and have a peek for scoring etc.. Just my noobie thoughts on this since the thread looked so lonely Gut still says its not tuned right tho



Serge

 

[bama]

I really do not think it is the chain but a tuning issue, or the motor is gettin' weak, there are a few old Homie folks here and I'm sure you'll get a decent answer soon enough. Its a 77cc saw, though slow by todays standards at 6-6500rpm not a screamer I can't see bogging or stalling the chain (esp. anything under 20") unless it was tired, new rings might well be in order. Maybe pull the muffler and have a peek for scoring etc.. Just my noobie thoughts on this since the thread looked so lonely Gut still says its not tuned right tho



Serge

Sounds good. I will wait and see if some old Homie experts chime in. There was no scoring, but it doesn't look to hard to pull it apart and put some rings in either.

Thanks, Serge.

 

[PES+]

Check and see if you are getting spit back

Run it with the air cleaner and cover off and load it and see if it is spitting back through the carb. Those reed valves like to break off pieces and will give low comp readings.

As far as the bog, I am confused....is just the chain stopping and the saw is still running while bogging?

Or does it stall the engine?

 

[bama]

Run it with the air cleaner and cover off and load it and see if it is spitting back through the carb. Those reed valves like to break off pieces and will give low comp readings.

As far as the bog, I am confused....is just the chain stopping and the saw is still running while bogging?

Or does it stall the engine?

Just the chain stops, but the motor sounds like it is working(under load). I will check if it spits. Thanks, PESt.

 

[PES+]

Clutch shoes then

Unless you are pulling the RPMs down below engagement RPM

The C5 is not a power house from the get go

 

[David Y.]

Different chain

Have you tried it with a different chain?

 

[bama]

Clutch shoes then

Unless you are pulling the RPMs down below engagement RPM

The C5 is not a power house from the get go

Definitely above engagement RPM.

Have you tried it with a different chain?

This is the only .404 chain that I have.


BTW... It is only a 14" bar. Hardnose.

 

[JohnL]

out of curiosity how low are the rakers?

 

[Cannon51]

I have an old XL-12 that acted a little like that when I first got it. I had never had a saw that did not have an auto oiler and I was not pumping the manual oiler enough. I could turn off the saw when this happened and the chain would be very tight on the bar. Be aware that I know less about chainsaws than anyone on here.
Cannon

 

[F. Roy]

Low rakers

My limited experience is that there's little doubt when the rakers are low - the saw pulls like a bastard into the cut. Then, depending on the power available, it will either bog, or pull and cut (lots!).

 

[bama]

out of curiosity how low are the rakers?

Looks to be close to 1/8 inch, maybe a little less.

 

[smcowboy1974]

Clutch shoes or the sprocket

Sounds to me like the clutch shoes or the clutch sprocket. I would try changing the sprocket first. At 120 psi. she should run real good yet. If it idles and starts fine it has plenty of compression! Those older saws didn't have as much compression as the new ones! You should be able to pull a 14" hardnose with .404 whether the rakers are that low or not! My uncle used to cut dry frozen oak with his C-5 and ran a 28" bar with skip .404. Worked her hard but she pulled it slow. I have the larger C-7 and C-9. I have ran .404 skip with a 30" roller tip buried in oak and they both pull it without any problems!

 

[bama]

I will do some checking and more testing. Sounds like sprocket and shoes. I will keep you guys posted. Thanks.

 

[bama]

Update time

I adjusted the carb a bit more and found that I was losing power due to my high speed adjustment. The only way I can get it to stop the chain, now, is to try to use the dogs to leverage it in the cut. It has no trouble cutting 16" oak. Thanks for all the advice. I should have monkeyed with it before I posted it. Simple fix.

 

[mjbilbo]

I just got my C5 up and running again. Put a 29" bar on it as the original factory specs said it came with up to a 30" bar. Cutting some frozen cottonwood about 24" in dia. Saw started to have clutch slippage around the second cut. Went from the original 18" bar and should have known
the clutch might be an issue. Is there a clutch fix for this old saw?

Sounds to me like the clutch shoes or the clutch sprocket. I would try changing the sprocket first. At 120 psi. she should run real good yet. If it idles and starts fine it has plenty of compression! Those older saws didn't have as much compression as the new ones! You should be able to pull a 14" hardnose with .404 whether the rakers are that low or not! My uncle used to cut dry frozen oak with his C-5 and ran a 28" bar with skip .404. Worked her hard but she pulled it slow. I have the larger C-7 and C-9. I have ran .404 skip with a 30" roller tip buried in oak and they both pull it without any problems!

 

[GPH85]

The C5 was originally sold with 3 bar sizes available --- 14", 17" and 21", not up to a 30" like what it says on acresinternet. I'm going off of the original C5 specs sheet from Homelite Corporation too. The C7 was originally sold with 14" to 25" bars and then there's the C9 that was sold with 14" to 30" capable length bars. Yes, of couse you can put whatever you wanted to on them, but you run into there limited clutch grabbing issues.

I guess the main reason why the C5's didn't have the longer bars is because they only came with 3 clutch shoes. Granted the original or rather first C7's and C9's in production also only had the 3 shoe setup, it was quickly changed to a stock 6 shoe setup. Yes, the C5's are more than capable of pulling the bigger bars, but they were designed for the smaller ones.

I have yet to find any aftermarket companies making clutch shoes for these older saws nor do I know of any conversion clutches available, so unless someone on here has a good one to sale, I guess you'll have to keep an eye on ebay.

 

[Sprig]

Right on Bama, glad it was so simple fer ya!
Thanks for keeping us curious ones updated, it really is appreciated by most when folks do this as, when solutions/fixes aren't posted, it sort of leaves a void as to what solutions worked or didn't, knowing this helps the helpers



Serge