Poulan carburetor adjustment

Being so cheap will be my downfall. Led by price alone, I goofed up and bought a Poulan Wood Shark Model 1500
14-inch bar, 36 cc a couple of years ago.

My ECHO 452-VL -- easy to repair, adjust and use -- was getting a little too heavy to haul into trees with me. So I purchased the Poulan. Over time, it got to where it wouldn't keep running without fairly constant pressure on the trigger. So, I did what I always do with my ECHO. I attempted to adjust the carburetor by turning the two slotted screw adjustments (Blue for low and Red for high). Unfortunately, I didn't improve matters any. So, I contacted Poulan and asked for a copy of its service manual. The Poulan representative refused -- albeit politely -- explaining it's against Poulan's policy to explain how to adjust its saws. In fact, the tech told me I would have to take it to an authorized Poulan service tech. Frankly, that irritated me no end. I will not pay $25.00 to have someone else do something that I can do myself. So, since I am heck bent on doing this myself, can anybody tell me how to adjust the darned thing, i.e., the number of turns on each screw adjustment?

you may find better answers in the chainsaw forum

Carb Adj.

The first thing I would do is lose the carb limiter caps. They come off easily with pliers. Start with 1 1/4 turns on the mixture screws. Just make sure your air cleaner is clean before you start the adjustments. Rich.

Limiter caps?

Where are they located, sir? I'm a novice when it comes to these late model saws. I've been using my ECHO -- and only my ECHO -- since about 1975 or 1976. Concepts such as "limiter caps" are beyond my ken at present. But I want to learn. Could you please be a little more specific?

carb adj.

The limiter caps are small plastic caps that are on the carbs mixture adjustment screws. They limit how much you can turn ( adjust ) these screws. Hope this helps. Rich.

Mixture screws are . . .

. . . the red and blue screws, right?

Just yank the red and blue . . .

. . . plastic caps off, correct? Then, I just twist the screws that remain beneath the plastic ones until I reach the proper adjustment. Correct?

Yes.
First clean out the saw. Compressed air blown all over, incuding the air cleaner.
These little reed valve motors run bad if there is a little something stuck in the reed. Have a look at that.
To set the low speed, set the low speed screw at 1 turn. Start the saw and warm it up. Set idle screw so it idles.
If it bogs down when you hit the throttle, richen it up(counter clock wise). Let it idle for 20 seconds and tip the saw forward. If it stalls, then lean it out. If it passes the bog and stall tests, the low speed is set.

Your saw may not have the caps.If you can turn the mixture screws complete turns,it does not have them.I believe Rich is saying 1st-Air filterclean,2nd-run the mixture screws all the way in ,then out 1 &1/4turns.Turning the screws in leans it and out richens it up.I would leave the high speed adjust alone(for now) and work on the slow speed 1st. Good Luck.

The high speed is tricky, too lean and kaboom, no more saw. Too rich and it's slow, lacks power, and spits unburned gas.
Safest to use a tachometer and set to factory RPM.
My way is to hold throttle on full and listen to the sound. It will sputter a bit on the rich side, then start whining and going real fast, on the lean side. Adjust back and forth between these two settings and then set it at just richer than where it starts to race.

Mikey, he is talking red and blue caps, those are limiters. Get rid of them.
Next, on to muffler modification...

Tachometer

Sounds like a tachometer would be a very good investment for both of my saws. I don't have any idea what Poulan's factory RPM specs are because Poulan won't reveal that vital information because, I suspect, it would lead to the downfall of civilization as we've come to love and enjoy it.

Since tomorrow is Sunday and the only places open in my neck of the woods that might sell tachometers is an auto parts store, I wonder whether anyone might be able to suggest a tach that I could purchase in such an establishment.

Hi Mike,I read what Rich posted and misunderstood.Sorry bout that.

The tach will set you back around $100! Go for the audio adjustment I spoke of. What is the worst that could happen, you wreck that crappy saw and have to buy a real one?

Hey Munchausen,I'm close by,If you like, let me know,I can help you set you carb.Maybe meet you at the BIG CHICKEN!

I would guess that poulan is an 8000 RPM motor, maybe 10,000.

You know why they are called poulan don't you? It's because you're always pulling, and never cutting!

Mike, I know you hate Poulans so I have to pester you a bit. I don't know what the RPM specs are for the little consumer saws is (Though you are right on the money for the old top handle 2000) My Poulan Pro 330 has the rpm specs on the case 13,800-love that cheap saw. It starts easy and cuts great. Probably the best power to weight ratio in my arsenal. Definitely my most used ground saw.

Munchausen, you've recieved good advice. IF the saw can't be adjusted to run right you may have to have a carb rebuild (or worse-but the saw isn't worth an actual overhaul) A carb kit should set you back $10 and it is easy to install if you pay careful attention to the disassembly.

Carb rebuild

Where would I find a carb rebuild kit? I'm the meticulous type who will videotape the disassembly process to ensure I reassemble it correctly. So, hopefully, I'll at least know how to put it back together again, even if I don't do it correctly.

You should be able to get it at any small engine repair shop. Chances are good that they'll have it in stock but if not they should be able to order it.

Since the saw is an electrolux hybrid, check the little impulse line
going from the carb to the engine, as well as the line to the fuel
tank. Trying to adjust a carb to get a saw to run is usually
a poor idea, as there is a problem that needs fixed.
As far as hating to pay for someone to work on the saw,
I feel the same way about having to hire a lawyer.


I thought Poulans were just green Husqvarnas anyway.


Seriously, if the saw is only 2 years old, and the fuel and
impulse lines are OK, just take the carb apart and clean it out
and reassemble using the old diaphragms.