346XP Not Running Right

[04ultra]

Thanks, and that's why I shared it.

Let's face it, a lot of guys just can't deal with reality here. Every brand stubs their toe now and then, but I don't see why egos and protecting the sanctity of ones chosen brand should get in the way of helping each other out here on the site. But it sure does happen here. Guys are afraid to discuss a problem, or a known solution, because fans of other makes will jump on it. Granpatractor's pic of the 5100 in this thread is an example. (Especially considering that the 5100 has been the lead player in more than a few threads over the past year) But I could care less. Those of us who are dealers have access to a lot of info that can be helpful to an awful lot of members, and we should be willing to share it.

You know what all saw brands have in common? Service bulletins!

Your math is a little off base though in what it implies. I buy a lot of saws at once; often a pallet or more. So, if there is a serial run with a problem such as the tank casting deal, I could get a bunch of them all at once. Those 350's all came in on the same order. Never saw that problem before or since.

The switch from the plastic to metal clamp for the intake boot was done 4 or 5 years ago. The metal clamp is way better, but it can be a pain to close it when building a saw. BOING!!! and then try it again.

BTW, when putting the clamp on any of these saws, (346 and 357 saw families), you don't want to actually clamp it until the cylinder is seated on the case. That is the only way to have the partition wall fit properly against the crankcase. If you clamp it before you put the cylinder on, you may have to jam it in there which could distort the boot.

Can you post serial number range for this problem ?? or post the service bulletin's




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[lone wolf]

Sea Foam?

http://www.seafoamsales.com/

 

[jeeptj19992001]

http://www.seafoamsales.com/

crap, garbage, snake oil,

 

[walexa07]

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So how do you determine if yours has a problem and what is the fix? Is that vent hole solid on saws with the problem? Is the vent hole straight through or does it snake through the plastic moulding? Appreciate the info.

BTW, I have a 2153 that I have used, and a ne346xp new/unused......reason for my concern.

Waylan

 

[lone wolf]

crap, garbage, snake oil,

not really.

 

[grandpatractor]

Since he has most likely never had one apart ...I'll help out here....




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So how do you determine if yours has a problem and what is the fix? Is that vent hole solid on saws with the problem? Is the vent hole straight through or does it snake through the plastic moulding? Appreciate the info.

BTW, I have a 2153 that I have used, and a ne346xp new/unused......reason for my concern.

Waylan

Some of the saws had the vent hole sealed shut when the 2 halves of the tank were put together.
The saw will starve for fuel if you have a problem. It will either quit or act like its running out of fuel. Just open the fuel cap and if you hear a sucking sound and it starts right back up then the vent is most likely plugged. Some have a plug with a barb and a hose on them also.
Pull the white plug out and see if when you shake the saw weather fuel comes back out the small hole. If not take an o-ring pick that is long and straight like the bottom one in the pic.

Jamb it down into the hole and work it around a bit. Then pull it out an see if fuel runs out after some shaking. If it does put it back together. If not do it again till you get fuel to run back out.
This may not be exactly how the factory says to do it, but it works.

 

[spike60]

Some of the saws had the vent hole sealed shut when the 2 halves of the tank were put together.
The saw will starve for fuel if you have a problem. It will either quit or act like its running out of fuel. Just open the fuel cap and if you hear a sucking sound and it starts right back up then the vent is most likely plugged. Some have a plug with a barb and a hose on them also.
Pull the white plug out and see if when you shake the saw weather fuel comes back out the small hole. If not take an o-ring pick that is long and straight like the bottom one in the pic.

Jamb it down into the hole and work it around a bit. Then pull it out an see if fuel runs out after some shaking. If it does put it back together. If not do it again till you get fuel to run back out.
This may not be exactly how the factory says to do it, but it works.

Yes that will work fine. Another way to do it is to poke or drill, (very small drill), a small hole at a 45 degree angle down into the tank, being careful to stay back within the smaller diameter hole as seen in the pic. Grandpatractors method is OK with the pick he showed, but don't try that with a drill or you'll likely go through the other side of the tank. BTW, one way to test for this is to just pull the fuel line off the carb and pressure test the tank.

Ultra's pics, (excellent BTW), show an early style tank. The newer saws, (any of those with a primer), have a third nipple to the right of the tank vent for the primer return line. Plus the vent has a line on it so that it will terminate up in the carb area. So as you look in there, you'll see three lines; from left to right they are: fuel, vent, and primer return.

There is actually no service bulletin on this that I know of, as the problem was very limited. Another dealer I know who sells as many or more saws than I do, and is a very sharp guy, has never had one of these bad tanks. Other than the change to accomodate the primer, this same tank assembly has been used on a few hundred thousand saws over the last 10 years.

 

[HEAVY FUEL]

Any luck gettin that thing runnin better?opcorn:

 

[jazz3ring]

I have run it twice since posting last without making any changes to the saw. It still did stall on occasion but with less frequency than before and did not stall as hard (a slight hesitation rather than almost killing like before).

The L needle was already turned out hitting the limiter tab from the factory so I did get that removed last night. I turned the L needle out another 1/8th turn as some of you suggested. I will have a chance to use the saw this weekend and am hoping that the carb adjustment will take care of the problem.

I will report back at the end of the weekend.