bar & chain questions for the Poulan people

[mexicanyella]

I'm putting a Poulan 2900/PP4620 hybrid together from parts. It's got a 20" bar and .325 chain with some life left in it, but since I already have a 5020av with the stock 20" bar and find it bigger than I need 95% of the time, I'm wondering how that 46cc powerhead would work pulling a 16" bar and a 3/8" low-profile (non-safety) chain. If this would work okay, it would mean my two smaller saws could share bar and chain combos. The interchangeability seems like it could save hassle if I had to cut something right now and one saw needed attention I didn't have time to give it.

I've read here and on the Bailey's site that 3/8" low-profile chain is intended mostly for saws up to 40cc and running 16" bars and under. Would a 46cc Poulan engine be enough to overstress a 3/8 LP chain?

Next, assuming this is a reasonable combination, will a spur/drum from a 2150 fit on a 46cc engine's crankshaft end, or if not, can anyone point me in the right direction to one that will work?

I cut a mixture of dead/dying elms, hackberry, hickory, and the occasionally an oak. Usually no bigger than 12-16"...for occasional wood heat in the shop. I might burn two cords or so per winter, and aside from that, it's just cutting up dropped limbs on our property after storms. So I'm not a big firewood cutter...

Thanks!

 

[nstueve]

I have a 2150 or 2100 parts saw with bar and chain. 3/8LP 16" from memory... I'm assuming both are A041 mount and the clutch drums are the same. You could probably use both on your 2900. Yours for the cost of shipping.

 

[nstueve]

Also I think you'll be fine with 46cc and 3/8LP.

 

[old guy]

I have a 2900 with a 16" bar and a 3/8lp sprocket from a 41 husky & stihl ps chain and you can not get the grin off my face, what a little rocket.

John

 

[mexicanyella]

Thanks for the replies so far; sounds encouraging. Can't wait to get this thing running and try it out. Nstueve, I may already have a bar and chain for the Wild Thing-type saws like my 2150, and I'll try to verify that tonight. If I don't, I'll send you a PM about your bar/chain, and thanks for the offer. Old guy John, thanks for the tip about the Husqvarna 41 clutch drum. I may know someone with one of those as a parts saw...I'll look him up.

 

[mexicanyella]

Can't seem to figger out the PM thing at the moment, so...Nstueve, looks like I have one spare 16" Oregon bar for 3/8" LP on a 2150 parts saw. So I think my next step is to see if that saw's clutch drum and spur will fit the 2900 crank end, or if I need to find a Husky 41 drum (if those are even different parts).

Thank you for the offer, though!

The 2900 feels more balanced to me, just to pick up and hold, with the smaller bar on it. The AV springs in the handle felt pretty boingy and loose with the weight of that 20" bar on it. One of these days I'll progress past holding it and making engine noises and actually see what it cuts like...

 

[old guy]

Those cheap 14 and 16 inch bars at Wall- Mart will bolt rite up to your 2900 but throw the chains away.

John

 

[Fishnuts2]

I'm considering a 16" bar for my 4620 in .325. Oregon makes one, but I don't remember the part number. That way it wouldn't need a sprocket change. Is this feasible, or would it run better with 3/8 LP? It is at 46cc kind of at the upper range of 3/8 LP and lower range of .325. But neither one at 20"!
Your thoughts?

 

[old guy]

I have run my other 2900 with 16" .325, but have not run them side by side, my imppresion is the the lo pro will handyly woop up on the .325. I will have to pull a bar & chain off a 346 and see.

John

 

[mexicanyella]

I'd be interested to try .325 against 3/8LP on a 16" bar too. As it is, my 3/8LP experience is mostly on a 16" Poulan 2150--probably a bit less power than the 46cc motor. I'm really interested to try the 46cc saw out; people seem to speak pretty highly of how they run, whereas not too many people speak highly of the 2150/Wild Thing type saws and I've actually liked mine quite a bit. Once I got over thinking of it as cheap plastic junk, I realized it was easy to start most of the time, and when it wasn't it was at least easy to figure out, repair and tune. Parts were cheap, and with those attributes I could forgive it being a little slow and light on power.

 

[DrewUth]

I have a 42 or 46cc Poulan with an 18" bar and run the 3/8lp on it with no issues. I say 42 or 46 because it is a punched-out 2150 with an aftermarket top end kit installed and I can't recall what it was. Running the same sprocket and clutch. I usually ran a 14" on it, but I have another small saw and had this 18" laying around so I threw it on. Runs fine, I mean I can't expect to bury it in something huge but it does just fine in hardwood up to about 18-20".