Homelite super XL-925 problems

[Bill48]

Hi Guys,
New to the forum, but sure am glad I found it. Hard to describe the feeling of "home" but reading some posts, it sure does feel like it.
Anyhow, my stepfather recently gave me a super XL-925. It doesn't have alot of hours on it, and it's sat under his workbench for the better part of 10 years, untouched, and not being ran.
It's been in my basement for a month, staying warm, i've taken most of it apart, and cleaned it out as thoroughly as I could. It has spark, but it will not run on it's own. I hit it with a shot of starting fluid and it ran for a second, then quit.
Spark plug looks good. I don't know if theres anything else I could try, before taking it to the small engine shop, and having them clean or rebuild the carb.
I've a Husky 372XP for a primary saw, so i'm not dead in the water, but I had a few maple logs in excess of 45" across that the XL925 with the big bar would be better suited for.
I've heard that the 925's don't like to start cold, but I figured in my 75 degree basement, that it wouldn't be too much of an issue.
Bill48

 

[hoss]

Without knowing more, it sounds like a carb rebuild is in order. Good luck.

 

[Bill48]

Hi Hoss,
Yeah, I was kinda leaning in that direction as well. I wasn't sure if there was something else I might be missing, before I "bit the bullet" and took it in.
Thanks,
Bill48

 

[Sprig]

Yup, agree with Hoss. Sat for a long time, with gas? Without gas? First thing to do would be checking all your fuel lines/filter. Rinse out your fuel tank well too. It will likely be dried diaphram (s) in the carb or plugged jets/passages with varnish, rotted lines, plugged filter.
Most here will suggest doing it yourself (me too), the simple stuff, not only will you learn something but you will gain a great degree of satisfaction from it. Lots of smart cookies here that are willing to guide you along, pictures and intelligent questions are most happy making
Oh, Welcome as well man!



Serge

 

[hoss]

Yeah with that few hours on it, it probably isn't the ignition (unless points then maybe an adjustment) and it's not likely a compression issue. It could possibly be brittle, soft or cracked fuel/impulse line, but if the saw has been run and then sat for some time then there probably is varnish/old gas gumming up the carb. So a rebuild/diaphram is a good way to go anyway. That is a strong saw when it is running right.

 

[Ax-man]

Send it to me, I'll fix it. It will only cost you 1 SXL- 925:greenchainsaw:

Seriously though a saw that has been sitting that long probaly needs a new fuel filter, hopefully the fuel lines are there and not dry rotted coming from the tank up to the carb. Carb probaly needs a good cleaning.

If the saw has low hours that is probaly all it will need. I hope it wasn't stored with fuel in the tank then you have to add tank cleaning to your list of repairs and that is not the easiest thing to do.

There is no pulse line on these saws, there is small hole in the intake mainifold that lines up with a hole or port in the carb body that takes the place of an impulse line. I wish there was a pulse line on these old buggers to make pressure testing easier to find find airleaks in them.

Those old 925's are tough old saws.

Larry

 

[Austin1]

Sounds most likly like a dried up carb diaphragm, but being a old saw and having reed valves they can cause fits as well but again it is most likely just the carb and lines. As I have found reed valves seldom give problems unless they are on a saw that has been run allot but there is always that chance.

 

[Oldsawnut]

Yup Fuel prob

I have 3 of the old 925's Never had probs with them starting cold but I usually don't cut if its bellow freezing. Fuel line is my guess if not you can pull the air filter cover then the top off the carb and check the small inner filter that goes to the needle jet. If its full of fuel on the top half of the carb and the little filter is ok then the needle jet is prob stuck. A carb rebuild and new fuel line will almost deff take care of the problem but getting parts is a pain in the arse. :censored:

 

[Pioneer]

Yes, get a carb rebuild kit and freshen it up. Replace the fuel line and perhaps the clunk as well if it has been sitting with old gas in it. If you have gunk in the tank, laquer thinner works well for disolving this. I have several old saws and have found that even a few years is enough to cause some carb diaphrams to harden and make you change the mixture to compensate.
Here's a heavy old thing that will give you "popeye" arms in no time. I can still get rebuild kits for the 63 (?) vintage tillotson carb on this 620 Pioneer.