I broke down and bought a new chainsaw

[TrogL]

I got tired of arguing with my Homelite PRO150 (see previous thread) and Canadian Tire had this (http://www.poulan.com/products/chainsaws/gas/prod_2150.asp) on sale.

It may not be a professional-grade saw but I'm happy enough with it.

Except.

If it's behaving itself I prime it six full pushes, turn the switch on, pull the choke all the way out, pull five times, put the choke half way in and pull one more time and it starts like a charm.

Problem 1.

If it doesn't start on the 6th pull, no way, no hell is it going to start any time in the next hour no matter what I do. I've tried a variety of choke settings, I've tried re-priming, I've pulled until my arm's ready to fall off.

Problem 2.

I can usually get a good 10-15 minutes worth of cutting out of it and then there's a loud click and it dies. Then I'm back to no way, no hell is it gonna start no matter what I do. I don't think it's out of gas because near as I can tell, it's still got 1/2 tank and filling it (yes, I'm careful) doesn't seem to help.

 

[whatsnext]

I got tired of arguing with my Homelite PRO150 (see previous thread) and Canadian Tire had this (http://www.poulan.com/products/chainsaws/gas/prod_2150.asp) on sale.

It may not be a professional-grade saw but I'm happy enough with it.

Except.

If it's behaving itself I prime it six full pushes, turn the switch on, pull the choke all the way out, pull five times, put the choke half way in and pull one more time and it starts like a charm.

Problem 1.

If it doesn't start on the 6th pull, no way, no hell is it going to start any time in the next hour no matter what I do. I've tried a variety of choke settings, I've tried re-priming, I've pulled until my arm's ready to fall off.

Problem 2.

I can usually get a good 10-15 minutes worth of cutting out of it and then there's a loud click and it dies. Then I'm back to no way, no hell is it gonna start no matter what I do. I don't think it's out of gas because near as I can tell, it's still got 1/2 tank and filling it (yes, I'm careful) doesn't seem to help.

And exactly why are you 'happy enough' with it?'

 

[turnkey4099]

I got tired of arguing with my Homelite PRO150 (see previous thread) and Canadian Tire had this (http://www.poulan.com/products/chainsaws/gas/prod_2150.asp) on sale.

It may not be a professional-grade saw but I'm happy enough with it.

Except.

If it's behaving itself I prime it six full pushes, turn the switch on, pull the choke all the way out, pull five times, put the choke half way in and pull one more time and it starts like a charm.

Problem 1.

If it doesn't start on the 6th pull, no way, no hell is it going to start any time in the next hour no matter what I do. I've tried a variety of choke settings, I've tried re-priming, I've pulled until my arm's ready to fall off.

Problem 2.

I can usually get a good 10-15 minutes worth of cutting out of it and then there's a loud click and it dies. Then I'm back to no way, no hell is it gonna start no matter what I do. I don't think it's out of gas because near as I can tell, it's still got 1/2 tank and filling it (yes, I'm careful) doesn't seem to help.

Why do you still have it? Me, it would have been back to the dealer the first time it happened.

Harry K

 

[Cut4fun]

I am not even a Poulan basher and I would have took it back. That saw also has the plastic case and is the low end poulan.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I'd have chucked that thing down and gone for my axe to finish the job if my saw started acting like that. take it back and get it repaired, or replaced. any saw that acts like that, isnt worth using.

 

[TonyM]

As a dealer, I'll say this. If I had a saw that acted like that in the hands of a customer, I would want to know. I wouldn't want the saw thrown through my front window, but go back to where you bought it, explain gently the problem you are having, and any worthwhile dealer is going to offer to take the saw, and either replace it, or spend enough time using it to properly diagnose the problem.

As far as the starting issue, it sounds as if you may be flooding the saw. Next time, unchoke it, lock the trigger on fast idle, and pull and pull and see if it eventually fires. Or remove the sparkplug and see if it's wet with fuel.

No properly running saw should just die after 10 minutes of cutting, and refuse to start. There is something wrong. Return it ASAP.

 

[TrogL]

Because I suspect I'm doing something wrong

Why do you still have it? Me, it would have been back to the dealer the first time it happened.
Harry K

...and I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a saw that I expect to use two or three times a year.

Frankly what I had expected was some sort of constructive comment about whether or not to re-choke, or re-prime, whether or not 10-15 minutes is a "tank of gas" and what that loud click might be (possibly the automatic chain brake).

The staff at the local Canadian Tire are absolutely hopeless. I doubt they could tell you how to use a screwdriver without cutting yourself never mind how to use a chainsaw.

The manual is written in Engrish.

The Poulan 1-800 "free support" line merely gives you the long distance phone number of a Calgary dealer.

No, I'm not taking it back. I believe in making things work. Hence I thought I'd ask here.

 

[TrogL]

How do you lock it on fast idle?

There's what appears to be an interlock "dead man's switch" on the handle, but no trigger lock.

 

[SWE#Kipp]

when i start my saws i usually pull 1-2 with choke, then i pull 1 with fast idle and it often start then ,,,,
good luck with your saw

/Kristoffer

 

[medcave]

The Poulan 1-800 "free support" line merely gives you the long distance phone number of a Calgary dealer.

Plug your zip code into the Poulan site to find an authorized dealer nearer to you (hopefully).

http://www.poulan-pro.com/support.asp

He probably knows exactly what's wrong with it before even looking at it as he's probably already fixed a few of them. Then once he fixes it come back here and tell us what was wrong for future reference.

 

[TrogL]

So I take it 'fast idle' is the middle setting on the choke switch?

when i start my saws i usually pull 1-2 with choke, then i pull 1 with fast idle and it often start then ,,,,
good luck with your saw

/Kristoffer

.

 

[bvaught]

Serves you right for thinking you could buy a cheap saw and get away with it. This is a perfect example of the common maladies that poolan owners suffer through. As soon as you fix the first problem, another will crop up. After you spend enough time to have designed and built a good saw you might get this one working longer than 10 minutes.

 

[scottr]

Fast Idle

TrogL , to set the fast idle on my PP220 , I pull the choke out and then push it back in . To crank it up cold , I prime it five times , set the choke , turn on the ignition , pull starter twice (it fires on the second pull) , push choke in (fast idle position) , pull again and it's running on fast idle , blip throttle to regular idle .

 

[medcave]

I can usually get a good 10-15 minutes worth of cutting out of it and then there's a loud click and it dies.

I woundn't think this would be a choke or starting problem.

 

[whatsnext]

...and I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a saw that I expect to use two or three times a year.

No, I'm not taking it back. I believe in making things work. Hence I thought I'd ask here.

You should have asked here before you bought the Poulan. Your 'I'll make it work' attitude shows that you grossly undervalue your own time. This is why I asked what you so liked about the saw that you will were willing to spend your time on it. Most of us would have recomended a nice used saw. Do really think any of us enjoy seeing someone else suffer with a poor performing saw?
John...........


BTW, you get what you pay for in both saws and free advice.

 

[whatsnext]

I just looked at your profile. Are you telling us that someone at your work wouldn't help you pick out a nice inexpensive saw? Or, just loan you one.
John.......

 

[gatkeper1]

...
No, I'm not taking it back. I believe in making things work..

That is just plain foolish,you paid hard earned dollars for it.
It's a new saw,It should work right out of the box. Be it Sthil,Husqvarna or yes even Poulan. Return the the saw if they do not have a service dept ask for a new saw or your money back.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I agree with Tony, in that it sounds to me like you're flooding it. Especially with six pumps to prime it. That sounds like alot-I pump my lawn mower two or three times. Then you're full choking it. Maybe try three pumps, and a partial choke. As soon as the saw burps and tries to start, take the choke off all the way, and it again. Should start if all's working well.

Ten to fifteen minutes should in no way be a tank of gas, and your automatic chain brake should be a mechanical device that is operated by your hand guard, and in no way operable on it's own. And most saws have the throttle trigger, and choke interlocked, in such a way that to activate the full choke, you have to pull the trigger, and full choke locks the throttle open until you manually dechoke it, blip the trigger or whathave you. The interlock you're seeing is the throttle safety interlock. It won't allow the saw's trigger to be pulled unless your hand is fully on the handle.

That saw's got issues man. If you're not going to take it back you may be in for a bit of an uphill battle. A large chain store like that (depending on warrantee) I'd think would be likely to not try to fix it, but would likely just give you a new one. It's like buying a Husky at Lowe's. Lowe's ain't gonna fix it, they're gonna give you a new one, and get you out the door.

And as far as all the "why'd you buy that saw," comments, look at it like this-how much did you pay for that saw? It's a new saw, and it already doesn't work. So you can take it back, but you won't, so you're on your own with no dealer support, and no working saw. Can Canadian Tire get you individual parts, like an impulse line or intake boot, should you need them? So another year or so down the road, if you get the saw fixed, it's gonna go south on you again. And then you head back in to buy another disposable saw. This is likely to be a pattern for you. An authorized, good name dealer can put you into a decent saw for a decent price, and even though you use it a couple of times a year, take care of it and you'll be able to keep the same saw for 20 years, and pass it on to your son someday. Alot of guys will spend more on a new Poulan every year or two than they'd spend on a single homeowner Husky, Jonsered, Makita, Dolmar or Stihl, and with the Husky or Stihl, etc. you'll be getting dealer support to help you out with problems like this. That's where we're coming from. We're not trying to give you a hard time, or be unconstructive, it's just that this is a common problem with Poulans, and other saws of this type.

But try the three pumps, and half choke and that should help with starting, but as far as the stopping 10 minutes into it, that's not cool. If it's a sudden stop like you describe, that's kinda scary.

Good luck.

Jeff

 

[GASoline71]

...Frankly what I had expected was some sort of constructive comment about whether or not to re-choke, or re-prime, whether or not 10-15 minutes is a "tank of gas" and what that loud click might be (possibly the automatic chain brake).

The staff at the local Canadian Tire are absolutely hopeless. I doubt they could tell you how to use a screwdriver without cutting yourself never mind how to use a chainsaw.

.

Try not priming 6 pumps. Try less. No saw will run out of fuel in 10-15 minutes. You can cut for quite a while on a tank of gas. Time per tank will depend on what type of cuttin' your doin', and how your saw is set up. There are no "automatic" chain brakes that I know of. All brakes have to be engaged by the operator. Usually by pushing forward on the brake handle mounted on the front of the saw. Are you pushing un the chain brake by accident? My girlfriend has a similar saw and the brake has a very loud click when engaged.

Also wondering, did you buy this saw used? And why from a tire place?

Gary

 

[GASoline71]

You's guys is fast

Man, in the time it took me to type my response, you fellers took the words right off my keyboard. Good posts!

Gary