McCulloch Chain Saws

[heimannm]

Tim,

Depends on which style choke you have. Your appears to be the butterfly in the carburetor, when you lock the choke closed look in there and make sure it is in fact completely closed, if not, carefully bend the linkage a bit to allow it to force the choke closed.

Other models had a bell attached to the choke knob placed where the oiler button is on your saw. When you closed the choke the bell covered the end of the carburetor. On those saws the latch that holds the choke closed would often wear preventing the choke from closing properly; best bet is to hold the choke closed with your thumb while cranking the saw.

Mark

 

[GrizzlyAdams86]

I checked the carb today and the problem is the first one you discribed. After you set the latch for the choke it relaxes and the butterfly opens up some. I'll see what I can do. Thanks again.

 

[heimannm]

I was messing around with my 200 today to run some of the bars and chains that I have accumulated. I have been going through the bars, dressing the rails, closing the rails where needed, knocking the rust off the bars with the random orbital sander, and fitting them with some of the old chains from the box.

This is one saw that I could never get started without priming down the carburetor so I decided to take my own advice.

With the choke locked closed, there was about 1/32" gap in the butterfly so I "adjusted" the wire linkage to insure the choke plate would close completely.

Starting with a dry tank, I filled it with fuel and in 8 or 10 pulls it fired, a couple more and it was off and running. I continued to start and stop it throughout the afternoon running different bar and chain combinations and it never let me down.

I must say that in all the time I was running old McCullochs back in the 70's and 80's, I never knew enough to make them start as reliably as most of the saws I have today. If only I'd known then...

Mark

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I was messing around with my 200 today to run some of the bars and chains that I have accumulated. I have been going through the bars, dressing the rails, closing the rails where needed, knocking the rust off the bars with the random orbital sander, and fitting them with some of the old chains from the box.

This is one saw that I could never get started without priming down the carburetor so I decided to take my own advice.

With the choke locked closed, there was about 1/32" gap in the butterfly so I "adjusted" the wire linkage to insure the choke plate would close completely.

Starting with a dry tank, I filled it with fuel and in 8 or 10 pulls it fired, a couple more and it was off and running. I continued to start and stop it throughout the afternoon running different bar and chain combinations and it never let me down.

I must say that in all the time I was running old McCullochs back in the 70's and 80's, I never knew enough to make them start as reliably as most of the saws I have today. If only I'd known then...

Mark

I used to have an old Mac, don't know what model it was but I never tuned it up and wondered why it was hard to start. I blamed the saw for not running right, not knowing that it was entirely my fault. That was years ago, I wish I had it back today to see how well I could make it run!

 

[cpr]

Finshed up the 1-82 tonight. It had an inside bar plate that was for a different model. It fit the studs, oiler, and adjustment holes fine, but the flares were wrong. The top would pinch the chain when everything was tight. It needs to be there to center the chain on the sprocket correctly, so I trimmed the flare. The saw had no outside plate which permitted bar oil to fall out the outside of the bar instead of ducting it to the chain. Rather than try to find one, I made one out of a 20ga. 3 5/8" galvanized metal stud. I traced the stud holes and tensioner slot from the other plate, then got out drill bits, tin snips, and the dremel and went to town. Came out okay, I reckon.

Play time this weekend!

Thanks to RandyMac for setting me straight on the P/N to get that sprocket right.

 

[jnl502]

Finshed up the 1-82 tonight. It had an inside bar plate that was for a different model. It fit the studs, oiler, and adjustment holes fine, but the flares were wrong. The top would pinch the chain when everything was tight. It needs to be there to center the chain on the sprocket correctly, so I trimmed the flare. The saw had no outside plate which permitted bar oil to fall out the outside of the bar instead of ducting it to the chain. Rather than try to find one, I made one out of a 20ga. 3 5/8" galvanized metal stud. I traced the stud holes and tensioner slot from the other plate, then got out drill bits, tin snips, and the dremel and went to town. Came out okay, I reckon.

Play time this weekend!

Thanks to RandyMac for setting me straight on the P/N to get that sprocket right.

sometimes you got to do what you have to on the older saws. can't run down to the hardware store and get them parts anymore. that roller nose bar looks great and the saw as well. wish I had them on my old Macs. all mine just have the hard nose. but they are in good shape with little wear so they are just fine.

 

[leeha]

Looking good cpr, A little creativity goe's a long way.
Like them roller nose's. There always a great finishing
touch to the vintage Mac's.



Lee

 

[Brian13]

Good looking saw, love the roller nose!!

 

[heimannm]

If you study the photo's carefully you will discover that bar was originally a hard nose, somone converted it to the roller nose.

I have a similar one that came on my 640.

Folks used to put a fair amount of time and effort into keeping/maintaining/converting old bars. Today you just throw it away and get a new one...

Mark

 

[cpr]

If you study the photo's carefully you will discover that bar was originally a hard nose, somone converted it to the roller nose.

I have a similar one that came on my 640.

Folks used to put a fair amount of time and effort into keeping/maintaining/converting old bars. Today you just throw it away and get a new one...

Mark

Gold stars for you, Mark. I hadn't noticed the hardened rail tips either until the other night when reassembling it.

 

[8433jeff]

MM 35 question

Anybody know why a carb kit that includes a needle and lever runs $38. retail for these, besides giving the tech an easy out so he doesn't spend an afternoon inserting the motor 3 times and still not have it run? Any way to check the carb before rebuilding the saw? I pressure checked it the first time and things were copasetic, rebuilt it, it fired then nothing, would run with fuel down the throat, diassembled and found the needle end sideways in the seat, found out the kit with the needle is THIRTYPLUS FREAKING dollars, found another saw and carb, replaced needle, and fired again, and now nothing again. Its for sale, by the way, and, no, it hasn't flown across the shop but maybe will be airmailed to you if you are in the five state area...

 

[little possum]

Darn you guys and all your full wrapped, big dawgs, and roller nose Macs.


My 1-43 runs, 1-41 almost runs, 250 should run. All CEC saws though (Central East Coast)
And that 550 I seen a while back is waiting on the $.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Anybody know why a carb kit that includes a needle and lever runs $38. retail for these, besides giving the tech an easy out so he doesn't spend an afternoon inserting the motor 3 times and still not have it run? Any way to check the carb before rebuilding the saw? I pressure checked it the first time and things were copasetic, rebuilt it, it fired then nothing, would run with fuel down the throat, diassembled and found the needle end sideways in the seat, found out the kit with the needle is THIRTYPLUS FREAKING dollars, found another saw and carb, replaced needle, and fired again, and now nothing again. Its for sale, by the way, and, no, it hasn't flown across the shop but maybe will be airmailed to you if you are in the five state area...

I think you've found why so many people shy away from rebuilding Mini Macs. That's also why I don't rebuild another popular brand which I won't mention because I don't want to get all the hate mail. Also, I don't know where you're getting your carb kits but I think there are places that sell them cheaper than $30.

 

[ms660]

Mac

SP 125C

 

[a. palmer jr.]

SP 125C

I like rebuilding the Macs except I've never rebuilt one of the older ones that had the flat carb. The Tillys and Walbros are fairly easy.

 

[boda65]

What the heck is this?

1 day auction on fleabay. Is this factory or some kind of aftermarket add-on? It's a Mac 10-10 automatic with a gear drive. I've never seen one of these before. There are no special markings or model designations I can see in the pics.

 

[GrizzlyAdams86]

Had the 250 out cutting a little today. Tried it out on some vareity of poplar (I think) at a friends. The township is widing the road by his house and he asked that they save the trees for him. I had nothing to do earlier today and it stopped raining, so I went over with the splitter and a couple of saws, but didn't get much done as it started raining again. Seems like the old soldier wants to get back to work after languishing on a shelf for years.

 

[Urbicide]

1 day auction on fleabay. Is this factory or some kind of aftermarket add-on? It's a Mac 10-10 automatic with a gear drive. I've never seen one of these before. There are no special markings or model designations I can see in the pics.

Jim, you might ask the seller what #'s are on the ID plate inside the air box. It would be a lot easier for someone to swap air filter covers than to install a gear drive off of another saw.

 

[thomas72]

The saw probably originally came with the flat mac carb and a saw shop swapped out the tank with a 10-10 series saw so they could service it.

 

[boda65]

Jim, you might ask the seller what #'s are on the ID plate inside the air box. It would be a lot easier for someone to swap air filter covers than to install a gear drive off of another saw.

I did email the seller, he said it was all packaged up so he couldn't look at the tags for me. Whatever it was, it sold with one bid for 150 bucks.