Nik's Poulan Thread

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Picked one of these up today for my favorite price . I am now the 3rd owner.

I know zero about these. But, as advertised, it did not run. Pulled the carb (pretty easy) and slotted the needles to accept a flat blade screwdriver. I know I should buy a proper driver. Monkeyed around with the settings and found that the original 2 turns on both L & H were way too lean? Quite a bit richer now and it seems happy.

I didn't cut with it yet but my first impressions are: 1. Easy/smooth to start/restart. 2. Oils well 3. AV seems decent 4. Found a cool scrench holder under the footpad

I imagine these would be really zippy with a 0.325" 16" setup.


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There's another thread by Modified Mark dedicated to these saws if you are interested in learning more. You get what you pay for but they will do the job if needed. They are funky to tune and usually are way too lean out of the box.

16" with full 3/8 will wake it up a bit. These saws and their little sibling the 4218 are sold with bars are far too long for their power output.
 
There's another thread by Modified Mark dedicated to these saws if you are interested in learning more. You get what you pay for but they will do the job if needed. They are funky to tune and usually are way too lean out of the box.

16" with full 3/8 will wake it up a bit. These saws and their little sibling the 4218 are sold with bars are far too long for their power output.


Steve, your comments are not what I got out of all the replies to that thread I started. Seems the general consensus is that you get quite a bit more saw then what you pay for. Likewise, the majority are not very far out of tune and most only need a slight adjustment and some never got any at all, but of course now and them a few do need a bit more.

That thread is still going on after how many years now with new post all the time from new owners that are plenty satisfied with that saw for its intended purpose even pulling a 20" bar.
 
Steve, your comments are not what I got out of all the replies to that thread I started. Seems the general consensus is that you get quite a bit more saw then what you pay for. Likewise, the majority are not very far out of tune and most only need a slight adjustment and some never got any at all, but of course now and them a few do need a bit more.

That thread is still going on after how many years now with new post all the time from new owners that are plenty satisfied with that saw for its intended purpose even pulling a 20" bar.

I didn't mean to pee in anyone's wheaties and if it came across that way I apologize. As I've mentioned before, IMO they (5020 and 4218) are a great choice for the guy who needs to cut an occasional tree in their yard or driveway or maybe do a cord a year. Or to leave in the pickup at all times and not worry about it growing legs. And the refurb saws are really priced to move. With that being said they do have shortcomings in power, balance, and anti vibe compared to other saws in their class coupled with a less than satisfactory tune out of the box hence someone getting what they pay for.

You know I like short bars and I will maintain those saws would be much better suited as a "5016" and a "4214" ;)
 
I didn't mean to pee in anyone's wheaties and if it came across that way I apologize. As I've mentioned before, IMO they (5020 and 4218) are a great choice for the guy who needs to cut an occasional tree in their yard or driveway or maybe do a cord a year. Or to leave in the pickup at all times and not worry about it growing legs. And the refurb saws are really priced to move. With that being said they do have shortcomings in power, balance, and anti vibe compared to other saws in their class coupled with a less than satisfactory tune out of the box hence someone getting what they pay for.

You know I like short bars and I will maintain those saws would be much better suited as a "5016" and a "4214" ;)


No, no problems here, we all have our own opinions. I was just pointing out that lots of other actual owners opinions differ from yours, that's all. I think your losing perspective of the intended purpose and the target buyers for this saw. Most who would buy it don't give a damn if it cuts a couple seconds slower, long as it works and don't cost them 2 arms and a leg.

As for the short bars, true but thats universal, my brother bought a new 50cc Echo with a 20" bar. It didn't do any better then the 5020 would do with a 20" either and I sent him home with a 16" bar for it.

My nephews brand new Echo was set so lean it would barely even run so it seems there are others this way as well and my opinion is that the 5020 still gives you more then your moneys worth.
 
My echo 352 was pretty lean out of the box but the worst was my Remington polesaw. That would barely rev up and even cutting 1" branches was a chore.

I now own 5 different tuning screwdrivers so I should pretty much be covered for whatever turns up here.
 
Sweat.
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Steve, Samsung On5 using Tapatalk

Exactly what you'll do running them in July!
 
I think I posted this before but I use plain old insulation foam for filter material on the little saws. I'm still using what's left of a roll my dad bought probably 30 years ago to seal around a window air conditioner. Soft but dense. Not sure you could find the same exact stuff these days but I'm guessing something similar is out there at a Lowes or Home Depot in the insulation department for a coupla bucks a roll.

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