Poulan Pro 295

[Alleycat]

After Katrina uprooted a bunch of tall pines around our house, I called the only hardware store that was open and asked if they had any chainsaws. The only thing they had left was a Poulan Pro 295 with a 20" bar. My experience with poulan dates back to the '70s and was not good, but I needed a saw, NOW! To my surprise, the 295 does a pretty fair job, is lighter than some others, and is half the cost of a comparable sized stiehl.
BUT, ( you knew there was going to be a but) The chain is not getting enough oil. The oil reservoir only drops an inch through 2 tanks of fuel. No oil spits from the end of the bar under full throttle, and the chain binds up after ten minutes of continuous use. The dealer says it isn't supposed to use much oil, but right now it's back at his store being checked out.
Is the dealer right? Maybe this saw isn't meant to be worked too hard.

 

[Lawn Masters]

Well, the oiler gear probably is stripped out. typical of a Poulan. I suppose, in a bind ,its better than nothing when you HAVE to get it cleaned up.

 

[pallis]

It sounds like your oiler either isn't working or it is blocked. Open the oil cap and see if you have used any oil. Pull the bar off and see if you have any oil coming out. The 295 should put out oil any time the saw is running. I have a 295 that sees use whenever all three of my grown sons want to go cut wood with me. It has a 14" bar on it, and gets plenty of oil.

 

[medcave]

Lawn Masters is probably right. Once it's fixed though you'll be back here complaining about it using too much oil. I have to add an ounce of STP to a quart of bar oil to slow the flow in my Poulans here in the Texas heat.

 

[ray benson]

Should use at least a half tank of oil to a tank of gas. The more the better as long as you do not use the complete tank of oil before you need to gas up.

 

[Cut4fun]

Does the 295 have a bar oil adjustment on the bottom like the 330?

 

[scottr]

295

Tm , the PP295 bar oil output is not adjustable . Alleycat , there's a screen type oil filter in the bar oil tank that could be partially cloged .

 

[Alleycat]

Thanks for the help guys. Prior to my first post, I had taken the bar and chain off and blew it off with 60 lbs of pressure but was afraid of blowing crap back up the oil discharge port. This time, at the Hardware store, we took it apart again and he showed me a rubber gizmo in the oil track which when pulled out of its socket revealed the oil port. We cranked the saw with the rubber plug removed and oil began flowing. Put it all back together and now it works fine. Must have had an air lock or something. Maybe the rubber was stuck to the housing and closed off the oil flow. Any ones guess, but it's working. For now.

 

[scottr]

rubber gizmo

Alleycat , here is a parts manual from the Poulan website . ftp://ftp.electrolux-na.com/ProdInfo_PDF/outdoor/88792.pdf

 

[Alleycat]

Thanks Scottr. A big help I bookmarked the site for future reference.

 

[scottr]

?

You're welcome Alleycat . Which rubber gizmo did you remove to do your flow test ?

 

[Alleycat]

Scottr, #37 on type 3 and 5 saws. BTW, I took the saw out of the case to see if it was a 3 or 4, and the bottom of the case is covered with oil. Perhaps that seal shouldn't be messed with?