Someone level with me..... Please!

[Chris J.]

I'm curious, which model of Craftsman did you run trouble-free for 20 years? I ask because several companies made chainsaws for Sears that were rebadged as Craftsman.

This list is not complete, and might not be accurate (some of these companies might not have made chainsaws for Sears).

Poulan 358.xxx (234.xxx )
Roper 917.xxx
Echo 636.xxx
Homelite 517.xxx
Husqvarna 944.xxx
Kioritz Corp (Echo) 271.xxx
McCulloch 989.xxx
MTD 316.xxx
Remington Desa 583.xxx

 

[Mastermind]

Again I will thank everyone here.

I do not post a lot here because I dont have much to offer but I have been following this forum for years because I know equipment needs maintenance and its somewhat of a hobby with me. I take care of my equipment.

I do not cut for a living but myself and two friends have 300 acres of woods and there is always something to cut. I usually spend weekends out there and we always need/use a saw. In addition to this we probably cut 7-10 cords of firewood each year.

I dont mind working on my equipment and will purchase a tach or whatever is needed to maintain it but I want something good.

So let me ask this.......
If you were in a survival situation and could only have one NEW off the shelf saw that you had to purchase today, what make and model would it be?

As to what happened to your saws......who really knows????? They are dead and that's all that matters. Perhaps we can help you to not have that happen again.

I use an oil that will mix with both gasoline and alcohol....in my mind this helps bind the ethanol to the gasoline better. Belray H1R is the best oil I've found that fits the bill. Also I mix my fuel at a 36:1 ratio.

Now to answer your question on what saw I would choose would be bias and wouldn't help you to make a decision....I like my saws fast.

Knowing what I do about saws and taking into account what you have posted....to pick you a saw, it would be a Husqvarna 562XP. My reasoning is simple. The saw is an autotune 60cc saw that is capable of running a 24" bar with ease. It's also light for it's power, and has very smooth spring AV that makes using it a pleasure. One other factor is price....this saw is a bargain at about 650.00

 

[BrocLuno]

OK, you say you are religious about your stuff, but you also say you never had to adjust a 2-stroke carb. There's a disconnect there. All 2-strokes take tuning for field conditions. High humidity hot day is one thing. 60* at 11,000 feet is another. Cool dry winter day is another. They need attention. That's why the jet screws are there. If they didn't, they'd have fixed jets.

Always run 2T or EGD rated oils - or better. 40:1 or wetter. The book ratios are for the US EPA, not the sawyer. There is no protection between the metal moving at XX,000 RPMs except the oil. NEVER run lean. Wet, the worst you'll get is a fouled plug and some carbon. Lean and you'll be buying a motor.

If you want to try an experiment, take your buggered but running saw out and start cutting with fresh gas/oil. Regular gas and good oil. Open the high speed jet as you cut (between short cuts) until it starts to 4-stroke in the cut. Back it in 1/8 turn and see how far you were from their shop tune. I'll bet you are more than a 1/2 turn lean. If so, they are not your tuners of choice

Be ready to do this any day that is not like your average saw day. This is your basic field tune. Once you have this down pat, you can work on clean idle and good pick-up from idle. Once you have all that figured, you are ready to go anywhere and cut anytime with any saw.

Your old Craftsman was tuned right, or at least on the fat side, and it lasted. These will too. You don't need new saws, you need to rebuild these and tune them right. They are good saws. Once you and they "become one" and get in sync, you'll be cuttin just fine

 

[sunfish]

The same one I grab everytime I have something to cut. A 346XP.

Now to answer your question on what saw I would choose would be bias and wouldn't help you to make a decision....I like my saws fast.

Knowing what I do about saws and taking into account what you have posted....to pick you a saw, it would be a Husqvarna 562XP. My reasoning is simple. The saw is an autotune 60cc saw that is capable of running a 24" bar with ease. It's also light for it's power, and has very smooth spring AV that makes using it a pleasure. One other factor is price....this saw is a bargain at about 650.00

I would have a tough time choosing between the two, so I'd just get both. :msp_biggrin:

But if I could only have one, it'd have to be the 346xp...

 

[Mastermind]

I would have a tough time choosing between the two, so I'd just get both. :msp_biggrin:

But if I could only have one, it'd have to be the 346xp...

I hear ya. But you have no trouble tuning a saw. :msp_wink:

 

[sunfish]

I hear ya. But you have no trouble tuning a saw. :msp_wink:

Right bro, I didn't think of that. Yes auto tune would be great in this situation. 562xp it is...

 

[arachn'auqu?bec]

My lowly Craftsman was a good saw that survived heavy use in over 270 acres of woods and with the exception of cleaning the air filter, changing a plug and blowing it out with a compressor occasionally, never had any service or adjustments in over 20 years. NONE.

My father also has an old craftsman still running. Bought in the 80's. the sticker MADE IN CANADA means it has nothing to do with anything labelled craftsman you would go out and buy today.

 

[ncfarmboy]

Agree with everyone else it not the ethanol! Get the 562XP or get a piston kit for the Dolmar and the Shindiawa and fix it yourself. We will help/guide you. Tachometer DTI-20K is best tach for the money. Site sponsor sells em or google Tech Tach DTI-20K. Tune the 5100 to 13,500-13,800. Dolmar says 13,800 max now instead of 14,500. Get some Belray H1R @36to1 like MM said!!!!
The R/C Aircraft Proving Grounds - 2 Cycle Oil Test Summary
Shep

 

[sunfish]

Craftsman

I have an old Poulan from the 70s' and one from the 80s' both still running pretty strong and very good old saws! I know both models were offered under the Craftsman name back then.

But not all Craftsman stuff is good.

 

[Mastermind]

I have an old Poulan from the 70s' and one from the 80s' both still running pretty strong and very good old saws! I know both models were offered under the Craftsman name back then.

But not all Craftsman stuff is good.

Sears never made anything but money. :msp_unsure:

I have a friend that swears his Craftsman saws are miles ahead of a Poulan.

 

[o8f150]

i just checked on the belray,, i can get it here but it only shows that it comes in quart bottles,, so how the heck do measure it out?? right now i am running 45:1 with echo power blend,, i am thinking seriously going down to 40:1

 

[Nipper]

I'm curious, which model of Craftsman did you run trouble-free for 20 years? I ask because several companies made chainsaws for Sears that were rebadged as Craftsman.

This list is not complete, and might not be accurate (some of these companies might not have made chainsaws for Sears).

Poulan 358.xxx (234.xxx )
Roper 917.xxx
Echo 636.xxx
Homelite 517.xxx
Husqvarna 944.xxx
Kioritz Corp (Echo) 271.xxx
McCulloch 989.xxx
MTD 316.xxx
Remington Desa 583.xxx

The reason it "died" was I let it. It ran fine but the chain oiler stopped working. I have read so many posts here from people who ridicule the Craftsman I figured it could be time for a "real" saw. I surely got my moneys worth out of it and the "real saws" felt so nice and much more sturdy. I just recently gave it to the local scrap collector. I dont recall the model number but I believe it was a Poulan and was 42cc's.

The Dolmar 5100s would cut circles around it and I have to admit it was fun while it lasted. I surely want a big engine from now on. The smaller Shindaiwa I have is a 377 Pro and although it drinks gas like a V-8 I absolutely love it.

 

[mweba]

i just checked on the belray,, i can get it here but it only shows that it comes in quart bottles,, so how the heck do measure it out?? right now i am running 45:1 with echo power blend,, i am thinking seriously going down to 40:1

Is that a serious question? :msp_rolleyes:

 

[computeruser]

Sounds to me like somebody needs to (a) find a new dealer, and (b) learn to tune his own saws or (c) buy saws that are lower-performance and tend to have a greater margin for error (swapping the Dolmar for a Stihl 290 for example).

 

[o8f150]

Is that a serious question? :msp_rolleyes:

yep,,, guess i could use a small measuring cup and sit down and do some figuring on how much

 

[Nipper]

OK, you say you are religious about your stuff, but you also say you never had to adjust a 2-stroke carb. There's a disconnect there. All 2-strokes take tuning for field conditions. High humidity hot day is one thing. 60* at 11,000 feet is another. Cool dry winter day is another. They need attention. That's why the jet screws are there. If they didn't, they'd have fixed jets.

Always run 2T or EGD rated oils - or better. 40:1 or wetter. The book ratios are for the US EPA, not the sawyer. There is no protection between the metal moving at XX,000 RPMs except the oil. NEVER run lean. Wet, the worst you'll get is a fouled plug and some carbon. Lean and you'll be buying a motor.

If you want to try an experiment, take your buggered but running saw out and start cutting with fresh gas/oil. Regular gas and good oil. Open the high speed jet as you cut (between short cuts) until it starts to 4-stroke in the cut. Back it in 1/8 turn and see how far you were from their shop tune. I'll bet you are more than a 1/2 turn lean. If so, they are not your tuners of choice

Be ready to do this any day that is not like your average saw day. This is your basic field tune. Once you have this down pat, you can work on clean idle and good pick-up from idle. Once you have all that figured, you are ready to go anywhere and cut anytime with any saw.

Your old Craftsman was tuned right, or at least on the fat side, and it lasted. These will too. You don't need new saws, you need to rebuild these and tune them right. They are good saws. Once you and they "become one" and get in sync, you'll be cuttin just fine

Thanks BrocLuno,

You guys are probably all correct on the tuning thing. I just never had to do this with any other 2 cycle engine I have ever owned. I have new and antique boat motors, weed eaters, blowers and a few dirt bikes in the past. I set them once and they were and are fine with the same gas.

I dont have any elevation issues but I do saw in all temperatures but mostly in the winter.

 

[morgaj1]

Thanks BrocLuno,

You guys are probably all correct on the tuning thing. I just never had to do this with any other 2 cycle engine I have ever owned. I have new and antique boat motors, weed eaters, blowers and a few dirt bikes in the past. I set them once and they were and are fine with the same gas.

I dont have any elevation issues but I do saw in all temperatures but mostly in the winter.

One thing to remember is that weed eaters, blowers, etc. do not turn the same high-rpms, or have the compression or power that these pro chainsaws do. With the weed eaters, there is much more room for error.

 

[turnkey4099]

You guys are great.... Thank you all.

It seems like some of the members here are dealers/pros and I am good with that. I go out of my way to support independents. I will readily purchase from a independent and even pay a premium to do so but I want a saw that does not require a pit crew. I dont want to be a "regular" at the service shop. I just want a decent saw.

My old one went 20 years, I must have been doing something right. I would be happy with something that could do at least half of that performance. Right now I would settle for 5 years of "trouble free".

My MS310 has been eating ethanol since they first came out - no problems. MS361 the same and is about 4 or 5 years old - no problem. MS 210 a bit older than the 361 same - no problem. Husky 51 so old it started with a pro logger in Canada and I have run it for over 10 years on same type gas - no problem.

Smoked P, etc. is either too lean on tune or accidental straight gas - yes it does happen. IOW it is not the brand of saw that is the problem and it also doesn't depen on Pro or Homeowner quality.

As for running it out of gas eveytime you put it away - no. If for a considerable time then yes but for only a week not needed, not wanted and not good.

Harry K

 

[bplust]

One more thing to consider. Try a different fuel supplier. Maybe the place you normally buy from has contamination problems.

Good call. I ethanol test all of the stations around me every few months, just to keep tabs on who has the lowest %. There's one station a few miles from me, in a valley, that most likely has contamination problems. I got a reading of 30% ethanol from their tanks ! Ethanol does mix with the water in the air over time, so stay away from gas stations that have low turnover rates.

 

[Somesawguy]

i just checked on the belray,, i can get it here but it only shows that it comes in quart bottles,, so how the heck do measure it out?? right now i am running 45:1 with echo power blend,, i am thinking seriously going down to 40:1

Walmart has these nifty syringe things for measuring out oil. They are only $4 or so.