What do I do with it now....(First Project Craftsman 3.7)

[PartnerR16]

Thanks, I found a ring set on eBay for $17.99 shipped.
Do I need to do any prep to the cylinder before I put it all back together ?

Nothing wrong with that piston, re-ring it,delete cylinder base gasket,drop cylinder base .020,muffler mod it,advance timing a few degrees and reshape the plastic intake manifold for better airflow and you'll end with strong running saw. Air filters are still available and even those can get mod too. I have a red Craftsman but it's a thin ring,either one good running saws,good score! Over in the Poulan sticky,you'll find all the resources needed on any Poulan related saw and a great bunch of saw fanatics to talk to

 

[joe25DA]

Thanks, I found a ring set on eBay for $17.99 shipped.
Do I need to do any prep to the cylinder before I put it all back together ?

The walls look good to me. If you have carbon buildup on the head and exhaust port I would clean that up now

 

[Justsaws]

Thanks, I found a ring set on eBay for $17.99 shipped.
Do I need to do any prep to the cylinder before I put it all back together ?

Take your finger and run it along the height of the cylinder on both the intake and exhaust side. You are looking for any horizontal ridges that can be felt. Many times at the top where the ring would stop there is a small ridge. I use a fine spring wire probe similar to a dental pick. If there is a ridge which is also common around the lower point of the ring run then a better cylinder might be in order.

Joe25DA is correct about buffing up the piston, and it does look like a chrome piston and treated bore. You could use a scotch brite pad on the piston. Be careful around the bearings to keep them clean.

 

[Magic_Man]

So, while I am waiting on my rings I am looking at other things I can do. Has anybody had success with porting these saws ? Not thinking anything radical, just a basic widening of the ports and cleaning them up. Also looking at muffler mods, seems the most common on this series of saws is to weld up the holes in the back and put a tube out the side.

 

[blk05crew]

So, while I am waiting on my rings I am looking at other things I can do. Has anybody had success with porting these saws ? Not thinking anything radical, just a basic widening of the ports and cleaning them up. Also looking at muffler mods, seems the most common on this series of saws is to weld up the holes in the back and put a tube out the side.

One of my red 3.7's has a mild port job and muff mod, saw runs awesome. You don't have to weld the holes in the back for the muff mod. Most guys just drill the holes bigger in the difuser and then cut a slit in the side of the muffler body and bend it out like this. This is the one I did on my 3400.