What model of Homelites are these?
- Thread starter blackoak
- Start date
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habanero
ArboristSite Guru
Thanks for the better picture, that's new to me as well. Looking at my 800 last night, your saw does certainly look very similar, but the manual oiler and that goofy choke set-up set it apart. It will be very interesting to figure out exactly what model it is. I don't suppose you know the piston diameter, do you? Knowing whether it is one of the 77 cc saws with the 2" (I think) piston or 82 cc with the 2 1/16" piston might help narrow down the options.
blackoak
Addicted to ArboristSite
The best I can tell it has a 2" bore. These saws also have a compression release very much like the one the Super EZ's use.
habanero
ArboristSite Guru
The compression release has got to be a good way to narrow down the model choice. I think Acre's site has that information (can't go to that site here at work).
RaisedByWolves
Addicted to ArboristSite
OOH, OOh!
Im hot on the trail!
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Im hot on the trail!
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RaisedByWolves
Addicted to ArboristSite
OK, my books arent complete.
I followed the design lineage up from the XL-700, the first I can find with the crossover oiler design, through the XL-924 where that style oiler ends.
The only one I can find record of that I dont have an IPL for is the XL-875.
Does anyone have an 875 or an 875 IPL?
*edit* Im also missing the XL-870, XL-900-E and XL-900EAM .
Can anyone find these or rule them out?
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I followed the design lineage up from the XL-700, the first I can find with the crossover oiler design, through the XL-924 where that style oiler ends.
The only one I can find record of that I dont have an IPL for is the XL-875.
Does anyone have an 875 or an 875 IPL?
*edit* Im also missing the XL-870, XL-900-E and XL-900EAM .
Can anyone find these or rule them out?
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Last edited:
Edge & Engine
ArboristSite.com Sponsor
RBW, none of the XL-7xx or XL-8xx (I don't have a 875 IPL either though) have that style choke on the left. The XL-850 has the same style lever there, but it's for the oiler. The ONLY models I can find with that style choke are the XL-901, XL-903 & XL-904. But, the compression release eliminates the XL-901, so I believe it's either a 903 or 904. I'm not sure what the differences are between those two...yet.
lesorubcheek
Addicted to ArboristSite
The 903 used points and the 904 used a variation of an electronic ignition. Not the same as in the later saws, but it didn't use points.
Dan
Dan
habanero
ArboristSite Guru
Both the 903 and 904 are 82 cc saws, aren't they? If so, that'd mean the saw in question must have a 2 1/16" bore. It's pretty hard to tell between 2 and 2 1/16 without disassembling the saw, though.
blackoak
Addicted to ArboristSite
I will see the guy I got these saws from tomorrow night, well maybe. We have about 2" of solid ice down now and more is expected. He told me a model number, But he said he wasn't for sure and I don't remember what he said. I would call him, but I don't even know his name. I am thinking the model he said Started with a 9 and had 3 digits.
RaisedByWolves
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yeah, I was going by process of elimination, starting with the first crossover oiler I found and chasing that feature till I found the choke we were looking for.
The IPL for the 901,903 and 904 saw show the choke style we are looking for, but they show a 925 style oiler.
I think Homelite had issues in this era.....The 875 has some weird features if I rember correctly, and I was dissapointed to realize I didnt have the IPL.
The 850, 875 and 904 (904 above serial # 3043434) have the "Capicitor discharge" ignition, aka three piece electronic, this info comes from a serivce sheet found in the binder. The IPL shows two distince ignitions, one points and ine that looks half electronic and half ......something which come on saws below that serial.
habanero
ArboristSite Guru
Yeah, I was going by process of elimination, starting with the first crossover oiler I found and chasing that feature till I found the choke we were looking for.
The IPL for the 901,903 and 904 saw show the choke style we are looking for, but they show a 925 style oiler.
The saw we're looking at here doesn't have the cross-over oiler, though. The last picture Black Oak posted shows the oiler as a vertical oiler (well, the pic shows the button, but I'm assuming it's a vertical oiler because of the type of button) just like the 925 style. This saw has to be a 903 or 904, I think, as it's the only thing that makes sense.
I agree fully with your comment on Homelite having issues during this era. It is almost like they had 3 design teams working independently and every so often they just pulled a design out of a hat and stuck a new number on it.
lesorubcheek
Addicted to ArboristSite
I agree also. The XL-1xx series is almost as confusing, but I think the 7/8/9xx series has it beat. Maybe marketing thought that a "new" model being introduced every few years would boost sales? Maybe it was as simple as the boss had hired 3 of his nephews and all need to put their stamp on a saw?
I wonder if there's any other saw that went through this many variations on the same basic design. Two different bore sizes with normal rings and Dykes (and thin rings on the 925), at least 3 different ignition types, some with decomp some without,2 different manual oiler configurations, 2 different choke configurations, 2 different bar stud sizes, blues and reds, east coast and west coast handles, anti-vibe with and without, one piece and 2 piece gas tanks....I'm sure I've left out plenty other differences, and practically every single combination got its own model number designation! Talk about something hard to understand!
Dan
I wonder if there's any other saw that went through this many variations on the same basic design. Two different bore sizes with normal rings and Dykes (and thin rings on the 925), at least 3 different ignition types, some with decomp some without,2 different manual oiler configurations, 2 different choke configurations, 2 different bar stud sizes, blues and reds, east coast and west coast handles, anti-vibe with and without, one piece and 2 piece gas tanks....I'm sure I've left out plenty other differences, and practically every single combination got its own model number designation! Talk about something hard to understand!
Dan
blackoak
Addicted to ArboristSite
If any of you guys are still wondering about these old Homelites, I talked to the guy I bought them from last Friday and he told me they were 903's. He remembers when they still had the model numbers that were either painted or the stickers that at one time were on these saws, mystery solved.
just digging up this old thread to show how a XL-903 really looks like.
this saw surprised me with its power and revs astonishing fast. Now I know why you folks like these 9XX series !
the 903 has a manual oiler at the rear (right under choke lever) and has a points ignition. this one needed new fuel line, points cleaning and flywheel gap setting. Only the paint quality is rather disappointing..
this saw surprised me with its power and revs astonishing fast. Now I know why you folks like these 9XX series !
the 903 has a manual oiler at the rear (right under choke lever) and has a points ignition. this one needed new fuel line, points cleaning and flywheel gap setting. Only the paint quality is rather disappointing..
