Bought a new Poulan Pro 5020 to see what there about

[Okole]

Happy, happy, happy!

Cut down one 25ft x 14" coconut, bucked it up into one man sized chunks.
Cut off a 40ft branch off a giant Eucalyptus bucked it up.

Does just what it says on the box!
Nice easy cuts through the wet & fibrous coconut.
I did not push it in the coconut, just let the saw go at her own pace.
And quick work of the Eucalyptus.

She started and idled just right every time.
She did stall 2 times coming out of a cut when quickly releasing high throttle. But feathering the throttle at the end of the cut seemed to stop that.
Is that a sign of a problem or an incorrect tune?

Aloha!

 

[CTYank]

Curious what type of gas your using in your saws, non ethanol or E-10. If E-10 do you have a tester and actually check it once in a while? Do you ever drain the saw and run dry after use?

I'm just trying to see if I can trace a pattern with these as I know IndianSprings has been on a rampage about the fuel lines on Poulans.

Myself I have not seen the amount of trouble he has been reporting, yeah I have seen my share of bad line problems (pleanty on other brands also) but nothing consistant yet and not on anything that new yet.


I just worked on 2 Poulans last weekend, a 2003 PP295 that just was to the point of getting ready to have line failure that I know never gets its E-10 gas drained and is used very little and a 2000 1950 Woodshark that didnt need its orginal lines replaced yet.

I myself think that the lines lasting 10 years on the 295 is more then good service.


As for the clutch driven oiler, I suppose that would be nice, but is it really going to be THAT nice? Not nice enough to justify the cost and make a $200 not a $200 saw anymore far as I'm concerned.

I run "reg" E-10, fresh batch at least once/month, stored in sealed container in cool indoor area. Saw gets put away dry. Multiple other OEM Poulan fuel lines cracked apart. NOT this one- it softened at the filter. All the Poulan lines I've had are clear plastic- vinyl? They've all failed. I find it hard to believe that a little corn-likker could attack them more than the much more powerful solvents in gasoling.

The consequences of a bum fuel line would seem to make the added cost of proper materials a no-brainer. Except, of course, to big-box buyer who'll quibble about a nickle.

 

[joecool85]

Happy, happy, happy!
She started and idled just right every time.
She did stall 2 times coming out of a cut when quickly releasing high throttle. But feathering the throttle at the end of the cut seemed to stop that.
Is that a sign of a problem or an incorrect tune?

Aloha!

Sounds like the Low speed jet needs to be richened up just a bit. Shouldn't hurt anything the way it is, but it is really annoying. I'd give it a good tuning on the Low speed and idle screws.

Let us know if you don't know how to do it and we'll walk you through the process.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

Great thread, and thanks to all that have contributed. 29 pages, and nobodys ported one yet?

Sounds like the Poulan engineers did their homework. Budget saw with just enough grunt for general purpose and decent reliability. But with design limitations (aforementioned wee crankshaft) to curtail simple port mods to increase power and embarrass competing cousins.

I'm guessing this sort of competition has Stihl paying attention. It would make a lot of sense for them to acquire or even create a "partner" brand rather than continuing to cheapen their homeowner saws.



Hats off to HuskaPoulaJonsCraftMcTd for spotting an apparent gap in a competitive market and filling it without stepping on their own toes.

As to why they use the cheap fuel line:
1) it means they make .50 more on the bottom line of a gazzilion units annually.
2) After delivering several years of decent performance, they hope (know) many will chuck it to the curb when it won't start, and buy a new one. A.K.A. Programmed Obsolence.

We used to have a Dodge truck plant in my home town. I knew a fella that worked in the paint dept. We were talking about what they wanted out of their paint jobs. I assumed his job was improving quality. He almost laughed. Said, they knew how to make paint last 50 years ago. Owners keep 10 year old (read paid for) trucks that look good still. They want the paint to fall off your truck 30 days after you send in the last payment.

 

[joecool85]

...We used to have a Dodge truck plant in my home town. I knew a fella that worked in the paint dept. We were talking about what they wanted out of their paint jobs. I assumed his job was improving quality. He almost laughed. Said, they knew how to make paint last 50 years ago. Owners keep 10 year old (read paid for) trucks that look good still. They want the paint to fall off your truck 30 days after you send in the last payment.

And that's why the big three have struggled for the last 30 years or so. You can't plan obsolescence as a permanent business model - eventually consumers realize what is going on. The only time it seems to work is electronics (and it shouldn't, but people don't realize how much better things could be).

 

[importjunk]

You can blame the EPA for most of new car paint problems. They can't even get the good stuff anymore.

 

[LegDeLimber]

seems like I recall another thread started on the Poulan port job.
But sounded like some more pressing matters came along.

wondering if anyone here is in a position to look in on them
and see how they're doing.

? maybe tell 'em we missing what they know and would appreciate their input on this little opinion sparker.

 

[Okole]

Sounds like the Low speed jet needs to be richened up just a bit. Shouldn't hurt anything the way it is, but it is really annoying. I'd give it a good tuning on the Low speed and idle screws.

Let us know if you don't know how to do it and we'll walk you through the process.

Thanks! I am not very familiar with tuning and of course there's nothing in the manual...!
I understand a special $20 carb tuning tool is needed? Or can I use a normal screwdriver?
I will have a go this weekend.

Aloha!

 

[LegDeLimber]

Okole- The mix adj screws are an external splined type
and have no slot for a standard screwdriver.
You'll need either the "special" tool or take a female spade lug electrical terminal
sliped onto the end of a a fitting sized , flat screwdriver ,
then, * carefully* , push the plastic part of the wire terminal over the screw head
and then you can *gently* turn/adjust the screws if needed.
Some other ideas include very soft ,small copper tubing
being pushed on the screws or some stiff plastic tubing.


As to the testing and tunning of your saw.
there are some people on here that have posted explanations and some "how to" videos.
Those people and their threds/ vids will far exceed my abilty to type out that part.

i have a bit too much trouble with forgetting to include enough details,
when Im typing vs talking.

 

[joecool85]

Okole- The mix adj screws are an external splined type
and have no slot for a standard screwdriver.
You'll need either the "special" tool or take a female spade lug electrical terminal
sliped onto the end of a a fitting sized , flat screwdriver ,
then, * carefully* , push the plastic part of the wire terminal over the screw head
and then you can *gently* turn/adjust the screws if needed.
Some other ideas include very soft ,small copper tubing
being pushed on the screws or some stiff plastic tubing.


As to the testing and tunning of your saw.
there are some people on here that have posted explanations and some "how to" videos.
Those people and their threds/ vids will far exceed my abilty to type out that part.

i have a bit too much trouble with forgetting to include enough details,
when Im typing vs talking.

You can also use a wooden dowel. Using a piece of 1/4" dowel rod, center drill it with a 9/64" drill bit and then gently tap it on the screws. Then tune as normal.

As far as tuning goes I will only focus on Low speed since that's the issue here. First start and warm up the saw, then turn the Low speed jet counter clockwise until the rpms start to drop. Remember this location. Turn the screw in (clockwise) until the rpms drop (they will raise in between). Remember this location. Now, put it roughly half way between those two spots. That's pretty close to perfect, I like to back it just a tad onto the rich side after that (1/16 of a turn or so normally). The saw should sort of "burble". Adjust the idle speed screw (the largest one) to adjust the idle rpm, make sure the chain isn't rotating at idle.

That should do it.

**EDIT**
Honestly you'll probably end up about 1/8 to 1/4 turn richer (counter clockwise) than it came from the factory. If you are nervous about tuning, just start with that and if it runs good call it a day.

 

[joesmith]

Okole- The mix adj screws are an external splined type
and have no slot for a standard screwdriver.
You'll need either the "special" tool or take a female spade lug electrical terminal
sliped onto the end of a a fitting sized , flat screwdriver ,
then, * carefully* , push the plastic part of the wire terminal over the screw head
and then you can *gently* turn/adjust the screws if needed.
Some other ideas include very soft ,small copper tubing
being pushed on the screws or some stiff plastic tubing.


As to the testing and tunning of your saw.
there are some people on here that have posted explanations and some "how to" videos.
Those people and their threds/ vids will far exceed my abilty to type out that part.

i have a bit too much trouble with forgetting to include enough details,
when Im typing vs talking.

You know you from norf cakalacky when...

 

[cmarti]

seems like I recall another thread started on the Poulan port job.
But sounded like some more pressing matters came along.

wondering if anyone here is in a position to look in on them
and see how they're doing.

? maybe tell 'em we missing what they know and would appreciate their input on this little opinion sparker.

Ugh..... Last year I ground/opened a Poulan 4620 exhaust port horizontally (no intake, squish and timing changes as I am not smart enough), and opened up the muffler to match. In my scientific testing, I can confirm I made it louder!:msp_scared: Ummm, I am not sure what else I accomplished, and I never gave a thought to crank shaft and bearing capabilities:msp_blushing:

It was a factory reconditioned for stumps and dirty cutting. Always tinkering with things that burn gas, just starting to play with saws.
It runs well and sounds meaner......but a sharp chain makes a bigger diff in the cuts than my beer drinking, time killing engineering.

 

[Chris J.]

seems like I recall another thread started on the Poulan port job.
But sounded like some more pressing matters came along.

wondering if anyone here is in a position to look in on them
and see how they're doing.

? maybe tell 'em we missing what they know and would appreciate their input on this little opinion sparker.

I PMd the gent, & he hasn't forgotten about porting the 5020. Sometimes some things take priority over other things.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Finally broke out the yellow special today and shortened a small dry stump for my neighbor.
Probably 12~15 min run time total.

hmm, just going on memory, didn't feel near as snappy on the throttle as my old 2900**.
was feeling a bit migraine type sick, so didn't spend anty time trying to fine tweak the carb.
Muffler is still unmolested too and way more restricted than the 2900.
Seems to oil the chain sufficiently though ( that stock, dog eared depth guide type)

I've come to decide that I really dislike the feel of these spring loaded recoils pulleys
....Screws up my 40 years of ingrained starting habits.....
Probably look to swap out that pulley or jb it into a solid part.
(anyone happen to know what one piece pulley is a swap out or mild fiddle fit for these saws?)

Need to get into what's left of the woodpile and run it a bit, fine twiddle the carb
and get the muffler squared away.

**I've trimmed about a half a spoonful out of the back of the flywheel on the 2900
and recontoured the trigger (jb weld!) so as to get all the slop out of it.

 

[joecool85]

Finally broke out the yellow special today and shortened a small dry stump for my neighbor.
Probably 12~15 min run time total.

hmm, just going on memory, didn't feel near as snappy on the throttle as my old 2900**.
was feeling a bit migraine type sick, so didn't spend anty time trying to fine tweak the carb.
Muffler is still unmolested too and way more restricted than the 2900.
Seems to oil the chain sufficiently though ( that stock, dog eared depth guide type)

I've come to decide that I really dislike the feel of these spring loaded recoils pulleys
....Screws up my 40 years of ingrained starting habits.....
Probably look to swap out that pulley or jb it into a solid part.
(anyone happen to know what one piece pulley is a swap out or mild fiddle fit for these saws?)

Need to get into what's left of the woodpile and run it a bit, fine twiddle the carb
and get the muffler squared away.

**I've trimmed about a half a spoonful out of the back of the flywheel on the 2900
and recontoured the trigger (jb weld!) so as to get all the slop out of it.

I like the idea of swapping in a "normal" starter assembly.

When you say you "trimmed about a half a spoonful out of the back of the flywheel" on your 2900, does that mean you actually lightened the flywheel? If so, did you balance it afterwards somehow? Any noticeable gain in performance?

 

[LegDeLimber]

Joecool- Yeah I dremeled out a small area on the back side of the flywheel.
had an extra one of a parts saw, so got bold an went for it.

IF memory servs me correct, The flywheel has a coulpel of areas behind magnet and counterwt.
I trimmed out an area that resemble a good thumbprnt pressed into some mdeling clay
double cut carbid burr left a pile of fine shavings about half a spoon full sized pile.


had no way to check balance othe than how the saw felt in ya hnds afterwards
And letting it sit on a (noisey) metal table before and after the mod,
to check for any major changes in vibration, while easing up and down thruogh the revs.
Sorry that i don't have a way to compare the weights of the two wheels to give you
an accuarate idea of how much i took out.

EDIT: just rembered, a small (third cc) inslin syring with barely soaped water, To break the suface tension
Will help to compare the dimple sizes

(need to ask around and see if anyone close by , maybe post office can& would way them
in plastic bag or somthing like that )

What it *will cost* you is, the idle will become more "twitchy",
you can tell the wheel is getting close to being too light to carry the engine over
past next compresion stroke and up to the next spark.
You'll need the idle tuned really well and still it will sometimes just not make the rev
and stop, it's not ofetn though and
unless yopu just want a steady iderer, sitting while you move things for next cut
it's not a problem (for me, anyway)
I cut, limb up a area and stop the sawand move brush from old habit,
so that's not a problem for me.

I wouldn't want to do this on a clmbing mans saw though
Would be to much trouble in a tree.

The throttle lever was just a curve that i didn't like beacause it left a sloppy feel
to the throttle cable&trigger.
So I built up (jb weld) the area where the cable lays on it and and did some sanding
and regrouve for the cable till I had a sweep in the contour that gave me the trigger
feel that I liked.

if something is half assed in my atempt to explane, post up a question
and I'll look back when i get in from DRs appt later.
=
May have to break down and see if i can borrow a camera to get some pics up
of some of my poor mans efforts.
Just a little leary of carring for someone elases camera from not knowing how/why i lost mine.

1 more edit: you'll need to allways make a solid commited pull when you carnk it!

 

[3000 FPS]

Joecool- Yeah I dremeled out a small area on the back side of the flywheel.
had an extra one of a parts saw, so got bold an went for it.

IF memory servs me correct, The flywheel has a coulpel of areas behind magnet and counterwt.
I trimmed out an area that resemble a good thumbprnt pressed into some mdeling clay
double cut carbid burr left a pile of fine shavings about half a spoon full sized pile.


had no way to check balance othe than how the saw felt in ya hnds afterwards
And letting it sit on a (noisey) metal table before and after the mod,
to check for any major changes in vibration, while easing up and down thruogh the revs.
Sorry that i don't have a way to compare the weights of the two wheels to give you
an accuarate idea of how much i took out.

EDIT: just rembered, a small (third cc) inslin syring with barely soaped water, To break the suface tension
Will help to compare the dimple sizes

(need to ask around and see if anyone close by , maybe post office can& would way them
in plastic bag or somthing like that )

What it *will cost* you is, the idle will become more "twitchy",
you can tell the wheel is getting close to being too light to carry the engine over
past next compresion stroke and up to the next spark.
You'll need the idle tuned really well and still it will sometimes just not make the rev
and stop, it's not ofetn though and
unless yopu just want a steady iderer, sitting while you move things for next cut
it's not a problem (for me, anyway)
I cut, limb up a area and stop the sawand move brush from old habit,
so that's not a problem for me.

I wouldn't want to do this on a clmbing mans saw though
Would be to much trouble in a tree.

The throttle lever was just a curve that i didn't like beacause it left a sloppy feel
to the throttle cable&trigger.
So I built up (jb weld) the area where the cable lays on it and and did some sanding
and regrouve for the cable till I had a sweep in the contour that gave me the trigger
feel that I liked.

if something is half assed in my atempt to explane, post up a question
and I'll look back when i get in from DRs appt later.
=
May have to break down and see if i can borrow a camera to get some pics up
of some of my poor mans efforts.
Just a little leary of carring for someone elases camera from not knowing how/why i lost mine.

1 more edit: you'll need to allways make a solid commited pull when you carnk it!

I hate to say it but it almost sounds like more trouble than it is worth for a working saw.
Did you get any more RPM's out of it? Does the RPM's stay higher in the cut when using it?
I would imagine the engine would rev quicker but other than that what does it do for it?

I am not being critical, just have never done it or read of anyone doing it except you.

 

[Chris-PA]

I hate to say it but it almost sounds like more trouble than it is worth for a working saw.
Did you get any more RPM's out of it? Does the RPM's stay higher in the cut when using it?
I would imagine the engine would rev quicker but other than that what does it do for it?

I am not being critical, just have never done it or read of anyone doing it except you.

I agree - I also don't really see the benefit. Those flywheels already seem pretty light and with shorter fan fins than say, the Wild Thing flywheel, and my 2775 revs pretty quick. I would actually rather have some flywheel mass.

 

[LegDeLimber]

You guys are are dead on about the lightness of the wheel.
It was to see mainly to see waht it did for the throttle response.

tough to say if it helped the larger cut times,
but made it sweeter for limbing or dicing up anything under about 3 and half inches.

But as mentioned above it's got its price in needing a higher idle speed.
just barely short of dragging the clutch shoes and being pickier about dialing in the carb.

That occasional stall was rare with mine, but I wanted let anyone know about it
before they consider altering a saw, cause as you guys know,
Just a couple more swipes with the burr could easily be too much.

If not for having an extra flywheel to gamble, I probably wouldn't have risked it.

I did this back before learning about websites like this, If I was doing it now
I'd try to weigh it so that I could post some useful details
and maybe not such a half assed sounding example, like I have in this case.

 

[echoshawn]

Stumbled upon this site and thread from good ol' google..:msp_thumbup:
Been looking for an affordable backup saw since my old cs-500vl is about done. Would love another new echo, but not in the budget currently, and the woods is a bad place to get caught without a spare.. Love all that I read on here and decided to join.. I think I might be in the beginning stages of CAD... oops
Love my new 600....
Great site! I can see many wasted hours on here in my future :msp_razz: