craftsman primer bulb

[Reggie]

Hello,

I have been cutting up a big old oak with a Craftsman 36 cc, 18" saw for the past week. Today, it started easy and ran good for about 20 minutes. I shut it off to get some gas and adjust the carb, and for some reason, the primer bulb isn't drawing any gas. It is blowing air into the gas tank w/o pulling any gas. The only change I made was to slightly turn the carb mix screws. I'm confused. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers, Reggie

 

[67L36Driver]

Check the hose(s) didn't get dislodged when you tweeked the carb.

 

[Chris-PA]

Let it cool off and see if the primer bulb starts working and if it starts. If so it may be vapor lock.

 

[67L36Driver]

Hmmmm. 36cc & 18"? Full skip 3/8" LP?[emoji848]

Asking a lot from that pup.[emoji15]

 

[Reggie]

Driver,

You are the bop-daddy! The fuel line came loose from the carb. I always have a heck of time getting the tiny line to slide over the nipple on the carb. Achieved it with brute force and some mineral oil this time.....but it's ugly. Any tips? Also, I have another saw just like this one and the kill switch won't work. Any advice about that would be very appreciated.

Cheers again! Reggie

 

[Man of the Woods]

Hello,

I have been cutting up a big old oak with a Craftsman 36 cc, 18" saw for the past week. Today, it started easy and ran good for about 20 minutes. I shut it off to get some gas and adjust the carb, and for some reason, the primer bulb isn't drawing any gas. It is blowing air into the gas tank w/o pulling any gas. The only change I made was to slightly turn the carb mix screws. I'm confused. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers, Reggie

Reggie, I had a similar thing happen last month with my 16" EFCO 132s top handle limbing saw (Italian saw). There was a thunderstorm brewing, so I headed for the barn. While I was there I cleaned up all three saws on my wagon. Before going back out to the woods, I tried to crank the saws. The 2 big ones started immediately but the EFCO just would not fire. I tried some 2-cycle starter fluid and it would run just long enough to burn off the fluid. Guess what it was!!!
The two big saws have the chain oil in front of the head and the gas at the rear. The EFCO has gas in front and oil at the rear. Yep, after a little time of draining, rinsing, wiping and blowing with my air hose, I put the gas in the front and oil in the rear, and it started on the second pull. I felt so stupid. Then I remembered the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom.
Knowledge is what you have learned to do. Wisdom is what you have done to learn. Wisdom is the principle thing.

 

[Efisher26]

2 bolts and the carb comes off, maybe clean the carb and change fuel line, are current Lines hard? Maybe that's why it came off?


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[Canker Mechanic]

My thoughts as well. If the line is rubber over time it degrades and collapses. If it is clear it will break in the one place you can't get to. Seen it many times, last was an impulse line on an 024. Great saw but the line broke and it was kaput. Replaced the line in 10 Mike's and vroom!

 

[Reggie]

Reggie, I had a similar thing happen last month with my 16" EFCO 132s top handle limbing saw (Italian saw). There was a thunderstorm brewing, so I headed for the barn. While I was there I cleaned up all three saws on my wagon. Before going back out to the woods, I tried to crank the saws. The 2 big ones started immediately but the EFCO just would not fire. I tried some 2-cycle starter fluid and it would run just long enough to burn off the fluid. Guess what it was!!!
The two big saws have the chain oil in front of the head and the gas at the rear. The EFCO has gas in front and oil at the rear. Yep, after a little time of draining, rinsing, wiping and blowing with my air hose, I put the gas in the front and oil in the rear, and it started on the second pull. I felt so stupid. Then I remembered the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom.
Knowledge is what you have learned to do. Wisdom is what you have done to learn. Wisdom is the principle thing.

Reminds me of the time I put used cooking oil into my lawn mower. For months I couldn't figure out it why it was smoking so bad. My outcome wasn't as good as yours. I ended up taking that mower to the scrap yard.

 

[Efisher26]

Surprised it was months


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Just a home owner that likes the older better made machines

Craftsman 3.7
Echo 290evl
Husqvarna 36

 

[Reggie]

I have 2 of these Craftsman saws. One is a 36 cc and the other 40 cc. The kill switch somehow stopped working on the 36 cc saw and the first thing I need to ask about that is....how do you shut the saw down if the kill switch doesn't work? 2nd question is.....can a kill switch go bad....and how do you fix it? On both saws, I am having a hard time tuning them so that they don't shut off on slow idle, but don't bog down in the cut at speed. Any advice on both of these counts would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Reggie

 

[Efisher26]

is there 3 adjustment screws? L H I? good idle is a mix of idle screw and carb L. if its hard to dial in, you may have other issues. you may also have to change out the kill switch.

 

[s sidewall]

Is the kill switch and chock lever one on top of the other like a Poulan?

Steve

 

[Efisher26]

What's the model number on them


-•------------------------------------------------------------


Just a home owner that likes the older better made machines

Craftsman 3.7
Echo 290evl
Husqvarna 36

 

[dougand3]

how do you shut the saw down if the kill switch doesn't work?

Full Choke - Saw floods - Stops

can a kill switch go bad....and how do you fix it?

It could go bad. More likely it is wire problem - a connection has come loose. The Kill switch is simple - closes a circuit from coil to engine metal. If you have the little rectangular box switch, replace it. I've used computer power supply switches. If you have the red lever near the choke - check that metal is hitting metal in OFF/STOP position. If metal is hitting metal - one of the wires is loose at a connection or broken.

 

[s sidewall]

Pull cylinder cover off and post a pic of switch. As was said, possible wire off, broken, or not making contact at switch.

Steve