Craftsman 2.0/Poulan 2000 Ignition Troubles

[Ironhand]

So here we go again. Another adopted "free" saw..

Initially, I was able to get it to pop to life with a little fuel in the carb. I replaced the fuel line and rebuilt the carb as both were brittle.

Compression OK, cylinder looks good through the exhaust port.

Now, it is getting fuel, but the spark looks pathetic. I pulled the side cover and found the coil pickup touching the flywheel as the magnet passes. I took a guess and set the gap to 15 thou. Still a weak spark. The saw will occasionally fire and start, but dies. I'm stuck. Could the coil have been damaged but still produce a spark? My experience with coils has been that they either work or they don't.

The coil is NLA, not that I really want to sink much $$ into this little guy, but I would like to get it going. Would a coil from any other saw/trimmer, etc. fit?

 

[67L36Driver]

Make sure the coil is grounded. Check out the wire to the on/off switch.

I have a coil that should work but I think the postage would be more than it's worth.

It has #7257 stamped on it. Solid state, no points.

 

[scottr]

The ignition module core to flywheel magnet air gap should be .008" to .014" .

 

[Ironhand]

So I verified a decent ground and set the proper gap. I'm stumped. The coil is a Phelon but I see no other markings. Any other ideas?

 

[Rookie1]

Coil shouldnt be touching flywheel. If you took it apart and it was touching something is wrong. Did the screws come loose or is the crank bearing bad? I use a business card to set gap.:msp_biggrin:

 

[Ironhand]

It was touching when I took it apart. Looked like someone had been in there before. Seemed to hold the proper gap after I set it. There's no wiggle in the crank at either end, so I think that's ok.

 

[stubnail67]

same here

It was touching when I took it apart. Looked like someone had been in there before. Seemed to hold the proper gap after I set it. There's no wiggle in the crank at either end, so I think that's ok.

i just use a card also!!!

 

[67L36Driver]

Best I can do today for pictures. Raining and overcast outside and the stupid energy saving light bulbs in the kitchen.


View attachment 209734

View attachment 209735

Yours for the postage if you need it.
Carl.

 

[67L36Driver]

If you have a wire coming out from under the flywheel going to the coil, then you have points.

Best to pull the flywheel and clean/gap the points in that case. .015" on almost all of them.

Squeeze the spark plug wire between thumb and forefinger. If it feels mushy the insulation is shot and the spark will jump to ground before the plug.

 

[Ironhand]

That coil looks like the one.

There is a sticker on the unit that says "solid state." and the only wire from the coil runs straight to the kill switch, but with my record lately, maybe I should check.

This afternoon, I checked the compression that I thought "felt" OK. Only 100psi. Forgetting the weak looking spark, maybe the beginning and end of my problems?

 

[Newbee.pgh]

[QUOTE="Rookie1, post: 3305943, member: 23816"
ive been reading various posts for months now looking for answers. More than half the time i was able to figure things out from others wisdom. Im mechanically inclined but these small motors are a different animal. Ive been tring to stick to some of the same make saws looking to see similarities but i keep buying different brands just becausr its a solid model of the make.. You seem to lime the poulans so im asking for advice. I bought a dayton 17in 50+ year old saw pratically brand new. Poulan 361. So when i bought it im convinced old gas killed it. The put full choke on 1 pull and it would have kept running i believe if he would have slid the choke to half quickly. Thats how strong it turned over. After that it never started again. I toom the screws off the top of tge choke( first person to ever do that) and it loomed decent. I tired to force to to run by drowning it with starter fluid after changing tbe gas pf course. Unconventional buti gpt itto run without any good trigger response by running it with one carb screw removed. Basically i wad just able to keep it running. I cant even figure out how to remove the carb for cleaning. Its so clean from observing tge top that it doesnt need rebuilt. I know i seem like a lost cause but id appreciate if ypu could tell me something

 

[yellowhair]

Best I can do today for pictures. Raining and overcast outside and the stupid energy saving light bulbs in the kitchen.


View attachment 209734

View attachment 209735

Yours for the postage if you need it.
Carl.

Carl, Have you still got the ignition coil that you are talking about in this discussion? I've got a Craftsman 2.0 (made by Poulan) solid state and coil is bad. It will run because I had another that ran and I switched coils and this saw is good also. I would gladly pay postage if you still have and it is the solid state model. Here is photo of mine, note the hump where the spade connects for the kill switch. Thanks and let me know , Steve