Poulan weirdness?

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Cricket

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Or is it just me? My Husky is still not running, after fifty bucks worth of fix-it shop, so I'm trying the Poulan (brand new, has run like five minutes then won't). It acts flooded when I follow starting instructions - which include "push primer bulb 10 times"...

Since the bulb is full of gas after two or three pushes - does that seem excessive? Because this having no chain saw running when I've got two that *should* be, is beginning to get annoying. Starting to really miss having a place to work on them...
 
Can you prime the carb directly? Once the saw fires it should start pulling fuel through the system
This question is sort of peripheral - I *can* get it started, though it runs like crap - just wondered if 10 pushes - most after the bulb is well filled - was normal. ((That's why I mentioned "when I follow starting instructions" - I haven't been starting it that way, because it doesn't work). Tends to leave the plug wet - it will start reasonably well after 3 or 4 pushes, but the rest of the problems are still there.

On the plus side, the Husky is running again - after realizing I got it back from the fix-it guy with the low mix screw at a quarter turn out... <face/palm>
 
I have a leaf blower that says 6-8 primer bulb pushes. Could be a homelite or poulan it's rebadged. If I don't prime it that many it's a hard start. My echo stuff I just push bulb till its full of gas. Glad your husky is back and running. Dang I thought the L and H were always 1 1/2 turns out for a starting point on tuning the carb. Maybe try playing with the adjustment screws. If it doesn't run good you have nothing to lose and everything to gain
 
I have a leaf blower that says 6-8 primer bulb pushes. Could be a homelite or poulan it's rebadged. If I don't prime it that many it's a hard start. My echo stuff I just push bulb till its full of gas. Glad your husky is back and running. Dang I thought the L and H were always 1 1/2 turns out for a starting point on tuning the carb. Maybe try playing with the adjustment screws. If it doesn't run good you have nothing to lose and everything to gain
Yeah, I've gone to "one push past the bulb full (which is about 4 on Poulan, unless it was out of gas, then 6).

And at 1 1/2 turns, it started, just a little over it runs reasonably well (this is being done on the tailgate of the truck with a below zero wind chill, so limited finesse). I've always started carb fiddling at 1 1/2 turns out, so yeah, I was a bit bemuse when I went to turn the screw in (figuring I'd start from scratch), and at that 1/4 turn, it was firmly bottomed out.

I can't even figure how it started at all, which makes me think they just flushed it out and never bothered to start it. Which kinda pisses me off. Second time I've gotten a saw back (two different places) with something obvious like that not dealt with.
 
sounds like the poulan has needle/seat issues, primer bulb should be abl to be pumped 100 times and never push fue into the engine. Cheaper saws have under sized carbs with some requiring 4-5 turns out on the needle to get proper fueling. If the needle/seat malfunctions or is set incorrectly it will flood out instantly when primed using the bulb or when started.
 
Yeah, I've gone to "one push past the bulb full (which is about 4 on Poulan, unless it was out of gas, then 6).

And at 1 1/2 turns, it started, just a little over it runs reasonably well (this is being done on the tailgate of the truck with a below zero wind chill, so limited finesse). I've always started carb fiddling at 1 1/2 turns out, so yeah, I was a bit bemuse when I went to turn the screw in (figuring I'd start from scratch), and at that 1/4 turn, it was firmly bottomed out.

I can't even figure how it started at all, which makes me think they just flushed it out and never bothered to start it. Which kinda pisses me off. Second time I've gotten a saw back (two different places) with something obvious like that not dealt with.
So is the poulan running decently now? Yea I feel ya on the windchill. Here in Michigan it's about 15° and 20-30mph winds. Nothing is fun in the wind. It's my arch nemesis to say the least.
 
sounds like the poulan has needle/seat issues, primer bulb should be abl to be pumped 100 times and never push fue into the engine. Cheaper saws have under sized carbs with some requiring 4-5 turns out on the needle to get proper fueling. If the needle/seat malfunctions or is set incorrectly it will flood out instantly when primed using the bulb or when started.
That sounds about right for what it does - it will start with less priming, but still floods out, no power, feels way too rich, plug usually good and wet when it comes out. This is after approximately fifteen minutes total of (sort of) running in its whole life.

If I can get people to stop having emergencies I have to deal with, I may just say screw it and replace the carb. Or if they really piss me off, maybe I'll take it to the fix-it place... <BEG>
 
What model is your Poulan? --- I run several of them plastics and dont have the problems you are describing! --- your carb inlet needle could be set wrong causing flooding. "New" saw dont mean a "usable" saw without some work on it,---sometimes major from what I went thru on a couple of other color saws! ---check your carb. that could be your problem. It could also be factory defect carb. to start with.
 
sounds like the poulan has needle/seat issues, primer bulb should be abl to be pumped 100 times and never push fue into the engine. Cheaper saws have under sized carbs with some requiring 4-5 turns out on the needle to get proper fueling. If the needle/seat malfunctions or is set incorrectly it will flood out instantly when primed using the bulb or when started.
Ah - that might explain the weird mix settings. Not that this one ran well/at all with the four turns out - but that might have been what whoever set it up was thinking of...
 
If the poulan is new why not return it?
It was gifted to three other people before me - we don't even know (beyond we think Home Depot, but not sure) where it originally came from. And I can pretty much vouch for the fact that none of these people touched anything technical. Believe me, if I'd bought it - or even had a receipt - it would be going back where it came from.

In the middle of the summer, long days and a warm tailgate to work on, I'd just be amused. A foot of snow, high winds, short days, and single digit temps - I was not amused.
 
What model is your Poulan? --- I run several of them plastics and dont have the problems you are describing! --- your carb inlet needle could be set wrong causing flooding. "New" saw dont mean a "usable" saw without some work on it,---sometimes major from what I went thru on a couple of other color saws! ---check your carb. that could be your problem. It could also be factory defect carb. to start with.
4218

We *think* it came from Home Depot originally - I don't know if someone there thought they were setting it up, or what - but while I don't expect a saw to be tuned out of the box, it ought to at least run. My Stihl did, my Husky, even my crappy Craftsman.

Also it's awkwardly balanced (not as bad as the Craftsman, but bad enough) and weighs a ton. But... did I mention free? ;)

I think it's getting put up 'til spring, when I can work on it, before I fix it with C-4 (my late mate's advocated solution to really recalcitrant machinery). On a breezy summer day it would just be amusingly bad. (Because - free... ;) )
 
So is the poulan running decently now? Yea I feel ya on the windchill. Here in Michigan it's about 15° and 20-30mph winds. Nothing is fun in the wind. It's my arch nemesis to say the least.
Got the Husky back and got it running - so said screw the Poulan 'til spring.

I'm in Allegan county - we got wind chill and lake effect to boot. I've got a four foot high (on its side) stump I've been whittling away at occasionally (in better weather) in the yard, that is practically drifted over. But it's gorgeous out today here, other than cold and a little too breezy.
 
by needle and seat I mean the metering leaver and seat, i have seen more than a couple set too high or low and even the wrong diaphragm. I had one a month ago that the diaphragm would not even open the needle. It was the 45cc? homolight version of poulan/husqvarna. Brand new it never ran or was a pta to start was the story. The fuel pump diaphragm was the fiber style, when they have those or the hard plastic version they seem to need 4-5 turns out to run but require a pile of cuts and adjustments to make it fuel properly for full power. If a byutal pump is used two turns out or less seem to be all thats needed on the h&l needles to achieve sufficent fueling. Its sad the chinese aftermarket carbs work better than the chinese zamas that come on these models of home owner saws.
 
Thought poulan means.... poulan on it 100x and the thing still doesn't start. Atleast thats how the 1 or 2 I have come across are. But those green counter vibes from awhile back seem like they were good saws and guys collect/use the heck out of them.
 
Or is it just me? My Husky is still not running, after fifty bucks worth of fix-it shop, so I'm trying the Poulan (brand new, has run like five minutes then won't). It acts flooded when I follow starting instructions - which include "push primer bulb 10 times"...

Since the bulb is full of gas after two or three pushes - does that seem excessive? Because this having no chain saw running when I've got two that *should* be, is beginning to get annoying. Starting to really miss having a place to work on them...
PROCEDURE TIP: So STOP priming 1-2 pumps past full bulb, and if suspicious of flooding, goto WOT and crank until it kicks or starts? I did finally determine I had to leave hearing protection off one ear until after start, or I missed the burp and then flooded; but even flooding, wud fire fast after WOT. MANY do not realize that they need to pull choke OUT and then push BACK in with a warm engine in ORDER TO COCK THE FAST IDLE. ANY SAW should burp in 3-pulls, or stop and recheck all controls? Really a pissier to pull x10 + realize set to STOP?
to STOP< LOL
 
I have 6 of the 4218's and they MUST be worked on right out of the box before you can use them! I went over mine to make sure the ignition modules were set right, (3 were hitting the flywheel) 1 was loose and 1 was tight but set too wide! only 1 out of the 6 would attempt to run! I ended up with taking the carbs apart and resetting everything. the load and idle screws all had to be reset too.
After all the work all 6 saws run and I use them cutting some fairly big stuff down. I fill all of them with gas and oil,-- run 1 til it runs dry, set it on the truck to cool and grab the next one in line and go again. By the time I empty them I am pooped and ready to quit anyway! lol!
Anyway they are a good saw but short lifespan motors in them. 1 lost all compression and wont even try to start, so it is under the table for now. -- I want to take it apart and see whats wrong with it just for the hell of it!
The old green poulans are a better saw,--I have a couple of them too that I use a little.
 
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