245a...to Port or not to Port, that is my question

[Lee Stiltner]

I just bought this old 245a Poulan. I grew up running my father's 5200, so I have a fondness for big Poulans. I was hoping to hear your opinions on if gained performance would be worth the trouble of porting it. Or should I just leave it how it is? Thanks in advance.

 

[hotshot]

Honestly not worth it. I’d leave it be.

That’s a four reed valved saw, the intake is not a port like a piston ported inlet.

The split exhaust has a bridge, so you could only widen it a bit out on each side. I’ve seen the pistons’ face drilled to help lube that bridge & minimize warping. The chrome plating starts peeling off the bridge & then from around the exhaust port if it gets too hot.

Best thing you could do is ditch that junker of a safety chain & keep a full house Oregon 72 series chain on it & then keep it sharp.

Run it in on 32:1 mix, and check to see if the Tillotson carb has the governor. If it’s governed, then tune the high speed screw in the cut.

A saw that old needs to be be pressure tested for air leaks at the crank seals & cylinder base, and then the rotted out body/handle foam gasket needs replaced before it’s ever used for bucking wood.

 

[Lee Stiltner]

Thanks Hot Shot, I appreciate the info.

 

[sunfish]

Very good saw! I started with a 245A in the late 70s'. Put hundreds of hours on it. 70cc in a very small package.

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

If you ported it, you would have to polish it, never use it, then sell it for a loss. Sound about right?

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

Very good saw! I started with a 245A in the late 70s'. Put hundreds of hours on it. 70cc in a very small package.

Actually it's 74cc.

Make sure it passes a vac/pressure test. Replace the gasket between the tank/handle/top piece. New plug (go NGK BPMR7A, gap it at 0.025", Champion plugs suck) Load it up with 32:1, tune it. Run the piss out of it.

Mine has the rev limited carb - I think they all do. It's a rather interesting design/idea. When the carb mechanically senses a certain type of vibration, the rev limiter dumps in fuel to effectively half choke the engine and control the RPM.

Absolutely make sure that you tune the high screw in the cut. Go rich, then turn the high screw in, in 1/8 turn increments, until it 4-strokes into the cut, but cleans up in the cut. The rev limiter on this carb will fool you into thinking it's tuned correctly, but the reality is that it will be too lean unless you tune it in the cut.

 

[James Miller]

Actually it's 74cc.

Make sure it passes a vac/pressure test. Replace the gasket between the tank/handle/top piece. New plug (go NGK BPMR7A, gap it at 0.025", Champion plugs suck) Load it up with 32:1, tune it. Run the piss out of it.

Mine has the rev limited carb - I think they all do. It's a rather interesting design/idea. When the carb mechanically senses a certain type of vibration, the rev limiter dumps in fuel to effectively half choke the engine and control the RPM.

Absolutely make sure that you tune the high screw in the cut. Go rich, then turn the high screw in, in 1/8 turn increments, until it 4-strokes into the cut, but cleans up in the cut. The rev limiter on this carb will fool you into thinking it's tuned correctly, but the reality is that it will be too lean unless you tune it in the cut.

Cant wait to see your saw in some good sized oak later this month. Love the old saw but dont have time to fix the ones I have.

 

[redunshee]

Old trick to bypass the rev limiter is to simply remove screw off plug and insert a small piece of pie plate or similar item in hole and replace plug. Some Tillotsons weren't rev limited. Maybe for the 4200. Forget the carb numbers, But someone on the POulan Stickie would know for sure.

 

[JonCraig]

If it has a big brass flat-head screw in the top near the shaft, that’s the governor.

You might double check the bore size. A 306a jug and slug will drop right on. A true 245a top end and especially piston are hard to find and worth good money. No AM available (at least, they weren’t a couple years back when I was looking.)

No way I would grind on mine. But I do love to bury it in wood. ;-)

 

[67L36Driver]

Governor block off:

Hole puncher divot. Works perfect. [emoji6]

 

[sunfish]

Actually it's 74cc.

I knew it was over 70cc, but didn't remember the exact number. Hell of a saw!

 

[Lee Stiltner]

Put the divot behind that screw?

 

[JonCraig]

Yep. Blocks the governor

 

[Lee Stiltner]

It's screwed all the way out and it seems to have locktite on the threads. You reckon someone bypassed it already?

 

[JonCraig]

I do remember it sitting proud like that. No idea how to tell if someone has already been in there other than to get in there yourself.

Try boiling the carb—the heat should loosen up the loctite. (Or if you’re brave, a couple swipes with a propane torch... off the saw, of course...)

 

[Lee Stiltner]

I hate to do too much to it. It is a beast of a saw when it gets enough of a bite out of the log. But I think I need to take the time to dial it in a little more.

 

[hotshot]

I hate to do too much to it. It is a beast of a saw when it gets enough of a bite out of the log. But I think I need to take the time to dial it in a little more.

Yep!, unless the high speed governor is causing a rich running problem. Those have saved many newbie saw operators (when loaning the saw out to neighbors) from burning up the top ends.

Mine has the rev limited carb - I think they all do.

Nope! The Tilly HS-59 carb has it, the later HS-198 does not.

Now you need to find a good Poulan 5200 series saw, it’s impressive in big wood as you already know.

 

[1Alpha1]

Just put a MAGNUM sticker on it. Works wonders!

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

Yep!, unless the high speed governor is causing a rich running problem. Those have saved many newbie saw operators (when loaning the saw out to neighbors) from burning up the top ends.



Nope! The Tilly HS-59 carb has it, the later HS-198 does not.

Now you need to find a good Poulan 5200 series saw, it’s impressive in big wood as you already know.

Why do you loan your saws to the neighbors? We can discuss your indiscretions in another thread.

Ok then, mine has the HS-59. But, I wasn't wrong... all of them have a rev limit carb (if the carb is the HS-59).

I don't honestly think I'll ever have a need for an 85cc saw. I'll just use the 245 and take a few more minutes to make the cut. Lee, it's all you.

 

[hotshot]

Whatever.

I was talking about the Poulan 245a saw that the OP started this thread with. It could use either one of the carbs.

Regardless, I’m out of this thread.