Carb question ZAMA

[dswensen]

OK, it's a Poulan 4018, but that shouldn't matter. ZAMA carb.

The situation is this. Carb assembled correctly. Saw runs great after I installed a new cylinder and piston (I know, Poulan, but it was a hobby project and the saw was free to me). Saw idles well and revs well. Metering lever set properly. H and L screw adjusted between 1 to 1-1/2 turns out.

Typical cold start up procedure is leave it at "run" and pull about 5-7 times till it pops, then set it at "high idle" and pull a few more times till it starts. If I try to start it from cold with the choke, it immediately floods out. I mean "pull the plug and pour the gas out of the cylinder" kind of flooded.

Warm start-up is "high idle" setting and one pull OR two pulls on "run" setting - all normal.

Again, it runs GREAT after I get it started.

This is not really a HUGE problem, but with my other saws being "normal", I'll never remember the starting procedure for this one - I'll put the choke on and flood it out. Besides, mysteries regarding chain saws annoy the HELL out of me till I figure them out.

I would suspect the normal flooding carb problems if the saw didn't RUN so well after the funky start-up procedure.

What's wrong here?

 

[machinisttx]

No clue, but curious since I have a couple with the zama W-26 on them. The 4018 I have has a walbro WTA-30 on it.

 

[dswensen]

No clue, but curious since I have a couple with the zama W-26 on them. The 4018 I have has a walbro WTA-30 on it.

I did get it used - I wonder if it has the wrong carb on it??

It's marked W26B 63A

EDIT: Doing more research, it seems the W26 is the right series. Maybe the version "B" is wrong? 63A?

 

[machinisttx]

I think(not positive though), that the letter designation means an update or engineering change to the carb. What year was the saw made? I can check the two saws I have and see what markings are on the carbs.

 

[dswensen]

I think(not positive though), that the letter designation means an update or engineering change to the carb. What year was the saw made? I can check the two saws I have and see what markings are on the carbs.

Looks like the plastics have makings putting maufacture at 2006??

 

[FergusonTO35]

Check how your primer bulb is hooked up. If its hooked up so that its pushing gas into the fuel inlet rather than drawing it through the outlet you will flood just by pressing the primer bulb.

 

[Zippy]

I don't know about the Poulan but sometimes it's very easy to miss the pop when pulling with the choke on. If you do and keep pulling you'll flood out.

Maybe try just 1 - 2 pulls with the choke on and then the rest in high idle whether you heard the pop or not?

You could try pressure testing the carb to make sure the metering needle valve isn't leaking. Put about 7psi onto the fuel inlet pipe and it should hold ok.

 

[ckelp]

Also, the metering lever maybe set a touch too high

 

[machinisttx]

Looks like the plastics have makings putting maufacture at 2006??

The 2006 poulan 3314 I have has a W26B on it. The 2008 Sears/poulan wild thing with AV, I have has a W26C on it. From looking at the specs on the Zama site, they are the same carb. All the same part numbers and the same 8mm venturi size.

 

[dswensen]

Check how your primer bulb is hooked up. If its hooked up so that its pushing gas into the fuel inlet rather than drawing it through the outlet you will flood just by pressing the primer bulb.

I'll check. Thanks

I don't know about the Poulan but sometimes it's very easy to miss the pop when pulling with the choke on. If you do and keep pulling you'll flood out.

Maybe try just 1 - 2 pulls with the choke on and then the rest in high idle whether you heard the pop or not?

You could try pressure testing the carb to make sure the metering needle valve isn't leaking. Put about 7psi onto the fuel inlet pipe and it should hold ok.

Might be. I'll try what you suggest. Thanks

Also, the metering lever maybe set a touch too high

I need a "Z" gauge to go with my "W" gauge. I set it with a feeler gauge, but we know how difficult that is.

 

[dswensen]

The 2006 poulan 3314 I have has a W26B on it. The 2008 Sears/poulan wild thing with AV, I have has a W26C on it. From looking at the specs on the Zama site, they are the same carb. All the same part numbers and the same 8mm venturi size.

Thanks for looking. I now know that I have the right carb.

 

[mountainlake]

If set rich on the low it will flood easy, try turning the low in until it hesitates when you pull the trigger then out just far enough so it accelerates good . Steve

 

[Zippy]

I need a "Z" gauge to go with my "W" gauge. I set it with a feeler gauge, but we know how difficult that is.

I normally find the metering lever height should either be level with the the carb body (ie straight edge across carb) or IF there's a raised ridge around the lever that's lower than the carb body - level with that. Before I had the gauges I used the end of a 6" steel rule as a straight edge across the ridges.

I'm not in the trade so haven't done hundreds/thousands of carbs but all the ones I've come across were like that. Worth trying until you get the gauge.

 

[FergusonTO35]

FYI, if everything else checks out good you can get a new carb for this saw for $23.00 from Partstree or Ereplacementparts.

 

[machinisttx]

FYI, if everything else checks out good you can get a new carb for this saw for $23.00 from Partstree or Ereplacementparts.

Walbro or Zama? If he wants to try another Zama W26, the 3314 I mentioned earlier has a wrecked P/C and he can have the carb for shipping.

 

[TermiteBuffet]

Is that Zama one of the ones that can have two different metering levers , and therefore have two different heights depending on which lever is on it? I ran into that awhile back, saw the data on Zama's site. Termite

 

[machinisttx]

Can you post a link? I'm not finding it anywhere on the site.

 

[TermiteBuffet]

Let me see what I can do , if I remember right one arm had a factory bend in it and needed to be set from the side of the body , the other arm looked like normal and had to be set from the flat surface beside the lever , if that makes sense ,,, I'll try to look up the carb number but it was larger , on a 346xp. Termite