craftsman worth fixing? should i polish the turd?

[jtracy1223]

So I picked up a craftsman (42cc/18") "special edition" saw off criags list last week for $25. The guy said that the sting broke on the starter and he just bought a new saw. Siad it ran fine last time he used it (heard that before) but the saw looked like it was in good shape very clean and it had a brand new chain new in the pack and a sharp chain on it so I figgered at $25 what the heck. I pulled the whole saw apart. Half the reason I got the saw was to learn to work on em without tearing into my $400 sthil for no reason. Dumped old gas and "bar oil" looked kinda scarry. May have been unmixed gas and 10w30 for bar oil. Not sure the gas didn't have that mixed gas color and the bar oild was nasty black. Put a new pull string on the and new gas and tired to fire it up..... Nothing not even a pop. So I tore into it. Pulled the carb. It was very clean but I cleaned it anyway. Pulled the bar cleaned up all the old gunk and bar oil. Pulled the ignition module and clean everything around the fly wheel area. Re installed and re gaped everything. Pulled the cylinder off. Piston was scrached up on the muffler side. I don't know much about it so I'm not sure if it was badly scrachehe the top of the piston was very scorched and carbed up so was the top of the cylinder. Cylinder walls didn't look bad but like I said I don't know much so I could be wrong. I put everything all back together and tied her again. Nope. Nothing. Got a presser tester from auto zone and. hooked it up and gave it a few pulls and got nothing. No reading at all. Thought the tester was broke so I hooked it up to the ol homelite super ez auto I had sitting by me. Few pulls and I was at 145psi. The 30 plus year old saw is pushin 145 and the craftsman had nothing. Could the piston be so bad to give no reading or maybe when I put the cylinder back toether the seal didn't seal? Not sure at this point if this turd is worth polishing? Should I buy a new piston and clean the cylinder? What would all you guys with much more experiance do? I don't wanna put a butt load of money in a junker that isn't worth it but I would like to say I fixed it and the time I spent already was for something. So do I polish the turd or use it as a door stop for my tool shed?

 

[Steve NW WI]

I'm pretty sure the saw you're talking about is a Craftsman badged Wild Thing. It's never going to be worth a lot even in tip top shape, but if you want to give fixing saws a shot, it's a good saw to start with, and if you check around a little (including the swap meet thread in the stickies, a good used piston/cylinder should be pretty easy to find reasonably cheap.

 

[jtracy1223]

Thanks for the quick reply. Ya from what I haved been told this saw is a poulan 2375 wild hing with craftsman slaped on it. It may or may not have a craftsman mod# of 358.360171 (or not?) I really can't say for sure and this saw has no mod# I can find. Even though all the stickers seem to be still in good shape so I'm not sure where they would have hid it. Do all he 358 42cc saws use the same piston/cylinder set up? Guess I just don't wanna pay for the wrong part. I don't really care what the saw is worth after I fix it as long as I don't get stuck pouring $ I nto it when it isn't worth much in working order. Anyone got any advice about a saw that don't push any psi on compression tester? Will tare it back aprart and try to take pics of piston and such. Thanks yall

 

[jtracy1223]

View attachment 297796 here she is

 

[DSS]

If its got nothing on the gauge, you have a massive air leak. Did you put new sealer on the clamshell halves when you put it back together?

 

[Rookie1]

Id fix it. As said already you probably wont get your money back out of it but thats not why I usually do it. The saw looks really nice plus its a limited edition! You have no choice but to fix it. Ive got a couple of Poulans in my collection and like them. The only thing I dont like is the oil pump runs off the crankshaft so as soon as the saw starts its pumping. Keep us posted.

 

[LegDeLimber]

to put it in a bit oversimplified terms:
Lack of compression is from trouble with piston, ring(s) and cylinder
conditions.

air leaks anywhere at all, will be more evident in not drawing fuel right
and tuning issues.
and of course the leaks will lead to piston and cyl damage.

 

[dswensen]

My answer to "should I rebuild it?" - it depends. It sounds like you aren't interested in "making money" on the saw, but rather, it's a hobby project that you don't want to spend "too much" money on.

I had the exact same situation with a Poluan that was given to me recently. It was in good shape, but had a fried piston and cylinder in it. $65 later for new piston, ring, and cylinder and it runs better than new.

Was it worth it? Financially, no - it might be worth the $65 I put in it as it has a good bar and chain.

Was it worth it? For entertainment, yes - I did it because I wanted to and it was a fun project.

If you want to do it for the experience - by all means, do it.

 

[cmarti]

It's worthless, but fix it. A ring, a tube of moto seal, 6 pack of beer, and time playing with it. Wire wheel the piston or spend 15$ more dollars for a new one, wet sand the cylinder, another 6 pack. Once it's running you drill out the muffler and grind the exhaust port, and make a beer run.........On the other hand if you have something of value to do with you free time, throw it away. :dunno:

Seriously, it is how I learned. I saved hulks and project Craftsman/Poulan neighbors brought to me, and it gave me something to do on boring winter nights.

 

[half_full]

I have about $100 into a similar saw. Long story...
It was certainly a learning experience. It was rewarding to finally have it together.

Post pics of the piston/cyl. It's hard to believe it looks slightly scored and has zero compression

 

[jtracy1223]

Thanks for all the imput guys. When I get a lil time I will get those pics of the piston/cylinder up. No I didn't re seal the clam shell. Could that be the reason for no presser. Being that the seal is at the bottom below the carb and muffler I would think you would not get any presser tell the piston got past those openings? What about valves? Does this thing have reed valves or any valves can't say I saw any I I was pulling it apart but maybe I just didn't know what I was looking at/for? Sorry for the stupid questions but I am trying to learn as I go thaink I will keep her and see what I can do with her.

 

[71dart]

Are the piston rings (or ring) free in their grooves? They sometimes get smeared with aluminum on the exhaust side and get stuck in their grove and won't seal.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Compression is largely created in the lower region of the piston skirt & ring and on up to the spark plug.
Check for any things like stripped or lose plug hole threads.
just to save some doubt and a bit of sanity, Double check the gauge again
like you did with other saw.
a strong visual check of the gauge could reveal debris in it or manufacturing issues.


..and For what my opinion matters, I'm all for the learning experience aspect of any saw
if a person can get the parts and tools without depriving something else
that is more important
in their own life.

keep the questions coming and shoot pics till ya got good clear ones.
'cause it's a good refresher course for someone like *me*,
who's been out of the shop for way too many years now.
and hopefully some of the folks still in trenches will keep things on course here.

happy wrenching and learnin'

 

[a. palmer jr.]

When I get a saw like that I generally try to find a parts saw rather than buying $50 to $100 new parts for a saw worth approximately $25 to $35 running. Parts saws are plentiful for these and most just need fuel lines. I would find one of these and place the engine into your saw. Parts saws for these generally run from free to $10.

 

[dswensen]

When I get a saw like that I generally try to find a parts saw rather than buying $50 to $100 new parts for a saw worth approximately $25 to $35 running. Parts saws are plentiful for these and most just need fuel lines. I would find one of these and place the engine into your saw. Parts saws for these generally run from free to $10.

HA!

UNLESS you are a higher level of crazy, like me.

I buy a parts saw - it sits around for a week or so - then it starts bugging me that it doens't run - I start tinkering - before you know it, I'm buying parts for the parts saw so that I can get it running.

After you get a parts saw running, you wouldn't DREAM of stripping it for PARTS (sheesh)!

Currently, I have over 20 saws - they all run. Half of those could have/should have remained "parts saws".

 

[deye223]

So I picked up a craftsman (42cc/18") "special edition" saw off criags list last week for $25. The guy said that the sting broke on the starter and he just bought a new saw. Siad it ran fine last time he used it (heard that before) but the saw looked like it was in good shape very clean and it had a brand new chain new in the pack and a sharp chain on it so I figgered at $25 what the heck. I pulled the whole saw apart. Half the reason I got the saw was to learn to work on em without tearing into my $400 sthil for no reason. Dumped old gas and "bar oil" looked kinda scarry. May have been unmixed gas and 10w30 for bar oil. Not sure the gas didn't have that mixed gas color and the bar oild was nasty black. Put a new pull string on the and new gas and tired to fire it up..... Nothing not even a pop. So I tore into it. Pulled the carb. It was very clean but I cleaned it anyway. Pulled the bar cleaned up all the old gunk and bar oil. Pulled the ignition module and clean everything around the fly wheel area. Re installed and re gaped everything. Pulled the cylinder off. Piston was scrached up on the muffler side. I don't know much about it so I'm not sure if it was badly scrachehe the top of the piston was very scorched and carbed up so was the top of the cylinder. Cylinder walls didn't look bad but like I said I don't know much so I could be wrong. I put everything all back together and tied her again. Nope. Nothing. Got a presser tester from auto zone and. hooked it up and gave it a few pulls and got nothing. No reading at all. Thought the tester was broke so I hooked it up to the ol homelite super ez auto I had sitting by me. Few pulls and I was at 145psi. The 30 plus year old saw is pushin 145 and the craftsman had nothing. Could the piston be so bad to give no reading or maybe when I put the cylinder back toether the seal didn't seal? Not sure at this point if this turd is worth polishing? Should I buy a new piston and clean the cylinder? What would all you guys with much more experiance do? I don't wanna put a butt load of money in a junker that isn't worth it but I would like to say I fixed it and the time I spent already was for something. So do I polish the turd or use it as a door stop for my tool shed?

no you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter and make it look good :big_smile:

 

[a. palmer jr.]

HA!

UNLESS you are a higher level of crazy, like me.

I buy a parts saw - it sits around for a week or so - then it starts bugging me that it doens't run - I start tinkering - before you know it, I'm buying parts for the parts saw so that I can get it running.

After you get a parts saw running, you wouldn't DREAM of stripping it for PARTS (sheesh)!

Currently, I have over 20 saws - they all run. Half of those could have/should have remained "parts saws".

I hear you. All of mine are running except about 4 parts saws that are too gone to fix up.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I have a Wild Thing and a Poulan saw just about like it that I enjoy running. They're kinda fun for cutting up limbs and smaller trees. As long as you use it as it was intended they're okay..

 

[jtracy1223]

Here are some shots of the piston and cylinder. After a good cleaning the cylinder wall looks worse than I thought as well. I'm still not sure how bad it is as I have nothing to compare it too but new piston and cylinder are not in the budget for this saw. Maybe I can find someone who has a donor saw aView attachment 297993View attachment 297994View attachment 297995View attachment 297996nd wants to help a new guy out? Or maybe she will just be a donor saw? Not sure yet. Let's get some oppinions. Thanks guys.

 

[DSS]

Yeah that's farked.