Homelite C5

[mjbilbo]

I have a Homelite C5. The big blue monster. Loaned it to a friend that had a difficult time starting it and so he took it upon himself to adjust the carb jets.
It didn't work. I have it back and I can not get it started now. Any suggestions as to where to start?

Thanks in advance

Mike

 

[GPH85]

Basic Carb Jet Settings are 3/4 turn out on LO and 1 turn out on HI "for these saws". HOWEVER if no one could get it started, check and see if you have any fire to the plug first. If no fire first verify you kill switch isn't cut off, then after verifying this remove your flywheel air shroud and unplug your kill switch, tape up or cover the wire terminal to the switch, then once again check for spark. Still no spark, remove your flywheel and check your points setting. More than likely they'll be OK, but still need checking. If indeed OK ohm out your coil. Should be right around 8.00 k ohms from end of plug wire to the wire terminal on you ignition housing "item that your coil, points and condensor are all built onto". IF OFL or open, pull on the plug wire where it goes into the coil--If original it will more than likely pull right out--IF it does recheck the resistance of the coil "no point in redoing a plug wire if the coil is bad" and if checks out good now, redo your plug wire. ALSO of course do all of your usual visual checks on the wiring on the ignition assembly.

If no spark and everything above checks out good, your going to need a new condenser. IN any case just send me a pm and I can obtain just about any NOS part "ignition wise" that you may need for these saws. Infact I can send you a whole new ignition assembly (coil, points, condenser, plug wire, plug terminal, plug boot all already attached to the housing), but it won't be that cheap... I can also get you the individual parts, but they aren't that easily found.

NOW if you have a no fuel issue, check your fuel line to carb for cracks around your fittings or nipples where the line attaches "more than likely will have a gash somewhere". If this is OK, make sure you filter in the tank isn't stopped up "more than likely isn't, but still worth checking", then pull your carb for rebuild and check your reed to makesure it isn't stuck open from wood chips or something of this nature...

FINALLY... I know you may not like this, but these saws and any other saw I guess, get extremely touchy if the crank bearings are going bad. I am putting new bearings in both my C9 and Modified saw at the moment for "like reasons" (blasted cheap 2 cycle oil - never using that stuff anymore). BUT usually you can get the saw running on full throttle with the bad bearings, it just won't accelerate or idle

Hope this wasn't too long or confusing "I know I don't exactly explain things that well after all"... Let me know if you need any more help.

Greg

 

[GPH85]

OH almost forgot... WELCOME TO THE FORUM


AND hopefully if I didn't help you any, there are definately other people on here who can. They've helped me more than plenty of times I think we all know that...

 

[mjbilbo]

Hi Greg;
Thanks for the suggestions. I adjusted the mixture screws per your suggestion. The saw started and ran for about 2 seconds then quit. I repeated this for a dozen times or so with the same results. ???

Mike

 

[habanero]

Sounds like it is still a bit cold-blooded. I'd go another 1/8 turn out on the lo jet and try again. If still acting like that, it might need another 1/8 turn.

Did you follow Greg's suggestions on checking the fuel supply lines, filter, fittings, etc.? Also like he said, it could be getting time for a carb rebuild. They'll act this way when the diaphragm is getting hard and not pumping fuel well.

 

[mjbilbo]

I will try these things to see how it works out. Won't be able to get to this until the last weekend of the month.

What length bar will this saw turn OK. I have a 20" on it now but would like a longer one to cut larger cottonwood trees we have in this area.

 

[GPH85]

More than likely, like habanero said, it's time for some carb diaphrams.

Like instances or problems also happen when someone cleans the old diaphrams with carb clean which coats and stiffens the diaphrams. Cranks and will run on a slight partial choke, but nothing else... Sound anything like what yours may be doing?

Still could be your fuel lines cracked and busted... ANY 3/16 fuel line from any auto parts store should work. It's a good thick rubber meant to be used with gasoline, plus it fills out the hole that the fuel line passes through going from the tank to the carb the best "helps keep trash out".

Carb kits are still fairly easily obtainable for these saws. Kit number is RK-88-HL and will run right in the neighborhood of $15 - $20 from your local small engine shop. This is the "major" rebuild kit. I don't know if the regular diaphram kit is still available or not, but still see them for around $7 on ebay quite a bit.

Also other items still available for these saws are the piston rings from jackssmallengines.com (#55038 for C5, C5G, C51, C51G, C52, C7, C7G, C71, C71G and C72, then #55537 for the C9, C9G, C91 and C91G). All of your crankshaft bearings "other than connecting rod needles" are available through MotionIndustries.com (flywheel side ball bearing #6203ZZNR "will need to remove one of the covers on the bearing - it's a completely sealed bearing and only needs to be half sealed" and #B-1210 needle bearing for the clutch side). You can also get the ball bearing "a little better quality" from Napa, but cost $10 more #6203-2ZNRJ and it will also need one of the sealed sides removed. Crank seals on the other hand aren't that common, atleast the flywheel side, because you have to use NOS #58308-A, BUT the clutch side for the C5, C7, C9 is still easily available from MotionIndustries or Napa #7414.

If you don't mind paying $150 you can have your cylinder rechromed through usnicom.com...

Other seals are still obtainable as NOS through ebay occasionally, but I just make my own from templates I've made of all of the seals on the C-Series saws. For the gasket material I use felpro's rubberized gasket material... I find it seals better than the regular paper junk, plus it's not too thick like some of the materials out there.

Also if you don't know of it yet, a great saw specs website is www.acresinternet.com/cscc.nsf ---

Hope this is all of more assistance.
Greg

 

[mjbilbo]

this all definately helps keep the old equipment going. All the feedback is really appreciated.
Is the stock muffler on these C5's small and VERY LOUD? This one when running will rattle your eardrums out, even with earmuffs on.

Mike

 

[GPH85]

The stock "mufflers" on these saws are nothing more than velocity stacks...

There were optional, actual mufflers, availabe for these saws, but as stated, they were optional... The C9 in my avatar has this optional muffler...

Here's a better pic of the C9...



Here's probably what your saw has... This is a true C5G shown. It's a saw that belongs to another collector. Wish it belonged to me, but you know how it is

 

[kkesler]

What length bar will this saw turn OK. I have a 20" on it now but would like a longer one to cut larger cottonwood trees we have in this area.

I too have a C5, and would like to get a longer bar for it. Any ideas? I looked once before with no success.

I am copying the rest of this post to a Word file and saving it, as it has some really good info on these old saws. Thanks!

 

[Korn]

My C-52 has a 28" bar on it with Stihl rs, seems to run it fine. Very loud saw.

 

[ray benson]

I too have a C5, and would like to get a longer bar for it. Any ideas? I looked once before with no success.

I am copying the rest of this post to a Word file and saving it, as it has some really good info on these old saws. Thanks!

Here is the bar mount pattern. Try posting on the Tradin Post or keep an eye out on ebay.
http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.nsf/BMP/16?OpenDocument

 

[Uncle FooFoo]

One of the first saws that I bought is a C5.I bought this saw in the fall after graduating from high school.It was sold with a McCulloch 10-10.The 10-10 didn't last a year.The Homelite had a 3/8 pitch chain on it and boy would that cut.I had to have a diffrent clutch put on it and it was changed over to .404 pitch.It still cut good but not as fast.I was told when I once that this saw would wear me out before I wore it out.This saw has cut a good share of wood in the last twenty-one years.I don't use it at the moment because it needs a clutch.I guess I'm rambling so I'll stop. Regards Uncle FooFoo

 

[GPH85]

For Bars.... As long as you don't mind switching your bar adjuster out for a XL-12's adjuster or just making one to fit, the XL-12's bar will fit these saws fine. IN FACT I've got a 30", a 36" and a 44" bar that I use on my C7 "30inch", C9 "44inch" and C91 "36 inch". My avatar is shown with the 36" bar, but I now use the 44" bar on the C9 with the gear drive and the 36" bar on my C91 in direct drive configuration...

Here is a pic showing the minor differences in the original hard nose bar mount pattern to the XL-12's mount pattern... As you can tell, they aren't that different. The original bar is the lower "bigger" or rather "wider" looking bar.



Now as for sizes... That all depends on chain, roller nose or hard nose and sprocket teeth count. I highly recommend sticking with a high torque, low teeth count sprocket and using a roller nose style bar. With this configuration, you should be able to handle, easily, in the up to 24" actual cutting length range and will more than likely require holding back a little, up to a 30" long bar. You can choose between the 3/8 pitch or the .404 pitch chain and whether or not it's skip or not type of chain. If you don't know the differences in these, you should be able to do a search on this site and find out the info or go to Bailey's site and "hopefully" see pics of the differences...

Greg

 

[kkesler]

Thanks for more good info, and that bit about the XL-12 bar is EXACTLY what I have been looking for. Already set up for 3/8" chain, and I was thinking 24"-28".

Something like this?
http://store.baileys-online.com/cgi-bin/baileys/740?mv_session_id=Ndkk6kWF&product_sku=ORPM 28 HO50

Then it's just a matter of rounding up the adjuster off a XL-12?

 

[omegajim]

At the risk of sounding silly, isn't it possible the saw at the factory standard setting could be a bit rich in Colorado? Everywhere in Colorado is at least 4,000 feet and Virgina (or Wisconsin even) is much closer to sea level (Okay, Wisconsin is around 900 - 1000 feet).

thinner air, less oxygen, which requires less fuel. Unless the saw ran with factory settings originally. Which would seem a bit odd.

 

[GPH85]

I did forget to also mention that when switching over to these thinner bars you will need to trim your bar spacer's edges down to match the shape of the bar. This is so the chain doesn't rub it any...

As for the Oregon bar. I don't think I have heard too many good things about the newer oregon bars. You may have to do a search on them to find out just how good they hold up.

The only real difference in the adjusters is that the pin is off set slightly on the XL-12's allowing the bar holes to match up with the stock adjuster location on these saws. It's not that hard to make one if you've got a nut and a welder. That is if you can't find the adjuster...


How is the saw tuning coming?
Greg

 

[mjbilbo]

just got back into town. Looked at the responses and they are very helpful. On carb adjustments, I am at 6,600 ft so this may make a difference.
Greg, I am thinking that a 24" bar would be a reasonable length to put on this saw? Have to look to see if it is a 3/8 or a .404 pitch chain. As far as how loud this baby is, I might as well wear double ear protection and live with it. I tried stuffing steel wool in the muffler to baffle it some. BIG MISTAKE. Damn stuff caught on fire and darn near burned up a good saw.
Think I heard someone say onetime, " You can fix your looks but you can't fix stupid"

 

[kkesler]

Damn stuff caught on fire and darn near burned up a good saw.
Think I heard someone say onetime, " You can fix your looks but you can't fix stupid"

Sorry, but that made me laugh. Reminds me of a mistake I made with starting fluid and a Harley which ended up with my pants leg on fire.

 

[habanero]

... I tried stuffing steel wool in the muffler to baffle it some. BIG MISTAKE. Damn stuff caught on fire and darn near burned up a good saw...

Made me chuckle as well-though a knowing chuckle. We all do dumb stuff from time to time.

I always remember this saying: Good judgement comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgement.