Homelite Chainsaws

[timberdollars]

Homelite 450

Need opinions on Homy 450. Been offered one by a Pawn Shop. I have bought a few REAL nice rare saws from them, never cheap but REAL nice units.
Its a NICE LOOKING 450 with Homelite 32" bar too, All oem , scratches "Yes" but not abused not faded, runs perfect. Still has all Homelite wording on bar, clear as day.
Oh yah its a 450W "west coast" with full wrap. It is not cheap but I can make payments on it.

Duane

 

[Eccentric]

Need opinions on Homy 450. Been offered one by a Pawn Shop. I have bought a few REAL nice rare saws from them, never cheap but REAL nice units.
Its a NICE LOOKING 450 with Homelite 32" bar too, All oem , scratches "Yes" but not abused not faded, runs perfect. Still has all Homelite wording on bar, clear as day.
Oh yah its a 450W "west coast" with full wrap. It is not cheap but I can make payments on it.

Duane

They're a good strong saw. Similar in design to a 650 or 750. 32" is a bit more bar than I'd run on one however. It'd be happier with a 24-28" bar. Keep an eye on the intake boot. They will deteriorate and leak, especially if the AV rubbers are worn out. The saw may still run with a leaking boot, but will eat dirt and lean out. Not good for the P/C. Get some pics up when you can...

Here's a link to the IPL for these saws.

http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.n...64669e888256c2600146fc9/$FILE/Hom 450.prn.pdf

 

[lesorubcheek]

450s and 550 have been in the 150-250 ballpark lately on feebay. The last one that ended was a hair over 100, but had a leaky tank and looked a little rough. Parts are still around, but seem to be getting a little harder to find. They have a diagram pulse driven auto oiler which is the same part as used in the early little XL and Super 2 saws. Nice saws and if you're into Homelites, you need at least one of 'em.

Dan

 

[Eccentric]

I just saw some NOS 450/550 parts on feebay. An air filter and some other small bits...

 

[ChainLightning]

These are great saws. The new ones are junk, but if you can find something that is pre 1980 that is in decent shape, then you got yourself a great saw. Easy to work on (but hard to find parts). Most problems I see with the Homelite's is just bad pistons.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

These are great saws. The new ones are junk, but if you can find something that is pre 1980 that is in decent shape, then you got yourself a great saw. Easy to work on (but hard to find parts). Most problems I see with the Homelite's is just bad pistons.

That's odd, I've had lots of Homelites, have several right now but have never had one with a bad piston. Now Husqvarna, Echo, and Stihl are a different story, lots of bad pistons, I have a 350 torn down right now with a piston too scarred up to use. A week or so ago at an auction I saw a crate full of Huskys with bad pistons.

 

[Eccentric]

These are great saws. The new ones are junk, but if you can find something that is pre 1980 that is in decent shape, then you got yourself a great saw. Easy to work on (but hard to find parts). Most problems I see with the Homelite's is just bad pistons.

The SXL925, Super E-Z Automatic, and 1050-S Homelites were built until at least 1986, and the SXL-AO was built thru 1994 or so. The 540/8800 saws were built for a while in the '80s too. Homelite (and Poulan, and McCulloch) were still building a few good saws at that time. The end was in sight though...

 

[ChainLightning]

Had a friend a few months a ago with a 1960's blue Homelite Super XL that he was going to scrap. I gave him $5 for it because I thought it was a mean looking saw. It will roll over. Gets good spark but leaks gas, rewind is getting bad, and the bar Assembly is trash. Every thing else looks ok though. Won't ever use it for cutting but it looks cool laying around. And if I ever get another one then I have parts. Tell ya what, I would rather have that old non-operational Super XL Homelite than a Poulan. At least I could throw that old heavy saw at the tree and have a better chance of knocking the tree down with that then getting the Poulan started.:smile2: (Don't tell the folks on the Poulan Thread hahaha)

 

[ChainLightning]

That's odd, I've had lots of Homelites, have several right now but have never had one with a bad piston. Now Husqvarna, Echo, and Stihl are a different story, lots of bad pistons, I have a 350 torn down right now with a piston too scarred up to use. A week or so ago at an auction I saw a crate full of Huskys with bad pistons.

Of course all the ones I seen were all old saws that have been used and abused. Probably ran too lean. If they get really hot then that will do it too.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Of course all the ones I seen were all old saws that have been used and abused. Probably ran too lean. If they get really hot then that will do it too.

I think you'll find on average the old saws with less burned up pistons than the newer ones. The old saws used fuel ratios of 16:1 and up to 32:1 and ran at lower rpms. The new saws run 40:1 at a minimum and as much as 60:1 and turn rpms up to 14k. Plus the new anti-vibe saws all have a rubber manifold which either cracks or comes loose making the engine run super lean.
I know there were some older saws that run the rubber manifold but not many.

 

[ChainLightning]

I think you'll find on average the old saws with less burned up pistons than the newer ones. The old saws used fuel ratios of 16:1 and up to 32:1 and ran at lower rpms. The new saws run 40:1 at a minimum and as much as 60:1 and turn rpms up to 14k. Plus the new anti-vibe saws all have a rubber manifold which either cracks or comes loose making the engine run super lean.
I know there were some older saws that run the rubber manifold but not many.

Now the oil is better so you can run a 40:1 ratio in a older 20:1 saw. I just run 32:1 in everything. Always good to have a little more oil in my opinion. Prolong your engine life and only sacrifice a little power. Are you referring to the rubber intake boot? Because I have noticed that on almost all newer saws they all have them. And they crack over time like you said. Sometimes they are easy to replace and sometimes they are a pain. I just like the old saws were the carb just had a gasket that bolted right to the crank.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Now the oil is better so you can run a 40:1 ratio in a older 20:1 saw. I just run 32:1 in everything. Always good to have a little more oil in my opinion. Prolong your engine life and only sacrifice a little power. Are you referring to the rubber intake boot? Because I have noticed that on almost all newer saws they all have them. And they crack over time like you said. Sometimes they are easy to replace and sometimes they are a pain. I just like the old saws were the carb just had a gasket that bolted right to the crank.

Yep, that was my point, no boot on several of the old saws to leak and cause a burned up piston. Some of the old ones had the boot, like Homelite 330,360 and a few others but most didn't have them a few years ago.

 

[67L36Driver]

Darn thing was drivin' me nuts!

Have been going round and round with carbs. on the last of my 101 type rebuilds. The thing would only run W.O.T. and die if you let it off much. Had three different carbs on and off eight times or more. Finally decided to check the points once again, maybe the gap had closed up.

Getting ready to pull the flywheel, I happened to notice the screw for the coil ground wire wasn't run all the way tight.

That's what the problem was. Runs like a champ now.

View attachment 211654

 

[ChainLightning]

Yep, that was my point, no boot on several of the old saws to leak and cause a burned up piston. Some of the old ones had the boot, like Homelite 330,360 and a few others but most didn't have them a few years ago.

A long time ago I bought three 330's at a yardsale for a buck. All three of them needed a new boot.

 

[ChainLightning]

Have been going round and round with carbs. on the last of my 101 type rebuilds. The thing would only run W.O.T. and die if you let it off much. Had three different carbs on and off eight times or more. Finally decided to check the points once again, maybe the gap had closed up.

Getting ready to pull the flywheel, I happened to notice the screw for the coil ground wire wasn't run all the way tight.

That's what the problem was. Runs like a champ now.

View attachment 211654

On all the old Homelite's I have worked on with points I have never had one with bad points. I don't think that they really ever go bad on saws.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

A long time ago I bought three 330's at a yardsale for a buck. All three of them needed a new boot.

dang man. you got too many of them 330s. you need to send one to me. i'll give you $2.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

A long time ago I bought three 330's at a yardsale for a buck. All three of them needed a new boot.

I looked at one today. I'm sure I could have gotten it cheap but I knew what it would need. Ended up buying a 306A Poulan instead. No boot on that one!

 

[a. palmer jr.]

dang man. you got too many of them 330s. you need to send one to me. i'll give you $2.

You may have spoken too soon, he might have given you $5 to take it!

Honestly, they're not as bad a saw as I let on. It's just, given the choice of changing the boot or not, most people would choose (or not.) I've changed them before but it's just like messing with a Mini-Mac, I kinda prefer not to do it.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

On all the old Homelite's I have worked on with points I have never had one with bad points. I don't think that they really ever go bad on saws.

They don't seem to go so bad that they need replaced, I've had them where they sat so long that the points got dirt or corrosion on the points and they didn't have any fire. A couple of swipes with some fine sandpaper and it was good to go.

 

[ChainLightning]

dang man. you got too many of them 330s. you need to send one to me. i'll give you $2.

Well over that period of time the cylinder went to hell on one of them so I used it as parts, and the case on one of them was cracked so I parted it out. Then gave the good one to my mom because she needed a light saw. Just got the parts laying around for when she blows hers up