I got a McCulloch I-51 that aint run in awhile

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Mansaws

Mansaws

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I got this saw awhile back and Im hoping to get it sawing again( it dont run). I was wondering where I should start. The recoil dont retract and it looks to need fuel lines. Havnt done a comp test yet but it seems good.Thanks all. Will post some pics soon.
 
Mansaws said:
I got this saw awhile back and Im hoping to get it sawing again( it dont run). I was wondering where I should start. The recoil dont retract and it looks to need fuel lines. Havnt done a comp test yet but it seems good.Thanks all. Will post some pics soon.
Click to expand...
Start at the start.. Can't check **** without turning it over.. Next is juice.. Then compression. If spark & compression I pour a little gas down the gullet CV home and pull.. Fire & fart says time to go to work..that's the order I do it.. But that's the basics.IMG_20180318_163834.jpg IMG_20180224_131301.jpg
 
Mansaws:
First that is a Mans saw, not for Nancy's and Pansies.
You will have to fix the recoil first.
The fuel line will most likely be rock hard and brittle. I would leave it be at first if it's not leaking gAs at the carb. I've replaced the fuel line with tygon on those and use a small hose clamp at the carb barb The OEM clamp won't seal the smaller OD tygon. If you see constant gas in the air box the fuel line is already leaking at the barb.
Take a #10 piece of SOLID copper electrical wire and wrap it around the throttle trigger so as to hold the throttle wide open but loose enough it can be slid off when you get a run. (those saws usually require a full throttle to get a start cold or hot. Give it a spoonful of mixed gas into the carb throat with no choke at first. Place the saw on the ground and hold it down with a foot thru the handle area and crank. If it briefly eventually runs for little while give it another prime and maybe a choke. Post up a good pic of the carb and air box with the cover removed so as we can see the carb and choke area. Might be good idea to do this first because some of them old dogs used 3 different types of carbs, Tillotson HL carbs are the more user friendly type to kit, etc.
Some of them don't start easily when cold and after long storage due to the carb diaphragms drying out. A Tillotson kit is around $15. The other type carb kits are expensive and few and far between.
After you get it up and running you will have to use the throttle tie wire to get a re-start and you can prime thru the muffler. (assuming compression and ignition, etc, is ok) Watch out for that exhaust pipe pointed towards your jewels.
If you don't get it going parts and pieces can be sold on this site or on flea bay.

Noticed it was Beetlejuices pic's instead of the Op's: Think I seen awhile back where you posted a pic of that muffler mod on that old dog.
I only use them old heavy type Mac's after I get a big log down, just let the weight of the saw do the cutting.
With care parts and pieces can be found on flea bay and at chainsawyr.com.
 
All, good advice.. My preference is finding fire right outta da gate. The older points and condenser system is reliable, but not infallible. If it farts and starts you're good to go. If it kicks back and trys to take wrist and elbow with it? That means it still has fight and the more reason to give it some love.. I love the old MACs but they can be a fickle ol girl.
 
Beetlejuice said:
All, good advice.. My preference is finding fire right outta da gate. The older points and condenser system is reliable, but not infallible. If it farts and starts you're good to go. If it kicks back and trys to take wrist and elbow with it? That means it still has fight and the more reason to give it some love.. I love the old MACs but they can be a fickle ol girl.
Click to expand...

I wrestled with one awhile back that was strange. It had a brown looking mold in the gas tank and it was fine enough that it would get past the in tank filter and clog the sintered iron filter in the Tillotson carb after about 1 tank of gas and the engine would start starving for fuel under load.
Also re-gapping and/or filing old points usually don't last very long on these old Mac's. New points and condenser will usually last several years but old points once disturbed don't last for very long.

If you get a promise to run with a prime, but no go from the carb, I can tell you how to check the fuel pump pressure if it's a Tillotson carb BEFORE YOU TAKE THE CARB apart. (if you don't already know)
 
Thank you all for the tips and advise. Not sure what is wrong with the recoil, I think it may have a broken spring. I hit it with PB blaster and is still hard to turn with the cover pulled off. I have a MAC 15 that may have a good recoil so I might try and use it so I can check for gas, spark, and compression. Carb says HL 63D.Here are a few pics. 20180407_004754.jpg 20180407_004939.jpg 20180407_005014.jpg 20180407_005356.jpg
 
That is one of the easier carbs to kit.
Uses a RK-88HL kit for about $10 with free shipping and lots of tech info at the Tillotson site about how to for the HL series. The HL63D, E and A carbs all use same kit and the carbs are interchangeable. If you ever pull the carb be careful when re-installing and make sure the intake spacer is lined up good or you can easily break a ear off the carb when re-tightening the bolts. (or soft gaskets can also cause such)The ears on the carb are slotted so as the carb can be twisted into place when re-installing and the slotted holes make the ears weaker.

I think maybe your recoil parts are all about same on the 1-40, 1-50, 200, 250 series of saws. Keep a heads up because some models of simliar Macs have a right side recoil vs left side.

Their is a chainsaw stickies section for the McCullochs here and you might post in the want to buy section (tradin post) for parts and pieces. Sometimes you can find reasonable parts on flea bay but several sellers like to use the word vintage or Kart parts to jack up the price.
A guy by the name of heimannm hangs out at the stickies vintage site and really knows these old Mac's,

Have to keep a heads up and pay attention and not go to sleep at the throttle in a heavy cut and forget to manual oil the chain. (they are manual oiler only)
 
Okie said:
That is one of the easier carbs to kit.
Uses a RK-88HL kit for about $10 with free shipping and lots of tech info at the Tillotson site about how to for the HL series. The HL63D, E and A carbs all use same kit and the carbs are interchangeable. If you ever pull the carb be careful when re-installing and make sure the intake spacer is lined up good or you can easily break a ear off the carb when re-tightening the bolts. (or soft gaskets can also cause such)The ears on the carb are slotted so as the carb can be twisted into place when re-installing and the slotted holes make the ears weaker.

I think maybe your recoil parts are all about same on the 1-40, 1-50, 200, 250 series of saws. Keep a heads up because some models of simliar Macs have a right side recoil vs left side.

Their is a chainsaw stickies section for the McCullochs here and you might post in the want to buy section (tradin post) for parts and pieces. Sometimes you can find reasonable parts on flea bay but several sellers like to use the word vintage or Kart parts to jack up the price.
A guy by the name of heimannm hangs out at the stickies vintage site and really knows these old Mac's,

Have to keep a heads up and pay attention and not go to sleep at the throttle in a heavy cut and forget to manual oil the chain. (they are manual oiler only)
Click to expand...
Okie, you sound like the man on the know.. From my observations, the different numbers on the HL Tilly's represent different applications. The carb body looks the same, but the linkage hookups are different.. I was going to put an HL from a MAC to a Homey. Would have had to change it all around. How far astray am I?
 
I do not know about installing a Tillotson on a Homie.

What I was indicating above is the HL63D, E and A can all be used as a direct fit onto a Old Mac if they originally had one of these Tiolly HL series in use, but If the old Macs had for example a Tillotson HL87D (which has no choke butterfly in the carb) the linkages are different and took a kit to convert. All of the above mentioned HL's use the same RK-88HL kit.
 
I've owned a old low hours 1-43 for several years with the original owners manual plus some other series (1-46, 1-50, etc) of these Mac series of saws and I dug them out of long term storage about 5 years ago and started wrestling with them getting them ready for putting to work and cutting on some big logs on the ground. McCulloch Service manuals are really handy when flogging them old saws due to the factory changes made over the years of the same model numbers. I have several good old Mac runners but very seldom use them for daily wood cutting. (too damn heavy)
Best to have a good late model lighter saw for every day cutting work.
Their are different versions of the starters (recoils) and parts also for the same model numbers of saws so you really have to keep a heads up when repairing/replacing starter (recoil) individual parts.
 
I know I'm bringing up a old thread but
Okie said:
I do not know about installing a Tillotson on a Homie.

What I was indicating above is the HL63D, E and A can all be used as a direct fit onto a Old Mac if they originally had one of these Tiolly HL series in use, but If the old Macs had for example a Tillotson HL87D (which has no choke butterfly in the carb) the linkages are different and took a kit to convert. All of the above mentioned HL's use the same RK-88HL kit.
Click to expand...

Im currently searching for a rebuild kit for my 1-43 which has a hl87d. I can't find one but in my search i ran across this thread. U say they all use the rk-88hl which gives me hope but u also say the hl87d doesn't have a carb butterfly and mine definitely does which makes me question whether or not u know what ur talking about lol. I'm assuming u do by the way ur talking but i just want to make sure it's going to work for mine cuz it does have choke before i spend 30 bucks on it
 
Yamamonster07 said:
I know I'm bringing up a old thread but


Im currently searching for a rebuild kit for my 1-43 which has a hl87d. I can't find one but in my search i ran across this thread. U say they all use the rk-88hl which gives me hope but u also say the hl87d doesn't have a carb butterfly and mine definitely does which makes me question whether or not u know what ur talking about lol. I'm assuming u do by the way ur talking but i just want to make sure it's going to work for mine cuz it does have choke before i spend 30 bucks on it
Click to expand...
2yr old post, bro.
 
Yamamonster07 said:
I know I'm bringing up a old thread but I’m currently searching for a rebuild kit for my 1-43 which has a hl87d. I can't find one but in my search I ran across this thread. You say they all use the rk-88hl which gives me hope but you also say the hl87d doesn't have a carb butterfly and mine definitely does which makes me question whether or not you know what you’re talking about lol. I'm assuming you do by the way you’re talking but I just want to make sure it's going to work for mine because it does have choke before I spend 30 bucks on it
Click to expand...
I’ve used the rk88hl in both hl63’s and hl87’s with no issues. The presence of 1 or 2 butterflies does not affect the functionality of the kit in this instance. Good luck with getting it running.
 
Woodslasher The Tillotson RK-88HL is the kit you need for a HL87D and the HL63's.
Keep a heads up when removing the bottom strainer cover that has the gas nipple and single screw. Try to remove it carefully because some kits do not have the correct size cork gasket for the strainer cover. You will have to re-use your cork gasket or make one of the proper size. The kit cork one is close but no fit sometimes. The old cork gasket will usually re-seal if not broken when lifting the strainer cover.
What I was indicating about the HL87D is they normally DO NOT have a CHOKE BUTTERFLY in the carb. The mac's that used the 87 had the plastic choke butterfly in the air box.
Here is a $9 kit on flea bay. The cork gasket that I'm referring to is in the upper right corner of the pic.
Also keep a heads up on the pump diaphragm, the little button that hooks onto the needle lever is wrong sometimes. Inspect all carefully and sometimes the $24 kits will also be not quite right.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RK-88HL-CA...200206?hash=item4b562aea0e:g:VpsAAOSw1dtb-r6pYou can go here and find service info for your carb. This came from the Tilloston.com site

If you have any carb issue's (we can help you but) you would be better off starting a new thread instead of posting in this old thread. I just happened to be still subbed is why I seen this 2 year old thread post.

https://tillotson.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/techinfo_hl_us.pdf
 

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