kentuckydiesel
ArboristSite Operative
Yesterday my wife and I went to get my log splitter which someone had *borrowed* two years ago. Not too much of a bother then, we were living in town for a bit. Anyhow, I got up this morning, got the splitter running again (the guy had left it outside...and had LOST the air cleaner assembly, so the carb was full of water and corrosion), then I proceeded to attempt to make one of my two old Homelites run. (had been *taking care* of a pair of Stihls for a buddy, but he recently resumed care himself).
Homelite #1-EZ-auto: Since the day I tried to remove the flywheel this summer in order to work on the points, I can't get the damn saw to draw any gas from the tank. I actually put a electronic ignition kit on it before I realized it was no longer getting gas. Guess I must have damaged the crank seals somehow. :shrug: Have had the carb apart three times trying to make it go. Was in the middle of checking out the problem again and the pull rope broke. I then removed the pull rope retracting spring and turned the saw over with a drill...still no fuel moving through the line. Set that saw aside for the day...gotta make a flywheel puller. :msp_sad:
Homelite #2-Super 1050: I bought this saw in not-running condition back in July. I have so far replaced the cylinder and rings, rebuilt the carb, replaced the air box, bought a whole clutch assembly, clutch cover, oil pump worm gear and seals, bar and chain for it...but still have yet to get it in wood. When I go to start it one day, it may start, but the next day it won't. Run it unloaded for 30 seconds or so, at medium rpms, then let it idle for 20 seconds or so, it will usually die. After that, it may or may not start again...may have to wait for another day to try it. Since I put a bar on it, the saw refuses to run. I've been through everything short of crank seals and the points. Hoping it is a points issue, I attempted to pull the flywheel off today with a steering wheel puller, but no luck...I did however get some threads pulled out of the screw holes in the flywheel.
Now for the truly bad part...
With no saws of my own left to use, I was ready to give up...until my wife reminded me that my father-in-law had left his nearly new "18 inch Poulan Pro" out here. I had forgotten about it...I guess I never even considered cutting wood with it before...it looks kinda like a kids toy. Reluctantly I pulled it from the shed, filled it with fresh mix and bar oil, tightened the chain, and pulled the rope...
It fired up instantly! I suddenly had a thought I might have been wrong all these years. I had never tried one of these Wal-Mart saws...maybe they aren't as bad as I thought. It says right on the side that it is a 42cc saw...any my EZ-auto is just under 38cc's.
I threw the Poulan on the back of the tractor and headed off for a standing dead white oak which had recently lost some branches. Walking up to the branches I was confident...I pulled the cord on the Poulan and again it started, first try. I started with some small stuff, 2-3" thick for kindling. No big deal. Next I went to some 4-5" stuff.
Hmm...can this be? The trusty Poulan stopped pulling the chain...in the middle of a 5" branch. I went on to cut a bunch more...slowly. I actually sat down for some 10" logs.
Now I know why my whole family runs Stihls.
-Phillip
Homelite #1-EZ-auto: Since the day I tried to remove the flywheel this summer in order to work on the points, I can't get the damn saw to draw any gas from the tank. I actually put a electronic ignition kit on it before I realized it was no longer getting gas. Guess I must have damaged the crank seals somehow. :shrug: Have had the carb apart three times trying to make it go. Was in the middle of checking out the problem again and the pull rope broke. I then removed the pull rope retracting spring and turned the saw over with a drill...still no fuel moving through the line. Set that saw aside for the day...gotta make a flywheel puller. :msp_sad:
Homelite #2-Super 1050: I bought this saw in not-running condition back in July. I have so far replaced the cylinder and rings, rebuilt the carb, replaced the air box, bought a whole clutch assembly, clutch cover, oil pump worm gear and seals, bar and chain for it...but still have yet to get it in wood. When I go to start it one day, it may start, but the next day it won't. Run it unloaded for 30 seconds or so, at medium rpms, then let it idle for 20 seconds or so, it will usually die. After that, it may or may not start again...may have to wait for another day to try it. Since I put a bar on it, the saw refuses to run. I've been through everything short of crank seals and the points. Hoping it is a points issue, I attempted to pull the flywheel off today with a steering wheel puller, but no luck...I did however get some threads pulled out of the screw holes in the flywheel.
Now for the truly bad part...
With no saws of my own left to use, I was ready to give up...until my wife reminded me that my father-in-law had left his nearly new "18 inch Poulan Pro" out here. I had forgotten about it...I guess I never even considered cutting wood with it before...it looks kinda like a kids toy. Reluctantly I pulled it from the shed, filled it with fresh mix and bar oil, tightened the chain, and pulled the rope...
It fired up instantly! I suddenly had a thought I might have been wrong all these years. I had never tried one of these Wal-Mart saws...maybe they aren't as bad as I thought. It says right on the side that it is a 42cc saw...any my EZ-auto is just under 38cc's.
I threw the Poulan on the back of the tractor and headed off for a standing dead white oak which had recently lost some branches. Walking up to the branches I was confident...I pulled the cord on the Poulan and again it started, first try. I started with some small stuff, 2-3" thick for kindling. No big deal. Next I went to some 4-5" stuff.
Hmm...can this be? The trusty Poulan stopped pulling the chain...in the middle of a 5" branch. I went on to cut a bunch more...slowly. I actually sat down for some 10" logs.
Now I know why my whole family runs Stihls.
-Phillip
