MAC 3216 Hard Starter (Even after Overhaul)

[jimmy245]

I have Mac 3216, rebuilt carb (made sure new valve set to spec), put in new fuel lines, new primer bulb (installed correctly), new spark plug, new gas filter, new gas, yet it still such a hard starter compared to my Echo CS-330T and my Stihl 026, both of which fire right up (neither has primer bulb). Ambient temperature doesn't matter, hard to start in any weather. Has always been this way (purchased new around 10 years ago). Once I get it started, I am off to the races and no problems.

Instructions say:
1. push primer bulb 10 times
2. with full choke and throttle locked open, pull cord 4 times.
3. go to half choke, pull 2 more times and saw should start.
4. let run awhile, then push choke to off, release throttle.

To actually start it, in step 2 above, I usually have to pull around 10-15 times, sometimes moving choke back to full to get it to fire.

I have tried pushing primer bulb 15 and 20 times, and it doesn't seem to matter.

Any advice out there?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Justsaws]

Sometimes the little yellow choke lever does not close the choke far enough to work well. You should check to see if the full choke position on the carb matchs up with the full choke when the lever is pulled. Same with the throttle lock/trigger setup. Repair(bend) or replace.

 

[Overtrained]

Your flooding it out! 10x?! ......hit the primer bulb once twice tops.

 

[Chris-PA]

Your flooding it out! 10x?! ......hit the primer bulb once twice tops.

No, the primer bulb cannot flood the saw - it pulls fuel from the tank, through the carb and pumps it back to the tank in order to eliminate air in the line. It does not squirt any fuel into the intake. Or it is not supposed to anyway.

 

[Overtrained]

No, the primer bulb cannot flood the saw - it pulls fuel from the tank, through the carb and pumps it back to the tank in order to eliminate air in the line. It does not squirt any fuel into the intake. Or it is not supposed to anyway.

That looks good on paper my friend but trust me, hit the "eliminate air bulb" once or twice instead of 10x and see whatcha got

 

[Overtrained]

P.S. Ive played with these saws once or twice

 

[ckelp]

have you played with the carb at all?
from my experience they can be a peach to tune
i've done about 50 of those saws, there sweet runners and easy to start when there tuned correctly

 

[Chris-PA]

P.S. Ive played with these saws once or twice

I know you have, but I have one as well and have replaced the primer and gone through the carb - they are no different from any of my other saws with primers. Many of those explicit state to pump them 10 times, just as with this one, and I usually do. Generally you should pump them until the amount of air you see in there is greatly reduced if not gone.

I will say that the primer on my similar SE2012s sometimes feels like it is pulling air in from the carb, which is why I asked what carb it is. Mine has a Zama C1Q which I intend to replace with a Walbro WT that I bought on eBay because I suspect the check valve in the main jet is leaky, allowing air to be pulled back in through the jet. It does usually start anyway though.

 

[Overtrained]

have you played with the carb at all?
from my experience they can be a peach to tune
i've done about 50 of those saws, there sweet runners and easy to start when there tuned correctly

Yes I have, not terrible to get going at all.

 

[Overtrained]

I know you have, but I have one as well and have replaced the primer and gone through the carb - they are no different from any of my other saws with primers. Many of those explicit state to pump them 10 times, just as with this one, and I usually do. Generally you should pump them until the amount of air you see in there is greatly reduced if not gone.

I will say that the primer on my similar SE2012s sometimes feels like it is pulling air in from the carb, which is why I asked what carb it is. Mine has a Zama C1Q which I intend to replace with a Walbro WT that I bought on eBay because I suspect the check valve in the main jet is leaky, allowing air to be pulled back in through the jet. It does usually start anyway though.

Assuming I have everything hooked up right my experience with these saws is they "appear" to flood when the primer bulb is pushed to many times. I get raw fuel and oil out of the muffler. Then I have to open the choke, hold it at wide open throttle and crank the crap out of it until it clears itself and fires. Hit that bulb once or twice it will pop on the first pull with the choke on and throttle at WO. Take the choke off, put the throttle to normal and pull, its running. All of them that ive come across do this. Ive only seen zama carbs in these saws.

 

[Chris-PA]

Assuming I have everything hooked up right my experience with these saws is they "appear" to flood when the primer bulb is pushed to many times. I get raw fuel and oil out of the muffler. Then I have to open the choke, hold it at wide open throttle and crank the crap out of it until it clears itself and fires. Hit that bulb once or twice it will pop on the first pull with the choke on and throttle at WO. Take the choke off, put the throttle to normal and pull, its running. All of them that ive come across do this. Ive only seen zama carbs in these saws.

In this case though it seems he's not getting enough fuel, though sometimes it can be hard to tell.

I have not had an issue with too much fuel blowing into the muffler yet. When I have had trouble it has usually been on hot start, and the purge bulb definitely feels like it's pulling air - and I can see it in the line coming from the carb, but not in the line going too the carb, which is why I concluded the there was an air leak in the carb. But it doesn't always do it either.

The carb I got was a Walbro WT-438 supposedly from a McCulloch 3516. It definitely fits, but when I tried it the saw was doggy. I later realized the metering lever was set too high so I intend to try it again when it gets warmer. I'm not a fan of Zama's really.

 

[jimmy245]

Forget the Primer Bulb - And it Fires right Up!!

Ok, I'm the guy who started this thread. After reading all of your recommendations, I simply set the choke to full (without touching the primer bulb), and saw fired on third pull (20F outside). This is compared to 15 to 20 pulls when following saw instructions (push primer bulb 10x, etc....). Why this saw needs a primer bulb and my Stihl and Echo do not come equipped with a primer bulb is a mystery to me. All I know is that my Mac is now an easy starter!!!!