Makita 4300...how bad is it? W/pics

[Jedslack]

I'm worried my embarrassingly inadequate level of maintenance has destroyed my saw.

Backstory;
Saw was purchased as a rental from home depot. Owned it for 3 years. Saw Immediately had issues with brittle plastics (oil adjustment snapped, oil cap snapped). Saw initially cut well and ran well. Started third pull every time. Bar exploded at the sprocket 1 year into ownership while clearing brush.

Due to better availability of chain and bar locally, I switched the saw over to .325 by adding the clutch drum and rim sprocket. Had issues with install initially, I think I had the shim in the wrong place. Saw would run, but would get incredibly hot. I relocated the shim and this fixed this issue. I ran it for 1.5 years like that and it seemed to run will and cut good. Still always started third pull.

Saw then began to stall at idle...I assumed this was dirty carb and continued to run the saw without cleaning the carb (regretful decision). Saw eventually got to where it was starting to take more than three pulls to start. Sometimes I would even have to throttle the saw with my toe while pulling to get it to fire off. I continued this for 6 months until it wouldn't start at all. I then tried to spray the carb clean without removing it with carb cleaner. It then started, and ran under throttle for a few seconds, died... then wouldn't start again. In all my wisdom, I then thought it might help me get the saw started if I soaked the air filter with straight gasoline (whoops). It fired but quickly died.

Present day;...and here I am...with a (scored?) cylinder, and no running saw to get firewood.

Questions;
How bad is it? Could I get this saw running with just a new carburator?

Is this worth replacing the P&C after everything I have put this saw through?

After running this saw, would I be happy with a cs-490 bnib for 225 off Facebook, or would the lightly used cs590 for $265make me happier?

Please don't crush me too hard about the maintenance, I knew better, I just didn't do better. I'm a 6th grade math teacher...I tell my kids, "just because Johnny screwed up, that doesn't make him a screw up."

 

[motorhead99999]

It’s really hard to tell unless you pull the cylinder. Iv seen many saws that I could clean up and save the cylinder and just get a piston and rings. I would vacume test it before tearing apart to make sure crank seals are good

 

[Jedslack]

So are you thinking at the least, piston, ring, carb kit?

 

[J D]

Depends how mechanically inclined you are... It's probably not worth paying someone a couple hundred bux to put a new C/P on it, but if you look at it as a learning experience I would suspect that with a bit of time & effort (most of which will be spent cleaning things) you could have her running again for the cost of a carb kit & a set of rings (& maybe a few tools).
As Mortorhead suggested, you need to know what killed it in the first place, so pressure/vac test before pulling it down & that will tell you if it has a leak or bad seals. I'd measure squish too so you know where it's at & if you can get away with a gasket delete. After that pull cylinder & inspect things a bit closer, looks to me likely you will get away with buffing up the cylinder and piston & fitting a new ring. Then pull carb down & put a kit in it if necessary.
Very first thing to do would be clean the saw spotless of course... Good luck!

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Please don't crush me too hard about the maintenance, I knew better, I just didn't do better. I'm a 6th grade math teacher...

That there last open sentence- explains a whole lot.

I would be looking pretty hard at the CS 590, then you have leisure time to calculate out the pro's versus con's and total pricing of repairs to the 4300, without the urgent rush of needing a saw now.

 

[irhunter]

The question is...do you want to learn how to fix saws...or, not.

There is nothing wrong with "not." Just sell this saw for 25 bucks and buy either of the two saws you mentioned. You will have learned something. That is, when a saw starts to run poorly, stop and fix it.

If you do want to learn to deal with broken saws...you will need to start by buying/borrowing a tester to pressure and vac test your saw. I agree with the previous posters...go no further with this saw until you pressure/vac test it.

Roy

 

[Jedslack]

I've been trying to tell myself this exact thing...however, I also don't usually turn from a challenge. Moral dilemma

 

[Jedslack]

Depends how mechanically inclined you are... It's probably not worth paying someone a couple hundred bux to put a new C/P on it, but if you look at it as a learning experience I would suspect that with a bit of time & effort (most of which will be spent cleaning things) you could have her running again for the cost of a carb kit & a set of rings (& maybe a few tools).
As Mortorhead suggested, you need to know what killed it in the first place, so pressure/vac test before pulling it down & that will tell you if it has a leak or bad seals. I'd measure squish too so you know where it's at & if you can get away with a gasket delete. After that pull cylinder & inspect things a bit closer, looks to me likely you will get away with buffing up the cylinder and piston & fitting a new ring. Then pull carb down & put a kit in it if necessary.
Very first thing to do would be clean the saw spotless of course... Good luck!

Where should I go to find a carb kit and ring set for this model?

 

[SteveSr]

That there last open sentence- explains a whole lot.

I would be looking pretty hard at the CS 590, then you have leisure time to calculate out the pro's versus con's and total pricing of repairs to the 4300, without the urgent rush of needing a saw now.

If you do decide to go for the CS590 be sure to pull the muffler before you buy it to inspect the piston. Echo's sre notorious for being set too lean from the factory and thus easy to burn up.

 

[Jedslack]

I found a beat up 6421 that runs for $100 locally. I think I'm going to buy it to use this season (fingers crossed it makes it through 3 cords), rebuild my 4300 and learn the ropes on this little one. Once I get it running I'll tear into the 6421 and put a big bore into it. That way I could end up with 79cc and 42cc for less than the price of a new saw...wish me luck

 

[J D]

Where should I go to find a carb kit and ring set for this model?

Not sure what you have locally but best comprise in value & quality is usually a reputable online shop based somewhere around your general area. E-Bay may be worth a look.
Caber rings preferably.
I'd pull it apart & properly inspect that cylinder & piston before ordering anything as it's possible they're beyond repair... & as previously mentioned, unless you plan on doing the seals regardless, best to pressure/vac test it before pulling it apart.
The 2 saw plan sounds like a good one, although if you mostly cut smaller wood you'll probably find swinging on the 6421 for a whole season gets a bit overrated