McCulloch Chain Saws

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About the best saw I ever used for one-handed cutting was my Jonsered 361.I still have the 361 I bought back in 1982 & it still runs.It has a 14 in.bar & chain on it,but could easily handle a 16 in.(34cc).There were many variations of this saw made by Trail Mfg.in B.C.Canada.
 
OK fellas,I've got a Mac 380 (from the early 60's,not a Pro Mac 380).I pulled the saw out yesterday to get running again & had problems with the recoil.I "lubed" it up good with brake cleaner to loosen up the crud that might've been accumulated on the spring & put more tension on the spring so it would retract again.I put it back on the saw only to find out that it only has anout an 8 in.pull.Obviously the rope is too short & I'd replace it,but some previous owner with gorilla hands broke the center screw that holds it all together.How do I get it apart to repair it without destroying it?
 
OK fellas,I've got a Mac 380 (from the early 60's,not a Pro Mac 380).I pulled the saw out yesterday to get running again & had problems with the recoil.I "lubed" it up good with brake cleaner to loosen up the crud that might've been accumulated on the spring & put more tension on the spring so it would retract again.I put it back on the saw only to find out that it only has anout an 8 in.pull.Obviously the rope is too short & I'd replace it,but some previous owner with gorilla hands broke the center screw that holds it all together.How do I get it apart to repair it without destroying it?

Maybe share some pictures of what you've got? Is the screw broken off or just the head messed up?
 
The SP40 is nearly together, I need to finish my modifications to the recoil spool to "bulletproof" it, then it will be done.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this 1/4 chain cuts...it's tiny!

Who is smart enough to give me a build year from the serial #?
 

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The screw is broken off just under flush with the rope pulley.
Get a dremel tool with a cut off wheel and see if you can put a slice in the top of the bolt stud and back it out with a flat head screwdriver ( a little penetrating oil and heat wouldn't hurt too).
Other than that I'd say you'll be drilling it out , put the bifocals on Ed and use tiny drill bits.
 
The SP40 is nearly together, I need to finish my modifications to the recoil spool to "bulletproof" it, then it will be done.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this 1/4 chain cuts...it's tiny!

Who is smart enough to give me a build year from the serial #?
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I'm not smart, but I do save files.
 
Who is smart enough to give me a build year from the serial #?

12's were 07-75 to 02-77, that's about as close as I can get based on the IPLs I have

Get a dremel tool with a cut off wheel and see if you can put a slice in the top of the bolt stud and back it out with a flat head screwdriver ( a little penetrating oil and heat wouldn't hurt too).
Other than that I'd say you'll be drilling it out , put the bifocals on Ed and use tiny drill bits.
This...
If you can't get at it with a dremel, you can also drill into the bolt and try to pound a torx in there, kinda like an easy out or super out if you don't have one of those handy.
 
Pretty much my experience with them, finicky and temperamental. I have done a tear down 3 times on the same saw and find nothing wrong but it still has hard starts sometimes? Other times runs like a champ.
Vapor lock was/is an occasional issue with the post PM6 mini's if conditions are right. It can obviously drive you nuts if you're not aware of it. McCulloch actually acknowledged the problem in one of their manuals with a recommended restarting procedure under such conditions. 'Course if the procedure is used and vapor lock isn't the actual problem, it could very well flood the saw instead. Not something a climber or bucket guy has time for either way. That said, and by contrast, I've read that PM6's were highly regarded in their day as the premium pro bucket saw. Not much competition back then, tho. I have one that I've yet to get running right. One of these days...

MM Vapor Lock.jpg.​
 
Thanks Ira! I talked with Bob J.earlier & he pretty much told me the same procedure.All I need to do is replace the rope.I looked at it & it has one of those pins that hold the rope in place.I ran into the same thing on my DE80 a few months ago.I shouldn't have to take anything apart like instructed above,but it sure as hell makes it easier.
 
Vapor lock was/is an occasional issue with the post PM6 mini's if conditions are right. It can obviously drive you nuts if you're not aware of it. McCulloch actually acknowledged the problem in one of their manuals with a recommended restarting procedure under such conditions. 'Course if the procedure is used and vapor lock isn't the actual problem, it could very well flood the saw instead. Not something a climber or bucket guy has time for either way. That said, and by contrast, I've read that PM6's were highly regarded in their day as the premium pro bucket saw. Not much competition back then, tho. I have one that I've yet to get running right. One of these days...

I think my MM 30 did that once, the only time it wouldn't fire right up. Before I could check the plug though, my recoil spool twisted loose. By the time I had fixed the recoil, it fired right up again.
 
Pretty much my experience with them, finicky and temperamental. I have done a tear down 3 times on the same saw and find nothing wrong but it still has hard starts sometimes? Other times runs like a champ.
I don't like the spring loaded idle screw set up.

The nature of the little yellow beasts summed up in three words: Finicky and temperamental. :D

That being said, I never had a problem with starting mine, it would always start in 4 - 6 pulls cold. Although it was difficult to keep running at times, it seemed to depend on it's mood if it would work or not.

I agree with the spring loaded idle screw... they never seemed reliable.
Funny problem I had with the idle screw, it was always loose in the carb. And when the saw would run, it would work it's way out and stall. But I imagine that's somewhat common? I did end up losing the actual spring and replaced it with one from a pen.
 
I decided to clean up the last of the PM510 saws today, ended up replacing the seals (requires splitting the clam shell), rebuilding the carburetor, then spent about 4 hours trying to get both oilers to work. I never did get the manual to work but the automatic pumps like crazy. I absolutely cannot understand how the manual does not work, the manual pump works with the oil tank off the saw, the check valve in the automatic pump works, the lines are connected and clear, ???

I'll put this one up on a shelf in the new workshop with a for sale sign on it in case someone comes looking for a nice small saw. I also cleaned up this Sears Lightweight in preparation for moving it to the museum. That whole process took far less time than the oiler on the PM510.

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I've also been working on going through some of the partial rolls of chain I've been collecting making up some more common size chains to have on hand in case someone comes through the door looking for a chain.

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Mark
 
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I put the yard sale 10-10 to work on some firewood this morning, ( see heat index) . I thought I was still getting a slight miss in the ignition system after changing the plug ... silly me I didn't check the pitch of the clutch sprocket
. 354 -.375 chain. I probably should have checked it out with a saw this old ,it has the keyway clutch.
Suprising that it pulled pretty good fighting the mismatch between chain and clutch.
Swapped it out with a small spline McCulloch rim sprocket and it pulls the 20" bar with ease through oak and cherry.
 

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