McCulloch Chain Saws

[Okie]

If I put an ignition chip on, is there any kind of timing I have to do? and is there anything to know?

You can search online Atom ignition chip and come up with several links to review info about the chips and some links will be to this site and some to the Homie site.

Some guys have good luck with them NOVA electronic chips but I try to stay away from them if at all possible for a chainsaw. I've seen timing off and have to remove the flywheel key and move the flywheel to get timed and not use a key, I changed chips of same brand and type and the timing change chip to chip, I've had them running good and next day no go. I keep the old NLA Atom chips around just to sub for points and condenser to see if I get a good run and if so I then install new points and condenser. I've got points and condenser saws that are 50 years old with same points and condenser.
The old Atom chips were well made electronics and came in color codes for different engines.

 

[Neal Gowen]

I know heimannm has a lot of McCulloch Chain Saws, as well as myself, I was wondering if anybody else has a few McCullochs in their collection of Chain Saws, and are they for work, or for display. Thanks for your input. Bruce.

I have a 5700 Pro mac with an 18' bar that rips through anything I put it on . Also have a 2.0 Eager Beaver that I'm use for limbing that feels like holding on to a mini dirt bike. Great saws ,I should retire them but they're to fun to use

 

[heimannm]

I've hand my hands on more than a few...



Mark

 

[bob kern]

I've hand my hands on more than a few...

View attachment 1147787

Mark

Looking good Mark. How hows that tool shop parts cleaner been for you? They sell that brand locally to me.

 

[heimannm]

I've had it over 12 years and have replaced the pump a couple of times, I think the last one came from Northern Tool. The pumps say not to use them with petroleum base products but I've been using mineral spirits from the first day and no issues. Just don't dump any acetone in from a fuel tank cleaning project, enough said.

Mark

 

[bob kern]

I've had it over 12 years and have replaced the pump a couple of times, I think the last one came from Northern Tool. The pumps say not to use them with petroleum base products but I've been using mineral spirits from the first day and no issues. Just don't dump any acetone in from a fuel tank cleaning project, enough said.

Mark

Thanks for your input sir!

 

[Syncop8r]

A fella just north of me has 3 mini's for $40. The glutton for punishment in me is tempted. Undecided tho. If anyone is super interested, I'm not against procuring saws for fellow cad sufferers with yellow fever! Will look for a pic.

They pay you $40 to take them away, right?

 

[bob kern]

They pay you $40 to take them away, right?

Boy the mini's are getting no love today! Lol

 

[edju1958]

I finally got into the PM610 that I loaned to a buddy of mine back in Nov.It just up & quit running.I figured it was either the switch or electronic ignition module.I pulled the recoil off,unplugged the switch wire,put it back together & it fired right up.Now I need to locate a switch.I looked on feebay & they don't have anything there that's reasonable.I can't justify paying $15-$16 for a USED switch.I can get brand new Homelite toggle switches for $8,they're the same switch,I've swapped them around before.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Boy the mini's are getting no love today! Lol

I've had a dozen or 2 come and go. Never turned a screw on em lol. Off they go.

Thing is People get to know your into old Mac's or saws in general and ya can't turn stuff down or it will stop coming. If ya have to take a few minis and plastic poulans to get a nice 10 series or 3400 parts saw every so often then it's worth it. Who knows maybe 1 a runner mini will show up and I'll keep it

Got a Box full of micros too

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Kinda like the 600 series. Flog the coil n clutch and in the bin. 50 dollar saw if ya lucky.

I despise that 600 series. To me it represents the death of Mac. If only they came up with something to take to the woods and kept up with the others.

In 83 what Would you buy?? A 800 from effectively the late 60s or a 181se? Especially when the sp81 from 73 had a better power to weight over the 800 but was gone

Sure they sold 7 bazillion 610s but the pro saw to keep the name current was gone.

People buy a ms170 because of the pro saw and the sales pitch with it

Porsche sells sod all 911s but people buy the suv because of the 911.

Ahhh I've had too many beers

 

[JKNW]

I think you'll find those that like the 600 series are simply nostalgic for them. I love my 610 because it was my dad's saw, not because it is necessarily a good saw. They've gotten awfully expensive around here, 100-150 all the time now.

My latest eBay lapse in judgement arrived today, sorta rough little Super 33. It spins and has something vaguely resembling compression but it is cruuuusty. I had another saw to get back together tonight so I didn't do much besides give the moving bits a PB blaster soaking.

 

[Syncop8r]

I finally got into the PM610 that I loaned to a buddy of mine back in Nov.It just up & quit running.I figured it was either the switch or electronic ignition module.I pulled the recoil off,unplugged the switch wire,put it back together & it fired right up.Now I need to locate a switch.I looked on feebay & they don't have anything there that's reasonable.I can't justify paying $15-$16 for a USED switch.I can get brand new Homelite toggle switches for $8,they're the same switch,I've swapped them around before.

I have always thought the toggle switch on a 610 looks out of place, like it was taken from a much older model.
Dare I say it a big chunky black plastic switch would be more in keeping with that era.

 

[MelonBoi1]

I've had it over 12 years and have replaced the pump a couple of times, I think the last one came from Northern Tool. The pumps say not to use them with petroleum base products but I've been using mineral spirits from the first day and no issues. Just don't dump any acetone in from a fuel tank cleaning project, enough said.

Mark

I am still a little new to this site, and I apologize if this is off-topic but how to I list the saws I have under the messages like you have, under your messages it says your saws. How do I do that?

 

[heimannm]

melon - in the upper RH corner of the page, click on your name, then open the "Signature" tag, put what you want there, and hit save.

I find the 600 Series saws among the easiest to sell, just have them cleaned up on the shelf and they will walk out the door. People that have run one seem to want another. They are relatively easy to work on and many parts are still available. I think in a lot of instances, just the physical size of the unit gives the impression that they are a big saw.

JK - The 33/35/39 model saws are like nothing you've worked on before, but one you have one running they are extremely reliable (and heavy, and slow, and almost never lean out enough to get them to rev up). Three screws and the whole housing comes off in one assembly, two 1/4" screws at the back of the unit and one through the side of the machine. Remove the wrap handle first.



Ed - I have a good supply of those switches if you can't find one elsewhere. Keep in mind that they operate (ON/OFF) opposite of what many similar looking switches do.

Mark

 

[edju1958]

Mark,I think I may have a couple of sweitches laying out in the garage,I'll look today.The thing is I don't know if they're any good or not.Kind of a PITA to take the recoil off,put a switch in & find out it's no good.But......it beats the heck out of spending what they want on feebay for a used switch.

Syncop8r,ya gotta understand why Mac (Black & Decker) used a toggle switch.The old style black slide switches never go bad.So now if ya throw a cheapo toggle switch on a saw,it'll eventually go bad,so ya gotta now bring the saw in to be serviced.Not much el;se went bad on those saws (except for the electronic ignition modules & God help ya if the oil line went bad)

I'm kinda partial to the 600 series simply because a Timber Bear was my 1st Mac in 1995 (I still have it & it's operational).Also,as Mark said,they're relatively easy to work on too.

Jethro,I agree that the power to weight ratio is something to be desired.

 

[Syncop8r]

I mostly use my 610 for bucking so the weight isn't too much of an issue. The thing that bugs me the most about them is where they put the bar oil filler and trying to top it up without making a mess.
Otherwise it runs well.

 

[rwoods]

...

I find the 600 Series saws among the easiest to sell, just have them cleaned up on the shelf and they will walk out the door. People that have run one seem to want another. They are relatively easy to work on and many parts are still available. I think in a lot of instances, just the physical size of the unit gives the impression that they are a big saw.

...

Mark

Too true. A friend who ran my first SP125C at a GTG called me one day all excited. He said he had stumbled over the biggest McCulloch that he had ever seen, and he thought I would want to check it out for possible purchase. His excitement was contagious, so I took the time to track it down. What a disappointment to find a PM605.

Ron

 

[edju1958]

I mostly use my 610 for bucking so the weight isn't too much of an issue. The thing that bugs me the most about them is where they put the bar oil filler and trying to top it up without making a mess.
Otherwise it runs well.

They've got this ingenius new thing out there,it's called a funnel.Ya should try it sometime,Lol.

 

[Syncop8r]

They've got this ingenius new thing out there,it's called a funnel.Ya should try it sometime,Lol.

Yeah that's what I have to do, but I don't like to because I'm lazy. I can get away with pouring without one on other saws.