Mccullouch Pro Mag 610 question

[2lumbarleft]

I walked by a garage sale yesterday and spied a lonely chainsaw laying off to the side. My CAD immediately kicked in and I was required to investigate. It was clearly an older saw, yellow with a 16" bar. I went to pick it up, and Holy H E DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS, what was this? Perhaps a 327 Chevy short block with a bar and chain attached? What could it be made of? Lead, no that would melt. Depleted uranium or osmium I mused. As I held the saw, and my feet were slowly sinking into the lawn, I read the label. It said Pro Mac 610. I knew immediately that I had to have it. It took a few pulls, but the saw powered up, and when I revved the throttle, the saw shifted from processional torque. I had no idea what the engine size was, but for $39 it was coming home with me. I have a hunting shack deep in the woods, and I needed a cheap chainsaw that I could leave up there in case I visited and there was a tree across the road or laying on the house. I have been broken into over the winter before, and wanted a saw that I would not miss if it was stolen. The saw appeared to have a new chain on it, and was actually in quite good condition for something that must be forty years old or more. I have two questions for the peanut gallery. The saw has a push button oiler on it. Does this work in addition to an automatic oiler, or is that it. In other words, do I have to push this button every several minutes? The second question is regarding what is the horsepower on this thing. I couldn't find that in the specs, but did see it was a 60 cc engine and supposedly rated for up to a 28" bar. That seemed a little long for a 60 cc engine. So how powerful are these saws, and what about that oiler? Thanks in advance. 2lumbarleft

 

[syrupmaker70]

I have a couple of saws like this 610/650, they work good, real smooth, a little heavy but one pulls a 20" and the other a 24" the auto oilier is adjustable. It's under the air box lid. Tall screw ahead of the carb. Counterclock for more oil flow. This is a vacuum diaphragm operated auto oilier. good score!

 

[2lumbarleft]

I have a couple of saws like this 610/650, they work good, real smooth, a little heavy but one pulls a 20" and the other a 24" the auto oilier is adjustable. It's under the air box lid. Tall screw ahead of the carb. Counterclock for more oil flow. This is a vacuum diaphragm operated auto oilier. good score!

Thank you very much for that advice! I haven't had a chance to go over the saw thoroughly yet, but I never would have looked for the oiler adjustment under the air lid box. Now if I can find someone who knows what the horsepower is, I will be satisfied. I figured the saw troll would be the one to answer this last question.

 

[Chris-PA]

No idea what the hp is, but I have the 55cc version of that saw and it pulls a 24" bar just fine. They have guts. Pulling the spark screen is a noticeable improvement.

 

[2lumbarleft]

No idea what the hp is, but I have the 55cc version of that saw and it pulls a 24" bar just fine. They have guts. Pulling the spark screen is a noticeable improvement.

Thanks for that advice. Screen is coming off this afternoon. Based upon what I have been told, I am ordering a longer bar and chain, probably a 20" as the 16" seems a terrible waste of a 60 cc engine. I have many smaller and lighter saws for pulling 16" bars.

 

[fearofpavement]

What you have is a ProMac, not ProMag.
The automatic oilers often don't work on these saws. If the manual oiler works, you can get by with that. Most early saws only had manual oilers and this model had both auto and manual.
Parts are available...
These are a high torque low rpm saw. They will pull a longer bar but 20" is a good size for them. They're load, vibrate badly, have no chainbrake but hey, they're cheap and cut ok.

 

[Chris-PA]

They're load, vibrate badly, have no chainbrake but hey, they're cheap and cut ok.

They have decent A/V and chain brakes...

 

[fearofpavement]

They have decent A/V and chain brakes...

Not sure on the AV as the Promac 610 I have doesn't oil (either manual or auto) and sorry I forgot it does have a chainbrake. Some of the earlier Mac 10-10s and stuff had brakes (especially in Canada) but I never had one with a brake. I could fix the 610 with an oiler but not sure it's worth it. That model sells for $75 to $100 around here and I already invested some bucks into it getting it running well. It runs great but a saw that doesn't oil is useless. Boat loads of firewood have been cut with that model.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Same chainsaw used in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation...

 

[Chris-PA]

Not sure on the AV as the Promac 610 I have doesn't oil (either manual or auto) and sorry I forgot it does have a chainbrake. Some of the earlier Mac 10-10s and stuff had brakes (especially in Canada) but I never had one with a brake. I could fix the 610 with an oiler but not sure it's worth it. That model sells for $75 to $100 around here and I already invested some bucks into it getting it running well. It runs great but a saw that doesn't oil is useless. Boat loads of firewood have been cut with that model.

I got the one I have from my Dad and the auto oiler didn't work. He let it sit a lot and that seems to do them in. Anyway, I tried to blow it out with compressed air and that destroyed it so I bought another on eBay. The oiler has adequate output for a 24" bar, and the A/V works fine - perhaps there are smoother saws but it doesn't make my hands go numb. Yes they are a little heavy, but they work very well. I know I can fire mine up in a few pulls any time and it will do the job.

 

[dougand3]

Same chainsaw used in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation...

WOW! I need to get my PM 610 running then if it's a famous saw. Ain't paying $30 for 2 thin rings, tho.

 

[fearofpavement]

The old Macs just don't have much market demand around here (unless it's a monster one)
I have a right hand start 10-10 that I haven't been able to sell for $50. Next hurricane I may be able to move it, lol.
I also have the non oiling Mac 610 mentioned above and a ProMac 10-10.

 

[Chris-PA]

The old Macs just don't have much market demand around here (unless it's a monster one)
I have a right hand start 10-10 that I haven't been able to sell for $50. Next hurricane I may be able to move it, lol.
I also have the non oiling Mac 610 mentioned above and a ProMac 10-10.

I understand that perspective, but I don't value chainsaws in financial terms. To me they are tools, so I value them in capability to do the job I need to do. That's why I don't have any expensive saws, and if I didn't have any need for one I wouldn't own any. So from my view a PM610 or PM605 is a useful and capable tool - maybe even more so because they don't cost much!

If you look for an inexpensive saw with A/V and a chain brake that can run and oil 20-24" bars without struggling, these are actually decent choices among a fairly limited field.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

I got mine to oil, thethe screen was plugged on the pickup, cleaned that. Washed the tank out with premix and away she goes.

Then the recoil broke.

 

[2lumbarleft]

I got mine to oil, thethe screen was plugged on the pickup, cleaned that. Washed the tank out with premix and away she goes.

Then the recoil broke.

Yikes! What luck! I am the guy who started this link. I have listened to all the comments and took a more detailed assessment of my garage sale special. I suddenly realized that it came without cutting spikes. I decided to test the chain brake with the chain running. Did that twice and now I can't get the chain brake to lock in the forward position. I can push on it, and it will stop the chain, but then it returns to the released position. Oh well, better it be released in the run position, than permanently jammed or locked forward. At least both oilers are working and the oil tank is not leaking oil. It does start like a dream and it sure has some power. I have to exchange that 16" bar and chain for a 20" to really test it right. I'm not sure if I am going to keep this or not, but first I will have some fun with it. Wish I could down load an operators manual. I found a parts list, but thats it.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

610 was the first " real " saw I ran at around 13 ir 14 yrs old.
My Dad ran it for over 30 years for firewood to heat the house. Good saw, IMO was pretty high end for its time (late 70s)

 

[Chris-PA]

I suddenly realized that it came without cutting spikes.

It doesn't need spikes, it uses gravity!

 

[FlyingDutchman]

They aren't that heavy...

 

[2lumbarleft]

It doesn't need spikes, it uses gravity!

You are right. It kind of reminds me of an eight horsepower gasoline generator with a 16" bar and chain sticking out one end. This things so heavy, it is starting to attract other objects. It has its own gravitational field. Its a mini blackhole.

 

[fearofpavement]

I don't think any of the Macs I have came with spikes. Not sure why they're always missing.