Nik's Poulan Thread

[redunshee]

Funny situation never experienced before with a 3400. Installed new rings, but comp barely hits 120. Still should be enough to start, I think. Recoil pulls almost too easily. Saw won’t even pop. Pulled plug and it’s wet. Strong spark. Switch carbs off a running 3800, same thing. Not even a pop. When I inserted ring into the cylinder to check ring gap, it measured .051. If fuel is getting to cylinder, shouldn’t that indicate the comp is high enough to start?

 

[s sidewall]

Have you tried your old rings to see what happens?

Steve

 

[Tim_10]

Any advice from the experienced CS millers on using a Poulan 8500 for CS milling using an Alaskan mill?

 

[s sidewall]

Sweet saw.

Steve

 

[Tim_10]

Does anybody know the max RPM for adjusting the carburetor on a Poulan 8500? Thanks in advance

 

[Acornhill]

Does anybody know the max RPM for adjusting the carburetor on a Poulan 8500? Thanks in advance

Tim, that is like a trick question, 8500 RPM under load,

I highly recommend not to use that saw as a milling saw unless it is only on occasion, that saw is to rare and the parts are unobtainable!! It will pull all day long but on a mill things happen, it is a torque saw not a revving saw


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[hotshot]

Funny situation never experienced before with a 3400. Installed new rings, but comp barely hits 120. Still should be enough to start, I think. Recoil pulls almost too easily. Saw won’t even pop. Pulled plug and it’s wet. Strong spark. Switch carbs off a running 3800, same thing. Not even a pop. When I inserted ring into the cylinder to check ring gap, it measured .051. If fuel is getting to cylinder, shouldn’t that indicate the comp is high enough to start?

Where did the rings come from? New OEM Poulans? The end gap with new rings should be 0.010”, so either the rings are too small in diameter or the cylinder is rubbish!

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

If fuel is getting to cylinder, shouldn’t that indicate the comp is high enough to start?

Not at all. It doesn't take a lot of primary compression (case side of the piston) to operate the carb's pump diaphragm effieciently enough to get plenty of fuel to the cylinder even though secondary compression (spark plug side of the piston) is too low for combustion. That makes it real easy to flood a low compression engine fast....., even if there's still enough compression to actually facilitate combustion.

That said, and as mentioned, that end gap is excessive, though low compression on a 3400 is relatively normal from everything I've ever read and is certainly the case with the two I have. Haven't measured them, but they both fail the drop test. Also both fire up easily and run great.

Pull the plug. Let the saw dry out over night. Try it again in the morning with a fresh plug and don't overdo it with the choke on..., maybe even no choke after a pull or two. My money is on it being severely flooded.

 

[redunshee]

Where did the rings come from? New OEM Poulans? The end gap with new rings should be 0.010”, so either the rings are too small in diameter or the cylinder is rubbish!

Bought onEbay from the Greek. Supposed to be Caber rings. Cylinder looks fine though it could be bad. Need to measure.

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[hotshot]

Bob,
Those 3400 & 3800 used pinned rings, butt ended, with a 1/16” or 0.063 diameter pin driven straight into the ring groove. They did not offset the pin up like the $tihl saws.

So I’m assuming you are laying a 1/16” drill bit in the ring gap & still measuring 0.051”with a feeler guage, correct? Bore is exactly 1.810”.

If you’re measuring a 0.051” w/o a pin, then you’re going to have to file off the ends a lot, as it’s an interference fit. I remember that the Greek’s “Caber” rings for the Poulan S25 series were junk & I sent three pair back for refund, so beware!

 

[beavis331]

Got this yesterday:

I thought that 3/8” x 20” was a bit much for 54cc.

But not since I ran it in some green hedge. [emoji15] Holy smoke!

That's what I got on my 330. Handles it with no problem. Awesome saws!

 

[redunshee]

Bob,
Those 3400 & 3800 used pinned rings, butt ended, with a 1/16” or 0.063 diameter pin driven straight into the ring groove. They did not offset the pin up like the $tihl saws.

So I’m assuming you are laying a 1/16” drill bit in the ring gap & still measuring 0.051”with a feeler guage, correct? Bore is exactly 1.810”.

If you’re measuring a 0.051” w/o a pin, then you’re going to have to file off the ends a lot, as it’s an interference fit. I remember that the Greek’s “Caber” rings for the Poulan S25 series were junk & I sent three pair back for refund, so beware!

I used a feeler gauge , though I like ur drill bit method. I realize and agree with everything you said. I'm guessing my measurement was off as the rings easily compress towards the pins. I've used his 3400 rings before and didn't have an issue though that doesn't mean one couldn't come up. Think I'll pull jug, after one more try at starting and measure cylinder bore and ring gap.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Any advice from the experienced CS millers on using a Poulan 8500 for CS milling using an Alaskan mill?

Don't you dare do it. Either get a modern saw for the mill or go to Lowes and buy some boards.

Putting a 8500 on a mill would be like taking a classic Ferrari and putting it to work in a taxi fleet.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Bob,
Those 3400 & 3800 used pinned rings, butt ended, with a 1/16” or 0.063 diameter pin driven straight into the ring groove. They did not offset the pin up like the $tihl saws.

So I’m assuming you are laying a 1/16” drill bit in the ring gap & still measuring 0.051”with a feeler guage, correct? Bore is exactly 1.810”.

If you’re measuring a 0.051” w/o a pin, then you’re going to have to file off the ends a lot, as it’s an interference fit. I remember that the Greek’s “Caber” rings for the Poulan S25 series were junk & I sent three pair back for refund, so beware!

Randy, the Cabers you got were junk why? Junk material or wrong dimensions ?

 

[redunshee]

I used a feeler gauge , though I like ur drill bit method. I realize and agree with everything you said. I'm guessing my measurement was off as the rings easily compress towards the pins. I've used his 3400 rings before and didn't have an issue though that doesn't mean one couldn't come up. Think I'll pull jug, after one more try at starting and measure cylinder bore and ring gap.

Pulled cylinder and did better measurements. Ring gap is .076 and I measured pin diameter at .058 leaving .018 clearance. Couldn’t get the .062 pin measurement. Piston skirt measures 1.808 and crown 1.80. Not quite the 1.810 oem measurement. Cylinder base measured 1.87, wider than the 1.810 spec. Still the base shouldn’t wear that much. Not sure what the measurement above the ports is as I didn’t have a way to measure it. Still wouldn’t start after a new plug.

 

[s sidewall]

What was it doing with the old rings?

Steve

 

[redunshee]

What was it doing with the old rings?

Steve

Old rings were about the same measurements.

 

[s sidewall]

Would it run, same compression?

Steve

 

[redunshee]

Would it run, same compression?

Steve

Didn’t really try to use the old rings but I did do an early comp test and it was about the same.

 

[s sidewall]

Did you measure ring gap passed intake/exhaust ports near top of compression stroke?

Steve