Nik's Poulan Thread

[hotshot]

Poulan S25 series starter housing baffle question:

How do you go about “cleanly” removing the three blind aluminum rivets holding down the flywheel air baffle plate inside the starter housing?

I’m assuming they’re just straight shanks & not the screw in helix types, and I plan on reusing the rivets.

Some older IPLs show that Poulan 530015241 screws are used instead of the rivets, but I’ve never seen them.

Just an update, those rivets are steel & are helixes/threaded. Red loctite was used by the factory.

If you Dremel a flat on opposed sides of the dome head, you can start them out with small nipping pliers & then twist them out with needle nose. There’s not much clearance.

I put them back in with blue 242 loctite, in case some poor bastard ever needs to pull them again...

 

[s sidewall]

They use those to afix tags on equipment.

Steve

 

[2stroke_shaman]

Why can't I start my 25DA?
I've been chasing a problem with this saw for weeks. After a lot of futile diagnosis it turned out that there was a fuel delivery problem. The saw was running out of fuel after using it for several minutes. I thought it was a too restrictive fuel filter which ended up being wrong so I went further. The saw had the original seals so I did a pressure test and it was leaking from the PTO side so I changed both sides. I checked the points which look great and I gapped the coil. I also put a carb kit in the walbro carb while I was at it and saw that the screen looked plugged with a sort of grayish crap. The gas tank, I guess, was the source of this material because it had some corrosion in it. I opened the gas tank and cleaned it as well as I could. After putting it back together it started right up and, after tuning the high/low, it ran great BUT still quit after running for a few minutes. I thought maybe that fine screen in the carb blocked up again so I took it apart again and the screen looked fine. I tried running it again but I can't get it started now. The top of the Reed valve looks wet and it will pop off briefly and die. I was thinking maybe it flooded so I pulled the rope with the throttle wide open which generally works but didn't. The plug was dry so I have no idea wtf is going on.
Here is what I can offer thus far:
New fuel line.
New fuel filter.
New crank seals.
New P&C with only a few hours running.
When I did have it running it ran great.
If anyone can offer a troubleshooting flow chart I'd greatly appreciate it. Seems like I'm chasing my tail at this point.

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Saw is starving for fuel . You said dry plug . You had alot apart . I would go through pressure/vac tests of the motor then into the carb. Needle height and check the metering check valves/carb gaskets . It needs a vac pulse to pump.
Is the fuel cap vent plugged?

 

[challenger]

Thanks for the reply!
I feel it isn't getting fuel as well when it quits. Today I was checking things out again. Of course it started right up so I couldn't fix it since it wasn't broken AT THAT moment. I went to a pine that is hung against another tree and cut it so the trunk feel off the stump and on to the ground. To continue testing I cut through the stump three more times. The stump is wider than the bar so it took some time to do. On the third cut it quit. The fuel line had fuel in it at the carb but also I saw an air gap in the line (is this normal?). I opened the recoil side and I saw that the fuel line was partially pinched by the sliding on/off switch. I took the switch out of the saw so it wouldn't happen again and put it back together. It started again but quickly quit AGAIN and wouldn't restart. I can see wet fuel on top of the Reed valve every time that I can't get the saw to run but the plug is bone dry. Once in a while it will start when I hold it WOT. This lead me to think it gets flooded BUT, as if now at least, I don't think there is a flooding problem.
I can't work on it tomorrow but on Wednesday I plan on going through the carb again and I might as well vacuum and pressure test it again.
That is unless there are better ideas???
I can't believe I'm still dicking around with this saw. It's certainly not worth all this time and effort. I just am a stubborn sob and I keep thinking how nice it would be to have this saw start and run perfectly or close to it. It's a damn handy size saw and it cuts better than most saws I've seen others use that are way bigger and 10X more $. It has a 1/4" chain on it with a 14" bar and, after sharpening it today, it cut through some serious hard fat lighter pine like a boss. And then it didn't [emoji24].
Oh and yes the fuel cap vents fine. I changed the duck bill a couple of years ago and it is still playable and working.

Saw is starving for fuel . You said dry plug . You had alot apart . I would go through pressure/vac tests of the motor then into the carb. Needle height and check the metering check valves/carb gaskets . It needs a vac pulse to pump.
Is the fuel cap vent plugged?

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[2stroke_shaman]

No the plug is still dry . Your seeing oil on the reed . Starving . Give it a small spray when it quits . Start?
If not move on to spark . I think fuel ...

 

[s sidewall]

If it was flooded, plug would be soaking wet., as said, when it stops and won't start, squirt a little fuel into carb and see if it will fire up.

Steve

 

[s sidewall]

What color was the spark at the plug when you checked it?

Steve

 

[challenger]

It was sort of medium/dark gray. It was "clean" in that there was no gunk or residue on it. I've seen good running engines with much worse plugs in them.
I'll take a picture if that would help.
I'll definitely give it a little fuel charge first chance I get. Thanks for the tip that the wetness is, or could be, oil.

What color was the spark at the plug when you checked it?

Steve

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[Todd Loosli]

Ok my nickels worth, raise the float level up till you know it is getting fuel, if it floods go down a bit. If you don't have one of these get one

 

[mogulmasher]

Thought you guys would think this is cool. Saw is nothing special, but I picked this little 1800 up today that has never had fuel put to it. It's a brand new saw with a price tag still on it. Unfortunately don't have the bar in new condition.

 

[s sidewall]

It was sort of medium/dark gray. It was "clean" in that there was no gunk or residue on it. I've seen good running engines with much worse plugs in them.
I'll take a picture if that would help.
I'll definitely give it a little fuel charge first chance I get. Thanks for the tip that the wetness is, or could be, oil.

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No no no, what color Spark at plug when you crank engine over.

Steve

 

[s sidewall]

View attachment 682320 View attachment 682321 Thought you guys would think this is cool. Saw is nothing special, but I picked this little 1800 up today that has never had fuel put to it. It's a brand new saw with a price tag still on it. Unfortunately don't have the bar in new condition.

Looks like a Wal-Mart price sticker, never knew they sold that model. A little soap and water will clean her up real well.

Steve

 

[mogulmasher]

I think it's probably a generic price tag. The other tag says Kingston Enterprise. It was a power equipment and Yamaha dealer years ago in Kingston, NH that I think still sells generators. Most of the saws I got from this guy came from that same dealer.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Installing the parts from the early tank I sold. To the newer updated tanks I like. Also checking for leaks.

Before and after cleaning with WD40 cleaner 1st time and water, 2nd time wd40 and brush then water.

 

[Todd Loosli]

Tell me more about the wd 40 cleaning

 

[Cookie]

Looks new again.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Tell me more about the wd 40 cleaning

Back when I tried it. Was looking for something that wouldnt etch or discolor plastic or aluminum cylinders etc. http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/ported-saws/new-cleaner-degreaser/msg78539/#msg78539

 

[Todd Loosli]

Glad I ask, was thinking you used WD 40 and a brush then rinsed it off . Didn't know they had a cleaner. Something new every day, thanks .

 

[Todd Loosli]

Golf tee also new idea, that's 2 today

 

[hotshot]

Double whammy!

Just went through this new to me cherry red 3.7 Craftsman. The fuel tank, line, & gas filter was nasty, but the carb was clean inside. Zero maintenance, I don’t think this poor saw ever had the covers pulled.

So I didn’t pull the carb’s circuit plate from the HDB-8c carb. Checked the lever height & both the diaphragms, all looked fine. Replaced everything & flushed the tank.

Cleaned it all up, fueled it up & it started right up, but then wouldn't accelerate at all. Acted like the impulse hole was plugged. Low speed screw had no effect. ZAT4 spark checker showed good spark the whole time...hmm wtf?

So, I pulled the Walbro carb off again, pulled the circuit plate, & found these two issues.

The first was a wad of snuff blocking off the midget sized main jet screen.

The second was a piece of metal shaving stuck right in the circuit plate low speed feed hole.

Daym the luck. Runs & cuts great now, just missing a back starter cover screw!