Poulan Pro 295 / 4620 quick adjust / intenz elimination

[Stevek90]

I got the new muffler in and was looking at it and measuring stuff up. So has anyone just taken and replaced the muffler on one of these saws with this early 295 muffler version without modding it first?

In summary, I think you can gain a little by modification, but the huge change is just switching the original muffler for this one. I figure run a few calculations before just starting to hack things up. There is no point in putting a 4" muffler in a car with a 10 foot 1.5" exhaust system up stream... well except to just make noise!

I was measuring the muffler up and found there is actually not a lot of restriction in it in even stock form. I am going to just open up the baffle holes a bit and the shell exit up a bit but overall even stock it's nearly an open muffler. The measurements: the cylinder exit is ~0.60 sq in.(opening up any more than this downstream won't do much except make more noise) The baffle is open to ~ 0.42 sq in. The exhaust on the shell is about the same. I am going to drill the baffle holes out to 1/4" (stock they are 5/32), this will open the baffle up to a total of ~0.75 sq in. (which in it self is overkill) as well as pry the shell slit open a bit more to match the cylinder exit sq in. I probably should test before and after the modifications but I just want to get it going

 

[Chris-PA]

I got the new muffler in and was looking at it and measuring stuff up. So has anyone just taken and replaced the muffler on one of these saws with this early 295 muffler version without modding it first?

In summary, I think you can gain a little by modification, but the huge change is just switching the original muffler for this one. I figure run a few calculations before just starting to hack things up. There is no point in putting a 4" muffler in a car with a 10 foot 1.5" exhaust system up stream... well except to just make noise!

I was measuring the muffler up and found there is actually not a lot of restriction in it in even stock form. I am going to just open up the baffle holes a bit and the shell exit up a bit but overall even stock it's nearly an open muffler. The measurements: the cylinder exit is ~0.60 sq in.(opening up any more than this downstream won't do much except make more noise) The baffle is open to ~ 0.42 sq in. The exhaust on the shell is about the same. I am going to drill the baffle holes out to 1/4" (stock they are 5/32), this will open the baffle up to a total of ~0.75 sq in. (which in it self is overkill) as well as pry the shell slit open a bit more to match the cylinder exit sq in. I probably should test before and after the modifications but I just want to get it going

I agree - that's all I did to mine. Drilled out the holes and added some on the bottom of the baffle. And pried open the outlet just a bit more with a screwdriver. The difference in the saw was night and day, and mine started out with that muffler. I'm still running the screen so far.

 

[Stevek90]

I agree - that's all I did to mine. Drilled out the holes and added some on the bottom of the baffle. And pried open the outlet just a bit more with a screwdriver. The difference in the saw was night and day, and mine started out with that muffler. I'm still running the screen so far.

Where do they put the screen with that muffler? Once I got the new muffler I saw no place for any screen and one didn't come with it. I finished up the saw over the weekend and ran it, I am going to write up the total outcome soon. Yes, night and day the difference in the saw. Maple Logs that were difficult to split with bunch of knots I just took the saw to them and ripped they up fairly quickly, I would never be able to that before with that thing

 

[Chris-PA]

The screen wraps around the baffle tube. It fits fairly loose so it is not pushed right up against the baffle, giving each hole in the baffle access to a fair amount of screen surface area. I think it's a MUCH better design than having a tiny screen right across the outlet hole.

My 142, WT and 2775 all have the same basic design. The 2775 is the only one I have the screen in now (the muffler I ordered for the 142 did not come with one either). I have not really noticed any difference with or without it.

 

[Stevek90]

Summary of Poulan 295 / 4620 modifications

I figured I'd write up a summary of how the saw ended up, perhaps this may help someone in the future to have all this info in one spot.

I must say, I agee the saw is night and day compared to the pig it was in stock form. Like they took something that was decent and ruined it, starting with the intenz bar. It is now a good performing lightweight saw. It performs much more like a mid range saw than a home junker special. As soon as I put on the new modded muffler I knew I was getting a lot more air flow through it as it would not run correctly until the carb was properly adjusted by opening up the fuel to it, lots of hesitation initially from all that new air flow! So I would hope that anyone doing a muffler mod understands the carb MUST be adjusted after a muffler change. I can actually push on it a bit with the 16" bar and it will keep cutting, it I pushed at all with the 20" in stock form it would stop. The fuel consumption seems much higher now, you fill up quicker but get a lot more done.

Summary of 295/4620 mods (prices include shipping and sometimes rounded)

Change: PN source price
Standard bar adjustment kit to eliminate intenz quick adjust 530069611 ebay $4.70
Muffler (baffles drilled out to 1/4") outlet opened up via screwdriver 530069707 repairclinic $18
Muffler shield 530056256 ebay $8.25
Oregon Prolite 16" bar kit (bar only pn: 160GLGK041) 105711 amazon $47
Micro Chisel Chain that comes with 16" bar (above kit) 20BPX066G
New air filter (best to have new filter to tune carb after muffler change) ebay $7
Tool to adjust carb, makes tuning very easy 530035560 ebay $6.87



Well there it is, the bar/chain is a big expense but most people who are modding these saws probably got them for free or close to it and replacing the stock double safety bump chain with the oregon micro chisel is a good improvement. A new chain is $17 alone so really getting the nice Pro Lite bar for $30 if someone goes this route.

 

[nick 55]

Well done! A lot of people bash these saws because of their race(color), but for a homeowner/woodcutter that does have a budget, these are pretty good saws. These mods you have listed are NECESSARY for the saw to live up to its potential though.

Nick

 

[Sprintcar]

Well done! A lot of people bash these saws because of their race(color), but for a homeowner/woodcutter that does have a budget, these are pretty good saws. These mods you have listed are NECESSARY for the saw to live up to its potential though.

Nick

+1

Good man!

 

[Chris-PA]

Yup - cool (though I kept the 20" bar and am glad I did). I like the way it sounds!

 

[Stevek90]

Well done! A lot of people bash these saws because of their race(color), but for a homeowner/woodcutter that does have a budget, these are pretty good saws. These mods you have listed are NECESSARY for the saw to live up to its potential though.

Nick

Just some thoughts...

I would be very curious to see how the saw now compares modded to a Stihl MS250, I mean if I was buying a new cheap light saw that is the one(ms250 for $300) I would probably buy. If I had $500 I'd get the Husky 346 xp since I think it's more competively priced than the Stihl MS261. The MS250 is probably considered the king of the home owner saws(based on ebay resale is nearly same price used as new?). I was not happy with the Poulan in stock form. I know someone with an MS250 and a MS291 so maybe in future I have opportunity to compare. I think the bad rap of the Poulan is partially deserved (would you spend $200 on a new Poulan and then mod it?), of course if you only have $200 you can get the job done with it and should not have high expectations. Perhaps you bought the saw for some simple chores and now doing more firewood so now time to mod it. For everyone who already has the saw or can get one cheap at a tag sale/craigslist it can make some sense(doing the mods).

 

[nick 55]

I have worked my 4620 alongside my in-laws' MS270 and 271. They are 50cc so just a little bit larger, but all are running .325 chain, on 20" bars. The Stihls are .063 RSC, mine is .050 BPX. Side by side, with the 295 muffler opened up and tuned properly, my saw is just a hair faster in 12" wood. They both will bog if you lean hard on them buried deep in wood, but again, these are not 65-70cc saws with 18" bars. Now, I'm not into racing, but you can bet I feel pretty good about having $200 into my saw versus them spending $400 on theirs. Couple that without my chains are cheaper, fuel economy is about the same, and I'm happy with my purchase. If they were running the same BPX chain, I think my saw would be decidedly faster in the wood.

Dollar for dollar, I came out the winner.

Nick

 

[Chris-PA]

I had my Dad's 45cc 18" MS250C here for a while. Perfectly fine saw but it wasn't any faster than my 42cc 18" Craftsman/WT. It was pulling full 3/8 vs 3/8 lo-pro, but it's their decision to make it move more wood. It would have nothing on the muffler modded 2775.