Small Saw Saga, Need Ideas and Opinions.

[JeffandTamara]

Hello:
I had a 40' Bradford Pear come down on the house after a wind storm the other day. I have a 2075 Poulan 16" chainsaw that I bought in 1998 for $100. (It has really surprised me how well it has held up) So now I am in a pinch to get the tree off the house, but the saw won't start, First time ever since I have owed it...Really... So I start tracing down what is wrong. Well it turns out it is the fuel line running from the primer bulb back to the tank. So after a trip to the parts store and a few hours of tinkering and research on this site I was able to get the fuel line back. So while I had the Carb off, I thought I should see if I could clean that up too. ( I know there is an old saying about if it ain't broke don't fix it, In this case I should have considered that before proceeding.) So I went through the cleaning process anyway. Well something about compressed air and that little mesh filter didn't mix well, and I ended up losing the little guy. Darn! So I wanted to get to sawing up the tree so I put it all back together less the screen and Wa-La...Works good again. Tree is now cut up and stacked for fire wood.....

Question 1: Since it is only a matter of time before not having that screen in place causes a problem, where can you get material to make a screen filter? Or is there any other options I am not aware of, short of buying a full carb kit?

Question 2: When I bought the little Poulan saw it was really out of necessity and never thought it would have such good luck with it or last this long. So I am thinking it is time to have a backup small saw. So while doing research on small saws, it is totally confusing to me. So many different makes and models. Is there any one stop specification list for saws that would give information such as Displacement, Power (HP or KW) and Weight then could add current price and make a decision about what to buy.

Question 3: Some of the specifications appear like they might be different. Such as weight. Is the weight include just power head or is it ready to run with bar, chain and oil and fuel? No standard, just what ever the manufacture wants to share??

Question 4: Seems like most saw spec's don't give power, just displacement. How good a correlation is there between the two?

Question 5: Reliability. From my experience, seems like even the Cheapo's can hold up it taken care of. My assumption is some deterioration such as fuel lines will happen on any saw from most expensive on down. Some of the Warranties are longer, but my guess is they are hard to take advantage of, and like most companies they know MTBF and are safe for homeowner users like myself so not likely to ever really need or use.

Right now, I have a friend that works in a small engine repair shop, He says buy Echo or Stihl...

Thanks for reading and if you have comments or opinions that myself or others could benefit, I would love to hear them!!!

 

[B Harrison]

echo, would be an economical purchase
Stihl would be ok, if money isnt an option buy a 261 260 .........201t if you want a great small saw
Dolmars are good saws and price is very reasonable most of the time.

If you want the best option for your dollar get a 346 XP from Nmurph and you will giggle every time you use it, support the site, have a cooler saw than all your neighbors, and last but not least,

YOU will know what all the fuss is about!

 

[pioneerguy600]

Depending on how much you use a saw you might already have all the saw you really need. Others on here are chainsaw junkies and will suggest every make and model of saw under the sun that is their favorite.
You can fix your saw with just a carb kit, the screen comes with the kit. You need to know the carb make and model. ie, weather it is a Zama, Walbro or Tillotson and the model , it will be found stamped on the side of the carb. If your saw has done you well up to this point then a little fixup will get you years of service out of it again.

 

[Magnumitis]

Hello:
I had a 40' Bradford Pear come down on the house after a wind storm the other day. I have a 2075 Poulan 16" chainsaw that I bought in 1998 for $100. (It has really surprised me how well it has held up) So now I am in a pinch to get the tree off the house, but the saw won't start, First time ever since I have owed it...Really... So I start tracing down what is wrong. Well it turns out it is the fuel line running from the primer bulb back to the tank. So after a trip to the parts store and a few hours of tinkering and research on this site I was able to get the fuel line back. So while I had the Carb off, I thought I should see if I could clean that up too. ( I know there is an old saying about if it ain't broke don't fix it, In this case I should have considered that before proceeding.) So I went through the cleaning process anyway. Well something about compressed air and that little mesh filter didn't mix well, and I ended up losing the little guy. Darn! So I wanted to get to sawing up the tree so I put it all back together less the screen and Wa-La...Works good again. Tree is now cut up and stacked for fire wood.....

Question 1: Since it is only a matter of time before not having that screen in place causes a problem, where can you get material to make a screen filter? Or is there any other options I am not aware of, short of buying a full carb kit?

Question 2: When I bought the little Poulan saw it was really out of necessity and never thought it would have such good luck with it or last this long. So I am thinking it is time to have a backup small saw. So while doing research on small saws, it is totally confusing to me. So many different makes and models. Is there any one stop specification list for saws that would give information such as Displacement, Power (HP or KW) and Weight then could add current price and make a decision about what to buy.

Question 3: Some of the specifications appear like they might be different. Such as weight. Is the weight include just power head or is it ready to run with bar, chain and oil and fuel? No standard, just what ever the manufacture wants to share??

Question 4: Seems like most saw spec's don't give power, just displacement. How good a correlation is there between the two?

Question 5: Reliability. From my experience, seems like even the Cheapo's can hold up it taken care of. My assumption is some deterioration such as fuel lines will happen on any saw from most expensive on down. Some of the Warranties are longer, but my guess is they are hard to take advantage of, and like most companies they know MTBF and are safe for homeowner users like myself so not likely to ever really need or use.

Right now, I have a friend that works in a small engine repair shop, He says buy Echo or Stihl...

Thanks for reading and if you have comments or opinions that myself or others could benefit, I would love to hear them!!!

this might put SawTroll over 50,000 posts.................today!:msp_w00t:

 

[mdavlee]

A $10 carb kit will get you back up and running for a few more years.

 

[exSW]

This is 2013 you bought it in 1998.15 years for a 100 dollar saw is pretty good.Nows the perfect time to look for a new saw, while the old one still runs.If you fix the screen and semi retire it now you will have a back up for years.

 

[SawTroll]

this might put SawTroll over 50,000 posts.................today!:msp_w00t:

Sorry, but no. I wouldn't know where to start....:msp_wink:

 

[ndlawrence]

I think the majority here would agree that you should be able to take care of all your needs with a Husqvarna 3120 and a 72" b&c.








I'd also look at the dolmar 420/421. Pro built saw.

 

[half_full]

I'm in the get a carb kit camp. It will be needed some day anyway as the soft parts firm up. Huh, kinda like the opposite of us poor humans...
If you use a saw enough to justify a back up, best buy would be a good used one from a reputable member here.

 

[zogger]

Buy another similar used and toasted poulan, and rob parts from it, including the screen in the ccarb, or just look, see which carb is better.

And don't use compressed air on a carb, use a can of carb spray. Compressed air is OK for cleaning up the saw in general though, take the plastics off, blow it all out clean.. You will have a ton of good parts for like free or 5 bucks. Most small engine shops have stacks of them kicking around. Even at ten bucks, the extra bar and chain make it worthwhile. You can be picky there are so many out there. I get these things for wicked cheap or free and once you have enough of them you can build runners for zero other parts, tons of the stuff swaps around.

For a new saw, the poulan pp5020av is hard to beat on price, less than 200 to your door ordered online.

 

[67L36Driver]

Fix what you got. Ten years is about the limit for fuel lines and the failure is to be expected.

Parts and carcasses are everywhere for the little Poulans. Makes 'em cheap to fix and cheap to buy.

 

[machinisttx]

Fix what you got. Ten years is about the limit for fuel lines and the failure is to be expected.

Parts and carcasses are everywhere for the little Poulans. Makes 'em cheap to fix and cheap to buy.

I agree. You shouldn't have any problems at all keeping that one going for a long time.

 

[JeffandTamara]

Thanks for all the ideas and Input! I appreciated it
I think I will end up buying a carb kit. Like was pointed out, not that expensive anheap d wouldn't hurt anything.
I will be looking into the "Find a Donor Saw" strategy...Will have to find a saw repair shop and see what they might have.
The other idea is I would like to have another small saw. Not sure why, but seems like a good Idea. I will take some of the suggestions and see what I can come up with.
The 346XP sounds interesting but probably out of my price range. I just about bought a Cheap tanaka but from the reviews I read on here, I think I might have did well by not buying.

Oh well, Hopefully I'll come up with something. I see Stihl has a real inexpensive 16" saw. I think the ad said $169... Can't be a whole lot... But I didn't think the Poulan would amount to much either. Nearly 15 years of pretty regular use and it is still going... go figure...

 

[FergusonTO35]

There is a nice used Echo CS-400 with case for 129.95 buy it now on eBay, also a CS-450 new without bar and chain on auction for $89.00 or so right now. Either would be a dandy saw for you. Those cheap Poulans are great for how little they cost, I love mine.

 

[JeffandTamara]

How do I find who has what for sale on this site???

 

[rburg]

Look under auctions.

 

[B Harrison]

I hope I don't get in trouble there is no favoritism here just first ones I see that will fit.

http://www.arboristsite.com/tradin-post/241747.htm

andhttp://www.arboristsite.com/tradin-post/241750.htm id a little saw is what you want. These are a steal!

Here are 3 saws, a good solid saw and two cheaper saws. http://www.arboristsite.com/tradin-post/241266.htm The 445 is going to be around 13 pounds of saw so light weight and should pull a 18 inch well. Not as much saw as a Dolmar 420 I would guess, but cheaper.