Starting a Homelite XL troubles.

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Yeah, whatever. Didn't want to go out in the shop in my underwear in the dark to find my old spark plug books. I remember lots of folks would be trying to run them with a CJ8.
 
I have an XL and had trouble starting it. Found out the little black plastic cover was keeping the choke lever from closing the choke all the way. Choke was holding open, wasn't getting the full effect. If the saw shop guy started it easy, maybe he pushed it just far enough.
 
purdyite said:
I have an XL and had trouble starting it. Found out the little black plastic cover was keeping the choke lever from closing the choke all the way. Choke was holding open, wasn't getting the full effect. If the saw shop guy started it easy, maybe he pushed it just far enough.
Click to expand...

dynodave said:
I've got 2 XL2. 1973 & 1977
Both act the same.
Ignition off,
FULL choke,
3 pulls to prime,

1/2 choke
Ignition on,
1 pull and it runs....
5-10 seconds running
choke off
cut wood
never use E-10 or the carb kits will die
:chainsaw:
Click to expand...

I have never seen a written procedure to properly put in the black carb cover and was often annoyed on the difficulty of putting it in. This may be contributing to the choke lever dragging and causing the problem you encountered. I believe they made at least 3 versions of the carb cover and they were not perfect...or the same
So, to easily and reliably put the choke on you need to properly fit the carb cover. They are just a crude molded black plastic/vinyl piece and does not always fit properly with out trimming it and knowing how to put it in. You have to realize the XL (single throttle) and XL2 (dual throttle) were actually different castings and there certainly had to be a bit of manufacturing variation. Then consider more variation for the plastic versions of saw.
Blue printing the carb cover to your case only takes a few minutes and will make the saw much easier to maintain.
To put it in... without bending it all up... you need to pull the starter cover off (and handle bar). that allows the two tanks to rock outward a bit. The cover then fits in position easily...IF it is sized correctly it will fit in position without any strain or forcing
1. The front edge must fit easily inboard of the magnesium housing. Trim this edge to suit.
2. The top edge must also fit inside of the mag case. Trim so it fits without significant force needed
3. Put starter cover on...cover should fit well in the aperture now. The bottom lip is sitting on top of the mag case and tank bosses. The rear lip sits on top of the mag case.
4. Swing the choke lever up and if it touches the plastic cover (usually on the front edge) an exacto blade will work well to trim for proper clearance for the full lever arc/swing.
That's what I did...now it start easy and reliably. As long as you keep the E-10 out
 
dynodave said:
I have never seen a written procedure to properly put in the black carb cover and was often annoyed on the difficulty of putting it in. This may be contributing to the choke lever dragging and causing the problem you encountered. I believe they made at least 3 versions of the carb cover and they were not perfect...or the same
So, to easily and reliably put the choke on you need to properly fit the carb cover. They are just a crude molded black plastic/vinyl piece and does not always fit properly with out trimming it and knowing how to put it in. You have to realize the XL (single throttle) and XL2 (dual throttle) were actually different castings and there certainly had to be a bit of manufacturing variation. Then consider more variation for the plastic versions of saw.
Blue printing the carb cover to your case only takes a few minutes and will make the saw much easier to maintain.
To put it in... without bending it all up... you need to pull the starter cover off (and handle bar). that allows the two tanks to rock outward a bit. The cover then fits in position easily...IF it is sized correctly it will fit in position without any strain or forcing
1. The front edge must fit easily inboard of the magnesium housing. Trim this edge to suit.
2. The top edge must also fit inside of the mag case. Trim so it fits without significant force needed
3. Put starter cover on...cover should fit well in the aperture now. The bottom lip is sitting on top of the mag case and tank bosses. The rear lip sits on top of the mag case.
4. Swing the choke lever up and if it touches the plastic cover (usually on the front edge) an exacto blade will work well to trim for proper clearance for the full lever arc/swing.
That's what I did...now it start easy and reliably. As long as you keep the E-10 out
Click to expand...
I agree with everything you said.. Every XL cover seems is different cuz seems they take on the shape that people have left them in after it didn't fit.. Anyway, community question.. How many saws have you gotten to repair, or just got left, and the only problem was,,,oil in the gas hole, and gas in the oil hole??
 
Beetlejuice said:
I agree with everything you said.. Every XL cover seems is different cuz seems they take on the shape that people have left them in after it didn't fit.. Anyway, community question.. How many saws have you gotten to repair, or just got left, and the only problem was,,,oil in the gas hole, and gas in the oil hole??
Click to expand...

I bought one new saw in 1980 since then most of them are freebe's (just the last 5-6 years). I'm up to 55 saws. I just fix them eventually and just throw them on the shelf in the shed. It' mainly for the challenge and learning. There is no money in selling the cheapo saws that I get given to me. But I have lots of loaners LOL...
No gas/oil mixups but I did get a mac 7-10A running after pouring all the water out of the gas tank...
 
dynodave said:
I bought one new saw in 1980 since then most of them are freebe's (just the last 5-6 years). I'm up to 55 saws. I just fix them eventually and just throw them on the shelf in the shed. It' mainly for the challenge and learning. There is no money in selling the cheapo saws that I get given to me. But I have lots of loaners LOL...
No gas/oil mixups but I did get a mac 7-10A running after pouring all the water out of the gas tank...
Click to expand...
Water in the gas tank.. Unusual but not unheard of.. I have saws scattered about myself. Good ones on the shelf, and POULAN in the recycling binsIMG_20180129_224325.jpg
 
OMG: No spark arrestor, not OSHA approved. Smokey the Bear would not like that one.;)

Now that one would make your ears flop. Might be good cold weather red neck saw to keep crotch area warm.
I have some of the old Mac 1-46's and 1-53's with the cast muffler and they are already loud enough with the cast muffler. One of them overpriced VINTAGE mac replacement mufflers prices makes a guy want to try a straight pipe.
 
Okie said:
OMG: No spark arrestor, not OSHA approved. Smokey the Bear would not like that one.;)

Now that one would make your ears flop. Might be good cold weather red neck saw to keep crotch area warm.
I have some of the old Mac 1-46's and 1-53's with the cast muffler and they are already loud enough with the cast muffler. One of them overpriced VINTAGE mac replacement mufflers prices makes a guy want to try a straight pipe.
Click to expand...
By cast muffler, do you mean the old round chrome looking things?
 
i have the same saw and the original operation manuel you are right you put the choke on and then you hold the throttle wide open and it will pop then part throttle and it will start then take off choke it will start every time like this when it is warm just hold throttle open and it starts
 

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