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pioneerguy600

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Stopped in to the local saw shop today and to my suprise the owner said have I got one for you to fix. All the locals in attendance laughed as he handed me a lump which had a metal handle sticking out of a mix of hardened bar oil and sawdust + tree sap and balsam. Couldn`t tell what it was at first but there was a starter handle protruding out of the mess and I pulled it out but nothing engaged , just let it recoil back in and there were a lot of snickers. Someone said think you can get that running and of course I said sure, if I can get it to turn over.
Took it home and once in the shop after removing a full pound of sticky gunk a label appeared on the saws top that reads Skil 1629.Took the covers off as the gunk removal allowed and finally got to the recoil which is a Fairbanks Morse setup . The cup and pawls were toast so bolted on another new set of both pieces +friction washers and spring,replaced the cleaned up recoil side and it engages nicely. Before turning it over I sprayed WD 40 and Fluid Film in the open muffler which currently has no front.it turns over and has great compression. Next checked for spark with the toggle switch in the on position and no go so I guessed bad coil,points,condenser or wires but just in case flipped the switch to off position and pulled it over,it has the biggest blue spark that jumped the gap with ease.
Next a few squirts of mix in the spark plug hole and replaced the plug,a few squirts in the open carb and with three quick pulls it fired and ran a few seconds then stopped. Put some mix in the tank and a few squirts in the carb again,a couple quick pulls and it snapped to life and runs without stopping.It runs really fast like on a high idle but with the muffler open I richened the lo needle a half turn and it idled down nicely. Tried WOT and it revved way to high so a little richening on the hi needle and it now runs excellent both ends.
Shut it off and let it cool a couple of minutes,screwed in the compression gauge and with three pulls had 147 and with five pulls 161.With a lot more cleaning maybe this thing may make a chainsaw out of this lump of gunk.
Checked the Mike Acres site and could not find this model listed. The label says Skil model 1629,there is a model 1631 that looks like it and a PM model 340 also.The paint colour as best as I can tell is a gold body with a black top maybe a late 60`s model,its all metal. Going to need a bar and chain for this one,chain looks to be 3/8" but what bar fits this one I don`t know as yet but probably can modify something to fit. Does all that oil and sawdust etc. preserve these old saws,oh well nothing better than a free saw. LOL. Pioneerguy600
 
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You have to get a b&c on it bring it back to that shop and fire it up. I bet they won't be laughing anymore.
 
You have to get a b&c on it bring it back to that shop and fire it up. I bet they won't be laughing anymore.

Darn tootin,it took me 23 minutes to get that saw to fire up,timed myself on it as I thought it may take longer.Looks like a husky bar will come close with an oil channel mod,no problem .Got a 16"and 18" should do but may mount a 36'' or the 42" just for S and G. Gotta weld up a muffler for that puppy,my ears are still on five alarm. LOL Pioneerguy600
 
Just checked the Oregon site and they don't have it listed either. They have a 1624 and a 1631 version 3 listed. Both of those run a 041 bar and low pro chain.
 
There is a ton of 1629's out here, I just gave two away. Nobody wants them.
The starters all seem to fail.
Great you got it running.:cheers:

Hey bigbadbob; Do the 1629`s have a screen around the recoil cover or are they open and this lets in dirt etc to the starter mechanism? This one has a piece of window screen wired on around the recoil cover in an attempt to keep out debris but failed miserably. Is this a 69cc saw? Also the starters are a piece of cake to fix as they are Fairbanks Morse types with a cup and pawls and a couple friction washers.
Pioneerguy600
 
Don't remember screens. But I did play with the starters and gave up on them and gave the saws to a guy who is in another town.
Will have to find out if he got them going.
Someone gave me the two whole ones and a parts one.
They are allways at the pawn for $25-50, not worth it IMO.
I have enough project saws already.
And maybe a 1947 three wheel harley soon, in pieces:cheers: .
 
Don't remember screens. But I did play with the starters and gave up on them and gave the saws to a guy who is in another town.
Will have to find out if he got them going.
Someone gave me the two whole ones and a parts one.
They are allways at the pawn for $25-50, not worth it IMO.
I have enough project saws already.
And maybe a 1947 three wheel harley soon, in pieces:cheers: .

Wow that will be an even better project than that old RA you sent to Brmorgan, I would like to hear if he ever gets it going,I`ve got two runners and a part saw that could run but wont go there as it won`t be a parts saw if I start it. I grew up working on Fairbanks Morse starters and have no difficulty with them at all, NOS rocks. Pioneerguy600
 
Just checked the Oregon site and they don't have it listed either. They have a 1624 and a 1631 version 3 listed. Both of those run a 041 bar and low pro chain.

Thanks for the bar info,will lookup the Oregon site and call the distributor here in the Industrial Park. I modified a Pioneer bar and made some bar guides since it had none with it and that will do until I get a proper bar for it,made up a new loop of 3/8 Stihl RSC 33 but have not put it in wood yet.
Pioneerguy600
 
Well I did get to take the Skil 1629 back to the shop that gave it to me.They did not reconize it in its cleaned up condition and when it started on the first pull they just shook their heads.After shutting it off the shop owner said it must just be my luck,he could not imagine it starting and running fine without a carb kit,lines,filter or even a spark plug.
Today I cut out pieces of 16 ga steel and made up a nice ported muffler,tiged it all up and mounted it to the saw.It quieted the saw down a little but runs with lots of power.
I have run two tanks of gas through it and it works without wavering,idles fine and runs WOT with authority.Manual oiler works better now that I made up a new revised guide for the push rod that operates the oil pump.It replaces the bootlace that was tied on to it when I dug out all the caked oil and sawdust. LOL Pioneerguy600
 

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