Chainsaw Conversion

[handyman]

Has anyone ever converted a chainsaw to a 3 or 4 hp briggs mower engine? I am the kind of person who you dont dare give or sell me a 2 cycle anything. I have fought with those #!^&&#%^$# things far too many times, and I'd estimate I have taken the sledge hammer to at least a dozen chainsaws and half dozen weed whackers.

I am not willing to spend hundreds of dollars to get a top of the line model, and to be quite honest, if it's got a 2 cycle engine, I would not give a dime for a thousand dollar saw, because I know it would not run when I needed it, and I'd beat the f*** out of it with the sledge, In fact, I put a sign in my garage (as a joke), but kind of serious in a way. The sign says "If it's got a 2 cycle engine, the sledge hammer is under the bench, the garbage is out back".

I have used electric chainsaws (and whackers), and love em, except for one thing. Not a one of them is strong enough, and generally fry the motors on at least 2 of each every year.

For the solution, I want to hook a nice reliable 3 to 4 hp briggs 4 cycle mower engine to a chainsaw. Most likely a whacker next. Yes, I know it will be heavier, but heavy and useful is much better than light and useless.

If anyone has any plans or ideas, I'd surely like to see some plans. I can receive graphics via email, or view your website.

Thanks

The email on here is invalid. I will send it via email.

The Handyman

[m Ransley]

A problem with 4 strokes will be you will starve the bearings for oil in tilting the motor and you wont get much engine life. You don`t beleive in Sthil or Echo ? Electrics are OK but you need the proper gauge feed and extensions so you dont kill them on low voltage , Again Sthil has a good one, but you may be dragging around 10ga. for distance. 2 strokes with quality units and not leaving gas in to varnish up makes life easy, and they are reliable.

[Stormin Mormon]

I went to the library some years ago, and looked at books on chainsaws. Very interesting!

Some of the original model chainsaws were operated by a four stroke engine like you say. They took two men to operate, and had a three or four foot bar.

Four cycle engines can only operate in very specific positions -- if you tilt them too much,t hey don't lubricate. The oil has to stay in the pan under the machine, and it has to be nearly upright.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what to say. Electric saws are typically under powered.

[m Ransley]

Running a 4 stroke at any angle above 30-40 degrees can kill it fast,

2 strokes run in any postition and upside down. My highway dept trashed their 4 strokes on hill trimming and went to Lawn Boy. Tree trimming with a B&S 4, you rarely will run it level and wont have much life on the motor, maybe as little as a day. Get a quality 2 stroke at a dealer, when problems occur go back to him to see what you are doing wrong on your starting procedure, 2 strokes flood easily.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Most standard gas four strokes will not work. They are designed to operate at a given plane and don't take well to a 90 degree turn. The oil sump will not pick up and the carb floats don't work properly

Perhaps you should look into some aircraft engines that are designed to handle various angles when running. Maybe a Lycoming radial?

While I share your disdain for most 2 cycle engines, my Stihl saw starts easily and runs well.

[Lawrence Wasserman]

While there are 4 cycle engine designs that are capable of running sideways, I've never heard of any that are used in lawn mowers or similar machines.

[DR, Bob]

they do make a 4 cycle line trimmer now.

have yet to see a 4 cycle chain saw as of yet. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel why dont you figure out what you are doing wrong when you own a 2 cyce and fix that?

[Robert Allison]

Huh? You have never seen a 4 stroke lawnmower?

[John‰]                      Â]

If you want a chuckle, go to google and type in "V8 chainsaw".

Yup, somebody built one.

John

[BinaryBillTheSailor]

He said he's never seen one with a 4-stroke engine designed to run on it's side.

There are some models with an oil pump, rather than a splash lube system, that probably can.

BB

[m Ransley]

There are models with side shafts, but degree of angle is still minimal before oil starvation damage occurs. OP blows up all his Electrics and can`t get a 2 stroke to run, he is hopeless.

[BinaryBillTheSailor]

Read what I said again. There are 4-stroke lawnmowers with automotive type oil pumps and filters that can run at severe angles without a problem. I made no distinction between horizontal or vertical shaft configurations.

You are corect that if he can't get a good quality 2-stroke to run, it's because he is inept.

BB

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Not that you can turn 90 degrees from horziontal and expect to continue running for very long.

[handyman]

The last 2 cycle chainsaw that got the sledge hammer was an Echo. That was when I decided to never own another 2 cycle anything, and made my garage sign out of frustration.

I can see what you are saying about starving the engine of oil for a mower engine. I guess that leaves me with the next option, putting a nice big electric motor on one, such as a washing machine motor. How to get that to fit will be a challenge, but I guess is probably easier than the mower engine.

Come to think of it, I know a guy that has a 20 hp 440volt 3phase electric motor sitting in his shop. If I bought a forklift to move it around, I'd have one hell of a chainsaw. :)

[John W. Wells]

Dunno what to tell ya--my 30 year old 2-cycle Stihl starts on the second pull every time. First pull choked; second pull it's going.

--John W. Wells Having two hands does not automatically make one a "handyman" ;-)

[m Ransley]

Look into Sthil electric mine is 10 yrs old and fine but the gauge extension wire is critical , I use 12 ga even at 25 ft, voltage drop will burn up any electric motor fast by overheating it. You may have been plugging your electrics into to small a house or building outlet and to small a gauge extensions. They will last as long as and maybe longer than gas if given proper voltage and care.

[Steve B.]

My Dads is over 20 years old and I don't remember him ever having a problem with it. My LawnBoy is 6 years old now and still runs like a new one. I wonder what the OP does to the equipment it kill it so soon?

Steve B.

[Harry K]

Others have covered the 'positional' problem. The practical -don't do it- is that you would have a real POS. Chainsaws (gas) are designed to run at 10,000 rpm and up. What would you expect of the 4cycle? Now if you are talking about a 4 cycle motorcycle engine there are a lot of 'hot' saws running them but again notice that they are basically a one position engine.

Some one else said it, here it is again. Learn to operate the 2 cycle and you won't have a problem.

Harry K

[MUADIB®]

Uh,................I went to the store , Lowes I think , the other day and was amazed to see just what you need. They had a Troy Built brand Weadeater head that was 4 cycle and it had interchangeable attachments including a pole saw with extebsions avainlable too.

The above piece should be just what you need I'd think.

There's the model I am talking about. However , I did not read about it and it may not be capable of much angular usage...............They have a help link on the website though, so mebbe a Q or two and you'll be set up for business.

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

[AC/DCdude17]

Ryobi 4 cycle engine supposedly works in all orientation.