How do you "tune up" a hard-to-start Craftsman 18" chainsaw

[Hank]

I never tried, but I doubt it because teh splines are so fine and small.

Hank

[Hank]

The screws are recessed in a metal surrounding. It would be very difficult to do. I did talk to a couple guys who said they used those crimp-on wire connectors and slid them over. I tried that method but couldn't get it to work. Maybe I was doing something wrong. Anyway, my tool has paid for itself... $5.

Also on a side note to all that is following.........when dis- assembling something as complicated as a carb, or even something you have never taken apart, take pics of it BEFORE and DURING dis- assembly. By doing this, you won't be confused as to where that spring goes, where the linkage goes and etc. when you want to re-assemble it.

Hank

[SF Man]

I have to agree. The tool is inexpensive (shipping costs more than the tool). It hasn't arrived yet so I can't tell you more.

On the pins, the "splines", if they're there at all, must be so tiny I can't see them. You can't actually touch the screw because it's recessed and they put a plastic housing around it expressly so you could not get pliars around it. They really look like pins more than screws.

The only thing you can get on them is some socket-like thing (which I'm hoping the spline tool is).

Does anyone have a PICTURE of the splines close up so we can see what we're dealing with?

[Oren]

Count the splines on the outside of the screw head.

[Hank]

I think you'll have to pry off the plastic stops that are on them first.

On most of the small 2 cycle engines that I work on, I replace the fuel lines and make sure the filter is attached. This fixes the majority that have a air/fuel mixture problem. Those little hoses don't last too long and create a host of problems that mimic a dirty carb.

Hank

Hank

[zzyzzx]

Bah humbug. Throw it away and get a new chainsaw that uses electricity instead.

[SF Man]

They do not appear to have any plastic stops.

They are rounded 'pins', ostensibly with splines, surrounded by a larger plastic 'protector' (like the kind vending machines have) to prevent you from accessing them from the sides.

I've seen the pictures of the large plastic caps on other chain saws but these are simply metal pins, recessed about an inch in, so that the ONLY access is a thin tool that surrounds the (presumably splined) shaft.

The splines, if they are there, are soooo tiny, my poor eyes can't see them. That's why I didn't realize they were adjustable at first.

Still waiting for the tool to arrive.

[SF Man]

You're joking right?

CORDED: The reason a chain saw can't use a power cord is that it would need to be hundreds upon hundreds of feet long and would be impossible to drag through the chaparral without catching on scores of bushes, rocks, and trees.

BATTERY: The reason a chain saw can't use a battery is that it would die after felling only a few trees and cutting up the limbs. We'd spend more time waiting for it to charge than cutting.

FOUR STROKE: The reason most chain saws aren't four strokes, as far as I can tell, is that four strokes without oil pumps can't be placed in all the positions that a chain saw needs to be without spilling oil into the cylinder.

TWO STROKE: The reason most chain saws are two strokes, I presume, is that is less expensive than a oil-pump driven four stroke and the two stroke works in any position.

BTW, if there are good four-stroke chain saws on the market, let me know which you prefer.

[notbob]

nb

[Oren]

Me too!

Hang in, you're almost there.

[Stormin Mormon]

CORDED: The reason a chain saw can't use a power cord is that it would need to be hundreds upon hundreds of feet long and would be impossible to drag through the chaparral without catching on scores of bushes, rocks, and trees.

CY: Even with a portable generator, still not really convenient.

BATTERY: The reason a chain saw can't use a battery is that it would die after felling only a few trees and cutting up the limbs. We'd spend more time waiting for it to charge than cutting.

CY: Need the new Nuclear Power Batteries. They are sold out of North Korea, on Ebay. Don't want the Iranian Nuclear Power Batteries, they sometimes explode.

FOUR STROKE: The reason most chain saws aren't four strokes, as far as I can tell, is that four strokes without oil pumps can't be placed in all the positions that a chain saw needs to be without spilling oil into the cylinder.

CY: And they are heavier. The used to be made, for felling trees. When one knows the saw operation is always going to be in the same position. They were operated by two men.

TWO STROKE: The reason most chain saws are two strokes, I presume, is that is less expensive than a oil-pump driven four stroke and the two stroke works in any position.

CY: Also, the two stroke fires on every piston stroke, so the HP to weight ratio is much higher.

BTW, if there are good four-stroke chain saws on the market, let me know which you prefer.

CY: I havn't looked, but they are likely out of the home owner price range.

[Jules Richardson]

Gas turbine is the way to go... ;-)

[SF Man]

Thanks for all the help you guys. This is my followup message.

I never could get it started. I brought it to an engin-repair shop and they just called to tell me it's unrepairable.

The compression was 50psi but apparently two-stroke engines need 90psi to start.

He said he removed the muffler and he could see the scored piston. I have NO IDEA why the Craftsman/Poulan piston scored after only a year of occasional use, as I have been the only use of the chainsaw and I never abused it.

Sears has a 2-year warranty but I'd have to find my receipt and they might say I neglected it (even though I can't imagine how I did that).

Next time someone can't start a two-stroke, one of the first things I'll ask him to do is check the compression and remove the muffler to see if the pistons are scored.

:(

PS: Any idea what to do with the now-useless chain saw?

[Oren]

Thanks for the follow up.

The video you found on youtube showed how to do this check. Did the shop charge you for this?

Lack of "enough" oil in the gas mixture? Always better for a little more oil and foul a plug than not enough oil.

If you bought it with a credit card, some cards give an additional warranty. I have a drawer in the garage for receipts and manuals. It's my go to place when looking for "papers"

Boat anchor? Or part it out and sell the parts!

[Hank]

I had a guy bring me his 14hp Kawasaki mower that didn't run. He took it to the biggest small engine repair shop in Columbus Ohio. They told him his cylinder was scored and had low compression. They disassembled it and it was in pieces. Cost him $200. I looked and the cylinders were in great shape. I lapped in the valves and gaped them. Started first pull.

I suggest you get another opinion since you only used it occasionally. Many shops take in stuff and never even attempt to fix it, only to charge you a "diagnostic charge". I hope they didn't charge you.

Hank

[Stormin Mormon]

I'd like you to ship it to me, so I can play with it. But, I'm guessing the postage would be a bit much. Post Office won't ship anything that once held gasoline. Have to be UPS.

[hls]

Where weight counts, as in a chainsaw, the two stroke cycle gives you power on every stroke where the 4 stroke cycle is only on every other stroke. That is really why. But to make a "run in any position" four stroke would increase the complexity.

[Oren]

The poster confused me a little (nothing permanent).

The lobe on the crank/cam still needs to turn four times... thus four strokes.

I've always called it: intake, compression, power and exhaust. Counting combustion the same as the power stroke.

[Steve B]

Am I mistaken, or does a "four stroke" fire on every other rotation? The ignition spark powers the crank down from a few degrees BTDC for power with all valves closed, and the upcoming piston pushes out the exhaust with the exhaust valve open. When it reaches TDC, the downward traveling piston sucks in gas through the open/opening intake valve, and when it reaches its designated firing degree BTDC, it fires. Every other stroke.

With a two stroke, the spark plug fires every rotation, with the intake and exhaust being achieved by a porting system routing gas and exhaust on different sides of the piston.

Class?

Class?

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

[Tegger]

"Steve B" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

You're all mistaken.

A "four stroke" is a teenage boy. That's how many strokes it takes him to "fire" when viewing online female-anatomical matter.