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

Sorry, but I've had little to no experience with chainsaws and

nb

Check that the gasket between the carb and engine is good, that the carb is bolted on tightly, and that the crankcase cover[1] is bolted on tightly and with a good seal. On most of these engines the carb's fuel pump runs from crankcase pressure, so if there are any leaks in the system all sorts of strange things can happen - after ruling out spark and fuel line/filter, I'd try there next I think.

Also pull the flywheel; it might be that the flywheel key has sheared and the timing's out a little - maybe not enough to stop it running (with a loss of power, but that might not be noticable), but enough to make it hard to start.

(re. compression, I posted here about a 4-stroke mower engine earlier in the year; that one turned out to be compression loss due to bore damage, even though it felt like it had "enough" compression when I stuck my thumb over the spark plug hole)

cheers

Jules

I would recommend you go straight to "B". An honest saw mechanic can either fix this rascal quickly, or he can tell you it isnt worth fixing.

I never bought a saw on the net. My first chain saw was an Echo, and it was a heck of a good saw. Then I bought a Husqvarna (also a great saw, stolen by a couple of drugheads), and then a replacement Husqvarna.

I dont know if an internet company CAN ship a noncomplying saw to California.

Note that some saws have what they used to call 50 hour engines. That is about the life expectancy of them.

Or you get a "Friday engine", assembled by someone who is itching to get away for the weekend and so not paying as much attention to their work as they should :-(

This is the California Poulan owners manual for my Craftsman chain saw.

It's California's way of stimulating the economy while saving the environment.

It either works or you throw it away and buy a new one every two years.

Stihl chainsaws are top rated chainsaws. Last year, a guy who lives across the street from me borrowed my old Remington electric chain saw.He told me he is an old country boy and he knows all about chainsaws.HA!, he couldn't even figure out how to turn it on, I showed him half a dozen times and also how to keep the chain adjusted properly.About half an hour later, he brought it back over here.The chain was off the bar and all snaggled up and a little metal plate which keeps the chain from flying off of the clutch was broken.He broke my chainsaw. I have owned a few gas engine chainsaws before, but I never broke any of them.

Last year, he couldn't figure out how to find the oil drain plug on the bottom of his lawn mower.He pushed his lawn mower over here, he said, Show me where that oil drain plug is! Only took me a few seconds to show him.He was to lazy to wipe his hand under there and look for that oil drain plug. cuhulin

Now you got it! It even has a name: planned obsolescence.

nb

In message , Jules Richardson writes

This was the problem with British cars. Every car was a Friday afternoon car.

and it's just great for the environment, all that taking stuff to the dump and making replacements...

I just fixed the wife's 31 yr old Kitchenaid dishwasher (motor bearing and seal kit). You can't buy 'em as good anymore. Hobart made a fine machine.

You the real Bob Villa whom is on tv? cuhulin

Nah! The cars were cool!

Blame it on Lucas, the Prince of Darkness.

I don't believe that 'Friday engine' stuff. However, those little bitty two stroke engines can be as fickle as a fickle woman.

Four stroke gas engine weed trimmers are available most everywhere nowadays.How come they don't make some four stroke gas engine chainsaws? cuhulin

In message , snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net writes

You hold a chainsaw, and the advantage of a two stroke is it's light weight for the power output. Against however is it's inability to meet emissions regulations.

On the web, Dolmar 4 cycle chainsaws cuhulin

In message , snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net writes

Honda, a firm of longstanding repute has made all manor of things from chain saws through to portable generators and as far as I know have never made a two stroke. Four strokes are much more reliable but as two strokes only need the crankshaft as a rotating part, they are much simpler to make and lighter,but as I said, cannot meet emissions regulations. Two strokes by their design burn oil, which is the source of pollution, and also causes plug fouling and carbon build up in the silencer.

Honda develops Japan's first exhaust gas purification system for 2 cycle motorcycle engines.

I've owned a few 70's British cars over the years and to be honest never had much problem with Lucas - no worse than electrics in other cars. Moisture seems to be the main killer, not quality issues with the parts themselves.

cheers

Jules