McCulloch 1-40 Tillotson HL 63A questions

[Okie]

View attachment 502061 Yes, I just love their attention to making the saw as quiet as possible - I can see this from the ear defenders in the previous post.....

You will probably find when you put it in the wood that you have the L screw too far out at your 1 1/2 turns.
If either the H or L screw is too far out on most of them old 140 series saws they will sound real good unloaded but when in the cut it will eventually start losing power. Adjust all for the 4 cycling. blubbler when removed from the cut and before going into the cut. Keep the jets in as far as possible to keep the saw rich.

Here is a link for some HL carb info. If the link don't work do a for Tillotson HL series carb service manual download.
http://www.eccarburetors.com/pdf/HL service manual.pdf

Note the position of the sandwiched gaskets and diaphragms and also note in the service manual how to test the pump pressure as you are cranking the saw. (I've made the 1/4 28 adapter for testing such using a 1/4 28 stud and nut with the small hole drilled in the stud)

Also if the gas tank has the aluminum brown mold from old gas the fine mold will get past the in tank filter and constantly restrict (clog up) the sintered iron filter in the carb and the saw will starve for gas under load. You cannot see it in the sintered filter but will find it if you take a air gun to the filter while using a white paper towel behind.

Also be careful cleaning the carb and don't use high pressure air or you will blow out some of the welch plugs or make them leak and you won't notice such until your ears and finger are bleeding again from cranking the saw.

I've bought tillotson HL series carbs new and used from flea bay the D and E series. You have to watch out the the letter series like your A it usually relates to the choke or throttle linkages. For example the HL63D does have a choke butterfly in the carb and the 63E has a spring loaded choke butterfly and the E can be used in place of the D but not vice versa. I did not find a pic or any info about the A series. Their was a good site called Chainsawr.com awhile back that had good used parts and McCulloch interchange tech info info but I can seem to find it today.
I've never worked on a 1-40, just 1-43, 1-53, etc but it appears that your choke lever is on the left side and has the plastic blocker inside that blocks the carb throat like the like the 63 D carb.

More pics of the throat end and top and bottom of the cab would help ID and a top view pic of the carb on the saw with the breather removed.
I have about 6 good running 1-40 and 150 series of the old back breaker McCullochs (that I use on the big logs when the trees are already down, just lay the big saw on the log and pull the trigger) and about 3 spare carbs. I have a old McCulloch flatback type carb that I removed from one 1-40 or 1-50 series and replaced it with a Tillotson carb. the kit was expensive for the old McCulloc. flatback and not readily available was why I converted. (McCulloch did the same conversion as standard OEM when they went to Tillotson.)
The low speed jet if out too far will cause the H speed to have good load-up problems even thou the saw idles good. Keep all jets in as far as possible and still get a good idle, but 4 cycle when coming out of the cut as the saw is unloaded. Sometimes a 1/8 turn of a jet will make a big difference on some of the old Mac's. Keep the air filter clean.

 

[Okie]

Had a double reply

 

[spudulike]

Thanks Okie, first time really getting in to a vintage saw, hell, it is older than me! I eventually figured out that winding in the L and H screws and getting it going, opening up the L until it is stable and then opening up the H so it revs out with a bit of fourstroking is the way to go.

Not far off now, just need to do a few test cuts with it!

The choke is left side, operates both sides of the carb by a wire "D" arrangement and is a typical brass single flat disc!

 

[spudulike]

Here is a pic of the carb. I think the throttle spring has broken at sometime and a split pin and spring has been used in its place.

Couple of questions - was there ever some sort of throttle lock on the saw for cold starting? I have had to open the throttle fully to get the saw to start and can't say it is an easy or safe operation......yes I know it is old

The oiler - do you give it s few pumps and then do a cut and the oil just rolls on to the chain? I know there is some sort of crankcase purge where the puddled fluid in the bottom of the saw is pushed through a valve on to the chain but is that it? Is there anything else I should know or do? I am used to more modern machines and this is a bit......different from the oldest one I have worked on before.

The oil pump seems to work effectively as oil pisses out when given a couple of pushes!

 

[Okie]

You might look at a Tillotson HL 63E carb. Look at pictures on ebay and elsewhere to see if the choke, throttle and adjust jets are in correct place for your saw if you ever need a spare carb.
I've bought new and used tillotson 63D and E carbs from flea bay for like $25 and any old carb will also need a kit first.
I do not know what happened to chainsawyr.com, they were real good for old saw used parts and tech info. I need to try calling them that their site is down or?
Also here is a link to a McCulloch section here that is good for info. to find it it's at chainsaws>chainsaw stickies>McCulloch. Old foggies with good McCulloch info hang out their.
http://www.arboristsite.com/communi...n-hl-63a-questions.296568/page-2#post-5849442

I noticed the air box carb adjust hole is smaller than my 1-40 and 1-50 series saws is why I told you too compare the H,L jet adjust access of the 63E. It will bolt up but ??. Mine has a long open slot with a rubber grommet that the H and L jet screws stick thru. That air filter stud on top of the carb is where you can check the pump pressure when cranking the saw that is mentioned in the service manual. It must be kept tight with a copper sealing washer underneath. When you remove it their should be gas squirt out when you crank the saw for 4 or 5 times. You can build a adapter with a hole in it and check the pressure as around 1/2 pound within few pulls.
No their is no throttle lock to hold the throttle open when cranking. I sit the saw on the ground and use my toe or use a piece of copper wire to hold open the throttle for easier starting. Out of 6 saws I have one that starts good without holding open the throttle. You can prime the old McCulloch by dumping a spoonful of gas into your style muffler holes.

What you describe is normal oiler operation and the oiler is manual only. Keep the oiler hole cleaned out in your bar, especially in cold weather. It's easy to forget to apply manual oil if used to a automatic oiler, just watch the bar when in a cut and if you see little smoke you failed to oil the bar. I give about 2 squirts every 15 seconds when in a big log. In cold weather I check often that the oiler is operating and sometimes the chain will get tighter due to oil and ice clogging and gumming the bottom bar groove. under oiling will cause the chain to start running looser due to heat is another clue you are not oiling enough. (so pay attention to the under side of the chain when you come out of a big cut, if it's hanging loose you are not oiling enough and that is a bad thing. (oil is cheaper than bars and chains) I run stihl oil mix in mine and non-ethanol gas and use a 1-30 to 1-40 mix instead of the old 1-24 mix that smokes kills misquitos.
They say you can run 1-50 mix due to the new oils nowdays as compared to the old non-detergent oil mixes from old days.
Also another difference is some of the saws have the oiler wire linkages on opposite sides of the air box and the throttle wires linkages are bent different. Some manual oilers are left button and some are right button.
If yours don't have the vented gas cap, when you look at the oiler hole behind the bar you will see a small hole for the gas tank vent a looking in the tank you will see a small tube at the top of the gas tank. You will see little bit of gas every once in awhile at the bar oiler area after filling the tank full.
Also use a different clamp on the bottom of the carb fuel line. the old mcCulloch wrapped wire thingy will allow some seepage and the carb will suck air. I use tygon tubing gas line so as to remove and installed the carb easier with more flex.

 

[Okie]

You may know this: When shopping for McCulloch parts, carbs, etc, if you see the term vintage CART RACING parts you can immediately quit reading. They use that term to jack up the price on carb's and other parts.
Unless you want to build a go kart from your saw.

I just noticed in your pic on pg 1 that your gas cap is the vented type, has the large aluminum section on top which usually indicated it has the little sintered copper vent in the side.

Also if you have the saw running and idling real good with the chain and bar OFF the saw, then install and tension the chain the saw don't want to idle good and is erratic and trying to adjust carb idle is erratic, but loosening the chain helps it usually because the old sprocket side crankshaft seal is leaking. It's old and dried out, but the bearing is still good. Install a new CR7414 seal and all ok. (seal is about $10 from automotive parts store) I carefully drill a small holes 180 degrees apart in the seal and gently pry out with a sharp awl. I confirmed the leaking seal with vac/pressure tests also.

 

[spudulike]

I have done both seals just by measuring the ID and OD and depth and replacing with ones purchased from an online bearing dealer. The clutch spring is a bit weak and probably doesn't help idle but both bearings are good.

The filler cap has no vent but the tank does have a tube as you mention.

This was really a project for me, delving in to vintage saws after fixing and porting work saws for a fair while. It has been interesting that's for sure and am happy with the progress so far. It runs and that aint bad for a saw some 56 years old.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Okie]

I have done both seals just by measuring the ID and OD and depth and replacing with ones purchased from an online bearing dealer. The clutch spring is a bit weak and probably doesn't help idle but both bearings are good.

The filler cap has no vent but the tank does have a tube as you mention.

This was really a project for me, delving in to vintage saws after fixing and porting work saws for a fair while. It has been interesting that's for sure and am happy with the progress so far. It runs and that aint bad for a saw some 56 years old.

Thanks for the info!

Right about saws being 56 or more years old and still cut good with little bit of TLC. I like the big tooth chains making big chips and easy to hand sharpen. The first one I worked on was given too me, very few hours on the old 1-43 and it had my ears bleeding for awhile, carb kit, getting the carb set correctly, dried out seal, intermittent ignition. I tried modding it to electronic chip ignition and that was a waste of time. It needed set of new points and condenser and I found two electronic chips for like $20, but both failed in short period of time and found new set of points and condenser on flea bay dirt cheap.
The cam lobe on the crank was worn just enough (due to rust loss) that I had to reduce the gap by about .005 to get good NEW point contact and all ok. (points would not close good when set to .020 spec) Some guys at the link I posted for old McCullochs that I sent you were really helpful at first. I'm no expert, learned hands on and lots of patience and now Ronnie Milsap calls me every once in awhile asking me how to feel his way thru his old 1-43.

I worked on some of the old McCulloch outboard engines few years back, they had a good designed powerhead, but lower unit gearing was troublesome and no computers to locate parts easily.

 

[Okie]

Just more Tillotson carb info:

Either the Tillotson HL63A and the 63E can be used as replacements for each other on a MCculloch chainsaw.
Direct bolt up and the throttle and choke linkages are same and also use same carb kit.

I use a Stihl oil/gas mixed at anywhere from 1/32 to 1/50 instead of the 1:16 recommended mix that kills mosquitoes, but if mosquitoes and nats are bad go back to the 1:16 mix.

Not receiving email notifications for this thread and several others?

 

[spudulike]

Just more Tillotson carb info:

Either the Tillotson HL63A and the 63E can be used as replacements for each other on a MCculloch chainsaw.
Direct bolt up and the throttle and choke linkages are same and also use same carb kit.

I use a Stihl oil/gas mixed at anywhere from 1/32 to 1/50 instead of the 1:16 recommended mix that kills mosquitoes, but if mosquitoes and nats are bad go back to the 1:16 mix.

Not receiving email notifications for this thread and several others?

Thanks Okie, just glad the old girl is thumping again, always a shame when you have to scrap a saw.

 

[Okie]

Thanks Okie, just glad the old girl is thumping again, always a shame when you have to scrap a saw.

Most of my 1-43 to 1-53's after they have been stored for few months require priming to reduce amount of cranking for a go.
I can usually just dump some MIXED fuel in the muffler on the ones that have the muffler like is shown in your pic. (the other style muffler is not a direct shot to the piston area. This eliminates pulling to breather for access to the carb throat. I also take a piece of#10 solid copper wire and make a horse shoe to hold the throttle open or if shoe toe is correct size I open the throttle and insert shoe toe to hold the throttle open, but have to crank the saw left handed when using the shoe toe method. (most of them old mcCullochs want a full open throttle and choke until a pop, then remove choke when starting cold.) Some will start with choke full on but can also be easily flooded if choke left full on after hearing first pop. Most also seem to want a part or full throttle and no choke when hot for a re-start. (their is no part throttle lock for starting on these saws is why I mention such)

When running good with a sharp chain they will throw some big chips.

finally started receiving some email notifications from this site.