Broke my new (old) saw!!!!

16gauge · Apr 21, 2006

Excellent condition old Poulan 3700 just arrived in the mail today. Showed great compression. Started right up and after a few carb adjustments it accelerated and ran great.

Here's where things went bad...tell me what I did wrong. Inspecting further, saw the sprocket was toast. I used the same piston stop I have used before (replaces spark plug) and it would not seat completely so I stop and put the socket wrench on the clutch. The piston came up and stopped but when I put torque to it the piston rolled over. I then tightend the piston stop a bit more and applied torque again. Something snapped! I got that queezy feeling, replaced the plug...no compression. Damn it!!! I've used the rope trick before with success and have even used an allen wrench covered with electrician's tape, but recently bought this piston stop thinking it was the right thing to do. :buttkick:

Anyone have a good piston for an old Beaird-Poulan 3700?:censored:

cord arrow · Apr 21, 2006

.....y'all can cuss me if you want, but that's exactly why i prefer a quick blast of the impact wrench.....OFF, not on, of course.

oldsaw · Apr 21, 2006

That's why I use the rope trick. It's softer, and spreads load over more of the piston crown.

Cheaper too, and I like that a lot.

Mark

RaisedByWolves · Apr 21, 2006

You holed the piston, but you knew that.

Piston stops are the work of the DEVIL !!

Nuff said.

cord arrow · Apr 21, 2006

i can never set well with anything trying to hold a tiny piston and it's tiny bearings atop a rod like a paper clip.

now, hand me that big ol' wrench.............

THALL10326 · Apr 21, 2006

16gauge said:
Excellent condition old Poulan 3700 just arrived in the mail today. Showed great compression. Started right up and after a few carb adjustments it accelerated and ran great.

Here's where things went bad...tell me what I did wrong. Inspecting further, saw the sprocket was toast. I used the same piston stop I have used before (replaces spark plug) and it would not seat completely so I stop and put the socket wrench on the clutch. The piston came up and stopped but when I put torque to it the piston rolled over. I then tightend the piston stop a bit more and applied torque again. Something snapped! I got that queezy feeling, replaced the plug...no compression. Damn it!!! I've used the rope trick before with success and have even used an allen wrench covered with electrician's tape, but recently bought this piston stop thinking it was the right thing to do.

Anyone have a good piston for an old Beaird-Poulan 3700?:censored:

Ouch, thats bad luck at its worst but don't feel bad. I recently replaced the sprocket and oil pump on my 051 I bought recently. I used a standard little plastic piston stop that you just stick in the plug hole. The clutch was tight, real tight. As I beared down on it something popped and I thought oh schit. Pull out my piston stop and the end of it had snapped off and was still in the cylinder. I thought hmmmmmmm am I screwed or what. I stood the old saw and shook it like a devil and the end of the piston stop fell out. I got lucky. Still though the clutch wasn't loosened yet so I took the other good end of my piston stop and stuck in the plug hole and went back to the clutch. This time it held and off came the clutch. Replaced all the old parts with new and put the clutch back on and tightened it down. I reached around and pulled out my piston stop and tossed it on the bench. Grabbed the spark plug and for some reason it wouldn't go in the hole. I fiddled with it but wouldn't go in to save my butt. I thought what the hell is going on here. I sat the plug on the bench and when I did I notice my little plastic piston stop had snapped off on both ends, not just one. Sure enough the end was stuck in the cylinder right at the plug hole. After 5 minutes of shakiing the saw and cussing like a wild man who just lost a million dollar lottery ticket it fell out. Needless to say I can imagine how you feel breaking your piston. Piston stops are a pain in the butt and after snapping mine twice I use the rope method now.

16gauge · Apr 21, 2006

oldsaw said:
That's why I use the rope trick. It's softer, and spreads load over more of the piston crown.

Cheaper too, and I like that a lot.

Mark

yep, I got boned on that handy little tool.:bang: :bang:

16gauge · Apr 21, 2006

RaisedByWolves said:
You holed the piston, but you knew that.

Piston stops are the work of the DEVIL !!

Nuff said.

Indeed they are!!! :angry:

16gauge · Apr 21, 2006

cord arrow said:
.....y'all can cuss me if you want, but that's exactly why i prefer a quick blast of the impact wrench.....OFF, not on, of course.

I've heard that can mess up the recoil side, no?

manual · Apr 21, 2006

The rope trick huh

Boy, I just learned a lesson from y'all and did not have to break anything.
Sorry about your luck 16gauge. Hope someone has a piston for your Poland 3700.

bama · Apr 21, 2006

16gauge said:
I've heard that can mess up the recoil side, no?

I just pull the rope out a little bit to aborb the shock of the impact wrench. Nothing broken so far---"knock on dead oak".

Another Bucker · Apr 21, 2006

Piston Part #

The part number for the piston kit you need is 530010355. Sorry the new to you toy is broken. I have the craftsman version of the 3700. 23 years old and still running. Good luck with your repair.

16gauge · Apr 22, 2006

Another Bucker said:
The part number for the piston kit you need is 530010355. Sorry the new to you toy is broken. I have the craftsman version of the 3700. 23 years old and still running. Good luck with your repair.

That number matches the one I've got...thanks for the comfirmation!

retoocs555 · Apr 22, 2006

I use rope too.

I'm sure I have a good used piston. PM me if you're still looking.

Those poulans are some of my favorite saws around that age.

16gauge · Apr 26, 2006

retoocs555 said:
I use rope too.

I'm sure I have a good used piston. PM me if you're still looking.

Those poulans are some of my favorite saws around that age.

Thanks retoocs, I sent you a PM.

Broke my new (old) saw!!!!

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