Log Splitter
ArboristSite Guru
First of all, thanks to all of you that helped me with my project saw this week. I got a lot of great advice, and everything I tried worked. I spent a lot of time doing searches as well, so a bunch of people helped out without even knowing it. This site rocks!
Last night about this time I started putting the saw back together. The carb kit was installed, so I put the carb, throttle and choke linkages, and intake boot back on the saw. Here is a picture I took about 10 minutes after I started. I wish I had taken one just before I took the throttle lockout apart, I could have saved some time.
This morning the package arrived with the new ring, so I began the engine reassembly. That part went pretty fast. I had been dreading getting the piston back in the jug without a ring compressor. Somebody here mentioned using a wire tie to hold the ring in place. I tried it and it worked like a charm.
BTW, the dishwasher is the way to go for the final cleanup of the old parts. You can see here I did not get all the carbon off the old piston. I was afraid that I might kill it with kindness if I kept scrubbing on it.
Next I installed the starter, mixed up some 40:1, and filled the tank. Switch on, choke on, pull the rope. There was no doubt I'd fixed the compression problem, the saw felt brand new. It took about 6-7 pulls before gas got to the carb and it popped. Choke to half way, pull the rope, it coughed. One more pull and it started.
Man, did that feel good! I shut it down as I had not installed the bar and chain.
My wife came out to let me know we were under a tornado warning (radar only, I don't think one touched down near here), so I had to spend a half hour or so waiting out the storm. The first thing I did when I got back out in the garage was pull the muffler so I could open it up some. Those of you familiar with Poulans (and I know there are plenty of closet Poulan members on AS
), may recognize the baffle in the picture. Scott had given me some ideas, and Cut had just modded one, but I took the quick path and opened the baffle with the drill then pried open the exhaust cover just a bit. It's not real pretty but at least the old saw can exhale now.
I got the bar and chain on and the rest of the covers installed, so it was time to adjust the carb. Switch on, choke on, pull the rope. It popped on the second pull. Choke to half way, pull the rope, it started. Dang that's cool! I did not run it WOT, since it has a new ring, and left it pretty rich (blurbing a lot) until I can run it in some wood for a couple of tanks. If anybody has any advice about that I'm listening.
The funny thing is about halfway through adjusting the carb and setting the idle my next door neighbor came over. It seems when he and his wife heard the saw start they thought it was another tornado and took cover in one of their closets. That cost me a couple of beers, but the laughs were worth it.
Anyway, it was a great project, and I've had fun doing it. Lessons learned? Well, I can't imagine I would treat the new Stihls the same way I did this saw anyway, but now I understand the result of 8 years of neglect and bad gas. I'll be making sure all my saws get the PM they deserve for keeping the family in firewood. Tomorrow I'm headed over to cut some more firewood, and I'll be taking the old Poulan along with the new Stihls. I doubt it will be too intimidated.
Here's a couple more pics of the saw. That's the bottom of a Louisiana Mardi Gras flag in the background. It is time to celebrate!
Last one....
Last night about this time I started putting the saw back together. The carb kit was installed, so I put the carb, throttle and choke linkages, and intake boot back on the saw. Here is a picture I took about 10 minutes after I started. I wish I had taken one just before I took the throttle lockout apart, I could have saved some time.
This morning the package arrived with the new ring, so I began the engine reassembly. That part went pretty fast. I had been dreading getting the piston back in the jug without a ring compressor. Somebody here mentioned using a wire tie to hold the ring in place. I tried it and it worked like a charm.
BTW, the dishwasher is the way to go for the final cleanup of the old parts. You can see here I did not get all the carbon off the old piston. I was afraid that I might kill it with kindness if I kept scrubbing on it.
Next I installed the starter, mixed up some 40:1, and filled the tank. Switch on, choke on, pull the rope. There was no doubt I'd fixed the compression problem, the saw felt brand new. It took about 6-7 pulls before gas got to the carb and it popped. Choke to half way, pull the rope, it coughed. One more pull and it started.
Man, did that feel good! I shut it down as I had not installed the bar and chain. My wife came out to let me know we were under a tornado warning (radar only, I don't think one touched down near here), so I had to spend a half hour or so waiting out the storm. The first thing I did when I got back out in the garage was pull the muffler so I could open it up some. Those of you familiar with Poulans (and I know there are plenty of closet Poulan members on AS
), may recognize the baffle in the picture. Scott had given me some ideas, and Cut had just modded one, but I took the quick path and opened the baffle with the drill then pried open the exhaust cover just a bit. It's not real pretty but at least the old saw can exhale now.I got the bar and chain on and the rest of the covers installed, so it was time to adjust the carb. Switch on, choke on, pull the rope. It popped on the second pull. Choke to half way, pull the rope, it started. Dang that's cool! I did not run it WOT, since it has a new ring, and left it pretty rich (blurbing a lot) until I can run it in some wood for a couple of tanks. If anybody has any advice about that I'm listening.
The funny thing is about halfway through adjusting the carb and setting the idle my next door neighbor came over. It seems when he and his wife heard the saw start they thought it was another tornado and took cover in one of their closets. That cost me a couple of beers, but the laughs were worth it.
Anyway, it was a great project, and I've had fun doing it. Lessons learned? Well, I can't imagine I would treat the new Stihls the same way I did this saw anyway, but now I understand the result of 8 years of neglect and bad gas. I'll be making sure all my saws get the PM they deserve for keeping the family in firewood. Tomorrow I'm headed over to cut some more firewood, and I'll be taking the old Poulan along with the new Stihls. I doubt it will be too intimidated.
Here's a couple more pics of the saw. That's the bottom of a Louisiana Mardi Gras flag in the background. It is time to celebrate!
Last one....
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