Bought a chainsaw - hope I didn't get taken in the deal

[BigE]

Hey, Guys,

I've been hanging out here for a while, and I keep reading about all these good deals that people are getting on chainsaws. Well, people just buying all these chainsaws in general, and I was feeling a bit left out. I've been cruising craigslist, but always seem to be about 20 minutes too late on a deal. Well, I finally called on one, and the guy still had the chainsaw. No, it wasn't a free 090G, but it was a chainsaw, and seemed like a halfway decent price.

Here's the text of the ad:

Stihl 031AV chainsaw with case, 18" Oregon blade, new chain with about 2 hour of use,and resharpened chain with zero hours. The saw has LOADS of compression-pulls freely with spark plug out but barely turns with plug reinstalled. I'm tired of messing up my back and shoulder, so it goes away.​

I called the guy on it, and he's had it a *long* time, but he just couldn't get it started. It "used to run" but not anymore. Well, I figured I could take a look at it, anyway... It was an hour drive there, and I was at work, but he held it for me for the hour...

He's way out in the country, and I get turned around a couple of times getting there. Finally get there, and he's got it out in the garage. The garage was immaculate - good sign, there. He shows me the saw, and it's in decent shape.

I turn it on, set the choke, set the throttle lock, and try pulling a little. Right away I notice that the chain is moving when I pull, so I set it on the ground. Now, bear in mind he said he couldn't hardly get it to turn over because it was pulling too hard. So, I give it a few practice pulls, and it seems alright, so I gave it a good rip. No go. 2nd rip and it popped. A little smile on my face now. I turned off the choke, pulled, and she roared to life.

Listening to her, I'm thinking that maybe somebody did something with the muffler, because it is sounding deep and throaty, not like my 036 at all, which just has a nice purr to it. Rev it up a few times, and she starts idling fine. Just a deep, throaty growl. While idling, that chain is moving, and she isn't idling high...

I pull the cover off, see if I can find any problems. There's a piece of brush stuck up in there, and quite a bit of very fine sawdust, but nothing that I can see. Put it back together, give 'er a pull (full throttle, no choke) and she roars to life again.

 

[BigE]

I hand the guy his money saying I'll take 'er and turn to go. Oh, wait, he says, there's this whole milk crate of stuff that goes with 'er. Oh, and you can't forget the case...

Milk crate has a couple of new spark plugs, the original manual, four additional chains, another bar, some filing guides and files, scrench, nose lube, some other stuff I saw but didn't inspect. And then he goes over and grabs a new gallon of bar oil that he won't be needing anymore.

 

[BigE]

The price? Normally I'll sit there and dikker on price, but this guy was a nice guy, and really nice guys, I generally don't dikker with, unless they are asking too much. I was going to offer him $50, but finally just figured it was worth the $60 he was asking...

Funny thing is, if I had offered him the $50, I might not have walked away with the crate of stuff and the gallon of oil, so I guess it was worth the extra $10.

Yeah, I know - go ahead and tell me I could've got all that for $35 or whatever. But hey, it was worth the extra $25 to me, even though it cost me $21 in gas to get there. So I guess I paid right around $80 for it.

Now, does anyone have any ideas on why the chain is moving at idle? Obviously something with the clutch. The chain does rotate free, so the clutch isn't frozen, but maybe the springs need to be replaced? I've never pulled a chainsaw clutch apart before..

 

[mbayer]

what did you pay? looks like you got alot of stuff

 

[JJuday]

Keep on getting deals like that and you'll be the envy of the neighborhood! JJuday

 

[mbayer]

sounds like a goo deal to me and Id try the clutch springs

 

[StihlyinEly]

sounds like a goo deal to me and Id try the clutch springs

+1!

 

[pioneerguy600]

Good deal you got, most likely clutch springs streatched but sometimes it is the the clutch needle bearing stuck to the crank and the clutch bore.
Pioneerguy600

 

[nanuk]

when you say "chain moving at idle"...

can you adjust the idle down?

take off the bar and chain, fire it up to warm idle, and see if you can stop the clutch with your finger. Be careful, but if the clutch is seized up, you won't stop it. If you can stop it, it probably high enough idle, and weak springs.

Last thing, any idea how the clutch bearing is? if it's bunged up from gunk, perhaps it's dragging the clutch with it.

 

[HARRY BARKER]

The price? Normally I'll sit there and dikker on price, but this guy was a nice guy, and really nice guys, I generally don't dikker with, unless they are asking too much. I was going to offer him $50, but finally just figured it was worth the $60 he was asking...

your kidding?

people like you DONT make the world go round.

 

[chainsawland]

The only way that deal could have been better is if he payed you to take the saw from him.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Nice saw definately sounds like an excellent deal to me!

 

[GoRving]

Did he feed you a nice meal while you were there, too?

 

[ross_scott]

I am going to agree with the other guys regarding the clutch springs and clutch bearing but I would honestly say it could be more on the clutch spring side of things.

 

[BigE]

You're kidding?

People like you don't make the world go round.

LOL. Of course I was kidding. Well, halfway. I do like to bargain, and I bet he would've taken $50, but I was already getting a deal, so why go lower? $10 one way or the other wouldn't hurt either of us, and it wasn't worth my time.

I'll check out the clutch springs tomorrow, try a few other things. Yes, I can stop the chain easily by laying it against a log (not going to try stopping it with my hand). No, the idle isn't too high. The problem is definitely in the clutch.

We don't make the world go round? Well, I help. If you're using a PC or a newer MAC, odds are about 85% likely that I worked on the design of some of the chips in there, so in a way....

 

[ross_scott]

Good deal mate, Didn't realize that no it was not a free 090G phrase would be so catchy

 

[BigE]

I went to take the clutch off, and realized it wasn't as easy as it looks. I didn't want to mess with the rope trick, and was going to go try the impact wrench method. But, I got the air hose out, figured what the heck, and blew out the clutch really good.

I started 'er up again, and the chain was still moving at idle, but then I rev'ed her a few times, and the moving at idle phenomenon stopped. That was probably the easiest fix I've done!

While I had the air hose out, I blow out all the dust everywhere. I took off the air cleaner (very plugged up) and blew it all out.

I don't know what mix he was using, so I guess I'll have to dump what's left of the gas out and do my own, then set the carb. I was going to turn around and sell this one, but I think I'll keep it and get rid of my Shindaiwa 357. I never use it anyway.

 

[huskystihl]

Good deal and good call by not lowballing the guy. I sell things from time to time and price them the way i'd wanna buy it myself. 99% of the time no offers are made and if they are they're made kind heartedly, I can't stand the guy that makes an offer just to do it and thats the type I walk away from.