Carburetor screws in horrible place. Any advice?

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Just fashion a tool that will work with what you have- or fashion the bolts to fit a tool you already have and be done with it.
I mean how often do you have to tune the saw- every outing, every tank full, every cut- or maybe once every season?

Earlier you said the adjustment screws could not be turned by hand or needle nosed pliers- was that just because of access- or are the screws that hard to turn?
If they are that hard to turn you may find you have dissimilar metal corrosion built up within the threads and the carb should be pulled, screws removed and threads cleaned.

 

[pioneerguy600]

We will take a look and see how feasible it is to do that before we dive into it like that. He only looked at the picture today. I’m going to actually show him the saw this weekend or at work tomorrow. I do see how it can go how you are saying. I can kinda see what he is saying too, maybe he may know how to mitigate the risks. If he screws it up, he just bought my saw! Lol!

It might be possible to rotate the carb maybe like 15 degrees so that the screw heads face upwards much more, by slotting the screw holes on the carb mounting flange. There is a good bit of metal thickness there and the carb is not overly heavy, I have slotted out screw holes on several old carbs when adapting them for other uses.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Just fashion a tool that will work with what you have- or fashion the bolts to fit a tool you already have and be done with it.
I mean how often do you have to tune the saw- every outing, every tank full, every cut- or maybe once every season?

Earlier you said the adjustment screws could not be turned by hand or needle nosed pliers- was that just because of access- or are the screws that hard to turn?
If they are that hard to turn you may find you have dissimilar metal corrosion built up within the threads and the carb should be pulled, screws removed and threads cleaned.

Ok. I have spent two or three days straight trying to “fashion some tools”, with no significant avail. That’s why I came here??? I can turn the screw just a crack with a paint can lid opener and that’s it. That is not enough to be sufficient. I can’t turn the screws with needle nose pliers because of where they are placed. It won’t allow me to. Even with tiny mesquito nosed pliers. The threads of the screws are not corroded. Absolutely nothing on this saw is corroded. It was completely rebuilt and scrubbed for bad/dirty parts already. It’s fully reconditioned.

Furthermore, if you paid attention to my very first comment, I do not crank up any of my saws unless I can access anything that might possibly need adjustment. I do this just to ensure that I’m not going to have a ruined small engine if the saw isn’t idling or feeding fuel correctly. Just a safe measure.

I live a mile above sea level in the dry desert mountains, and the saw’s carb adjustment is set for whatever the elevation and environment and atmospheric conditions in either Tennessee or Kentucky.

Almost every saw I have ever bought, brand new or used from hundreds of miles away, was in need of adjustment, and I have ruined a saw or two for overlooking this before. I’m not just gonna grip and rip this thing. I am going to run this saw when I know I can access and properly adjust it if I need to. I believe I made myself clear about that. And I didn’t post this for you to come along, and halfway pay attention to the post, and try to make me look foolish. If that’s the case, you can please respectfully leave me alone. I say this with all due respect.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Ok. I have spent two or three days straight trying to “fashion some tools”, with no significant avail. That’s why I came here??? I can turn the screw just a crack with a paint can lid opener and that’s it. That is not enough to be sufficient. I can’t turn the screws with needle nose pliers because of where they are placed. It won’t allow me to. Even with tiny mesquito nosed pliers. The threads of the screws are not corroded. Absolutely nothing on this saw is corroded. It was completely rebuilt and scrubbed for bad/dirty parts already. It’s fully reconditioned.

Furthermore, if you paid attention to my very first comment, I do not crank up any of my saws unless I can access anything that might possibly need adjustment. I do this just to ensure that I’m not going to have a ruined small engine if the saw isn’t idling or feeding fuel correctly. Just a safe measure.

I live a mile above sea level in the dry desert mountains, and the saw’s carb adjustment is set for whatever the elevation and environment and atmospheric conditions in either Tennessee or Kentucky.

Almost every saw I have ever bought, brand new or used from hundreds of miles away, was in need of adjustment, and I have ruined a saw or two for overlooking this before. I’m not just gonna grip and rip this thing. I am going to run this saw when I know I can access and properly adjust it if I need to. I believe I made myself clear about that. And I didn’t post this for you to come along, and halfway pay attention to the post, and try to make me look foolish. If that’s the case, you can please respectfully leave me alone. I say this with all due respect.

If you hop on the defensive that quickly- you won't last long on the internet.
You have a lot of very clever advice on here about how to attempt to fix your woes- but still seem to want to overly complicate the solution.
Dissimilar metals oxidising do not show as corrosion- more as a powdery thread lock and are not caused by neglect, but lack of movement over time- steel or brass screws do not play well with aluminium carb bodies and you are not playing with a new saw or new carb.
Further more- nowhere did I suggest you forget tuning to suit your conditions and just go run the damn saw- did I?
If I halfway paid attention to all the posts in here- I would not be banging my head on a wall with each diversion from simple solutions and then suggestions of machining parts, extending bolts, flipping and rotations, new linkages and such.

It's your saw and your time and money, if you want to over complicate it- go for it. Nobody is trying to make you look foolish, most everyone has come up with practical simple solutions that would work and the saw be tuned now for your conditions and running. Some folk can just manage appearances all by themselves
With all due respect and all.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

If you hop on the defensive that quickly- you won't last long on the internet.
You have a lot of very clever advice on here about how to attempt to fix your woes- but still seem to want to overly complicate the solution.
Dissimilar metals oxidising do not show as corrosion- more as a powdery thread lock and are not caused by neglect, but lack of movement over time- steel or brass screws do not play well with aluminium carb bodies and you are not playing with a new saw or new carb.
Further more- nowhere did I suggest you forget tuning to suit your conditions and just go run the damn saw- did I?
If I halfway paid attention to all the posts in here- I would not be banging my head on a wall with each diversion from simple solutions and then suggestions of machining parts, extending bolts, flipping and rotations, new linkages and such.

It's your saw and your time and money, if you want to over complicate it- go for it. Nobody is trying to make you look foolish, most everyone has come up with practical simple solutions that would work and the saw be tuned now for your conditions and running. Some folk can just manage appearances all by themselves
With all due respect and all.

Look, I don’t want any problems with you, or anyone for that matter. Everyone has been very kind and willing to help, but the flippant tone you took with me was not needed. I’m not new to the internet, thank you. You just made some assumptions that don’t fit my situation and you know nothing about me or what I intend to do with my stuff, which I obviously do care about keeping from being ruined.

These are your very words:
“I mean how often do you have to tune the saw- every outing, every tank full, every cut- or maybe once every season?”

Then you cursed at me, which I did not do to you.

No I don’t plan on tuning it every time I crank it up, and no I’m not over complicating anything. I’ve gotten lots of suggestions and I have exhausted lots of options. That’s not over complicating anything, it’s called simple trial and error.

And I took your advice before you even gave it to me.

I just had my chainsaw mechanic look at it and he said that it’s just flat out a bad spot for those screws to be in. That’s not my fault, yours, or anyone else’s. It just is what it is, and I’m at peace with that.

You apparently think it’s ok to take rude and flippant tones with people but they shouldn’t be allowed say anything about it in their defense.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Look, I don’t want any problems with you, or anyone for that matter. Everyone has been very kind and willing to help, but the flippant tone you took with me was not needed. I’m not new to the internet, thank you. You just made some assumptions that don’t fit my situation and you know nothing about me or what I intend to do with my stuff, which I obviously do care about keeping from being ruined.

These are your very words:
“I mean how often do you have to tune the saw- every outing, every tank full, every cut- or maybe once every season?”

Then you cursed at me, which I did not do to you.

No I don’t plan on tuning it every time I crank it up, and no I’m not over complicating anything. I’ve gotten lots of suggestions and I have exhausted lots of options. That’s not over complicating anything, it’s called simple trial and error.

And I took your advice before you even gave it to me.

I just had my chainsaw mechanic look at it and he said that it’s just flat out a bad spot for those screws to be in. That’s not my fault, yours, or anyone else’s. It just is what it is, and I’m at peace with that.

You apparently think it’s ok to take rude and flippant tones with people but they shouldn’t be allowed say anything about it in their defense.

If that is rude and or flippant- if anything I typed was a curse- then best of luck to you in the real World.
Way I see it- any adjuster screw that cannot be easily turned by methods fair or foul- needs further attention.
Most any of the simple solutions will have worked for most anyone else- but seemed to have failed thus far for you.
Best of luck getting the saw running to suit your environment.
I still stick by the method I shared way back in post #22.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

If that is rude and or flippant- if anything I typed was a curse- then best of luck to you in the real World.
Way I see it- any adjuster screw that cannot be easily turned by methods fair or foul- needs further attention.
Most any of the simple solutions will have worked for most anyone else- but seemed to have failed thus far for you.
Best of luck getting the saw running to suit your environment.
I still stick by the method I shared way back in post #22.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

I live in just as real of a world as you do, whether you like me saying that or not. Just because we are not alike in our views does not make me live in some kind of lesser world than you. That’s just as out of touch with reality as anything I’ve said. Thank you and Good day to you.

 

[Burning man]

If it's possible flip the carburetor, you'll have to change the impulse location on the insulator block or buy some right angle needle nose pliers.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

If it's possible flip the carburetor, you'll have to change the impulse location on the insulator block or buy some right angle needle nose pliers.

I’m thinking about doing that. I did find better access to the screws this morning, but I had to take the carburetor loose. My mechanic told me that this might possibly have to be the way I have to adjust it from here on out, but we will take a closer in depth look after thanksgiving and we have more time. We might try to flip it over and see if that will work. As long as pulling the carb loose to access the screws does not damage the block or the carb itself while in adjustment, I’m fine doing it like that. We’ll see.
The thing I’m actually really excited about is that he is gonna let me use his tools to swap out the piston on my Poulan 245a! I’m actually excited about doing that job! I’ve done tons of work to saws before but never had a chance to do a complete overhaul. I’m going to take both saws to his shop and we’re gonna have a field day on both of them!
I really do appreciate everyone’s feedback, who was willing to offer some friendly advice. I even appreciate the advice of those I didn’t see eye to eye with. Nobody at all had any bad ideas here. This is without a doubt, one of the most helpful internet threads I’ve ever been involved in, and I truly thank everyone.

 

[wrcho]

I’m thinking of either buying or making a spacer from an aluminum or rubber puck to install under the bottom of the carb. It will raise up the entire unit to get the screws above the oil pump tube, and make them better accessible for fingers or a screwdriver. If the screws wind up in a good enough spot, I will port a small hole into the body of the chainsaw directly in front of the screws so I can adjust with screwdriver from outside the saw, like what most modern saws are like today.

As far as the spacer. Do you know if and where such a beast already exists and I could just buy one?
Or is it pretty much a guarantee that I’ll have to manufacture one myself?

I think a few home made thick cardboard or gasket material spacers would be all you need to try this method out. Easy to cut and punch holes into. Screws? I assume the existing bolts are SAE size and you can buy
longer ones and some nuts at the hardware store...cut off the heads if you need to

 

[kuhndog]

Could you not just put a big ground X on the screws (sort of like the pin hole idea) and grind a screwdriver flat to move them. Pg 1 about 5th post Pioneer picture High screw idea. ? Not using tip but the side of screwdriver

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Could you not just put a big ground X on the screws (sort of like the pin hole idea) and grind a screwdriver flat to move them. Pg 1 about 5th post Pioneer picture High screw idea. ? Not using tip but the side of screwdriver

Gonna pull the carburetor this weekend and doctor the screws a little bit. Probably going to get a rotary tool and make another slot. Will also probably drill a pin hole every quarter turn And if I can put a thicker gasket on the bottom, that might raise it up some to access the screws easier. All I need is about 1/4 of an inch, maybe even only 3/16”. I’ve measured it and it won’t interfere with my air filter cover luckily!

 

[Automender]

Gonna pull the carburetor this weekend and doctor the screws a little bit. Probably going to get a rotary tool and make another slot. Will also probably drill a pin hole every quarter turn And if I can put a thicker gasket on the bottom, that might raise it up some to access the screws easier. All I need is about 1/4 of an inch, maybe even only 3/16”. I’ve measured it and it won’t interfere with my air filter cover luckily!

If you are going to remove the carb, try to push on a thin wall tube on the splines. You can drill holes in the tubes to do what someone called a torture rack and then use a thin stiff wire to turn them. You can have the left screw tube shorter than the other to get more turning arc.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

If you are going to remove the carb, try to push on a thin wall tube on the splines. You can drill holes in the tubes to do what someone called a torture rack and then use a thin stiff wire to turn them. You can have the left screw tube shorter than the other to get more turning arc.

Makes sense!

 

[Automender]

Makes sense!

They use tubes like this to limit people turning the screw too much.

 

[mutt07]

Hello please help if you can. If I am in the wrong forum, I apologize, please direct me to the right place if needed.

I have a fully restored Sears
D-44 chainsaw i bought a few months back. It’s original Lauson Carburetor has been replaced with a carb from a McCulloch 10-10. I was stoked to know this but I unfortunately discovered a real obstacle. I finally got around to getting a closer look at it, and the carburetor adjustment screws are in a horrible place. They are flat head, and spring tensioned, and too close together to get a pair of needle nose pliers on, too stiff to turn with a finger, and the steel manual oiler tube is too close to the adjustment screws to get a screwdriver on.
Does anyone know of a precision tool that I could get ahold of to adjust these screws? I don’t even really have more than 1/8” clearance between the screws and the tube, and overhead, the throttle cable is an obstacle. And if I disconnected it, I still don't have much clearance at all. It’s a beautiful old saw, I love the saw, and I don’t want to get rid of it over this. I don’t want to run it if it’s not properly adjusted and I can’t find anything to turn the screws.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I have not cranked and run the saw yet, and I don’t plan on it until I can find a successful way to access these screws should adjustment be needed, which it’s pretty obvious it would need it, I live a mile above sea level in the desert, and the saw came from Kentucky if I remember correctly. Every saw that I’ve ever bought, new or used, needed adjustment at my altitude and environment.
Thank you good folks!

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also after changing my glasses, and seeing the photo better, if you can weld or braze, take a z flat head screw driver, cut off the blades and make two opposing with long handles this way when you turn a bit the next one gives you the ability to continue turning. Use them back and forth. Hopefully along with all the other men here's advise, you can defeat that monster. Why would they do that?!?!

M

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

also after changing my glasses, and seeing the photo better, if you can weld or braze, take a z flat head screw driver, cut off the blades and make two opposing with long handles this way when you turn a bit the next one gives you the ability to continue turning. Use them back and forth. Hopefully along with all the other men here's advise, you can defeat that monster. Why would they do that?!?!

M

Lol! That’s great!

 

[mutt07]

Lol! That’s great!

Morning Knife. How did you make out with the carb situation? Just curious cause since seein the pic I've wondered why some Engineer would design something like that. Makes zero sense. You would get fired if you did your job that way. Anyhow, have a blessed day, and a Merry Christmas

Mark

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Morning Knife. How did you make out with the carb situation? Just curious cause since seein the pic I've wondered why some Engineer would design something like that. Makes zero sense. You would get fired if you did your job that way. Anyhow, have a blessed day, and a Merry Christmas

Mark

I ran into another issue on it that the carb screws had to take a back seat on! Lol! The points need cleaning and adjusting. They got spray paint on them somewhere along the line while being reconditioned before I got it. I’m actually thinking about selling it off because I’ve got a few others I’m working on right now. And I definitely agree with you about the engineering! Merry Christmas to you too!