Craftsman 3.3/Poulan, need a little help

[Bret4207]

I've got a Craftsman 3.3-20 with a bad piston and jug. I've researched here and elsewhere and what I find tends to make me think this is a rebaged Poulan 330. Thing is, all the used jugs I find look a little different than mine. On some the impulse barb is on the jug, on mine it's on the crankcase. Others I see have differences in the cooling fin location or in the shape of the bottom of the cylinder cutouts. I don't know enough about these Poulans to make an educated guess on which is correct or not. It's a roadside pickup saw and I can't bring myself to put $100.00 into the new correct parts from Jacks, so I'm hunting Ebay for something much less expensive. It's not like I need another saw, but I could use a nice light saw like this for trimming fence lines or limbing. I've read that the saw is the same as the 3450, 335, 3300, but the part numbers don't match up. The Sears number is 358.356330, ad that 330 at the end makes me think it's a 330. This is the grey and black model with the switch on the rear handle.

Any help with this is much appreciated.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Sounds like the 3.3 you have maybe like the 3300. Check and see if bare bore with plated piston.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I really like this series of saws. This 3.3 different then the one you describe.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

IPL I am looking at for your model # shows coming with 2 different cylinders. 2 different pistons too. So WAG one unplated bore and one plated bore.

update:

I ran the cyl #'s and one came back to unplated 3300 and other came back to unplated 2800.

I have seen plated on the grey 3.3 in past though. Who knows what they did.

You need to check yours. Can be fixed and these saws are well worth rebuilds.

 

[Bret4207]

It appears to be an unplated bore and piston. Does that help?

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

It appears to be an unplated bore and piston. Does that help?

Yep I would bet 3300 top. But need to check bore. Thinking 46.5mm

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

You have a choice of many topends you could put on that saw as replacement.
Also make sure seals are good, impulse line I would replace, fuel line, intake boot for tears and cracks, look under clamp too. The can hide out of site.

 

[s sidewall]

Those are good saws, have its lil brother, 2800, same saw minus p/c size.

Steve

 

[Bret4207]

What I find indicates the 330 and 3300 use the same 46.5mm piston. Is this right?

FWIW, I replaced the fuel and impulse lines when I got it. Didn't check seals. It seized up on it's 1st tank of gas after I started cutting with it the first time. I did find a small hole under the clamp section of the boot. It ran really good and it surprised me that it seized. Another poster on an earlier thread thought there might have been pre-existing damage and that's why it was tossed. I thought it was the rotted fuel line. Either way, it died.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Nope different. 330 uses bare piston, 3300 used plated piston. Can not mix them.

Hole in boot will make it lean and score piston.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Those are good saws, have its lil brother, 2800, same saw minus p/c size.

Steve

I think I have the much bigger brother, the 4000, and this one, another big brother:

The 3.7 / 20. Both run very well today. Their only problems were fuel issues, I fixed them all. Check all the fuel lines and the fuel filter first. Replace as needed. Simple as that.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I think I have the much bigger brother, the 4000, and this one, another big brother:

The 3.7 / 20. Both run very well today. Their only problems were fuel issues, I fixed them all. Check all the fuel lines and the fuel filter first. Replace as needed. Simple as that.

Those were the series before these. AKA older

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

This is the bigger brother in this series. 2.8 3.0 3.3 3.7 = 60cc 3.7

 

[Wood Doctor]

This is the bigger brother in this series. 2.8 3.0 3.3 3.7 = 60cc 3.7

View attachment 541035 View attachment 541036

So the Poulan 400o I have just acquired is younger? I think it's a vintage 1975. Dang, JJ, I like this saw. An old friend handed it to me for Xmas. He said, "It's all yours. Father time will not let me run it anymore."

I fixed it with new fuel lines, fuel filter, a choke lever, and a massive clean up. Not easy and took a few hours, but it runs flawlessly today.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

So the Poulan 400o I have just acquired is younger? I think it's a vintage 1975. Dang, JJ, I like this saw. An old friend handed it to me for Xmas. He said, "It's all yours. Father time will not let me run it anymore."

I fixed it with new fuel lines, fuel filter, a choke lever, and a massive clean up. Not easy and took a few hours, but it runs flawlessly today.

Older, like I said earlier.

Your 3.7 4000 was older before these we are talking about.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

So the Poulan 400o I have just acquired is younger? I think it's a vintage 1975. Dang, JJ, I like this saw. An old friend handed it to me for Xmas. He said, "It's all yours. Father time will not let me run it anymore."

I fixed it with new fuel lines, fuel filter, a choke lever, and a massive clean up. Not easy and took a few hours, but it runs flawlessly today.

Your saw has a reed valve and no impulse line like the one being discussed. If you had one of these being talked about chances are you may be able to run it even with father time against ya. Much lighter and pull over easier than your "Red Countervibe".

 

[s sidewall]

Your 3700 and 4000 is my 3400 big brothers, older model, different series and made earlier, just different p/c.

Steve

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

Your 3700 and 4000 is my 3400 big brothers, older model, different series and made earlier, just different p/c.

Steve

And muffler, air filter, top cover, air filter cover and hand guard on some models.

 

[Efisher26]

1983

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Just a home owner that likes the older better made machines

Craftsman 3.7 x2
Husqvarna 36

 

[Efisher26]

1979

-•------------------------------------------------------------


Just a home owner that likes the older better made machines

Craftsman 3.7 x2
Husqvarna 36