Craftsman 3.7 with Nikki carb

[dougand3]

I picked up a Craftsman 3.7 - 917.353774 at an estate sale. Runs but Nikki 19-011 carb needs tuning. Is the left mix screw Low? (like Zama and Walbro). Carb diaphragms look pretty good. The screen had so much debris in it, I’m surprised it ran at all before cleaning.

The bar is 18“ .325 .050 74DL. (And new to me - you can’t flip over - only 1 oiler hole.) Has a Stihl chain on it and it’s so dull. I only have 3/16 hand file and it’d take me 3 weeks of filing. I process firewood - no bigger than 24“ rounds. And wood is DIRTY. I can dull full chisel in a heartbeat. I’d like to go semi-chisel. What would be a good loop for it? Oregon BP? Oregon 95VP? I’d rather cut slower and have easier sharpening. I like the description at Oregon: “tolerant of sharpening errors”. If you look up sharpening errors in the dictionary, my picture is there.

Does anyone have a manual? Sears still has an IPL. Thanks, Doug

 

[J Beard]

I have one very similar (air filter and a few other parts are different but the body is the same) I believe they were made by roper. I think my sears model # may be different, I am at work so I cant check right now.
I have the original manual, but it has been forever preserved with bar oil and I dare not put it on my scanner. It was in the bottom of the case when I bought it at a yard sale years ago ($5). They are strong cutters when tuned, mine has seen a lot of wood over the years.
Good luck, I am sure someone will be along soon with more info.

 

[67L36Driver]

Banana bar, anti kick back. That had special power sharp chain on it at one time. NLA. I can't quite make out if someone removed the sharpening stone, lever etc..

First 'Nikki' carb. I've seen. I thought all those came with a Tilly HS.

Yes, made by Roper.

 

[fearofpavement]

regarding the oily paper scanning, plastic wrap is your solution. Lay a sheet of it on the scanner and your nasty paper on top.
To the OP, those shark nose bars were fairly common in that era but it was a dumb idea in my opinion. They're usually worn out by the time I encounter them.

 

[dougand3]

The stone sharpener is indeed missing. I like the decomp valve - it sets high idle, too.

 

[67L36Driver]

The stone sharpener is indeed missing. I like the decomp valve - it sets high idle, too.

The recoil pulley is some undersize on them compared to like Homie SXL, Poulan 306 and Remy PL-4. I plugged the one on mine but it made it a chore to pull over.

 

[redunshee]

I picked up a Craftsman 3.7 - 917.353774 at an estate sale. Runs but Nikki 19-011 carb needs tuning. Is the left mix screw Low? (like Zama and Walbro). Carb diaphragms look pretty good. The screen had so much debris in it, I’m surprised it ran at all before cleaning.

The bar is 18“ .325 .050 74DL. (And new to me - you can’t flip over - only 1 oiler hole.) Has er carb I've seena Stihl chain on it and it’s so dull. I only have 3/16 hand file and it’d take me 3 weeks of filing. I process firewood - no bigger than 24“ rounds. And wood is DIRTY. I can dull full chisel in a heartbeat. I’d like to go semi-chisel. What would be a good loop for it? Oregon BP? Oregon 95VP? I’d rather cut slower and have easier sharpening. I like the description at Oregon: “tolerant of sharpening errors”. If you look up sharpening errors in the dictionary, my picture is there.

Does anyone have a manual? Sears still has an IPL. Thanks, DougView attachment 362422 View attachment 362423 View attachment 362424 View attachment 362425

Haven't seen a Nikki carb but on every other carb, the Lo needle is the one nearest the intake manifold.

 

[workshop]

Ive got 5 or 6 of those and all have low speed mixture screw only. But I heard the later production models came with hi and low adjustments. Not all had the power sharp option though, some of mine have it and some dont. Sears called it a barracuda chain, in my opinion it wasnt worth a hoot. The bar tip is an early attempt at anti-kickback. You can do a carb switch with an old XL12 carb. Reuse the throttle and choke shafts out of the original carb into the home lite carb. Modify the throttle arm to clear the high speed screw. I think the later model ones had a different arm to account for the high screw, though. My very first saw was one of these. Still have it and runs good too.

 

[dougand3]

Thanks, guys. Hope to get to it this weekend. I'll work with L screw Low.

 

[dougand3]

Got saw to run decently well but getting a surge at idle. Thinking air leak. Maybe oiler assembly since it works on crankcase pulse? Both automatic and manual oilers do produce oiling. 3 Black oil lines look to be in good shape. Gas tank (left) has a valve. Oil tank (right) has only a hole. Am I missing a valve?

 

[hotshot]

Got saw to run decently well but getting a surge at idle. Thinking air leak. Maybe oiler assembly since it works on crankcase pulse? Both automatic and manual oilers do produce oiling. 3 Black oil lines look to be in good shape. Gas tank (left) has a valve. Oil tank (right) has only a hole. Am I missing a valve?View attachment 363111

Yes, same one as on the gas tank. Go to Sears "parts direct" for the breakdown, and you can see there are two item #56.
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...00010330/00001?blt=06&prst=0&shdMod=917353774

 

[dougand3]

Thanks, hotshot. Like most parts for this saw = unavailable. LOL. There are some duckbill valves listed for Homey XL - think they might be same size?

 

[hotshot]

Probably universal, what's the empty hole ID in the tank?

The Poulan 530026119 measures 0.20"at the flange, and 0.15" at the neck.

 

[dougand3]

I don't see an empty hole ID. I pulled the gas tank valve and it measures close to the Poulan above. I'll get it. Thanks so much.

 

[hotshot]

I don't see an empty hole ID. I pulled the gas tank valve and it measures close to the Poulan above. I'll get it. Thanks so much.

That' IDs short for inside diameter. http://www.floatdrums.com/images/pdf/Pipe_sizing.pdf

 

[dougand3]

Oh, Duh on me. I know ID and OD. I thought you meant there'd be a # beside hole. LOL.

 

[Larry Martin]

I picked up a Craftsman 3.7 - 917.353774 at an estate sale. Runs but Nikki 19-011 carb needs tuning. Is the left mix screw Low? (like Zama and Walbro). Carb diaphragms look pretty good. The screen had so much debris in it, I’m surprised it ran at all before cleaning.

The bar is 18“ .325 .050 74DL. (And new to me - you can’t flip over - only 1 oiler hole.) Has a Stihl chain on it and it’s so dull. I only have 3/16 hand file and it’d take me 3 weeks of filing. I process firewood - no bigger than 24“ rounds. And wood is DIRTY. I can dull full chisel in a heartbeat. I’d like to go semi-chisel. What would be a good loop for it? Oregon BP? Oregon 95VP? I’d rather cut slower and have easier sharpening. I like the description at Oregon: “tolerant of sharpening errors”. If you look up sharpening errors in the dictionary, my picture is there.

Does anyone have a manual? Sears still has an IPL. Thanks, DougView attachment 362422 View attachment 362423 View attachment 362424 View attachment 362425

I have the same saw. the carb is an tillotson HS look alike, but unsure which one. the ipl on sears does not show carb, and i can find no NIKKI two cycle carbs anywhere!

 

[Larry Martin]

ok, I am new to this site. Some one coach me as to ho it works, please. I mainly am looking for help identifying saws and their parts. I get a lot of old saws.

 

[svk]

ok, I am new to this site. Some one coach me as to ho it works, please. I mainly am looking for help identifying saws and their parts. I get a lot of old saws.

Most saws can be identified by tags or decals. If those are missing, figure out what brand you have and start going through Acres Chainsaw Collectors Corner as he has nearly every model of saw imaginable listed