Craftsman 42 cc primer bulb question

[alabamatriker]

Picked up a 42 cc Craftsman. It will start when fuel poured into the carb. All the fuel line and primer need replacing. The primer I have has 2 hose connectors and 2 locator dowels. It is held in by the recoil housing. All to ones I find to replace it either are the snap in type or have 2 screws to hold them in. Will the screw type work or will I have to find one with the dowels? If so where do you get them?

 

[Okie]

look on the sears parts direct site and get the primer bulb part number, then go to flea bay and buy.
or do a on-line search using the part number. If you don't have the model number on your saw go to lea bay and search craftsman primer bulbs and one will show.

I'm not receiving any email notifications from the forums posts. (it's sucks big air)

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Most of the time on my own saws I don't replace primer bulbs, I just delete them. Sometimes you have to add a vent though..

 

[Okie]

Also look at Poulans primer bulbs. Sears/Craftsman/Poulan

Some on ebay like you describe for around $3 with free shipping.
Some are kits with tygon tubing, fuel filter and a spark plug.
If you will use only non ethanol fuel your fuel stuff will last little longer.

Do a ebay search Craftsman primer bulb
Poulan primer bulb

not receiving email notifications for this forum thread posts?????(sucks big air)

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I just started getting email notifications again after several months of not getting them. Like Okie said it's best to use non ethanol gas but it seems to be getting harder to find. The station where I used to buy it has now gone out of business so I have to look elsewhere.

 

[alabamatriker]

Checked ebay. Can't find any that even resemble mine. The only thing close are the ones with 2 screws holding them. Mine just has 2 pins where those have screws.

 

[HarleyT]

Why don't you find the model number on the tag on your saw, and put it up on here so we can look at the illustrated parts list? It is a number that starts with 3 digits, a period, and 6 more digits. Usually.

 

[Okie]

Why don't you find the model number on the tag on your saw, and put it up on here so we can look at the illustrated parts list? It is a number that starts with 3 digits, a period, and 6 more digits. Usually.

Right need Model number?
BUT
Them Sears and Poulans have a glued on tag and it usually falls off or gets mutiliated. Some of the homelites use same method and it sucks. I take the tags off before they get lost or gasoline melts the label and use a scribe tool to make the model permanent on the saw and file the OEM labels.
I have couple of the Sears/craftsman/poulans with no tags and parts are not user friendly to find by just looking at pics and guessing.
Bet he has the same issue??
Just a hint. Maybe you could take the bulb with the plastic holes and make the pegs with small machine screws threaded thru the holes.
Finally started getting notifications.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Why don't you just do away with the primer bulb and you won't have to go through this again in a few years? It's fairly easy and those primer bulbs aren't necessary anyway, they just put fresh gas in the carb and put the fuel from the carb back in the tank.

 

[HarleyT]

Right need Model number?
BUT
Them Sears and Poulans have a glued on tag and it usually falls off or gets mutiliated. Some of the homelites use same method and it sucks. I take the tags off before they get lost or gasoline melts the label and use a scribe tool to make the model permanent on the saw and file the OEM labels.
I have couple of the Sears/craftsman/poulans with no tags and parts are not user friendly to find by just looking at pics and guessing.
Bet he has the same issue??
Just a hint. Maybe you could take the bulb with the plastic holes and make the pegs with small machine screws threaded thru the holes.
Finally started getting notifications.

OK, how about a dang pic of this trimmer? Instead of guessing what he has?

I'll bet he could find the model number........

 

[Okie]

Why don't you just do away with the primer bulb and you won't have to go through this again in a few years? It's fairly easy and those primer bulbs aren't necessary anyway, they just put fresh gas in the carb and put the fuel from the carb back in the tank.

What is your primer bulb bypass procedure for most saws? (do you splice the two lines together, block them off) or ??? and what else might be required,
Seen you mentioned previously a vent might be required. I think some of the primer bulbs have three lines?

I have couple of the Craftsman one with a primer bulb and the other W/O and the primer bulb saw starts easier after being stored or run dry of gas as compared to the one W/O.
I needed to bypass the bad cracked primer bulb last year when I was in a big firewood pile when it went bad on a cold day and I really needed the saw. I now keep a spare primer bulb and the spare will probably be old and dry cracked from storage when it's needed.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I block the fitting on the carb where the line goes in from the bulb. The line that goes from the bulb to the gas tank you can leave it there to use for a vent for the fuel tank, just make sure the outer end of the line ends up high and to the left so it doesn't leak when the saw is cutting horizontally. You can even insert a small screw in the end of the line like Stihl does but not too tight so it doesn't completely block the line. Then just remove the bulb and the line that went to the carb. I haven't seen the primer bulbs with 3 lines.

 

[Okie]

I block the fitting on the carb where the line goes in from the bulb. The line that goes from the bulb to the gas tank you can leave it there to use for a vent for the fuel tank, just make sure the outer end of the line ends up high and to the left so it doesn't leak when the saw is cutting horizontally. You can even insert a small screw in the end of the line like Stihl does but not too tight so it doesn't completely block the line. Then just remove the bulb and the line that went to the carb. I haven't seen the primer bulbs with 3 lines.

Thanks for the info.
I've got some of the homelite duckbills (that is used on the XL2) that I could attach to the gas tank tubing line as a check valve vent to prevent gas leak if necessary. I make adapters from duckbill to tubing from the small plastic automotive plastic vacuum lines for the different size tubing if the duck bill won't directly fit. Some of the old chainsaws just kept the vent tube elevated at the top of the gas tank when the saw is in it's cutting position sideways like you suggest and a coarse threaded machine screw in the end of the line as a restrictor and if the gas tank is overfilled you will see gas seepage until the level gets below the vent tube level.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

If you use the duckbill I think you'd have to put it on the end that is in the tank, put it up high, right below where the line goes into the tank about 1/4". That will allow air into the tank but won't let fuel out. You probably won't need the restrictor screw if you use the duckbill.

 

[Okie]

Finally started receiving notifications of posts.

But they are in JUNK mail.?

 

[Chris-PA]

The screw in ones will fit fine, although you will of course need screws.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Just got done putting in a primer bulb on a saw owned by someone else. If it had been mine I probably wouldn't have used the primer. That ethanol gets rid of them and fuel lines pretty fast.

 

[Chris-PA]

Just got done putting in a primer bulb on a saw owned by someone else. If it had been mine I probably wouldn't have used the primer. That ethanol gets rid of them and fuel lines pretty fast.

I use only E10 and have no trouble with purge bulbs at all. The last one I had fail was before the ethanol BS.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

The Poulan and Craftsman saws I've been working on lately all need new fuel lines, they just crumble when you touch them, I assume this is from ethanol use.

 

[HarleyT]

The Poulan and Craftsman saws I've been working on lately all need new fuel lines, they just crumble when you touch them, I assume this is from ethanol use.

No, digging through old inventory, Poulan lines just crumble in the wrappers.