craftsman chainsaw and homelite weedwacker

[jerseydevil]

Hello, I have a 2.6 cu.in. 42cc craftsman chainsaw. Model number 358.36280.
It's the red one with the 18" bar that they just stopped making. Anyway, I bought it last winter and it has always ran soso. It likes to stall and is really hard to start sometimes hot and cold. I tune it up and check everything I can think of. I guess i am hoping somebody here works for sears and can help me figure this thing out before I have to bring it in for service.
I also have a homelite weedwacker that funs in partial choke position but dies and won't start with the choke open. I don't think I ever played with the carb adj. screws, but the previous owner way have. Any Homelite fans here wo can help? More info available apon request. Sorry I don't know the model off hand.
Let me know what you think. Thanks
JD

 

[Lawn Masters]

The Crapsman saw, is a poulan wildthing. its well known for being a crappy saw, and not running well/failing shortly after purchase.

 

[jerseydevil]

OK, so whats the good news?

 

[Lawn Masters]

not much on a poulan. the Homelite, you probably should rebuild the carb on, and turn the H screw out a very slight bit, and it might run great.

 

[brent denny]

OA, i'm sure everyone here appreciates your enthusiasm but please quit offering solutions conjured up out of thin air. How do you know it needs a carb rebuild? How do you know if it even has an adjustable high speed jet? I'm not trying to discourage you but if you are really just guessing than you should at least tell people.

 

[scottr]

42 cc poulan

JD , if you'll do a search using 'poulan modifications' it will get you started in the right direction .

 

[jerseydevil]

Is it really a "wildthing" in disguise? I didn't like the looks of that saw from the start.
I am a bigtime Craftsman supporter because every tool and piece of equipment I own has kept me happy, so i figured I would try their chainsaw. I have not been happy with this saw. Although in fairness, It does cut well when it runs and it says for occasional use only on the manual and I used it more then occasionally just this past winter.
I guess I will look for poulan mods.
Old Chainsaw addict, is that willie nelson or do you just look exactly like him? I feel like willie is :Eye: watching me. It is creepy.

 

[jerseydevil]

Well I ran a search of Craftsman. I couldn't help but notice not many people like crapsman/pouland. There were many threads where people discussed why they hate them, how much they paid, where to get parts etc. I found it to be fascinating that so many people have the same problems as me.

 

[Lawn Masters]

yeah, thats a pic of willie.

 

[Simonizer]

Hello, I have a 2.6 cu.in. 42cc craftsman chainsaw. Model number 358.36280.
It's the red one with the 18" bar that they just stopped making. Anyway, I bought it last winter and it has always ran soso. It likes to stall and is really hard to start sometimes hot and cold. I tune it up and check everything I can think of. I guess i am hoping somebody here works for sears and can help me figure this thing out before I have to bring it in for service.
I also have a homelite weedwacker that funs in partial choke position but dies and won't start with the choke open. I don't think I ever played with the carb adj. screws, but the previous owner way have. Any Homelite fans here wo can help? More info available apon request. Sorry I don't know the model off hand.
Let me know what you think. Thanks
JD

My condolences on both pieces of equipment. Your trimmer is running lean, likely due to having stale fuel in it at one time. The metering diaphragm in the carb gets stiff. I think A Walbro K10-WAT carb kit will fix it. Should be around $12.00 USD.

 

[jerseydevil]

me again

Well I brought the craftsman chainsaw back to Sears.They replaced the piston/cylinder and ignition coil ( I knew they would have to cause i removed the muffler and saw the scored piston). It was still under waranty. All for free. I will use it sparingly from now on.
JD

 

[scottr]

Warranty

JD , when you bought your saw last winter did you get the catalytic muffler (silver) or did you get the non catalytic muffler (black) ? Are you gonna open up the muffler so it will run less restricted this time ?

 

[jerseydevil]

Hey scottr, I belive the muffler is silver and I don't plan to mod it yet. I don't think it has enough back pressure to warant it. I'll think on it though.

Now, today I took my 200T and the crapsman down the road to cut up some large branches a logging co let last year. Both saws ran great for about 20 min. Then We (father inlaw and I) shut both down and piled up the fire wood to make a pile to load up cause it was gonna rain. After loading the pile into the truck, we went back to cut more but... the crapsman wouldn't start! I did everthing by the book.
1. pulled out choke and pulled till she coughed.
2. push choke halfway in and pulled till she ran momentarily.
3. pushed choke in all the way and pulled... nothing.
4. repeated the proccess. still not starty. what a pain.
It is funny that it runs fine then crapsmans out on me and that it will cough with choke and run kinda with partial choke, but do nothing with no choke on.
Well, I will try again tommorrow.
I should have borrowed the other stihl from my job and been done today!

 

[Vman]

i had a similar problem and it wound up being that the carb was just a little bit on the loose side...it was a PIA to get running when hot...i believe it sucked more air when hot, but when it cooled down, the air leak sealed. just for kicks, check to see if the carb is on there tight.

 

[jerseydevil]

OK Vman I'll check that out. It may be a bad air filter too I guess but I will find the problem.

 

[scottr]

Two questions

JD , is this the muffler on your craftsman saw http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment_27167.php (note the pencil eraser for hole diameter) and why are you choking a warmed up saw ? You should be able to crank it up by turning on the ignition and pulling once . It sounds like maybe you flooded it .

 

[scottr]

Homelite Weedwhacker

JD , a relatives trimmer had the same symptoms as yours , it would run only with the choke 1/2 out and when the choke was turned off it would stop . The problem was the spark arrestor screen in the muffler was carbon fouled .

 

[asb151]

JD, you certainly have more patience than I would in your situation. Just a thought…..sell the saw and cut your losses. Buy a new saw. Husky and Stihl have several models in the 40-50 cc range. There are other good brands out there as well. Those saws will be ready any time you need it. Anyone here will be willing to give more detailed advice if you need help selecting a particular model.

 

[simmech]

JD, I have the same saw with the same problem. I was reading threads and came across this one. I had to register to get this reply in. I bought the same saw in April, and had problems with it from the getgo. Didn't want to start right outta the box. Anyway, I putz around with it for awhile, my neighbor used it and had problems with it. I adjusted the idle a little bit, and found some free aged firewood in the newspaper. Only thing was it needed cut, and it was an hour away from where I live. So I load up my saw, drive down there, cut 16 pieces of wood, and the saw quits. I load up what I cut, get the saw started again, start another cut, and it quits again. Now I'm getting p####ed. Tring to start it again, I snap the starter cord. So, here I am 2 hours of driving for 16 pieces of wood, and a broke d##k saw. I take it back to Sears to get my money back, I've had enough. They won't let me return it cause it's more than 90 days old. So off to warranty repair. It's been 10 days, and I'm still wating for it. When I get it back, I'm going to make sure it starts and put it up for sale. In the mean time, I ordered a Stihl MS 290 that I'm dying to get my hands on. I used my buddies for a month and it ran great, I hated reuning it to him. :
I should have learned a lesson from the 3 troy/built weedeaters I went through, clearing brush behind the new house. I solved that problem by getting a Stihl KM 55 and haven't had a problem.
Sorry, I just wanted to rant when I read about your situation .

 

[Elmore]

I just used one of these saws today. My sister owns it. I told her where to get a Dolmar 111i but she now owns this Craftsman. It is new and probably had less than a gallon of fuel used in it but just came back from the shop because it was leaking fuel from around the primer bulb, the carburetor, wouldn't idle and wouldn't start. I think that they cleaned the carb and adjusted the idle (it is too high) but the shop didn't even adjust the chain. It took me awhile to figure out the chain adjustment...in the bar. What gives with that. Anyway it was difficult to start but I used it on some pretty large Eastern Red Cedar limbs and it cut pretty well. I was prepared to fire up my Makita 520i but this little saw was capable of performing the five or so hours of cutting with minimal problems so I saved my blue Dolmar for another time. I still think that she should return it and put that money into a Dolmar.