dissecting an earthquake chainsaw

[Chris-PA]

I did some reassembly this morning and it is almost back together but for the handle. Gonna get a cup of coffee while I get the little stove going and I'll try running it a bit later.

I was wrong on the airbox inlet - it is to the rear of the flywheel below the adjuster screw, feeding into the bottom of the airbox. So I set the flap for summer as it is not needed.

The "fit & finish" on this thing is just awful. Most parts fit poorly - the recoil cover does not fit around the large rubber A/V mount plug at the back (RedMax versions of the recoil cover did not go all the way around that). The blower shroud rubs the fan a bit at the top. It's all so junky, and I'm a guy who is used to working on plastic Poulans and like them.

Anyway, I've cleaned it up as best I can, including the plastic intake parts, and it fits together as well as it can. We'll see how it runs.

 

[Philbert]

The "fit & finish" on this thing is just awful. Most parts fit poorly - . . .

Maybe that's why josesmith dyed them black - can't see the lines where they don't lone up so clearly?

Philbert

 

[joesmith]

Maybe that's why josesmith dyed them black - can't see the lines where they don't lone up so clearly?

Philbert

That, and who is going to take you seriously when you show up to do a tree removal with the stickered up nascar of chainsaws?:msp_w00t:

 

[Philbert]

That, and who is going to take you seriously when you show up to do a tree removal with the stickered up nascar of chainsaws?:msp_w00t:

I never understood that type of marketing. I think that Husky had some Nascar printed bars a few years ago too. Official Nascar motor oil, wiper blades, socket sets, . . . might make sense. But official Nascar chainsaw makes as much sense as the Official Nascar Frisbee. Or apple sauce. Or toothpaste . . . .

Philbert

 

[Mastermind]

The price is higher now than I would pay.......

 

[o8f150]

i think just for s&g i am going to list one on fleabay just see how much a modded one will go for:msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:

 

[Mastermind]

i think just for s&g i am going to list one on fleabay just see how much a modded one will go for:msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:

If you write it up carefully and include a good video, I think it'll bring good money. :msp_wink:

 

[Chris-PA]

Well, it runs! It really did not want to start the first time, but it did eventually and now starts pretty easily. The fuel filter was laying in the bottom of the tank broken off the line so I had to fix that first. I cut some small branches that were lying around - it cut wood and oiled the bar. I have no idea what the compression is, but it is either pretty high and/or the starter mechanism is just nasty and hard to pull - either or both is a reasonable guess.

It didn't feel too bad actually. I'm going to go out and make it cut some bigger wood to see how it goes. Given the quality of the machining it will probably take a while to seat the rings, so it may improve over time. Thanks to the paltry investment there's no risk, so it's been fun to play with and will probably cut just fine for however long it lasts, and then it can be a parts carcass for a saw I value more. Or perhaps I will give it away.

But some of those stickers need to go!

 

[joesmith]

Well, it runs! It really did not want to start the first time, but it did eventually and now starts pretty easily. The fuel filter was laying in the bottom of the tank broken off the line so I had to fix that first. I cut some small branches that were lying around - it cut wood and oiled the bar. I have no idea what the compression is, but it is either pretty high and/or the starter mechanism is just nasty and hard to pull - either or both is a reasonable guess.

It didn't feel too bad actually. I'm going to go out and make it cut some bigger wood to see how it goes. Given the quality of the machining it will probably take a while to seat the rings, so it may improve over time. Thanks to the paltry investment there's no risk, so it's been fun to play with and will probably cut just fine for however long it lasts, and then it can be a parts carcass for a saw I value more. Or perhaps I will give it away.

But some of those stickers need to go!

On mine, the pull cord mechanisms are weird...leading me to believe low compression if i did not already have them checked...they are all good on compression though.

 

[joesmith]

Next time I leave feedback on one of these it will read...

As described, parts saw, honest description from seller.

You guys should do the same!

 

[Chris-PA]

Next time I leave feedback on one of these it will read...

As described, parts saw, honest description from seller.

You guys should do the same!

Lol - no "next time" for me, I have at least as many of these as I want. One.

 

[Philbert]

Lol - no "next time" for me, I have at least as many of these as I want. One.

Me too! Although I have fewer than WHW. (Seriously, I think that it is great that you guys are having fun with these.)

Philbert

 

[o8f150]

On mine, the pull cord mechanisms are weird...leading me to believe low compression if i did not already have them checked...they are all good on compression though.

everyone i tested it only blew 120,, then after i took the base gasket out they blew 150,, which i am not complaining about

 

[o8f150]

If you write it up carefully and include a good video, I think it'll bring good money. :msp_wink:

you mean like this :msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1XO2xB6XL5E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Chris-PA]

Me too! Although I have fewer than WHW. (Seriously, I think that it is great that you guys are having fun with these.)

Philbert

I gotta say the thing does run OK. I'm out in a field cutting up some clean white ash Sandy dropped on a fence, and I can push it pretty hard for a 38cc saw running factory sharpened Lo Pro. A little playing with the tuning and it's fairly resistant to bogging, and the weight/balance retains the basic goodness of the RedMax design.

I guess the porting was a decent compromise.

I'm going to crawl through the fence and see how it does with the bar buried in some of the nigher pieces.

Cold starting is definitely not its thing though and I wonder how long the starter will last.

 

[joesmith]

everyone i tested it only blew 120,, then after i took the base gasket out they blew 150,, which i am not complaining about

Mine are all 140+ after adjusting for elevation...or 125+ at 5000ft...I am happy, and that is without gasket removal! Yes, even the scored one...but I can still see the honing marks in the scoring which tells me it will likely be ok...

 

[Chris-PA]

It cut just fine full bar, considering it's 38cc pulling a 16" bar. It does not really seem like a high revving saw, but then I did not look at the port timing so that might have told me why. Also I did not mess with the spark timing, and maybe someday I will. But overall it is hard to complain about the performance.

I think this was a fun winter project. If you think of it as a $40 chainsaw kit it was worth it. It was in no way ready for retail sale as a finished tool (which is why we got them cheap). But if you are willing to do finishing work on the parts and more careful assembly, mod the muffler, open the ports and pull the gasket it gives you a decent little saw for the effort. It's a great way to practice with porting, given the two piece mag case (is it mag or aluminum?) "pro" style construction - you can learn a lot with little risk and have something pretty decent when you're done.

 

[dswensen]

In all of the muffler mods I'm reading about for this saw, did any y'all open up the little cover plate that attaches to the "felling dog"? Looking at the pictures, I'm not sure anyone has bothered.

I drilled out my muffler and cut open the louvers on the muffler itself, but I left the cover plate alone - mainly to to hide the carnage to the muffler internals.

 

[Chris-PA]

In all of the muffler mods I'm reading about for this saw, did any y'all open up the little cover plate that attaches to the "felling dog"? Looking at the pictures, I'm not sure anyone has bothered.

I drilled out my muffler and cut open the louvers on the muffler itself, but I left the cover plate alone - mainly to to hide the carnage to the muffler internals.

That is what I did too. There is plenty of opening in that plate for a 38cc saw. The exhaust can go through the opening in it as well as past the edge toward the clutch side.

Edit: Oh, and I was wrong in my suspicions it would be a bar oil leaker - so far it's not leaking at all.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

That is what I did too. There is plenty of opening in that plate for a 38cc saw. The exhaust can go through the opening in it as well as past the edge toward the clutch side.

Edit: Oh, and I was wrong in my suspicions it would be a bar oil leaker - so far it's not leaking at all.

mine didn't after the first few days but after sitting for a few days had pretty well soaked the piece of cardboard under the saw.

I went ahead and opened up that guard piece...probably should have left it alone