I started to tear down my little Poulan/Craftsman S25 yesterday and I was frustrated that I couldn't get all the oil and sawdust out of it. I don't have a parts washer or an air compressor. What is the best way to get the gunk out of it? Other than taking it up to Thall's shop of course for the Cuda. Also I am having a hard time starting the thing now. It started the first time I tried, but now its giving me a fit! I turn the switch to ON, open the choke all the way, squeeze the throttle and start cranking. What am I doing wrong? This saw's twin starts easily like that.
guidance for saw cleaning/maintenence
- Thread starter rb_in_va
- Start date
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Everyone has their own cleaner they like. I know Lake likes the purple stuff. Ive had good luck using simple green full strength. Spray everything down but keep it out of the carb and muffler. Let it sit for a minute and then hose off. Ive got an old toothbrush I use to get into the tight areas.
SawTroll
Information Collector
The dishwasher could be worth trying, but plug every access to the carb and engine first.
LOL, not everyone gets to use the dishwasher like you Troll! I'd like to stay married thanks. The purple or green stuff will be fine for me. The green has a nice flavor to it so I might use that.
Hi RB,
that's the nasty work of collecting saws. You mostly get them in terrible shape. This is what I do :
- use a screwdiver to get rid of the bulky sawdust/oil residu's
- blow out the whole saw with compressed air (outside on the lawn, you need a long air hose)
- spray saw parts with engine cleaner (flammable) which dissolves the oil and grease (product =water soluble)
- hold saw or parts under water tap at sink and flush off everything. Difficult spots I clean with a brush(not very environment friendly
), but...
- dry with clothes.
just be carefull not to let water touch carb inlet out cylinder outlet.
after this work, you smell like ....:monkey: and are not allowed to enter da house.
that's the nasty work of collecting saws. You mostly get them in terrible shape. This is what I do :
- use a screwdiver to get rid of the bulky sawdust/oil residu's
- blow out the whole saw with compressed air (outside on the lawn, you need a long air hose)
- spray saw parts with engine cleaner (flammable) which dissolves the oil and grease (product =water soluble)
- hold saw or parts under water tap at sink and flush off everything. Difficult spots I clean with a brush(not very environment friendly
), but...- dry with clothes.
just be carefull not to let water touch carb inlet out cylinder outlet.
after this work, you smell like ....:monkey: and are not allowed to enter da house.
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
You can get cans of compressed air at office supply stores. They are made for blowin' out computer keyboards and stuff... but they work good in some tight spots if you don't have a compressor.
I'm a purple stuff user too...
Gary
I'm a purple stuff user too...
Gary
Simple Green works wonders and can get stuff clean and degreased quite nicely when used with a tooth brush, a small (<1") paint brush, some dental picks, and a wooden chopstick (to push a rag into tight corners). An air compressor is great to have, too, but you can get the job done with the brushes, a few dental picks, a chopstick or two, and some patience.
The one thing that does NOT help that much would be those portable steam cleaner things you see on TV. I tried one of those, running a mix of water and cleaner in the steam tank, and all it did was make a nasty wet mess. Not recommended. I guess I should have figured it was a useless tool when my father gave it to me after only using it twice around his house...
The one thing that does NOT help that much would be those portable steam cleaner things you see on TV. I tried one of those, running a mix of water and cleaner in the steam tank, and all it did was make a nasty wet mess. Not recommended. I guess I should have figured it was a useless tool when my father gave it to me after only using it twice around his house...
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
Yup... makes it mucho more easier.
Gary
Any suggestions for a decent compressor?
For saw cleaning? Pretty much anything will work. Your air volume demands aren't that great, so even a small tank is adequate. That said, the bigger the tank the happier you will likely be, even with a smaller compressor motor.
Around here the Coleman Powermate compressors go on Super Sale on a regular basis. For occasional use they'd be perfect. Some thing like THIS model would be more than enough. The 10-15 gal tank is adequate for tires and blasting crud off saws. And it has enough airflow to occasionally run smaller air tools, too.
You may also want to check out the local pawn shop. The ones I visit routinely have compressors in this size range from Sanborn, Coleman, and Campbell/Hausfield for $50-100. My current compressor is a little Sanborn unit that (no kidding) fell of the back of a roofer's truck in front of my father's business way back when I was in junior high school. It was scooped up off the street, and when the guy didn't come back for it after a couple weeks my father brought it home, and it's still going strong.
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
I've got a 30 gal. 4.5hp DeVilbiss I bought from Costco. I bought it about 10 years ago. It's not a top o' the line compressor... but gets the job done. You don't need anything fancy... just one that is adjustable, and holds enough air that it doesn't come on every 10 seconds while using tools.
Gary
Gary
Just whack it a couple times and get all the big gunk fall out and don't worry about it. It's a chain saw for goodness sake. The only thing that really needs to be cleaned are the gas/air filters. If stuff packs up around the bar pop it off and dig out the crud with a screwdriver.
If you want to give it a "new-in-the-box" look then pull everything apart, wipe it all down with WD-40, paint the bar, put it back together, and give it the Macquires three-stage auto wax treatment.
http://www.autobarn.net/megcarcarpro.html
What wax is left over you can use on your truck.
If you want to give it a "new-in-the-box" look then pull everything apart, wipe it all down with WD-40, paint the bar, put it back together, and give it the Macquires three-stage auto wax treatment.
http://www.autobarn.net/megcarcarpro.html
What wax is left over you can use on your truck.
Tree Sling'r
Addicted to ArboristSite
I started with a little 8 gallon compressor - the I found this place and met Dean (WHS) and started doing all of my own porting and building. Now I have a 30 gallon compressor - so I can at least run my porting tools.
Mine is a Craftsman - quiet and only around $300.
Mine is a Craftsman - quiet and only around $300.
manual
Addicted to ArboristSite
Wear safty glasses, while blowing off your saw. Sunglasses something.
blackoak
Addicted to ArboristSite
Only if your covered-in-sapWhere would I get replacement air filter for this saw? Can I use a green 3M scratch pad? It looks like the same stuff.
You had to be there. I would use a foam type filter.Only if your covered-in-sap
I'm glad someone caught it!:hmm3grin2orange:
