Help poulan carb adjusting ..pro 220

[CHatfield]

I have a Poulan pro 220 . I just recently bought it used and it looks like it wasn't used very much. Anyway i bought it not running, cleaned the carb suspecting that was the problem. I can get it to run (sometimes) but can't get the carb set right. At first the low side was 2 1/4 turns out and high side was 1 1/4 out. At that setting it would start and run at high rpm and as soon as i touched the throttle it would shut down and it was a pain to get started again. So i adjusted the low side while it was running and got it to idle nicely but after i hit the throttle a couple times it would idle a little higher and the chain would start running. I then adjusted the low side out again and the throttle stop to bring it down, then again it shut down and would not start again. By that point the saw almost seen the bottom of my (long drop) hill in my backyard until i calmed down and found this web page. I am wanting the general setting for this carb as for the low and high side and how much the throttle stop screw should be adjusted. The carb is a Walbro WT391 if that helps. I know on motorcycle carbs the throttle stop has to be open some to create vaccum but this saw does have the automatic setting for the throttle when you pull the choke.My arm still hurts from pulling on the damn thing for 2 days. I am new to this and learning but learning slowly and would love to cut some wood around here. So any help would be great.
Chris

 

[scottr]

It sounds like you have an air leak . Try 1 turn out from lightly seated on both the H and L mixture screws for initial setting .

 

[Bowtie]

Throw it down that hill, and go buy a husky or a stihl. If that aint an option like stated above, you need to do a air leak, and or a vacuum test to see if you have bad seals or gaskets.

 

[Cut4fun]

That poulan 220 is a heck of a saw (when running properly) had one and loved it.
See if the carb is loose, if it has been loose for a while they tend to wear the carb base gasket and create a air leak there too. If the gasket looks good under carb against mount area re tighten and check out like Scottr said for initial adjustments.
If you live close I will look at it for you, plus I have a carb here from a 42cc poulan collecting dust that might work (if its the carb). PM me if you want to.

 

[CHatfield]

Thanks for posting guys. I might check the carb gasket to be sure it is good and then i guess if i have to test it for leaks i may need to find someone that could do it. Is that like a leak down test? I couldn't imagine the seals being bad since it is so new but nothing would surprise me now. I pm'ed Cut4fun to see how close he is and maybe we can work something out. As for the Stihl and the Husky I'll have to wait on those for now and try to make due with what i have. Would be nice though, i have heard a lot of good things about them. After i try all the suggestions you all gave i'll be sure to post again with what the exact problem was.
Thanks, CHatfield

 

[bobc]

Just for the heck of check the routing of the throttle cable, sounds like my blackhawk after it came back from warrenty work, all it needed was a new clutch but it came back with a new cylinder, piston, clutch and improperly routed cable , it would rev high Id adjust the throttle then adjust the carb then it wouldent start then I noticed the cable was all wrapped around everything, I re routed the cable and adjusted the carb and all was well. Might not be it but worth a look. Also check your clutch when my clutch went it seemed like a carb problem because when it fails the clutch engages at idle so the saw will run at high revs but no idle unless its high enough to spin the chain.

 

[CHatfield]

UPDATE.....Got the new carb installed that i bought off ebay for $6 and .......................same problem ! Took the saw to a local ACE hardware with a service center and the tech check for leaks while i was there. The rings held compression but he said either the jug gasket or the seal under the flywheel was bad since as soon as he added some psi to it it leaked down quickly he said he could repair it for $ 30- $35 so i said it's yours call me when it runs! Since i had spent so much time not fixing it i figured i give him a try. Thanks for everyones responses and i'll let you know what happens when i get it back.