Homelite 330 carb

[LesPro]

I need help diagnosing my Homelite 330. First I am looking for an instruction manual or at least an exploded parts picture specific to my model#. I've found some online that are close but no cigar.
The problem: Hard to start, when it does the idle runs away- way too high. The moment I take the throttle lock off , it dies. A semi-pro tree trimmer looked at it, fiddled with the high/low screws and said oh yeah the carb needs rebuilt. I can do it for ya next weekend...that was early November 2019. I'm confident I have enough skill to replace carb but not sure how to identify the carb other than its probably a warlbro but not sure of model # or anything else. Also, not sure where to go for replacement parts. I've found on some forum how the "bellows" needs to be replaced with any carb rebuild/replace??? Probably should also replace fuel lines too?
Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Take a look at this guy's work on YouTube:


I think you can get her running again. Idle adjustment is a simple setscrew. I recently restored a 330 that had not been run in 10 years.

 

[HarleyT]

Boot is notorious!!

 

[LesPro]

Took carb out and looked at it. I honestly don't know what I'm looking at. It looks fine to me. Reassembled an reinstalled. I took some photos. Also I uploaded a video to YouTube. BTW I have the low and high screws set this easy: in all the way (gently) and then out 1 rotation.

 

[dswensen]

Sounds to me like it starves for fuel when you open the choke. Try setting the "L" screw out (CCW) a 1/4 turn at a time and see if it gets better.

And yes, a torn intake boot is a common problem, but first try more out on "L"

 

[LesPro]

How much of a teardown is it to replace boot? Any suggestions as to a parts supplier or gamble with eBay/ Amazon ?
Any ahem decent YouTube videos showing an R&R?

 

[LesPro]

Found a parts catalog from "K&T" mind you, it's not a tear down guide but it looks maybe beyond my comfort zone. My small engine repair guy up the road estimates between $100 - $140 for a repair. Is that high, average, or low?

 

[HarleyT]

The saw is a pain in the arse to work on....

 

[Wood Doctor]

Found a parts catalog from "K&T" mind you, it's not a tear down guide but it looks maybe beyond my comfort zone. My small engine repair guy up the road estimates between $100 - $140 for a repair. Is that high, average, or low?

That's about average and that's why I repaired the saw myself.

 

[LesPro]

That's about average and that's why I repaired the saw myself.

Great! Care to share procedure? Steps? Have you any repair resources?

 

[grizz55chev]

Great! Care to share procedure? Steps? Have you any repair resources?

YouTube! It’s not really that hard!

 

[dswensen]

YouTube! It’s not really that hard!

Agreed - not hard, but you have to have a fair amount of patience. If you've already had a hard day and one more little thing will set you off - that's not the day to tackle this project.

OP, did you try messing with the "L" screw as I suggested above? Any luck?

 

[LesPro]

Agreed - not hard, but you have to have a fair amount of patience. If you've already had a hard day and one more little thing will set you off - that's not the day to tackle this project.

OP, did you try messing with the "L" screw as I suggested above? Any luck?

I did. After about 5 turns in all and about 50 pulls it seemed to start better but would only run for a maximum of 4 seconds before stalling no matter how much I feathered the throttle. I know it sat in my buddy's shed for a time. Seems to me rubber would probably get dry rot. I'm going to order the boot and once in hand tear her apart. Saw cost me nothing but a few hours of labor so nothing really invested.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

On almost every 330 that doesn't idle well it is indeed a torn intake boot. Not exactly hard to change but it takes some time. The biggest part to me is cleaning everything up during disassembly. Be sure to install new fuel and oil lines when you put it back together or you'll have the tear down to do again some time..I've got 3 of them in my shop right now so I'll probably get to do at least one of them this Spring. I also have a 360 which will probably require a boot..If I remember right you can take the carb off these saws and look in and see if the boot is cracked. If you have to change a boot remember to check the engine mounts also...

 

[LesPro21]

On almost every 330 that doesn't idle well it is indeed a torn intake boot. Not exactly hard to change but it takes some time. The biggest part to me is cleaning everything up during disassembly. Be sure to install new fuel and oil lines when you put it back together or you'll have the tear down to do again some time..I've got 3 of them in my shop right now so I'll probably get to do at least one of them this Spring. I also have a 360 which will probably require a boot..If I remember right you can take the carb off these saws and look in and see if the boot is cracked. If you have to change a boot remember to check the engine mounts also...

where did you purchase those from? Have a favorite parts company? I’m getting the intake boot from Amazon...kinda a gamble but easy returns. I want all parts in hand B4 I begin tear down.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I get them locally. Most older shops used to carry quite a few of them because they tore up so often. I noticed the price of them has went up quite a bit on ebay, used to get about 3 of them for around ten to fifteen dollars now they're about that much apiece. I'm gonna check our local mower shop and see what they cost there and see if they still carry them...

 

[grizz55chev]

where did you purchase those from? Have a favorite parts company? I’m getting the intake boot from Amazon...kinda a gamble but easy returns. I want all parts in hand B4 I begin tear down.

Ebay has em everywhere for around $15 delivered, but the air filter is hard to find and pricy!

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I'm wondering if you could rig up an air filter from a piece of foam, maybe not, just wondering..

 

[Wood Doctor]

I'm wondering if you could rig up an air filter from a piece of foam, maybe not, just wondering..

I have done that, cut to size. It works. I keep several thicknesses of foam on hand.

 

[LesPro]

Definitely a torn intake boot.