Just Got Homelite XL

[Aprules2]

Im new to working on saws, but I have experience working on cars and lawnmowers. I picked up an old Homelite Xl Automatic on Craigslist for $50. It sat for a long time, I flushed the gas tank out, changed the fuel filter, and cleaned the points.. After that it fired up on the 3rd pull. It runs awesome the torque actually makes you hand move when you rev it. I tried a test on a piece of wood in the yard and it cut well but slowed down slightly after. The saw seemed to have less power after that even in a free rev. Im wondering if the air filter fell apart and is clogging the carb. Where is it on the saw? Also how long of a bar can I put on it and what brand of chain cuts best. I was hoping to use a 16 or 18 inch bar if I could.

 

[Aprules2]

I ended up taking the saw apart and found where the air filter is and it was falling apart....

So now I want to get rid of the tiny chain bar on this thing. What bar and chain do you guys recommend?

 

[svk]

16 to 20". I have both a 16 and 20 to put on mine when we get it running finally.

You are lucky that you got the older one with points. The newer blue coil ones frequently have coil failure.

Edit: My above posts references the XL automatic, not the XL shown in your post below.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Exactly what XL are you talking about? Homelite made about a million saws they called an XL.

 

[Aprules2]

It's actually just called the XL Automatic it's the model before the XL-2

 

[svk]

That model is XL. XL automatic is the older saw that looks like a Super XL.

Those are smaller saws and bars run from 10-16". I wouldn't go over 16" on it.

 

[Aprules2]

Oh, I thought because it said automatic on the sticker I figured it was an Automatic XL. Buy anyway are the Oregon bars and chains better than the Homelites? Is there a really good cutting super sharp chain I should be buying instead?

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Yep, that's an XL. Got one just like it.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Oh, I thought because it said automatic on the sticker I figured it was an Automatic XL. Buy anyway are the Oregon bars and chains better than the Homelites? Is there a really good cutting super sharp chain I should be buying instead?

Automatic just means automatic oiling on most saws. Mine has an 8" bar on it and gets plenty of oil..You can adjust the oiling on these but not with a knob.. I run a 3/8 LP on smaller saws like this..

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Here's a pic of another XL

 

[Pioneer]

Have one. It's 26cc's, the largest bar to use on this one is a 10". Nice for small jobs, use the LP 3/8 chain, low kickback or regular, your choice. You can make a new air filter for it using any fuel resistant porous foam. A good mod is to put a fine mesh screen below the foam to prevent it from being drawn down toward the carb, I used one cut from a cheap metal coffee filter from the dollar store. These saws sometimes have problems with the auto oiler, it is the diaphragm pump style and they fail. The pumps are not available any more, but you can by-pass it and pressurize the oil tank from the crankcase as long as your duckbill valve in the tank is OK.
Oregon bars are fine, It's probably all you can find now anyways. Best chain for it would be probably be the Stihl LP 3/8 pm3, but Oregon chains work fine too.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

I found some cheap Windsor bars on EBay. I ordered 3 12" bars for 7 or 8 bucks each.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Those older XLs don't have a pump, they just pressurize the tank. The 330 and 240 saws do use a pump however..some of the smaller saws do have a diaphragm to assist but isn't necessary.

 

[Pioneer]

I have 2- xl 2's and an super2 and they all have pumps. The earliest xl's had the pressurized tanks, I have a Homelite XL manual and it shows the pump, so it might come either way. The pressurized tank type had the restriction in the line to prevent over-oiling, you can actually tailor the flow with different size restrictions.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

As old as these saws are most of them have been worked on. I have 2 of them and both have had the engines out, I believe the XL now has a Super 2 engine in it neither have a diaphragm or pump, just a line from the crankcase to the oil tank with a duckbill on the end of the line inside the tank and another line from tank to bar mount..

 

[svk]

Here's a pic of another XLView attachment 567363

Yeah baby!

Which XL is that?

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Yeah baby!

Which XL is that?

That's an XL924. I have an awful amount of money in it...$17.

 

[Aprules2]

Does anyone know what size this chain should be I think I found .050 but I wanted to be shure before ordering a bar and chain...

 

[hotshot]

Yes, 0.050" from looking at your saw "in the bathroom" pic, 3/8" pitch. Thats's a quite an unusual background for a chainsaw pic. Count your old chain drive links to match the length.

Oregon makes a low profile 91VX series chain that works well for those little saws.

 

[svk]

Does anyone know what size this chain should be I think I found .050 but I wanted to be shure before ordering a bar and chain...

Yes 3/8 low profile aka 91 series Oregon