McCulloch 125 Decompression Valve/ Hard Pull

[Eccentric]

Good thing they are heavy, good for the drop starting!:msp_thumbup:

You're more man than I am if you can drop start an old 103cc or 123cc McCulloch witout a decomp...

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Member Little buddy. Iwas runnig mac's, and homelite, before thenew one's. Hell I didn't know what a decomp valve was back then. My 2101 doesn't have one, and I don't alway's use the decomp on my 660. That has some serious glug, glug. LOL! I drop start em all that is has I was shown a long time ago. I ran alot of saw's without em, and learned to save my hand that way. It's funny watching the guy's at work try, and start big saw's. They usually can't, and I have to, and since I get them starte'd well, then I may has well do the cutting too LOL!

 

[RandyMac]

Ya gotta remember, the decomps are for saving the starters, not yer wienie arms.

 

[NORMZILLA44]

True, provided they have one. Sometime's I have to remind myself LOL!:msp_thumbup:

 

[Eccentric]

Member Little buddy. Iwas runnig mac's, and homelite, before thenew one's. Hell I didn't know what a decomp valve was back then. My 2101 doesn't have one, and I don't alway's use the decomp on my 660. That has some serious glug, glug. LOL! I drop start em all that is has I was shown a long time ago. I ran alot of saw's without em, and learned to save my hand that way. It's funny watching the guy's at work try, and start big saw's. They usually can't, and I have to, and since I get them starte'd well, then I may has well do the cutting too LOL!

"Little buddy".....LOL. You're not that much bigger than me my friend. A bit thinner, and a couple inches taller. Ever drop started a RH start large frame 103cc McCulloch without a decomp (or a throttle latch, or a choke that stays on without you pushing the right-side thumb button)? Randy's "hot rod" decomp-less 123cc 797 (stock 797's did have the decomp) would be even more fun. If you can drop start that saw without putting the bar into your leg or the dirt, then I am impressed. The best way to start these old beasts is to have a big bar on it and lay the saw over a log. You pull backwards (while holding the rear handle with your left hand and pushing the choke with your left thumb) more than up. Whole different game than a Homelite 925, McCulloch SP-81, or any of the modern saws like your Stihl 660 or Husky 2101. The later McCulloch 125's thankfully had throttle locks. Earlier ones didn't.

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Come on, I know the log trick, I prefer to get a straight down pull, and drop. Easier on the pull rope, and eyelette. I usually put the tip on something, wood, or stick, log, never in the dirt. I can do the log, foot, under leg, and drop method. Just prefer the drop. That's all. Just found it was the best way for me to start a big comp saw. Use the weight of the saw to my advantage.

 

[RandyMac]

That works for lefty starts, try that with a righty, they were made to be pulled back.

 

[dieselsmoke]

Saws built in the 70's and befor didn't create room for a boot in the rear handle. That whole abomonation came with the european invasion. IMHO.

 

[Eccentric]

Come on, I know the log trick, I prefer to get a straight down pull, and drop. Easier on the pull rope, and eyelette. I usually put the tip on something, wood, or stick, log, never in the dirt. I can do the log, foot, under leg, and drop method. Just prefer the drop. That's all. Just found it was the best way for me to start a big comp saw. Use the weight of the saw to my advantage.

That works for lefty starts, try that with a righty, they were made to be pulled back.

Here's Randy's 790. Ignore the short/rusty bar. That was just there to space out the clutch cover propperly so I could start the thing. These saws must have a bar on them for the clutch cover/starter to be the right distance from the clutch hub and starter pawls.

103cc. No throttle lock. Lotsa compression. No decomp. Small starter pully (not much leverage) that's far out from the 'centerline' of the saw. Just aft of the handle/rope is a roller (on a bushing that rides on one of the three cover screws). That roller's there to allow a rearward pull...

 

[NORMZILLA44]

LOL! Remember quigly down under? Just because I dont carry a pistol doesn't mean I can't shhot one. Meaning I don't own a mac, but know how to run one. Im sure it would come back to me. I am ambedextress though. And probably spelled that wrong. You bring it, bigger the better, and I will run it, and start it! I can shoot a bow, and a gun right or left. The hardest thing was kick starting my cr 480, and my Husqvarna 510wmx. Kick on the left, and get off, and do it with the right. The husky I would coast start, and usually a steep hill, and 4th or 5th gear May be youthfull, but thrown around alot of saw's! mostly big one's. Seem's like the Mac talk make's guy's sensitive. I know what a 125 is. And smile when you read this, because I am!

 

[Eccentric]

LOL! Remember quigly down under? Just because I dont carry a pistol doesn't mean I can't shhot one. Meaning I don't own a mac, but know how to run one. Im sure it would come back to me. I am ambedextress though. And probably spelled that wrong. You bring it, bigger the better, and I will run it, and start it! I can shoot a bow, and a gun right or left. The hardest thing was kick starting my cr 480, and my Husqvarna 510wmx. Kick on the left, and get off, and do it with the right. The husky I would coast start, and usually a steep hill, and 4th or 5th gear May be youthfull, but thrown around alot of saw's! mostly big one's. Seem's like the Mac talk make's guy's sensitive. I know what a 125 is. And smile when you read this, because I am!

Not sensitive Norm. Smilin' the whole time. Just making sure we're all on the same page. Disagreement doesn't mean we're angry. Sorry if you thought it did...

At one time or another, I had (or at least started and rode) a 1980 Husky 250OR, 1981 KTM 495MXC, 1984 Husky 500CR, 1983 Honda CR250R, 1982 and 1983 Honda CR480R's, and a 1991 ATK 406. All left-side kick. Stay on the bike (like a man....LOL) and kick it with your left leg. No need to get off.......or roll start it. This is coming from a 5'07" guy with short legs......and those are tall bikes. LH start bikes feel more natural to me now..........just like RH start saws. I am eccentric however...

We we're talkin' RH start Macs here. McCulloch 125's were left side start (although they're still meant to be pulled back rather than drop or ground started). I'm sure you could start all these animals. Not saying your couldn't. My tough old rancher friend is only about 5'06" and 160 pounds. About as wirey as your friend John P. They both look to be tough as iron. My friend Ron lights off all of his old Homelites (2100's, 1050's, 1130G's, 750's, SW80's, etc) with ease. He ground starts them all though. Those are meant to be ground started (or drop started if that's yer thing). They've all got throttle locks and 'normal' chokes........unlike the RH start Macs...

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Oh yeah, we way cool. I know man. Thank's though man. My 510 husky was the worst. I was to short, and had to lean it over to far to kick it. Compression was ridiculous. It was a 5 speed, and when rolling it down a hill to start, sometime's had to do it in fifth. The older saw's definately took men to start em!

 

[Eccentric]

Oh yeah, we way cool. I know man. Thank's though man. My 510 husky was the worst. I was to short, and had to lean it over to far to kick it. Compression was ridiculous. It was a 5 speed, and when rolling it down a hill to start, sometime's had to do it in fifth. The older saw's definately took men to start em!

Didja have the air cooled or water cooled Husky four-stroke? Those early ones were BEASTS. They were the first 4-strokes to be taken seriously in a world of 2-strokes (since the 2-strokes took over the dirt world in the late '60s). I started one for a buddy. Was a 1985 air cooled version. 38" seat hight and crazy compression. With my stubby legs, I had to be creative. Gotta get the girth up (push off of the right peg) and BOOT that sucker with the left. Those bikes (like the old saws) would punnish you for not 'meaning it' when you tried to start 'em. I used to show off and boot over my bud's 1982 CR480R in sneakers. Did it once in flip-flops. He was 3 or 4 inches taller than me and 40 pounds heavier.......yet he couldn't light it unless he was in work boots. Never let on how damn much it hurt the foot pulling stunts like that. Young and dumb.......

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Mine was a 91-or 92. I think water cooled, can't remeber. I sold a 1973 Husky 400. To a good buddy, and it was cherry, but from sitting, the piston was not really seized mayb oxidized. But my buddy was particular, so he threw a new stock pistong, and ring's in it. We wer'e all excited, and couldn't wait to see it fire'd up. He should have known better than to wear tennis shoe's. Kinda of backfire'd, and I won't forget that sound of the snap when it kicke'd back at his foot. He was layed up for about a week. I alway's put boot's on like you LOL!

 

[Eccentric]

Mine was a 91-or 92. I think water cooled, can't remeber. I sold a 1973 Husky 400. To a good buddy, and it was cherry, but from sitting, the piston was not really seized mayb oxidized. But my buddy was particular, so he threw in a new stock piston and ring's in it. We wer'e all excited, and couldn't wait to see it fire'd up. He should have known better than to wear tennis shoe's. Kinda of backfire'd, and I won't forget that sound of the snap when it kicke'd back at his foot. He was layed up for about a week. I alway's put boot's on like you LOL!

That would have been an early water cooled version. Still had the Swede designed Husky engine (despite Husqvarna's bike division being bought by Cagiva in 1986). Single shock (The 1985 I ran still had the dual Ohlins in the rear). Tall, lean, and FAST. Had some problems with electrolosis (sp?) corrosion in the water jackets. Usually not a problem as long as the cooling system was maintained. That 1973 400 was a beast too. Was it an 8-speed (dual range four speed)? Can't remember what year 400's had that tranny. The "chaff!!!" backfire that big two stroke singles are prone to HURT. The thought of it makes my left foot ache. I'm ambidextrous too. Can't right very well RH (I'm a southpaw), but can do everything else with either hand. Heck, my writing's not that great with my left hand either....

 

[sawfun9]

I have a 1985 cr500 and always wear 10" boots when kick starting it. Hills may be cheating, but they're much easier. It's not hard to kick but it's hard to get it to kick fast enough to get a good spark and get it to light. The 1987 and later had reliefs cut above the porting which kind of acts like a decomp and lets you get a faster kicking speed.

Back to the main topic. My Mac sp125c will rip out of your hands when the decomp pops out. And that's starting it on the ground. I'm 6'2'' and 230lbs and that makes no difference. With no decomp the saw acts like its locked up. If you could pull it the rope would have a very short life.

 

[Tzed250]

Working in bike dealerships for years I have a bit of experience kicking over big singles. Never did care for it very much. Knocked a whole straight through the sole of my boot kicking over my friends '85 CR500.


My SP125 was an SOB to start for a long time, that is until I decided to clean the carb. I found all kinds of trash in the carb. After the carb clean the saw is much easier to start.

 

[heimannm]

Way back to the beginning of this thread - timing on the older McCulloch saws was determined by the point gap. Normally recommend 0.018", wider gap means they open earlier advancing the timing, less gap will retard the timing. If you are not happy just measuring the gap, connect a meter or test light and note where the points open, there is a mark on the flywheel that line up with one leg of the coil when the timing is correct, or fit it with a degree wheel if you really want to get it down to frog hairs.

Good news on getting the carbon cleaned out of the compression release. While it certainly is possible to start them without the compression release if you set everthing up just right, it is much easier on the starter mechanism when you use it.

Mark