McCulloch Chain Saws

[2broke2ride]

It's not looking like my 1-86 is gonna make the NY GTG this year. No matter how hard I try, I just cant seem to get it right. I fix 1 thing and something else breaks. Gonna hang it in the garage for a while and come back to it. Dont really have time to mess with saws right now anyway, I have to cut and split my load of firewood logs and get all the spring yard work done and the garden planted.

 

[edju1958]

Yeah Kevin,I keep telling myself that there's life outside of chainsaws.I haven't found it yet tho.Lol I've been hustling wood too.I've got the yard work all caught up for now,but there's that garden calling my name too.Spring is a hectic time of year.
Ed

 

[Aaron Rybicki]

I replaced the intake manifold gasket with a slight layer of Permatex 85420 Fuel Resistant gasket sealer on the actual gasket for extra insurance. Bolts are very tight this time (unlike how I got it). Reinstalled the intake boot (multi-purpose greased up) and reinstalled the new impulse line.

As I was putting this thing back together, I realized that this SP125C was missing the "crankcase bottom cover gasket" but had the "oiler housing gasket". I ordered a set of (2) gaskets that matched up to both of those since they are - for the most part, identical.

Once the Permatex, Oil resistant sealant gets done drying on the hairline cracks and obvious hole at the bottom of the oil tank, I will seal it all back together.
Then, shortly after, I will replace the clutch side crank seal. THEN, it is time to fire it up.

If it still has an air leak issue, I will look to the flywheel side crank seals next.

 

[Aaron Rybicki]

Here's the SP125C how I got it (without the crankcase bottom cover gasket)

 

[Aaron Rybicki]

Anyways, here's a pic of me after putting my SP81E with a Full Skip/Full Chisel chain to work (has the wrong McCulloch clutch cover on it at the moment). Took a minute to tune the high jet. Loved every minute of it though. Made a decent sized wood chip pile in this fair Northern Michigan weather!

 

[vinnywv]

Here's the SP125C how I got it (without the crankcase bottom cover gasket)

Looking forward to seeing a picture of your 125 when youre ready.

 

[rarefish383]

Gotta love those m35A3's, I love mine for logging.
View attachment 728359

Hey, Hey, Hey, what's that Homelite on the stump. My eyes are a little fuzzy, but that ain't no yeller saw.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

I always use a little sealer on them just to ensure a good seal. I know you should not have to but it makes me feel better. Brian

Speaking of a little sealer, I found my favorite 10-10A starting to weep a little around the tank seam today. I made a gasket for it in about ten minutes using 1/8" Fel-Pro 3019 gasket material by just cutting an 1/8" wide piece from the edge of the sheet using an X-Acto knife and a straight edge. No straight pins or template or fussing with any of that stuff. Perfect fit and just needed a dab of fuel resistant sealant at the butt joint. Figure I can get at least 50 or 60 more out of the remaining sheet of material. LOL Sure beats paying 12 bux a pop for gaskets on the bay..., especially when a whole roll of the Fel-Pro stuff isn't much more.

 

[sawfun]

Hey, Hey, Hey, what's that Homelite on the stump. My eyes are a little fuzzy, but that ain't no yeller saw.

That is an ole 775g. It cut that white oak pretty good if i remember correctly.

 

[Aaron Rybicki]

Okay, I take back what I said about my SP125C not having a bottom crankcase cover gasket.. It had it but it was extremely thin, worn and so adhered to the bottom of the crankcase that I was scraping away at it with a straight edge for a few hours and it still isn't 100% perfect, but I think I got enough off to make a decent seal with some Permatex Motoseal (for extra assurance) along with the gasket. Also had to make some modifications to the gasket I purchased as it was identical to the Oiler Housing gasket and would not fit around certain areas of the crankcase cover. Gonna slap it together next week when I got some days off and see what happens!
Unfortunately, my luck when working on some of these McCulloch's is a lot like @2broke2ride 's and I'm assuming I'll still have an air leak, lol. Nothing against you @2broke2ride but it seems like every once in a while you got something going right and then all of a sudden it goes South. Relatable to the fullest extent.

 

[2broke2ride]

You are 100% right. It seems so hit or miss for me. I do everything 100% right by the book and I still end up redoing it 3 times.
My real problem seems to be carburetors. I seem to be about 70/30 on whether they work tight the first time or it takes 3 to 5 try's.
I'm not sure what Im Doing wrong, but I know I got a replacement Tillotson HL from Mark for my 440 that he rebuilt that runs perfect and did from the moment i installed it. Meanwhile I am on my second carburetor and about the 5th time around on the 1-86 and cant get it right. I wish someone could tell me what I am doing wrong in my process.

 

[vinnywv]

2broke2ride, have you gotten any feedback on that 7-10? Im curious what was going on with it. If you dont mind let us know what was found. Just being nibby.

 

[2broke2ride]

No, last I talked to Mark, he hadn't had a chance to look at it yet. I'm sure he will get it figured, I will report back.

 

[edju1958]

Don't feel bad Kevin,you're doing better in the carb dept.than I am.
Ed

 

[vinnywv]

No, last I talked to Mark, he hadn't had a chance to look at it yet. I'm sure he will get it figured, I will report back.

Thats cool, thanks.
Speaking of figuring things out, i picked up a saw the other day. Guy said it wouldnt run right. Couldnt tune it. I came home with it. Could hardly contain myself while talking to him. So i got it home and got to work. Cleaning this that etc. Fired up but ran bad. Took carb off and it had been recently rebuilt so that wasnt it. Still rough. Next was spark plug. It was the wrong one. Replaced it but still rough. Thought it was carb related so i swapped carbs off another but to no avail. Listening to it i thought....its timing! So i took off the side cover to check points and coil gap. Coil gap was about a 16th of an inch. Fixed that. And wouldnt you know it, theres a ignition chip hiding in there. I knew exactly what needed done. I swapped the wires around. Put the starter back on and pulled it over. Bingo!!! Got a heck of a runner. She came to life like a brand new saw. Sent the guy back a message with all those details. He was happy i got it running. Told me his dad bought it back in 1970. He remembered how much fun it was when he was younger. Interestingly i asked the 1970 price. He got back with me and said his dad paid $416.00 for it in 1970!! Thats alot of cash 49 yrs ago. Its a mcculloch cp125!! Boy am i happy with it. 28" bar. .404 chain. Unreal condition.

 

[ThistleIA]

Beautiful saw!!!

 

[rwoods]

What he said! ^^^. Ron

 

[vinnywv]

Thankyou, it looked like that. I didnt clean it other than dust it off. Runs as good as it looks

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Wow.

 

[heimannm]

Very nice find indeed.

Mark