McCulloch Chain Saws

[Woodslasher]

Well guys,I found this 450 on Feebay for a halfway decent price,so I bought it.The seller said he couldn't get it to run.I don't think he knew anything about the primer.It's just as well because there was no fuel filter in the tank.I put a new fuel filter in it,let it set with fuel in it for a few minutes,gave it a prime & pulled it over & it was running.It died right away ,so I checked the needle settings (I should make it a habit to do that right away,but always forget in the excitement).The hi needle was screwed in all the way,so I turned it out to 1 1/2 turns out & set the lo needle the same.I couldn't get the saw to hold a tune,so it's either got a dirty carb,or the crank seals need to be replaced.I tried starting the saw later & now it has no spark.I think the condenser crapped out.I've read that ignition chips don't hold up well in the large frame saws.I do have a few good condensers left from other Mac saws that I can put in to see if I can get spark back on it.

It's looking like I might have a "spare" igntion from my 1-51 if you need any parts. I dunno if they work, but you're welcome to them.

 

[Yokosukadweller]

Quick question: I want to paint the recoil cover black, and the recoil starter housing yellow, as part of restoring two old saws. Is there a way to disassemble the recoil housing with the spring (i.e. loosen the center nut of the recoil 'winder') without having the recoil spring unravel into a mess? I just want to clean some of the gunk there also, but if it means unraveling the spring, I might not want to do it after all. Cheers!

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

When you disassemble the recoil ,slip a small screw driver under the pulley while removing it to keep the spring from popping up. The spring will stay in its pocket.

 

[edju1958]

It's looking like I might have a "spare" igntion from my 1-51 if you need any parts. I dunno if they work, but you're welcome to them.

I thank you very much & I'll let you know what I find.I plan on popping the flywheel today if I have the time.It may just be dirty & improperly gapped points.

 

[Woodslasher]

After a month or so of them soaking in Dawn, I finally pulled out and washed the rest of my Mac parts. The 1-51 block will get oiled and packed away with the rest of the saw, and the other bits will get sandblasted and repainted when I tackle my 1-43. Note: the coil wasn't soaked for that long, I just cleaned it when I was scrubbing the rest of the parts.

 

[edju1958]

I did have the time today to get at pulling the flywheel & cleaning the points,regapping them,& putting in another condenser.I never saw such a dirty saw under the flywheel as this one.Yet under the coil & around the fins it was clean as a whistle.I put it back together,gave it a prime & I have a very nice running 450.The automatic oiler even works! That surprises me because whoever had the saw was using old used motor oil for the bar & chain.I pulled the cover off the oil tank & mopped out all that dirty old oil & put in clean bar & chain oil.Something else that surprised me is the saw has 3/8 chain on it.Here's a pic of what it looked like under the flywheel before I cleaned it.

 

[JAXCAVATOR0Z]

... my mac 250 pretty good condition started easily after sitting for apparently 10years.. great old saw cuts well

 

[matt_lamb_160]

I have a fair few front tank saws now. Most were not running. The ignition system has been functional in every one of them (and the oilers have all worked in the ones I have got running). The ignition side of things seems pretty robust (once you clean the crud out).I was about to bet you would get the 450 to spark and then I saw your post. Was the condenser dead or did you just swap it out in case?

 

[JAXCAVATOR0Z]

I have a fair few front tank saws now. Most were not running. The ignition system has been functional in every one of them (and the oilers have all worked in the ones I have got running). The ignition side of things seems pretty robust (once you clean the crud out).I was about to bet you would get the 450 to spark and then I saw your post. Was the condenser dead or did you just swap it out in case?

all i done with this saw was fresh fuel after a spray down with inox and wipes it all off nice n clean. Lite blow out with compressor, exhaust port was pretty clean, same old plug still has strong spark.. everything works. Started after a dozen or so pulls. Ive used it once but dont plan on cutting more with it. Will start it every now n then.. awesome old saw one of best sounding thats for sure!.. Jack

 

[matt_lamb_160]

Every "non-running" McCulloch I have bought that hasn't had something pulled off it has been the same. I prime them to save cranking them dry, but they pretty much just go. About 75% of the ones which come without carbs have leaky crank seals though. I have a good look at all fuel tanks too. I have ended up pulling the front off of all but one of my front tank saws.

 

[Yokosukadweller]

Is this normal, that the sprocket and clutch drum is like one piece, or did this somehow merge/weld? Just haven't seen this before, and of course a waste of material to have to replace the entire drum when changing the sprocket...

 

[Woodslasher]

Is this normal, that the sprocket and clutch drum is like one piece, or did this somehow merge/weld? Just haven't seen this before, and of course a waste of material to have to replace the entire drum when changing the sprocket...

View attachment 907516View attachment 907515

That's normal for .354 drums.

 

[Camperspecial]

I know heimannm has a lot of McCulloch Chain Saws, as well as myself, I was wondering if anybody else has a few McCullochs in their collection of Chain Saws, and are they for work, or for display. Thanks for your input. Bruce.

Tomorrow I’m heading out to remove two large maples and a bunch of smaller trees that came down in the latest storm and have closed a horse trail.
Bringing....
PM 10-10 28”
7-10. 24”
PM 700 32”
1-10 16”
Here they are gassed up and ready to load.

 

[edju1958]

What bar mount pattern does the 450 have?Since it's 90cc I think it could handle a 34 in.bar.

 

[Yokosukadweller]

That's normal for .354 drums.

I had no idea, but thanks for that piece of info.

 

[Woodslasher]

What bar mount pattern does the 450 have?Since it's 90cc I think it could handle a 34 in.bar.

If it's a front tank, D196. I've got a 32 inch, 3/8 x 0.063 oregon bar someone modded to fit on those saws I'd cut loose if you need it. I've got too many bars or not enough saws...

 

[vinnywv]

Any large fram mac bar should fit. 250, 200, 300, 125, bar will mount up.

 

[ThistleIA]

What bar mount pattern does the 450 have?Since it's 90cc I think it could handle a 34 in.bar.

Same large mount of other large Mac's from early -late 60's onwards - 440,550,650,740,790,795,797,890,895,CP/SP125's etc

 

[heimannm]

Not enough saws...





Since I'd moved the pistons to the new shop, I thought I'd better move the rings over too. Sadly, no pleasant surprise cache of popular rings I'd forgotten about. On the plus side, most of the pistons were complete "piston kits" that include rings and bearings so most of these will be available for projects that come through.



Mark

 

[JAXCAVATOR0Z]

Every "non-running" McCulloch I have bought that hasn't had something pulled off it has been the same. I prime them to save cranking them dry, but they pretty much just go. About 75% of the ones which come without carbs have leaky crank seals though. I have a good look at all fuel tanks too. I have ended up pulling the front off of all but one of my front tank saws.

Awesome old things, made to last