McCulloch Chain Saws

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How much of a 10 series saw is the SP81E and what parts are interchangable? Is the SP81 the same but with points? One thing I know I'll need is an air filter. Anyone here have one or advice on how I might clean this one without not damaging it?
 
It looks like youre there now. 8 screws and a tap and itll be apart.
I am looking forward to it. Out of commission right now, a bit under the weather. Been fighting a cold all week and it decided to put me on my tail yesterday and today.

What do you guys usually do about the oil pump? Just disassemble and clean? I know at least the manual oiler was working already on this one, but didn’t test the auto independently. Inside of the oil tank looked clean and the pickup screen looked good too.
 
Personally id leave the oil pump alone until it gives ya trouble. They are simple designs. And it can be worked on anytime if needed. But if you are taking it out of there, then yes just clean it up and put it back in.
Thanks, I'll just leave it alone then. The list is one shorter now!
 
As one might expect when cleaning off the layer of sludge and uncovering things I found a few issues. No deal breakers but sad. Looks like someone had thrown a chain at some point. The bar has a crack right at the post mount and I don't believe the coil set up is original? It is electronic ignition, there are no points but the coil looks like it came from a 610. Anyone have experience with this?
I didn't expect to start playing with it so soon but my problems with the 10-10 carb I've been asking about have been corrected and it's running great!
Thanks everyone for all your help.
 

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As one might expect when cleaning off the layer of sludge and uncovering things I found a few issues. No deal breakers but sad. Looks like someone had thrown a chain at some point. The bar has a crack right at the post mount and I don't believe the coil set up is original? It is electronic ignition, there are no points but the coil looks like it came from a 610. Anyone have experience with this?
I didn't expect to start playing with it so soon but my problems with the 10-10 carb I've been asking about have been corrected and it's running great!
Thanks everyone for all your help.

Wouldn't panic about the bar

The coil I don't know sod all but pretty sure the 81Es had issues with the original setup and by now most have been put to what later became standard. The 610 coil is the same as all the other regular 10 series cdi saws except a longer lead. I seem to remember something about a recall in Australia where they all got the later coil but not sure why it didn't happen in the states or weather it did just wasn't as "official"

Either way what you have is what it wants to be anyway as the E setup had a weak spark. Just from memory again which is not the best at the best of times 🤣

Vinnys idea is perfect for that handle.

You got a mean saw man. Stoked as for ya. Its pretty much a you suck deal really.

Honestly if were only aloud 1 saw and parts aren't an issue that 81 will do it all. Mine pulls a 32 full comp no problem so there's 5 foot trees sorted and with a 20 or 24 can do small work really well too.

From memory again an 81 with no brake was a pound heavier than a stihl 500i of similar cc half a century later. No slouch either. Oranges n bananas of course
 
That ignition (as has been stated) was used on both the 10 Series and 600 Series saws. Those tan units were generally pretty reliable and definitely deliver a hotter spark than the original two piece electronic ignition set up. Good old McBob (RIP) worked at McCulloch Australia and reported they changed all of the earlier two piece to the one piece electronic ignitions on the SP81E and early PM850 models as they also originally came with the two piece.

There is an even later electronic ignition (223708) that looks quite different but is a bolt on replacement for those older, larger tan or grey units.

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If I remember correctly, 223875 is the PN for the coil & laminations, and 223708 is the PN for the assembly with the coil, laminations, and the lead. The lead in the kit is long enough to work on either the 600 or the 10 Series models.

Mark
 
This question is mostly for Mark cause of the qty of chainsaws that i assume sit for a long time without use but am open to all opinions. How do you prep your fuel system for long term storage (show piece) to prevent carb issues, diaphragm drying up etc?
 
Take a short piece of 3/4 copper pipe and slide over the chain rash. Youll never see it again.
Good idea. My original thought was a piece of thick hose? A good friend is a welder, should I have him beef the area up first or is there not much stress there?
 

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If they are going into the display, I generally run them out of fuel and try to catch them just as they are dying off and spray fogging oil down the carburetor and flood them out. I also spray the fuel tank (aluminum or magnesium) down with the fogging oil to try and leave a protective film in the fuel tank. If I remember, I will drain the bar oil out but even then, many of the saws will emit an occasional drip when the temperature in the display area swings.

I do keep the thermostat set at 60° in the winter and maybe 78° in the summer and the humidity is always pretty low so the environment is pretty good for storage.

I have a few saws that I keep in the display that I also take along to some of the GTG's and those are often left with fuel (canned or Stabil added) and bar oil and I just deal with any little drips that may occur.

My work saws are stored in an unheated, unairconditioned shed and I normally leave them filled with fuel and bar oil so they are ready to go. There are a few GTG saws there as well that only get out once or twice a year, but so far I have not had any problems with old fuel or carburetors. If I know a saw will not be run for a while, I do try to remember and add Stabil to the fuel mix. I know others have different recommendations for storage and fuel stabilizers but this has worked for me.

If the weather remains mild into the weekend, I may go ahead and take several of the work saws down and start them just to make sure they will be ready when I need them. Several have not run in some months.

Mark
 
Steve, I had a bar with a similar crack on both sides, I had a welder touch it up then ground the surface and the groove again to make the bar serviceable. You will probably find with that bar clamped in the saw no drive link will hang up since the clamping action will hold everything in alignment.

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I used one of the bar shop discs set up in my table saw for grinding the groove. It worked, but it is not an ideal situation.

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The aluminum handles are pretty thin, and with the wear and tear welding can be a tricky proposition. A welding repair done properly would be the best solution, but a welding repair gone awry will result in a junk handle bar.

Mark
 
Good idea. My original thought was a piece of thick hose? A good friend is a welder, should I have him beef the area up first or is there not much stress there?
Most of the McCulloch saws that were used in the woods here on the west coast had a piece of heater hose just like you show in your picture to protect the handle. I've had pretty good luck with handles that have been welded, but, as Mark says, there is some risk. It's probable that its fine as is, and the hose will hide the blemish. If you looked under the protective hose on my saws you'd find a few similar patches of chain rash.
 

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