McCulloch Chain Saws

[Steve NW WI]

At the risk of becoming the laughing stock of this thread and being permanently banned from posting, I am publicly confessing that I have purchased not one but two non-running PowerMac 6As. I didn't do my homework or I would have known that they have a weird fuel line and carburetor which are very pricey on eBay. If I can be forgiven, I humbly ask for a little help: I have found a site that lists the fuel lines - My Part Shelf.com. Have any of you purchased parts through this source before? Before I am deservedly smacked, I also ask if I should go ahead and replace the points and condensor while these puppies are open (neither has fire but I gambled that just a filing of points is needed). Ron

There's more than one wierdo with a PM6 here. I have a box-o-saw that is an early PM6 - with 1/4" pitch chain. It's next in line to make a runner out of. Any tips, tricks, or nightmare stories are welcome.

Look at it this way Ron, if they ban us from the McC thread for playin with the little fellas, they don't get to see the bigguns either!

 

[GrizzlyAdams86]

Almost have the PM6 running, have the fuel line, just need a filter. but it's one of those "I'll get to that here soon"-type of projects.

 

[hoss]

I have a question for someone who knows more about these than me. Recently i've had some luck in the 82cc Mac department. I had an SP81E awhile back that I liked very much, but I sold it which I regret. Lately though I have come into a SP80, two SP81's and an 850. My question is, are there any significant differences (porting,timing, etc) other than the ignition styles and the style of AV? Any help would be great.

 

[8433jeff]

At the risk of becoming the laughing stock of this thread and being permanently banned from posting, I am publicly confessing that I have purchased not one but two non-running PowerMac 6As. I didn't do my homework or I would have known that they have a weird fuel line and carburetor which are very pricey on eBay. If I can be forgiven, I humbly ask for a little help: I have found a site that lists the fuel lines - My Part Shelf.com. Have any of you purchased parts through this source before? Before I am deservedly smacked, I also ask if I should go ahead and replace the points and condensor while these puppies are open (neither has fire but I gambled that just a filing of points is needed). Ron

I have a couple more, maybe they will have your parts. Come to think of it, there are some new parts for these laying around the shelf. Post an address where we can send them.

 

[heimannm]

The Power Mac 6 - Worlds Lightest Chainsaw - was very popular in it's day as a bucket saw. I have two in pretty good condition but they have never floated up to the top of the "get it going" list. The earliest ones had a very unique bannana style front handle, later ones had a more conventional half wrap style handle.

Hoss, according to the documentation, the PM 800 (last in the Series I think) was to be more powerful than the 850. I don't have much experience with these saws yet so maybe someone with more practical experience can chime in.

Mark

 

[heimannm]

More storm clean up

Jeff and I went back to Dysart today to try and cut, split, and haul home the remnants of a large honey locust tree damaged by the storm almost two weeks ago. My friend had a tree service guy limb it and drop it so all we had to do today was work on the downed material. Very warm day, and just as we were packing up a brief shower cooled us off a bit.

Jeff was using the 10-10s from Thieroff on some smaller stuff, the more I use it the more I like this saw.

I started out the the SP105 recently ressurected from the big box. I finally got a new spring for the check valve in the automatic oiler and it seems to work pretty well now. I also recently picked up a nice 32" sprocket nose bar and put it on this saw. Very nice even with the 32" bar burried in dense, tough locust.

I also put the 1-76 into the big log. While it does not have the snot of the 105, with a good sharp chain it will certainly find it's way through the big log and sound good doing it.

Mark

 

[heimannm]

A few more from today starting with the 1-76 making chips.

I confirmed again today that when running the big McCulloch saws on their side, you can't use your hips to help push it, another set of chaps with two big holes burned through them from the exhaust.

The saws we used today: 10-10s, CP55, SP105, and 1-76 on top.

Loading up, the honey locust really made the truck squat. Elsewhere I posted photo's of the truck and trailer loaded high with elm, barely even settled the box but today it was dragging the drive shaft on the muffler shield when we went over a bump on the way home.

Now I have a problem; the wood pile is full, very little space around my place to store any more, and I have a few more trees I am supposed to get still this year. Anyone in the area that needs some firewood, I can help you out...

Mark

 

[leeha]

Mark, Thats some nice wood to exercise them saws.
Good ole pile of wood too.
But i do think you need a bigger truck.



Lee

 

[hoss]

The Power Mac 6 - Worlds Lightest Chainsaw - was very popular in it's day as a bucket saw. I have two in pretty good condition but they have never floated up to the top of the "get it going" list. The earliest ones had a very unique bannana style front handle, later ones had a more conventional half wrap style handle.

Hoss, according to the documentation, the PM 800 (last in the Series I think) was to be more powerful than the 850. I don't have much experience with these saws yet so maybe someone with more practical experience can chime in.

Mark

Thanks a heap Mark. That service bulliten is a great piece of info to have. I guess I have one more 82cc saw to hunt for. I always thought that these things felt like a 6-6.5hp saw anyway and if the PM800 is stronger (and if my hp guess is close) then that is gettin into stihl 660 territory. I'd bet they aren't that much down on a 660 in the torque department anyway.

 

[heimannm]

Lee - If the truck and trailer were any bigger, it would just take that much longer to load and unload...

As it was today, I could only use 4th gear (5 speed transmission) and even then had to down shift a couple of times on the highway to make some long hills - now remember that I was in Tama County, IA so the hills are pretty gradual.

Hoss - I think I have some more Service Bulletins on the 800 saws, if I can find them I will e-mail or post them here.

Mark

 

[hoss]

I appreciate it Mark.:msp_thumbsup:

 

[RandyMac]

I think Ron has more knowledge on the 82cc models. I have recently gone through a pile of PM80/81s, there are some differences between those models and the 850/800s. There are internal differences between the 850s and 800s. My only real experience is with the 850, which I used extensively in many types of timber. They are tough, durable and have plenty of power.

 

[paccity]

not completly saw related, but did anybody catch the american restoration show where they restored the mac gocart? i guess mac made it one year inhouse, the brake and gas pedles even where mac emblemes. just thought it was cool. now back to your regulor programing.

 

[rwoods]

I have a question for someone who knows more about these than me. Recently i've had some luck in the 82cc Mac department. I had an SP81E awhile back that I liked very much, but I sold it which I regret. Lately though I have come into a SP80, two SP81's and an 850. My question is, are there any significant differences (porting,timing, etc) other than the ignition styles and the style of AV? Any help would be great.

Hoss, the 81E and 850s share the same pistons based on the IPLs, but the P & C assemblies have different part numbers. I have not measured anything but my prior eyeballing of the cylinders showed no difference (see note below regarding possible swap). I don't have an IPL for the SP80 or 81 so I don't know about them, but I understand there are some clutch differences with the 80 that may extend to early 81s - I don't have any confirmation of this beyond the parts listings that show up on e-Bay from time to time with clutches offered for sale. The manual oilers and linkage are different between the SPs and the 850 (but see again the note below regarding my 81E).

For those who don't know the 81 - 81E difference, it is the ignition - points versus electronic. 81Es and early 850s have 12 fin flywheels with two piece ignitions. Later 850s had 24 fin flywheels with one piece ignitions. Although not shown in my IPL, my stock appearing 81E had the one piece ignition and a 24 fin flywheel which might indicate that it was actually a swapped 850 cylinder; it also has the 850 styled manual oiler - who knows how this came about as the 81E was a short production.

As Mark referenced, MAC claims the 800 has more HP than the 850 (not the Super 850 which may just be a rebadged 800). I don't know if this is this claim is just hype but there are very clear port differences and the pistons are the same. I have posted pictures of the differences before. The 800 intake looks easy to replicate; the exhaust is a little more complicated. The 800 also has a different flywheel.

I think the looks of the 80s and 81s are racier than both the 850 and the 800 which is why I have kept my project 81E.

Ron

 

[RandyMac]

Ron, do you have side by side pics of them?

 

[rwoods]

Hoss, I don't have a lot of comparison experience especially between brands but I have directly compared my PM700 (70cc) and my worst running 82cc (a PM8200 with around 130 psi - now given to my brother) the 82cc cut far faster than the 20% greater displacement would indicate. My best running 800 (165 psi) will significantly out cut all of the others (including those of equal compression) - the only noticeable difference is a small hole in the muffler. One day I'll take the muffler off and check the ports. I didn't run my PM850 much before I sold it but it was closer in performance to the 8200 and had 145 to 150 psi IIRC. I just wish I had stuck to my guns in 1982 and bought the PM800 instead of the PM700 - nothing negative meant towards the 700 as it is also a great saw.

Speaking of compression, you will see 82ccs on eBay showing 175 to 180 psi - I don't have that experience, with the exception of the 8200 mine have all been 145 to 165 psi (850 - now sold, DE80 - now sold and 4 800s). I don't think it is my gauge as my kart saw reads 196 psi. May be a seller thing - just bought a PM6A showing 160 psi in the ad, the best I can get from it is 140. Ron

 

[rwoods]

Ron, do you have side by side pics of them?

I can't type fast enough. Yes, I can't search this thread back that far but maybe someone can do the google trick and call them up. Ron

 

[rwoods]

Jeff, giving out one's address while discussing small MACs is a very dangerous thing I am told. If you are serious shoot me a PM. Thanks, Ron

Mark, thanks as always for the pictures. The banana handled PM6A was the first saw I was allowed to run. The two I recently bought were the tubed handled versions. If you have more service bulletins on the 82cc please post them. Thanks, Ron

I'm off to look for cylinder pictures.

Ron

 

[jeff76]

Warped5- Thanks for the reply. I believe I have my signature updated now.

Mark - That is a nice looking woodpile and one heck of a nice saw collection that you have there.

Jeff

 

[stinkbait]

I have one 850 engine, two sp81 engines, and one pm800. All of the intakes on the engines look the same to me. The pm800 has the odd exhaust port, but the sp81 and 850 exhaust look the same. I haven't measured the timing on the ports. If the mp800 has more power than my sp81 (185 psi), then it's gonna be amazing. I hope to get my pm800 project rapped up next week. I still have some painting to do before I can begin assembly. I had to have the clutch cover welded and machined because I couldn't find a replacement.