New find from unlikely place: 026

[rallen]

I stopped by a local mower dealer to try to buy a foot of ignition lead for an 026 I am working on, and came home without the spark plug wire but WITH another 026! It turns out he didn't have bulk ignition lead, but he had an almost complete 026 that had been sitting in the back of the shop for a number of years, missing the rear shroud and a couple of other miscellaneous parts. He wasn't sure of its condition, but he thinks it needs a new carb, and suggested I make him an offer. Long story short, I came home with it for $20.

This is a mid-series 026 with the brown rubber chip guard, but still with the adjustable carb, serial number 234354092. While it is covered in dirt and grime and sawdust, it appears to have good compression based on pulling the crank, and the bar and chain are good. Items to deal with are (at this point):

• Test compression. It feels pretty tight, and I will be surprised if it isn't 150 or better.
• Re-build carb. Based on how dirty the saw was, I am not convinced anyone ever tried to re-build the carb, but we shall see.
• Replace air filter (metal screen type, non-compensating carb filter)
• Replace cracked handle. The tank doesn't leak, but if I am going to get it running I want to replace it.
• Replace cylinder cover. The shroud appears to have been in contact with the engine cooling fins and has a couple of melt marks. I noticed the stud with the rubber isolater was missing and my guess is that it was run without it, thus allowing the shroud to touch the head.
• Replace carb cover. This is missing completely; how do I know which style will fit this machine? It appears there are ones that look like an 029 cover with a knurled knob; ones that have a lever instead of a knob; and ones that have the bulge and plug for the decompression vent.
• New fuel and impulse hoses.
• Clean or replace tank vent / valve. It is the white style vent.
• Re-attach spark plug boot. Boot is there, and wire looks in good shape; someone just yanked it off.
• I should finally go ahead and fabricate that vacuum tester and check the seals, since this is now the fourth saw I have broken down for repair.

Assuming the compression is good, I am not sure I have the heart to part this out, even though I already have two 026's and an 009L (can you say CAD?), and then there is that McCulloch I keep saying I am going to give to my brother. If I succumb to temptation and decide to restore it, I have a few questions:

1. What determines if a carb has to be replaced as opposed to re-built?
2. Can I subsitute a fuel tank with the old-style tank vent (black plastic) on this model?
3. Which style carb cover can I use?

I will attach a few pics of its present condition. Now to tell the wife.....

View attachment 217186View attachment 217187View attachment 217188

 

[solarguru]

that one would have went home with me for $20 as well... Good luck with your search for the parts you need for it... hopefully with some cleaning it will spark right up...

 

[Dan Forsh]

Now to tell the wife.....

What would you want to go an do a silly thing like that for?

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Nice find!

Here's one of your pics: (pic help in sig if you would like to embed them)

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

•Replace cylinder cover. The shroud appears to have been in contact with the engine cooling fins and has a couple of melt marks. I noticed the stud with the rubber isolater was missing and my guess is that it was run without it, thus allowing the shroud to touch the head.

**You should be able to replace the stud and the rubber grommet. If you're planning on selling it afterward this is a good option. Although sometimes the top covers are available on the cheap. It's a preference that is up to you of course. [/COLOR]

•Replace carb cover. This is missing completely; how do I know which style will fit this machine? It appears there are ones that look like an 029 cover with a knurled knob; ones that have a lever instead of a knob; and ones that have the bulge and plug for the decompression vent.

**The type of carb cover is determined by the type of carb and filter you are running. The newer carbs/filters use the filter top type with the lever which essentially locks it into the filter. The old type carbs/filters use the round nob. I could not see clearly the insert type in your filter but if it has some age on it, it should take the round nob type filter box cover.

**There are two gas line types for the 026: make sure your filter lays flat in the bottom of the tank with the existing line. If so you should be able to carry the line to your dealer to make sure you get a good match. (Some people use the wrong line, and even though it will fit the tank assembly and carb mount, it does not lay flat -- not good.

For me the impulse line is always going to get replaced if I do the tear down (not that expensive and it provides a bit more peace of mind for me in the restore).

Before you get into it too far, go ahead and do the vacc test.

GREAT FIND! CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[zogger]

That's a good find. Instead of restoring that one, just think about cleaning it up now, disassemble, save the parts to keep your other ones going. You don't necessarily have to restore that one, just keep what is good and usable as backups.

 

[Dan Forsh]

That's a good find. Instead of restoring that one, just think about cleaning it up now, disassemble, save the parts to keep your other ones going. You don't necessarily have to restore that one, just keep what is good and usable as backups.

And where's the fun in that?:msp_tongue:

 

[sefh3]

You can also send it to me then you won't have to tell the wife what you bought. I'm looking for an 026 project. I sold mine a few years ago and have missed it since. It looks like your is the older style without adjustable carb and oiler.

Great find for the price.

 

[rallen]

That is the problem! Of course I SHOULD keep it for parts, but it is SO tempting to fix it. Maybe I will fix it and then keep it for parts...LOL.

I don't do that much cutting that I can justify having more than one 026 and the 009L, let alone three 026's. But I just like to take 'em apart and figure out what needs to be repaired. On the other hand, before I get done with this one I will spend over a $100 in parts with the tank, covers, carb kit, hoses, etc.... Maybe I need to get a parts saw for my parts saw???!!!

And they say CAD is not a sickness....

 

[zogger]

That is the problem! Of course I SHOULD keep it for parts, but it is SO tempting to fix it. Maybe I will fix it and then keep it for parts...LOL.

I don't do that much cutting that I can justify having more than one 026 and the 009L, let alone three 026's. But I just like to take 'em apart and figure out what needs to be repaired. On the other hand, before I get done with this one I will spend over a $100 in parts with the tank, covers, carb kit, hoses, etc.... Maybe I need to get a parts saw for my parts saw???!!!

And they say CAD is not a sickness....

Ha! Ya, makes ya wonder sometimes, fix this one, or in the box for parts.

I like two good runners (per general size), the same kind, for actual work. A primary and immediate backup. One more that is for parts, if I run into it.

Going through that now with some junk I got in a swap, got two cheap macs, had another in a box I got last year. Looks to me I can make two good runners cannabilizing stuff from the box 0 junk (well, one is done, working on the second one now). Cost to me for new parts will be zero. Of course when those are done..all I will have is two crappy cheap little macs..... I don't care, use
em or sell them sometime in the future. I'm still in the accumulating saws/parts/tools/expertise stage on my way to a retirement bizhobby.

If I can avoid buying brand new, I'm all for it! Heck, I run mostly used cheap ($1-$6 a loop) "homerenter class" safety chain I file the crap outta.

 

[fearofpavement]

Why spend so much on the saw fixing it up? I guess you can do what you want but there may not be nearly as many parts needed as you listed off. What I would do is clean it up well, check the compression. Put some fresh gas in it and see if it runs. If not I'd spritz a bit of mix in the carb and see what happened then. As far as the air filter, is it damaged? If not, clean it up and use it. No sense replacing the carb unless it is buggered. As you stated, maybe not much was ever done with the saw so it may not need that much. Or maybe it needs all kind of work. Either way for $20 you are going to come out well.

 

[Gkiesel]

I think it slightly ironic that you went in for an ignition lead and came home with a saw with a cut ignition lead. Good Find!

 

[z71mike]

I would keep it if it was a pro. Otherwise, flip it on the cheap. You already have one any way.

 

[rallen]

Confused: adjustable oiler but no decompression? 026 semi-pro????? Toasted...

So today I decided to tinker a little and got out the air nozzle to blow off some of that gunk and look at the saw. It doesn't have the decompression valve, but it DOES have the cut-out in the bottom and the adjustable oiler. I didn't think any of the standard 026's had the adjustable oiler? Or did this saw start its life as a Pro??

Moving onto the air filter, as mentioned earlier, it is the metal screen type. Talk about dirty....inside and out, which then dashed my hopes that the cylinder would be OK. Sure enough, compression was under 70 psi, and when I took off the muffler, the cylinder shows bad scoring.

I put the plug boot back on and it has good spark. Bar is decent, chain is decent, handle is cracked at back but held together by a steel mending plate bolted across the crack. Front handle and brake handle are good. Engine hood has the melt marks. The sprocket cover is in good shape along with the guard. Recoil seems fine.

I didn't pull the carb but my guess is that noone touched it once they realized the compression was shot. With the dirt inside the air filter, I suspect sawdust poisoning in the cylinder, but who knows what caused it to be so scored, and with the melt marks on the cylinder, maybe they just burned it up. I have not pulled the cylinder off to look at it, but at the least it would need a new piston and rings.

So....I don't regret buying it for $20, but this one is either going to be kept or sold for parts. It is tempting to put a piston and rings in it just for fun, but just because one could, doesn't mean one should.

 

[chopperfreak2k1]

your saw is the non pro model judging by your air filter. you will need the air filter cover with th round knob. when you saw the relief for the oil adjuster did you look and make sure there was a screw in there?

my buddy has a weird 260. it has the intella-carb and the relief for the oil adjuster, but doesn't have an oil adjuster or a decompression valve.

 

[bcorradi]

Once they came out with the 026 pro (the one with the decomp) they used one crankcase (the one with the oil adj hole) for all non pro and pro 026/260's thereafter.

 

[bcorradi]

your saw is the non pro model judging by your air filter. you will need the air filter cover with th round knob. when you saw the relief for the oil adjuster did you look and make sure there was a screw in there?

my buddy has a weird 260. it has the intella-carb and the relief for the oil adjuster, but doesn't have an oil adjuster or a decompression valve.

Yes you are correct his saw is definately an 026 non pro. All 260's (non pro or pro) had the intelli-carb on them, same filter, same carb box cover, and same crankcase. However, the non pros like you noted doesn't have the adj oiler or the decompression valve.

 

[homelitejim]

Heck the bar and chain alone have got to be worth the $20, sounds like you have plenty of good parts to go with it.

 

[rallen]

So what is damaged when one "burns up" an 026

View attachment 217953View attachment 217954

Let's just say that the 026 I have was overheated due to lack of mix.....what might be damaged besides the piston and cylinder? Are the cylinders always toast when this happens? I know I have read about cleaning them up with muriatic acid but am curious if that is even a possibility on one that has been burnt up. I say burnt up since the plastic cylinder cover shows melt marks from the fins...

If it was just the piston...those are pretty cheap on ebay...and then a few other parts and voila! Nice 026?

There is no cure for CAD....and to PROVE it...I couldn't resist and went out to the garage in my pajamas to take a look at that cylinder...fifteen minutes later, here are the pics! Thanks to Manyhobies on instructions for embedding pics.

As you can see, the exhaust side is scored up nicely...the question is: Is the scoring surface deposits, or grooves?? IF I decide to replace the piston and rings, can the cylinder be salvaged? And if I buy a piston and cylinder, how cheap is too cheap? I saw on ebay a set of seals, gaskets, cylinder, piston, rings, spark plug, and fuel filter for $58..seems too good to be true..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CYLINDER-PI...995?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20bdc2e943

Oh...one more thing: Now I understand why forum members like these 026's to work on. I previously tore down an 029 and the clamshell design offered alot more challenge. I can't believe how easy it is on the 026 to pull off the jug and replace the piston and/or cylinder. Nice design.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Don't go too cheap on the piston, you'll just be buying another soon.