Nik's Poulan Thread

[brokenbudget]

I'm starting to like the old Poulans. I've worked on a couple for friends but never ran any of them for any length of time. I have acquired a 5.2 Craftsman, a 2800, a 3400 and a 3.7 Craftsman 'cause I wanted to try my hand at working on them. I decided to start on the smallest first and finally got around to putting the 2800 together last week. I cut with it this morning for the first time after getting it tuned and sharpening the chain. Wow! That is an impressive little 46 cc saw!

I only planned on running it for half a tank or so to make sure it was running right but it was so much fun I didn't want to put it down. If I had known how much fun they were I would have set all my other projects aside to get it going sooner. Now I'm trying to find time to work on the other three so I can get them running strong before fall.

I also have a question for you... Is there any preference between the plated piston vs. the plated cylinder piston on these saws?

the chrome bore/bare bore/chrome piston issue is a non issue. durability is the same between the 2. makes grinding on the cylinder
much easier
even without porting, the 2800's can be made to run. stock 346 46cc vs. pooolan 2800 with a 3450 carb and boot. squish set to .023, very mild muffler mod which i will be re-doing soon. needs to be opened up more after the boot/carb i think. both saws have the same new chain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZPf86wPZiQ

 

[OhioGregg]

Here it is. And it sure is a runner. My good buddy Mr. Modified Mark was good enough to go thru this one for me. I sent him one of my 4 4000s and in return got a 5200 thats good for another 100,000. Rebuilt carb, new rings, base gasket delete, new fuel lines, disabled govenor and a few other odds and ends. Right now its wearing the 20" b/c it came with, but I think ill be putting a 28" on this one. Thanks again Mark

Nice one Joe!! You will have to have one of your buddies video tape your first time out with the 5200 & bigger bar in some big wood. Have them use the wide angle setting, because your smile will be hard to capture in the shot without it.

P.S. That old codger from Wheatfield knows his stuff don't he.:msp_thumbup:


Gregg,

 

[redunshee]

the chrome bore/bare bore/chrome piston issue is a non issue. durability is the same between the 2. makes grinding on the cylinder
much easier
even without porting, the 2800's can be made to run. stock 346 46cc vs. pooolan 2800 with a 3450 carb and boot. squish set to .023, very mild muffler mod which i will be re-doing soon. needs to be opened up more after the boot/carb i think. both saws have the same new chain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZPf86wPZiQ

Runs great. Question: same carb on the 2800 thru 3300. What is diff with the carb off a 3450 which is similar in cc's to the 3300? Larger venturi?
Bob

 

[redunshee]

Nice one Joe!! You will have to have one of your buddies video tape your first time out with the 5200 & bigger bar in some big wood. Have them use the wide angle setting, because your smile will be hard to capture in the shot without it.

P.S. That old codger from Wheatfield knows his stuff don't he.:msp_thumbup:


Gregg,

I want to be sure I got this right. I assume the 4000 was traded for the work on the 5200 and not for the saw. Am I correct? If not, "Holy %$#@"
PS after re-reading Joe's post I believe my first assumption was correct.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Runs great. Question: same carb on the 2800 thru 3300. What is diff with the carb off a 3450 which is similar in cc's to the 3300? Larger venturi?
Bob

Yes the 3450 has a carb with a larger venture.

 

[brokenbudget]

Runs great. Question: same carb on the 2800 thru 3300. What is diff with the carb off a 3450 which is similar in cc's to the 3300? Larger venturi?
Bob

red, the 2700-3300 came with a sort of tiny hda49. the larger 3450 came with the hda164. there is a pretty good size difference
between the 2. same goes for the boot. 49 on the right:

3450 boot on the right:

you need to modify this:

and this:

and i used this to do it:

you will need to shorten the fuel inlet on the carb and turn it down slightly to clear the airfilter, and i recomend finding (or making) a mesh airfilter for better flow. i used an old worn out flocked filter. used a soldering iron to 'melt' the plastic through the stainless mesh. just as strong as the original.
like this:

get rid of the left over flocking. it will mess with the plastic melting. go over it a couple times with the iron to smooth the plastic out nicely.

 

[diggers_dad]

the chrome bore/bare bore/chrome piston issue is a non issue. durability is the same between the 2. makes grinding on the cylinder
much easier
even without porting, the 2800's can be made to run. stock 346 46cc vs. pooolan 2800 with a 3450 carb and boot. squish set to .023, very mild muffler mod which i will be re-doing soon. needs to be opened up more after the boot/carb i think. both saws have the same new chain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZPf86wPZiQ

I watched that video a little while back. From what I could tell the 2800 was about 15 - 20% faster in the cut. That video was part of what got me to start the clean up on the 2800. Once I started cleaning the grime and muck off of it I could see it was a very nice, well-built saw and wanted to get it running right before trying any mods. I'm still just a hack on mods but learning...

no..but don't run the 5.2.........they are bad...get rid of it..I will give you 3 earthquakes for it and dispose of it properly Anything beyond the 3.7 will make you crazy

I'm curious as to the definition of "dispose of it properly"? Unfortunately, I already have 3 EQ's plus about 5, and their cousins in Craftsman, Ryobi, McCulloch and Troy-Bilt colors. Those little saws have been a blast to mod and learn with.

Thanks for the input, especially the post about porting on the non-plated cylinder!

dd

 

[diggers_dad]

get rid of the left over flocking. it will mess with the plastic melting. go over it a couple times with the iron to smooth the plastic out nicely.

I tried to rep you for that but I gotta spread some around first. Nice little trick indeed.

dd

 

[joe25DA]

I want to be sure I got this right. I assume the 4000 was traded for the work on the 5200 and not for the saw. Am I correct? If not, "Holy %$#@"
PS after re-reading Joe's post I believe my first assumption was correct.

First assumption correct! I got the 5200 a few months ago. The 4000 was a nice saw too, needs some crank seals I think but I put new rings, motosealed base gasket,rebuilt carb. Fuel lines prob need replacing though.

 

[brokenbudget]

I watched that video a little while back. From what I could tell the 2800 was about 15 - 20% faster in the cut. That video was part of what got me to start the clean up on the 2800. Once I started cleaning the grime and muck off of it I could see it was a very nice, well-built saw and wanted to get it running right before trying any mods. I'm still just a hack on mods but learning...

I'm curious as to the definition of "dispose of it properly"? Unfortunately, I already have 3 EQ's plus about 5, and their cousins in Craftsman, Ryobi, McCulloch and Troy-Bilt colors. Those little saws have been a blast to mod and learn with.

Thanks for the input, especially the post about porting on the non-plated cylinder!

dd

get in there and start at it! these little saws really like to run when fed properly.

 

[Eccentric]

Proper disposal would be on Aaron's shelf between his sweet 4900 and the 'veteran' 5200 he's rebuilding.:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

I agree Steve.

 

[diggers_dad]

proper disposal would be on the shelf in my tool room between my 4200 and 8500:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

I agree Steve.

Who would want to spend the time to clean this old ragged out thing?

Looks like it would take a lot of time just to get it presentable again ...

dd

 

[Guido Salvage]

You Indiana guys were asleep...

Saw this CL ad on Friday night and decided to take a quick look.

3- poulan chains trade???????? - $60 (bedford.in)

My initial thought was that I didn't need another 3400 and I closed out the ad but then something registered in my brain to look again. Opened up the ad and looked closer and saw the muffler outlet and the handle and knew it was something special. Called the seller and met him in Southern Indiana this morning, got my first Wild Thing, a 2000 and my first 4400.

Will try to get some pictures of the 4400 later.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

Who would want to spend the time to clean this old ragged out thing?

Looks like it would take a lot of time just to get it presentable again ...

dd

I would

 

[Showme]

I got the new to me eBay 5200 cleaned up and happily it runs great, lots of compression. I guess I need more bar than the 20" I had on hand but I'm sure I'll find one. View attachment 306421
View attachment 306422

 

[Showme]

I would

Me too!

 

[Modifiedmark]

I got the new to me eBay 5200 cleaned up and happily it runs great, lots of compression. I guess I need more bar than the 20" I had on hand but I'm sure I'll find one. View attachment 306421
View attachment 306422

Very good looking 5200!

 

[Showme]

Very good looking 5200!

Thank you. I'd been looking for a long while for one. I switched the .325 rim back to 3/8's but all I had on hand was 8 pin. How do you think that will work out if I put a 24" bar on it?

 

[rms61moparman]

Thank you. I'd been looking for a long while for one. I switched the .325 rim back to 3/8's but all I had on hand was 8 pin. How do you think that will work out if I put a 24" bar on it?

That saw, if it's in good shape, won't even know it has an 8 pin rim!!!



Mike

 

[diggers_dad]

Very good looking 5200!

+1

dd