Nik's Poulan Thread

[Modifiedmark]

I wonder what the longer wire was for? I checked all of the IPLs and they're only two listed. Maybe this one was made wrong at the factory. Everything was identical, to the other 8500 wire, except that the part that goes to the trigger was longer.........

The longer wire was needed as the extended rear tank/handle moved the trigger farther away from the saw.

Nice improvement also..

 

[hemiyota]

The longer wire was needed as the extended rear tank/handle moved the trigger farther away from the saw.

Nice improvement also..

There were 2 different ones for the 8500?

 

[machinisttx]

Good score Mark. What color is it? I've seen red, yellow (Explorer versions), and blue Craftsman XXV siries saws. Tim found a NICE red 2.3PS/VL for me north of the border. He's planning on bringing it with him to the Poulan GTG and shipping it to me in the US to save me some shipping $$$. What a guy.:msp_thumbup:



That's the ticket. Early saws had the sliding switch.

I picked up one of the yellow explorers a while back..think I posted pics.

It mostly is a early/late thing but I can tell you this. If you see a sliding switch it surely means its a 2.1 saw.

There were some later 2.1 saws that had the toggle switch but I don't think I have ever, ever seen a 2.3 saw with a sliding switch.

Good to know. I've got two with the sliding switch and one with the toggle now.

 

[3000 FPS]

I was out with the Red Craftsman and cut up a little wood. This is my 3800 that I dropped the cylinder on and I have to admit it cuts very well. The wood is elm and will make for some good test cutting and firewood. A couple of pics.

View attachment 308941View attachment 308942

 

[fossil]

Help repairing cylinder

I pulled my recently acquired 3800 (Craftsman) apart to check it over.

The carb adapter bolt on the FW side was broken off in the cylinder and the previous owner made real mess of the intake port on the cylinder casting trying to drill it out.
Assuming I can remove the broken bolt do you think I can just build up the area with JB Weld? there should be plenty of thread left. The flange of the port has been damaged as the pic shows. I don't want to abandon this cylinder if I can repair it.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

My Little Ones...

Since I was working on a coupla 2.0's I ended up with in a package deal, and ran across the 205 post, I got curious about how much of the 'little itty bitty' Poulan wealth I had actually accumulated over the past few years. I was surprised. No two are the same except the two S25DACV's.

I'm not sure whether to feel kinda proud about having acquired such an eclectic assortment of these little rascals, or just embarrassed about posting the pics!

​

 

[machinisttx]

I pulled my recently acquired 3800 (Craftsman) apart to check it over.

The carb adapter bolt on the FW side was broken off in the cylinder and the previous owner made real mess of the intake port on the cylinder casting trying to drill it out.
Assuming I can remove the broken bolt do you think I can just build up the area with JB Weld? there should be plenty of thread left. The flange of the port has been damaged as the pic shows. I don't want to abandon this cylinder if I can repair it.

That jug is still salvageable, but I wouldn't use JB weld on it. That might be your only option depending on what tools you have available. If you were close, I'd fix it for you. As it is, it would probably cost more to ship it to me and then back than another cylinder would cost. :msp_sad: Whoever mangled that needs to be permanently prohibited from using a torch.

As far as fixing it goes, it needs to be set up in a mill and plunge cut with an endmill past where they've melted AL around the bolt. At that point, it might be possible to catch it and spin it out with a left hand drill or an ez-out. Otherwise, it will have to be drilled out entirely. After that it could be furrowed out, welded up, recut, and then drilled/tapped again.


Pogointhewoods: Don't feel too embarrassed, I probably have close to that many out in the shop. I was going to gather them all up for a pic today and just didn't have time.

 

[Modifiedmark]

There were 2 different ones for the 8500?

No, not that I'm aware of and would not know why either...

 

[Modifiedmark]

Since I was working on a coupla 2.0's I ended up with in a package deal, and ran across the 205 post, I got curious about how much of the 'little itty bitty' Poulan wealth I had actually accumulated over the past few years. I was surprised. No two are the same except the two S25DACV's.

I'm not sure whether to feel kinda proud about having acquired such an eclectic assortment of these little rascals, or just embarrassed about posting the pics!

Why would you be embarrassed? Been listening to the nit wits here on this site bashing new Poulans?

You have some ahead of there time saws there. They broke new ground when they were introduced which was a long time ago. No one had a answer to the 25D when it was introduced in 1971, and they improved it quickly over the next couple years as well. They set the standard for top handle saws, no one else back then made a lighter, more powerful or more dependable top handle back in those days.

The Micro's were a engineering marvel in 1977 as well, a lightweight, powerful homeowner top handle that listed for $79? That was unheard of back then, and for the years that saw was produced it might be the most produced saw in history. Probably the most relabled and exported saw as well.

Embarrassed? You should be proud as hell...

Remember something else, there were many reasons Elux bought Poulan out while McCulloch and Homelite went broke and belly up.

 

[hemiyota]

No, not that I'm aware of and would not know why either...

Because the one that broke was even longer than the long, 8500 wire. It was WAY longer than the one for a 5200. Must have had a bad batch a while back. I know the PO said that he had replaced to whole top end, a couple years ago, because a limb fell on the saw. Maybe the one, he got, wasn't made correctly. It has an 8510 starter cover on it, so he must've found a parts saw somewhere......

 

[OhioGregg]

Because the one that broke was even longer than the long, 8500 wire. It was WAY longer than the one for a 5200. Must have had a bad batch a while back. I know the PO said that he had replaced to whole top end, a couple years ago, because a limb fell on the saw. Maybe the one, he got, wasn't made correctly. It has an 8510 starter cover on it, so he must've found a parts saw somewhere......

Seems to me the 8510 might have been a concrete saw. That might be where the parts differences come from. Only thing I can think of.


Gregg,

 

[Eccentric]

Since I was working on a coupla 2.0's I ended up with in a package deal, and ran across the 205 post, I got curious about how much of the 'little itty bitty' Poulan wealth I had actually accumulated over the past few years. I was surprised. No two are the same except the two S25DACV's.

I'm not sure whether to feel kinda proud about having acquired such an eclectic assortment of these little rascals, or just embarrassed about posting the pics!

I agree with Mark. That's a good collection of Poulan top handles you have there. Only thing in that pic that a fellow might be embarrassed about is the mini-mac hiding on the shelf.

 

[Eccentric]

CL 5200 Score.

Here's my 5200 that I picked up from a CL seller yesterday. Was a bit of a drive, but worth it. Biggest issue is the broken muffler bolt in the cylinder and his attempts at 'fixing' it. Thankfully, not much done that can't be undone.

Cases are in good shape. AV mounts are sketchy. AF looks to still have flocking (and I have a an NOS filter to use). Has a full wrap that's in good shape. Was welded at some point by someone that knows what they were doing. Has a good rim drive drum. Missing a few screws and such. Overall it's in pretty good shape, and well worth what I paid for it (and the cost of gas for the round trip).

Came to me with an older 3 rivet 28-29" Oregon large Husqvarna (H009) mount bar. Bar pad has some chain rash on the bottom edge from having that wrong bar on the saw. Same with the bar plates. Has the original 'spinning washer' bar nuts. I'll save the H009 mount bar for a Husky (or trade it off), and will put a 34" Windsor UXL mount or 36" Oregon sprocket nose D176 mount bar on the 5200. They've been waiting for a 5200/5400/8500 to go on.

Piston has a few fresh light scratches. Looking through the spark plug hole, the plating inside the jug on the exhaust side looks OK. Will know more when I tear it down. That piston and cylinder will probably clean up and could be used with a set of rings. I'll probably keep 'em as a spare set, as I have a very good 5200 P/C on a parts saw. It also has the cast iron muffler heat shield/bumper plate. The muffler diffuser/spark arrester carrier is buggered up, but I think I have a good one on a parts saw.

Between this 5200, the parts 5200, and a parts 4200 that I have, I think I'll be able to make a really nice runner with some spares. Hopefully I have six good AV mounts between them all. I'm not going to run this saw at all before I tear it down, clean it up, and replace all the seals and gaskets. The 4200 P/C look good. May sell/trade those away to someone that needs 'em.

Here's some shots of the 'new' saw, along with the 5200 and 4200 parts saws that I already had.

 

[Eccentric]

wow those Poulans seem to have had a lot of use...cool. Congrats. How far did you have to drive to get that new bad boy?:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Three hours one way for this one. Made a 'family road trip' out of it.

The 4200 carcass came to me from a generous member here. Didn't cost me anything but shipping. The parts 5200 was a trade at a GTG. That's an ugly one for sure.......but I really just got it for the P/C...

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

I agree with Mark. That's a good collection of Poulan top handles you have there. Only thing in that pic that a fellow might be embarrassed about is the mini-mac hiding on the shelf.

I was waiting for that...and had it coming, too.:hmm3grin2orange:

Actually, I am proud of the mix that's there. And interestingly, I only acquired the S25DA's "on purpose". The rest just followed me home in other deals.

 

[clintonior]

Wow all these 25da's starting to make me want to find a set of points for my Wright rebadgeView attachment 309038View attachment 309039View attachment 309040 I just did a MM on this 3.4 Craftsman which seems to have made a huge improvement in chain speed. I did try to richen it up on the H till it stummbled but found out the saw wanted all the adjustment it had. so one question is whats the spec for the fuel inlet lever on this and can i gain some height on the lever to add some fuel to the Hi speed screw? also I dindt quite notice it yesterday but the other day i ran this and my oiler had a drip after sitting a while is ther a line or an o-ring i should take a look at. The fuel lines in this were brittle as it sat in its case for 20+ years.,

 

[hemiyota]

Seems to me the 8510 might have been a concrete saw. That might be where the parts differences come from. Only thing I can think of.


Gregg,

No, the saw is an 8500 (has the 8500 tag still on it), but the wire is the same (I checked).

 

[OhioGregg]

No, the saw is an 8500 (has the 8500 tag still on it), but the wire is the same (I checked).

What I ment was...If the previous owner replaced the top end and whatnot with parts from a 8510 concrete saw, maybe those are different and thats why things ain't quite right.

I am not familiar with the 8510. Don't know what might have been different on those. You no doubt have a 8500. But you said the PO put a 8510 cover on it, and who knows what else might have been "modified" , made, changed.

Hope ya get it straightened out though. I only WISH I had a 8500 to play with, or work on...:msp_sad:


Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

Here's my 5200 that I picked up from a CL seller yesterday. Was a bit of a drive, but worth it. Biggest issue is the broken muffler bolt in the cylinder and his attempts at 'fixing' it. Thankfully, not much done that can't be undone.

Cases are in good shape. AV mounts are sketchy. AF looks to still have flocking (and I have a an NOS filter to use). Has a full wrap that's in good shape. Was welded at some point by someone that knows what they were doing. Has a good rim drive drum. Missing a few screws and such. Overall it's in pretty good shape, and well worth what I paid for it (and the cost of gas for the round trip).

Came to me with an older 3 rivet 28-29" Oregon large Husqvarna (H009) mount bar. Bar pad has some chain rash on the bottom edge from having that wrong bar on the saw. Same with the bar plates. Has the original 'spinning washer' bar nuts. I'll save the H009 mount bar for a Husky (or trade it off), and will put a 34" Windsor UXL mount or 36" Oregon sprocket nose D176 mount bar on the 5200. They've been waiting for a 5200/5400/8500 to go on.

Piston has a few fresh light scratches. Looking through the spark plug hole, the plating inside the jug on the exhaust side looks OK. Will know more when I tear it down. That piston and cylinder will probably clean up and could be used with a set of rings. I'll probably keep 'em as a spare set, as I have a very good 5200 P/C on a parts saw. It also has the cast iron muffler heat shield/bumper plate. The muffler diffuser/spark arrester carrier is buggered up, but I think I have a good one on a parts saw.

Between this 5200, the parts 5200, and a parts 4200 that I have, I think I'll be able to make a really nice runner with some spares. Hopefully I have six good AV mounts between them all. I'm not going to run this saw at all before I tear it down, clean it up, and replace all the seals and gaskets. The 4200 P/C look good. May sell/trade those away to someone that needs 'em.

Here's some shots of the 'new' saw, along with the 5200 and 4200 parts saws that I already had.

Love them saws Aaron, They are an easy, enjoyable series to work on too. I think that bigger Poulan series is the only ones that really peak my interest any more. Well, maybe the 655bp would be an exception. I been working on some large trees lately, and the 4200 & 5200 have been getting a good work out.


Gregg,

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

make me want to find a set of points for my Wright rebadgeView attachment 309038

You sure it's points bad? Mine were coils Scott at ChainsawR had them both. Bought my last 2 sets there to send saws down the road later.