Nik's Poulan Thread

[ChipsFlyin]

Hello all ! Been lurking around here for quite a while. First post here. Well I have to tell ya. I like OLDER POULAN chainsaws!!! I grew up with a Craftsman 3.0 Counter Vibe and never ventured towards anything other than older Poulan's. Currently run a Craftsman 3.0 from the early 90's 18" muff modded and running Oregon 20LPX. The darn thing out performs all those orange and orange/white saws at camp - . After a couple years looking off and on i found a 3400 at the flea market for 20 bucks. It was in pretty rough shape- fuel lines shot, caked inside and out - darn old owner used old motor oil for bar oil, rather scratched up, missing hand guard and only with a 16" bar. The good- no piston scoring and good spark. Sorry no before pics- was too excited to start the project!

After 2 days work I'm just about done with the power head.
What I've done so far
- full dismantle except for head and cleaned with Totally Awesome - fuel filter and air filter too- stuff worked great
- wet sand all parts to be painted
-2 coats Key Lime Rustoleum and 2 clear
- black high temp paint to all muff parts
- modded muff with slit type of opening so looks like newer muffler- cut 1 1/4 slit with mini diamond blade- heat with torch and opened
- buffed aluminum part of handle and outside of head fins
- black paint to washers of Counter Vibe
- flushed fuel tank
- dismantle oil pump and cleaned- gaskets still look real nice - go figure
- cleaned and buffed exhaust port along with opening the muffler parts the go towards the port- did not match up and extra metal causing restriction.

To do yet
- new plug
-carb rebuild- should have kit in mail Monday
-New bar and chain- thinking may go with Carlton- run an A1 on my 3.0 as a backup.
- maybe new decals - am missing one and the others I had to trim off the black boarder- oh well.
-Have fun at camp tuning and cutting when finished.

Let's see if I can get the pics to work. Input would be greatly appreciated so I can used towards my next project.

Thanks!
Mark

-

 

[67L36Driver]

Craftsman 1.9/12" or Poulan 20 (I think).
Please tell me there is a simple and easy way to replace the oil lines.
Got it far enuff apart to see they are old and stiff.

 

[roosterhog]

Yeah, somebody answer 67driver's question please because I am wondering the same thing. I am working on the poulan version. Saw had obviously been sitting up a long time. Mine is a XX Deluxe (also known as a 20D) and therefore has a manual oiler as well. I reached in to touch the oil line right under the oil filler cap and the line broke when I touched it. Dang all I did was touch it.

The manual oiler still works, but the saw won't idle right now. I'm wondering if that's just the old carb diaphragm or if that broken oil line has anything to do with it.

 

[s sidewall]

That saw is too pretty to use.

Sent from my Prism II from T-Mobile's slow edge network :-(

 

[Modifiedmark]

Yeah, somebody answer 67driver's question please because I am wondering the same thing. I am working on the poulan version. Saw had obviously been sitting up a long time. Mine is a XX Deluxe (also known as a 20D) and therefore has a manual oiler as well. I reached in to touch the oil line right under the oil filler cap and the line broke when I touched it. Dang all I did was touch it.

The manual oiler still works, but the saw won't idle right now. I'm wondering if that's just the old carb diaphragm or if that broken oil line has anything to do with it.

The broken line will have something to do with is as its a impulse line direct to the crankcase. There a PITA to replace as the manual says to split the case to replace but I have done then without doing that.

That said, I do recommend a complete tear down to do it. You really need to understand how that oiler works before you can fix it.

 

[roosterhog]

Modifiedmark, I am perfectly content with just using the manual oiler. Is there a way I can just replace that line without splitting the case and all and have it idle correctly?

Thanks for answering. It really is an honor to have the mighty Modifiedmark to quote my post. God bless!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rocketnorton]

Modifiedmark, I am perfectly content with just using the manual oiler. Is there a way I can just replace that line without splitting the case and all and have it idle correctly?

Thanks for answering. It really is an honor to have the mighty Modifiedmark to quote my post. God bless!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

mark [& a few others] usually have the answers, and are happy to help someone that wants to help themselves...

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Homelite to Poulan parts cross over, it is amazing how many parts will interchange between Poulan & Homelite. Does anyone have a cheat sheet for this? I know some of you guys know a few of them.

The only thing I ever tried and worked perfect. Pulled a homelite super 240 coil and put it in a poulan 2000. Still in there till this day cutting great for my dad.

 

[67L36Driver]

Yeah, why not, not like I got much to do. Throw a new ring in him while I'm at it. Good excuse as any.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Modifiedmark, I am perfectly content with just using the manual oiler. Is there a way I can just replace that line without splitting the case and all and have it idle correctly?

Thanks for answering. It really is an honor to have the mighty Modifiedmark to quote my post. God bless!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think your going overboard on the thanks I can be a cranky old cuss at times.

Well here it goes. That saw is old, like really old and although it was a ground breaking design in 1970 when it was introduced it still had its quirks. Everything had to start somewhere though and Poulan made them better there next try.

That said I get a bit aggravated at people wanting to run these old saws but not wanting to put in the time and effort to make them right and like they were intended to be from the factory.

They came from the factory working right with fresh rubber parts, but those rubber parts have deteriorated over the course of 40 years and it will not work right again without fresh rubber parts.

Fortunately rubber lines, crank seals, duckbill check valves and carb diaphragms can still be had easily and inexpensively. The crank seals are the same as the Micro's if I remember right but you may have to make a case gasket.

The saws this old need refurbished plain and simple but the Model XX wasn't designed to be that user friendly in doing so. Its not hard to work on but you have to take a lot apart to get it done.

Like I said I have replaced the oiler impulse lines without splitting the case but to be honest I will not recommend that way of doing it, and I wont bother doing that way again either. With the time trying to fish a new line in and fighting the crank bearings falling out it really ain't much harder to just tear it down.

In a direct answer to your question, even if you could plug the impulse line it still may not run right if the crank seals are bad.
PM me if you want a service manual for that saw.

 

[roosterhog]

Thanks Modifiedmark. Thou hast persuaded me to split the case. I do indeed want the service manual. I will send you a PM.

 

[Acornhill]

The only thing I ever tried and worked perfect. Pulled a homelite super 240 coil and put it in a poulan 2000. Still in there till this day cutting great for my dad.

Well i can tell you there are more than a hand full that match right up, Spike bumper for XL 12 /SXL will match right up to a 245 306 and a few others, lots of the grommets will interchange and bearings, guide plates etc. mufflers as well

 

[jerrycmorrow]

the clutch cover for an xl-12 makes a decent replacement for a poulan 361

 

[cobey]

anyone know if my 245a will pull a 20" 3/8 with an 8 pin?

 

[ChipsFlyin]

Thanks for all the likes felas! Carb rebuilt today ( had to tear down 2nd time would not run- found one of the leafs under the sidewall of one of the gasket holes ). After that running great! Low and high turned out 1 1/8 - will have to fine tune once bar / chain are on and in some wood. Here's a good one. Had what I thought the clutch tight - darn thing flew off and took a ride across the street and I lost one of the shoes. Anyone have and extra one for sale? If not I found one on Ebay for 12 bucks. Thanks! Mark

 

[fossil]

Thanks for all the likes felas! Carb rebuilt today ( had to tear down 2nd time would not run- found one of the leafs under the sidewall of one of the gasket holes ). After that running great! Low and high turned out 1 1/8 - will have to fine tune once bar / chain are on and in some wood. Here's a good one. Had what I thought the clutch tight - darn thing flew off and took a ride across the street and I lost one of the shoes. Anyone have and extra one for sale? If not I found one on Ebay for 12 bucks. Thanks! Mark

You aren't the first to chase a clutch. The Poulan clutches are heavier than the Homelites and give a much better show when they fly off.
At least I thought they did anyhow.

 

[ChipsFlyin]

You aren't the first to chase a clutch. The Poulan clutches are heavier than the Homelites and give a much better show when they fly off.
At least I thought they did anyhow.

Had sparks flying off the drum! LOL

 

[ChipsFlyin]

anyone know if my 245a will pull a 20" 3/8 with an 8 pin?

Here's a quote that I found on another forum.

"Until you get into the ~80cc or 6+HP range, an 8 pin will slow you down 9 times out of 10. And even on my 84cc ~6.5HP saw, I still run a 7pin. I just file the rakers a little more aggressively"

Even though it is a 74 cc saw I do not think it can keep the rpms up. The only way that I would run and 8 pin if it was converted to a .325. I think doing that would loose some of the persona of a 245 though...

Mark

 

[Hoggwood]

Thanks for all the likes felas! Carb rebuilt today ( had to tear down 2nd time would not run- found one of the leafs under the sidewall of one of the gasket holes ). After that running great! Low and high turned out 1 1/8 - will have to fine tune once bar / chain are on and in some wood. Here's a good one. Had what I thought the clutch tight - darn thing flew off and took a ride across the street and I lost one of the shoes. Anyone have and extra one for sale? If not I found one on Ebay for 12 bucks. Thanks! Mark

LMAO - I did the same thing 2 weeks ago with a 3400. One shoe took out a 4ft fluorescent in my shop, one flew out the open back window (lucky) and one ended up in my garden out front of the house. I tore my garage apart looking for the one hidden in the garden. Ordered a set on ebay but my 3 year old ended up finding it in the garden a couple days later and I managed to stop my order.

I know the guy still has the shoes and I managed to get them for $3.75 a piece so he should have them listed again soon.

Cory

 

[ChipsFlyin]

I spent an hour in the neighbor's yard and flower garden with my metal detector and pole magnet looking for the thing.