Nik's Poulan Thread

[fossil]

You can't remove those starter pawls (is what those spring thingies are called) They are in place with a pressed in fastener. You can remove them but they are not designed to be removed. Don't do it.

 

[fossil]

Here is a picture of the little piece of filer foam that goes around the manual oiler push rod. Since you are having difficulty getting the rear handle off, I would suggest the following.
Take the oil pump cover plate off (it's already off in this pic) which is the plate behind the clutch secured with 4 small slot head screws. Clean all around the oil pump.
Take a piece of foam, maybe off an old foam air filter or of you don't have that any piece of foam rubber will do.
Cut the piece to size so it will keep dust out of the channel where the rod sits.
Slit the foam piece half way through with a shape knife and push the foam in so the rod is in the slit.
That will save you having to remove the oil pump or the rear handle.
I used a dirty saw so you won't feel bad. (Gotcha Gregg).

The piece of foam in the picture is the tan / yellow piece of foam around the rod to the left of the red cap on the oil pump.

 

[Ambull01]

one of the first things I do before diving in is remove muffler, rotate crank until piston fully closes off the exhaust port, clean out the carbon from the exhaust port (there will be some). owner's manuals recommend using wood to do this. I use small screwdrivers, or other sharp objects, being VERY careful to NOT touch the piston. then take a sharpened dowel rod and/or flat piece of hardwood to get next to the piston. Then I shoot it with compressed air. This keeps the dislodged carbon from getting into the upper or lower case.

Regarding the dislodged carbon in the compression chamber- lower the piston until the top is even with the bottom of the exhaust port and blow it out with compressed air through the spark plug hole. if you don't have a compressor turn the saw over and try to shake it out. Loose carbon chips may scratch your cylinder and/or piston (carbon scratches). course they may also be blown into your muffler and perhaps eventually will escape into the wild. why take the chance? while not necessarily wrecking your saw, who needs scratches however light they may be?

Wouldn't worry about trying to clean your piston unless you pull the cylinder off. Then clean it real good. a properly tuned saw should eventually burn the carbon off the top of the piston.

I use paper clips to tie those "spring thingies" back so I can get a wack on the crank/nut. However, before doing any of this I shoot some kroil (or other penetrating fluid) into the crank/flywheel interface. I let it sit a little while before proceeding. I insert a small, flat pry bar (when I can) to apply gentle, but firm, pressure to the bottom of the flywheel before wacking. I usually place a small piece of wood under the pry bar to keep it off the engine. if a couple of wacks don't do it I turn the flywheel and do it again. best part of this is I'm not trying to hit a downward facing target with an upward swung hammer. I just set it on the bench. One other thing that may have been mentioned. it is very important that the nut totally cover the threads on the crank. otherwise you may bugger some threads and that is a major PITA to fix. you can ask me how I know this but I won't answer.

that's my two cents. if I'm wrong someone will correct me. hopefully. just saying

Awesome. I love how all the info I need is all contained in this thread. I guess this saw was running real rich to get all that carbon build up. I should have used some liquid wrench on the flywheel first. Doesn't look like I messed the thread up, I hope.

I'm learning a bunch by my many errors. Just removed the oil pump and learned a very important lesson. Remove all the oil before taking off the pump, especially when saw is at an angle. Oil started flowing out and I'm still doing this on my living room floor, woops. Scratch that chainsaw I was hoping my wife would let me have as a sign of tire changing appreciation.

I'm going to replace the mesh in the oil pump because the old one is really soiled. There was wood mush all under the oil pump plate because nothing was blocking the entrance.

 

[Ambull01]

Here is a picture of the little piece of filer foam that goes around the manual oiler push rod. Since you are having difficulty getting the rear handle off, I would suggest the following.
Take the oil pump cover plate off (it's already off in this pic) which is the plate behind the clutch secured with 4 small slot head screws. Clean all around the oil pump.
Take a piece of foam, maybe off an old foam air filter or of you don't have that any piece of foam rubber will do.
Cut the piece to size so it will keep dust out of the channel where the rod sits.
Slit the foam piece half way through with a shape knife and push the foam in so the rod is in the slit.
That will save you having to remove the oil pump or the rear handle.
I used a dirty saw so you won't feel bad. (Gotcha Gregg).

The piece of foam in the picture is the tan / yellow piece of foam around the rod to the left of the red cap on the oil pump.

View attachment 393143

lol. Well your oil pump is a hell of a lot cleaner than mine. I actually have some pipe insulation foam. That will probably be great for this. I could cut off a piece and make the rod go directly through it. That way nothing will be able to get in.

I may have to at least roll the rear handle back. The rod is already off and I don't see a way to put it back in with the rear handle in place.

 

[OhioGregg]

I would go out and try get some pics of this stuff, but its to dern cold. No heat in the shop. Was lucky to get the tractor started this morning. Had to plow out some drifts. Wind just keeps coming, long after the snow ends.. So I just been trying to find any pics I already had on the PC...LOL

Gregg,

 

[fossil]

Since you have the pump off, the pump end of the rod is now free. Push a nail through the piece of foam you are going to use to make a hole for the rod and push the foam piece onto the rod from the pump end of the rod.

 

[Ambull01]

Since you have the pump off, the pump end of the rod is now free. Push a nail through the piece of foam you are going to use to make a hole for the rod and push the foam piece onto the rod from the pump end of the rod.

Damn it, I just put the pump back on lol. That still may be easier though.

 

[Ambull01]

Here's some pics. Hope ya'll don't mind. I'm kind of proud of my accomplishments, however slight they may be.

The start of my decades old wood chip pile.

All the crud built up around the pump. Not sure if that ball of mess at the opening was supposed to be the foam block. Sorry about the crappy pic, phone sucks at taking close ups.

 

[Ambull01]

Replaced the pump mesh.

Not Gregg clean but good enough for me. Have to take it back off now to get the rod in.

 

[fossil]

Just slit the foam and push it around the rod. No need to take the pump off.

 

[fossil]

Replaced the pump mesh.

Not Gregg clean but good enough for me. Have to take it back off now to get the rod in.

Looks great to me.

 

[OhioGregg]

Looking good. I guess we shoulda mentioned, now that you took the pump off, to check if the oil pickup tube was still attached and in one piece. Its a rubber type tubing that sometimes will crack or come off. It also has a weighted pickup gizmo on the other end also.

Just a heads up. I see in the first pic, you have remove the coil. When you get the flywheel off, you will notice the wire that runs from coil to on/off switch. That is routed behind the flywheel. Want to make sure the flywheel will not rub on it. Its a close fit. If that gets cut or rubbed through, your saw won't run, obviously.

When you put the coil back in, you will need to set the "gap" between coil & flywheel magnets. The manual will tell you the gap. But if you lack feeler gauges, a standard business card will work just fine. Thats usually what I use.

Gregg,

 

[blk05crew]

Anybody that has a bunch of parts saws have a Poulan 6000 parts saw? I'm trying to locate a top cover for the cylinder for a guy who has a good running 6000 but it's missing that piece. I know they are a hard saw to find.

 

[Ambull01]

Looking good. I guess we shoulda mentioned, now that you took the pump off, to check if the oil pickup tube was still attached and in one piece. Its a rubber type tubing that sometimes will crack or come off. It also has a weighted pickup gizmo on the other end also.

Just a heads up. I see in the first pic, you have remove the coil. When you get the flywheel off, you will notice the wire that runs from coil to on/off switch. That is routed behind the flywheel. Want to make sure the flywheel will not rub on it. Its a close fit. If that gets cut or rubbed through, your saw won't run, obviously.

When you put the coil back in, you will need to set the "gap" between coil & flywheel magnets. The manual will tell you the gap. But if you lack feeler gauges, a standard business card will work just fine. Thats usually what I use.

Gregg,

Dang it, have to take the pump back off. I didn't pull the oil tube all the way out.

I see the the wire going to the on/off switch, I'm not going to mess with that.

Damn, didn't read about setting the gap. Had I known that, probably wouldn't have removed the flywheel. I may have gotten in over my head already.

 

[OhioGregg]

Dang it, have to take the pump back off. I didn't pull the oil tube all the way out.

I see the the wire going to the on/off switch, I'm not going to mess with that.

Damn, didn't read about setting the gap. Had I known that, probably wouldn't have removed the flywheel. I may have gotten in over my head already.

Well don't pull it back out, its probably fine if you pulled it part way out, and it was still attached.

Setting the gap is not difficult, just new to ya, thats all. You will notice that the screw mounting holes in coil are oblong, at least one of them is. This is so when you loosely attach it, you can then move it in or out away from the flywheel, to get the right gap. Then tighten the screws.

Easiest way to do it, is turn the flywheel so the magnets are directly across from the pickup on the coil. You will notice that the magnets are strong and will grab the coil. LOL Spread it apart and slip a business card or something equivalent between them. You want to tighten the screws when there is just slight pressure on the card, and you can just move it. Once the both screws are tight, remove the card and turn the flywheel, and see what it looks like.

If ya didn't get just right, just repeat the process. LOL It isn't hard at all. But the "pull" of the magnets make it tricky sometimes.

Gregg,

 

[blk05crew]

Anybody run an additive like Marvel Mystery oil to their gas/oil mix? I was talking to a guy yesterday who logged in Alaska for years and was a Sachs Dolmar rep and then ran hot saws for quite a while too.
He puts it in with his mix and swears by it. Just curious. I was really cool talking with him too, he know a ton about saws. He still has 3 hot saws in his garage that next time I'm in town he's going to show
me. One is a Sachs Dolmar, one is a Husky 288 and the one is another Husky.

 

[ChipsFlyin]

Dang it, have to take the pump back off. I didn't pull the oil tube all the way out.

I see the the wire going to the on/off switch, I'm not going to mess with that.

Damn, didn't read about setting the gap. Had I known that, probably wouldn't have removed the flywheel. I may have gotten in over my head already.

You took the flywheel off to clean right? I'm lazy - after I take both covers, carb clutch and muffler off I tape off the ports spray all the gunked up areas with a cheapo dollar store cleaner ( my favorite is Totally Awesome) and hit the saw and covers with a hose. On those small hard to get areas, it beats the heck out of using a tooth brush and playing with a spray can of carb cleaner or starting fluid. The sawdust/bar oil comes right off. The only place that I found water might collect is behind the oil pump cover and at the bottom of the case just infront of the handle. Most of the water can be shaken off and out. I do pull the oil pump afterward though. Since I don't have an air compressor I use a shop vac. I don't know enough about saws with points so that's only been with the sealed coil Poulans. I have done it with several saw and never had a problem. For the fuel tank I use strait gas, put the cap on give the saw a few good shakes dump it out and move on. That's just me though. We all have many ways of doing different things with saws. My though is as long as the job gets done without breaking something then go for it.

 

[Ambull01]

Well don't pull it back out, its probably fine if you pulled it part way out, and it was still attached.

Setting the gap is not difficult, just new to ya, thats all. You will notice that the screw mounting holes in coil are oblong, at least one of them is. This is so when you loosely attach it, you can then move it in or out away from the flywheel, to get the right gap. Then tighten the screws.

Easiest way to do it, is turn the flywheel so the magnets are directly across from the pickup on the coil. You will notice that the magnets are strong and will grab the coil. LOL Spread it apart and slip a business card or something equivalent between them. You want to tighten the screws when there is just slight pressure on the card, and you can just move it. Once the both screws are tight, remove the card and turn the flywheel, and see what it looks like.

If ya didn't get just right, just repeat the process. LOL It isn't hard at all. But the "pull" of the magnets make it tricky sometimes.

Gregg,

Too late, pulled it off and checked the whole thing. Everything looks good.

I'm kind of dreading doing what you just described lol.

 

[Ambull01]

You took the flywheel off to clean right? I'm lazy - after I take both covers, carb clutch and muffler off I tape off the ports spray all the gunked up areas with a cheapo dollar store cleaner ( my favorite is Totally Awesome) and hit the saw and covers with a hose. On those small hard to get areas, it beats the heck out of using a tooth brush and playing with a spray can of carb cleaner or starting fluid. The sawdust/bar oil comes right off. The only place that I found water might collect is behind the oil pump cover and at the bottom of the case just infront of the handle. Most of the water can be shaken off and out. I do pull the oil pump afterward though. Since I don't have an air compressor I use a shop vac. I don't know enough about saws with points so that's only been with the sealed coil Poulans. I have done it with several saw and never had a problem. For the fuel tank I use strait gas, put the cap on give the saw a few good shakes dump it out and move on. That's just me though. We all have many ways of doing different things with saws. My though is as long as the job gets done without breaking something then go for it.

I'm not really sure why I pulled the flywheel now. Think it was to clean. I also want to clean out the fuel thank just in case and put a new fuel line/filter in it although I guess I could have done that with the tank in place.

You spray it with a water hose? Damn you have some guts. I would be too nervous spraying it with water.

What is saws with points mean? Do I have a sealed coil Poulan?

 

[fossil]

Your saws have an ignition module in them.In simple terms the module contains the coil and an electronic trigger that tells the plug when to fire.

Older saws have ignition points and a capacitor called a condensor like the cars from the erly 80's and older. The modules are simple but the points are very reliable and allow you to change the ignition timing a bit. Both qre good systems. Us older guys that fix our own cars are quite familiar with points systems os they are no big deal but many of the younger guys seem intimidated bu them.

Want me to make another little video on setting air gap of your coil? It's easier than tightening up you starter rope.