Nik's Poulan Thread

[fossil]

Assembled in the US but like a lot of stuff there are parts form various countries. I don't know (but would be interested to know) where the engineering is done.

From their website

An American Story.
For more than seven decades, Poulan Pro has been making outdoor power equipment homeowners can rely on year after year. Our products are built with pride in our factories in McRae, Georgia, Nashville, Arkansas and Orangeburg, SC. You can find Poulan Pro products both in-store and online at home improvement retailers, hardware stores, and mass merchants all over North America. We are here to help you tackle...ANY YARD. ANY TASK.

 

[s sidewall]

Poulan, made in Georgia, didn't know that.

Steve

 

[hotshot]

Any suggestions on final honing stone grit size for an aluminum bore? The hone is a three legged spring tension adjustable type.

It’s a soft 3800 or Craftsman 3.8 cylinder, so it won’t take much.

 

[Boomer 87]

If it we're me i think I would use a fine grit ball hone instead. Idk though your right about not taking much any hone is gonna hog aluminum pretty fast. May only take a couple passes.

 

[hotshot]

I was looking for grit recommendations, ie 240, 320, 400, 600 etc. I agree on the fine, as the steel rings will quickly wipe & polish up the aluminum bore.

 

[rms61moparman]

I was looking for grit recommendations, ie 240, 320, 400, 600 etc. I agree on the fine, as the steel rings will quickly wipe & polish up the aluminum bore.

Never, ever hone a chainsaw cylinder!
It provides no benefit and only increases the chance of failure.
So my recommendation for grit is.....NONE!


Mike

 

[Boomer 87]

Just curious bc idk, why not hone it some, I know a bare bore you could run the chance of overboring bc it can remove material faster than one thinks, but wouldn't it help seat the rings? If done lightly?

 

[Boomer 87]

I'd like some education on this

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I have never honed a bare bore and dont think I would.

But I have used ball hones since I tried it back in the racing days and it is the cats behind IMO for the final crosshatch touch on used cylinders and new rings. https://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/ported-saws/honing-ball-hone-etc/

 

[rms61moparman]

Just curious bc idk, why not hone it some, I know a bare bore you could run the chance of overboring bc it can remove material faster than one thinks, but wouldn't it help seat the rings? If done lightly?

When you hone a cylinder in a car engine, you are dealing with two surfaces that are (ideally) the same hardness. Without some cross hatching the rings can never seat because they will never be able to wear on each other.
That isn't the case with a chainsaw.
With a chainsaw you either have chrome (or Nicasil) and ductile iron or ductile iron and high silicone aluminum. In each case you have a harder material wearing on a softer one and there isn't any need for honing.
Now for the drawbacks;
1) In a plated cylinder the plating is thinner than a human hair. Why would you want to remove any of it?
2) A ball hone in a cylinder can destroy the ports in mere seconds, beating the crap out of the right (usually) hand side and can also chip the plating off trying to bounce back up on the level surface.
3) I've never seen a cylinder ruined by not honing but have seen several ruined by honing, why take the chance?

These are just the facts, do with them what you will.


Mike

 

[Boomer 87]

Im iust asking so I can learn that's why I'm here

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Im iust asking so I can learn that's why I'm here

I know what I see and like. Just decided for yourself IMO. Know a bunch that do it here and CR.

 

[fossil]

I was looking for grit recommendations, ie 240, 320, 400, 600 etc. I agree on the fine, as the steel rings will quickly wipe & polish up the aluminum bore.

Some tips here on those types of cylinders

http://www.sunnen.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=11

 

[hotshot]

Some tips here on those types of cylinders

http://www.sunnen.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=11

Thanks Tim, J57 & J95 is their recommended stone, that’s a silicon carbide 220 & 500 grit.

I’ve got three 500 hone bars on order. Those 500s are a cork bonded matrix.

 

[hotshot]

Never, ever hone a chainsaw cylinder!
It provides no benefit and only increases the chance of failure.
So my recommendation for grit is.....NONE!


Mike

Read my first post, it’s an aluminum bore like a Briggs & Stratton.

 

[rms61moparman]

I did read your first post and my answer remains the same.
Don't do it.


Mike

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

http://www.brushresearch.com/

I went with 240 Grit Aluminum Oxide. Copy paste info = This type is recommended for cylinder coatings such as chrome and Nikasil.
Used to lightly surface the bore of your cylinder, creating a cross hatch of scratches that helps your rings seat tightly to increase compression. They also smooth over imperfections around intake and exhaust ports.


Over this 320 Grit Silicon Carbide. " " " ". This type of hone works on all surfaces including cast iron cylinders.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Read my first post, it’s an aluminum bore like a Briggs & Stratton.

I went to some Briggs and Stratton service schools way back then and they said to hone the cyl's. Everyone we did smoked and used oil. The ones we did not hone about 75% would seat rings and be ok.

It finally got to the point we refused to rering or bore a aluminum bore engine and would only replace with a factory short block. Too many comebacks.

I for one would never touch that bare bore cyl with a hone. I won't use one on a plated chainsaw cyl either.

 

[Acornhill]

Just buy new, not worth all the work if you want a dependable working saw in the end, my time is worth more than that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hotshot]

I went to some Briggs and Stratton service schools way back then and they said to hone the cyl's. Everyone we did smoked and used oil. The ones we did not hone about 75% would seat rings and be ok.

It finally got to the point we refused to rering or bore a aluminum bore engine and would only replace with a factory short block. Too many comebacks.

I for one would never touch that bare bore cyl with a hone. I won't use one on a plated chainsaw cyl either.

Do you remember what grit was used when the Briggs were honed back then?

I’ll never know if it’s got oil blow by, being a 2 stroke, lol. Sound like the old Vega engine song & dance. I’ve never honed aluminum before, plenty of cast iron bores, and this bore is really soft. Hence the original question.

It had two score marks above the right transfer from running w/o an air filter & sucking something up, I’d guess. The intake & carb was filthy with no air filter. I’ve lightly polished out the high spots on the score sides with a wood dowel & 320 Emory, & now it looks great.

BUT it needs a final polish, by comparing it to the existing good area of the cylinder, as otherwise it is glass smooth.

I’m trying a manual polish with Emory cloth this evening, before ever using the cork mixed 500 Sunnen stones at light pressure. I won’t have the stones for a week anyway. It may not help it any, but I plan to use this one & not sell it. Sunnen claims the 500 bars removed no material & only polishes, using light pressure.

The chromed piston looks brand new after decarboning. The rings had worn down into the two scores over time, and they are the pinned type rings. The seller even said it ran great with 130# compression, which it did have. Could not see a thing wrong from a muffler off front pic!