Nik's Poulan Thread

[kev1n]

4 new to me poulans

I couldn't resist the price for these saws. All they need is fuel related work.Left to right---woodshark, 3700,3400,3400. The 3700 looks brand new, it's the only on with something broken. The stud in the recoil broke, so I'm on the lookout for a decent 3700 recoil. This line of saws really lasted the test of time, I have yet to find one with a scored piston. Not that I'm looking for scored ones, I just havent run into one yet.
Kevin
Photobucket is acting up, I had to figure out how to post pics another way.




://www.arboristsite.com/newreply.php?p=2888891&noquote=1

 

[OhioGregg]

Yea,Bob What Steve & Nik said!!!! LOL Would sure love to have ya meet all the guys. Nicest bunch of helpfull fellows you could ever meet! And, we all like Poulans!


Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

I couldn't resist the price for these saws. All they need is fuel related work.Left to right---woodshark, 3700,3400,3400. The 3700 looks brand new, it's the only on with something broken. The stud in the recoil broke, so I'm on the lookout for a decent 3700 recoil. This line of saws really lasted the test of time, I have yet to find one with a scored piston. Not that I'm looking for scored ones, I just havent run into one yet.
Kevin
Photobucket is acting up, I had to figure out how to post pics another way.




://www.arboristsite.com/newreply.php?p=2888891&noquote=1

That looks like a great haul to me!!! A fine group of American made saws, that gonna keep going on!

Gregg,

 

[kev1n]

Thanks Greg, I'm starting to develop a small herd of this series. Are the recoil housing's interchangable between the 3400,3700,4000 saws? I know the starter pulley's changed alot. Can I put my 3700 pulley on a 3400 housing and bolt it up?
Thanks

 

[OhioGregg]

Thanks Greg, I'm starting to develop a small herd of this series. Are the recoil housing's interchangable between the 3400,3700,4000 saws? I know the starter pulley's changed alot. Can I put my 3700 pulley on a 3400 housing and bolt it up?
Thanks

Yes Kev1n, The starter housings are all interchangeable, sort of.
LOL, Most 4000 models have a different style pawls on the flywheel & and recoil assembly. I think "most" all 3400, 3700. 3800 etc. will swap out no problem. I havn't seen any, but I think I heard some 3700's might have come through with the 4000 style starters. As far as I know, the Poulan Pro 375 & 395 had the 4000 style also.
The outer starter housings are the same on all!!! Just the style of "mate-up" of recoil & flywheel could be different. Easy to tell though. I'll post a couple pics.

Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

The first two pics are the 4000 style. The second two, are the 3400/3700 style.

Gregg,

 

[rms61moparman]

Thanks Greg, I'm starting to develop a small herd of this series. Are the recoil housing's interchangable between the 3400,3700,4000 saws? I know the starter pulley's changed alot. Can I put my 3700 pulley on a 3400 housing and bolt it up?
Thanks

If you need to................
You can swap the flywheel easier than the pulley!

Mike

 

[FATGUY]

even the pawls can be swapped if you have a lot of patience, heat and a hell of an arbor press

 

[kev1n]

Thanks for the pics and info guys. I've got the other type of pulley with two posts, mine is plastic except for the posts. I've seen this type of pulley in an all metal form also. The aluminum post the pulley sides onto broke off inside the recoil housing early in this saws life. I've got a few 3400s now, I'll swap out the pulley out on one of the housings.
Kevin
www.arboristsite.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
Photobucket is under maintenance?:msp_sneaky:

I wonder if the pulley style(Gregs pic #2) works the same as mine with 2 posts?

 

[dave76]

Thanks for the pics and info guys. I've got the other type of pulley with two posts, mine is plastic except for the posts. I've seen this type of pulley in an all metal form also. The aluminum post the pulley sides onto broke off inside the recoil housing early in this saws life. I've got a few 3400s now, I'll swap out the pulley out on one of the housings.
Kevin
www.arboristsite.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
Photobucket is under maintenance?:msp_sneaky:

I wonder if the pulley style(Gregs pic #2) works the same as mine with 2 posts?

I have this same style on my 3700, and yes a stud is broken too. The 4000 style will interchange, problem is there NLA too like the 3700 pulley, so, you may need to install a 3400-3800 flywheel with the "L" shaped pawls and the standard starter pulley which is still available.

 

[OhioGregg]

Thanks for the pics and info guys. I've got the other type of pulley with two posts, mine is plastic except for the posts. I've seen this type of pulley in an all metal form also. The aluminum post the pulley sides onto broke off inside the recoil housing early in this saws life. I've got a few 3400s now, I'll swap out the pulley out on one of the housings.
Kevin
www.arboristsite.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
Photobucket is under maintenance?:msp_sneaky:

I wonder if the pulley style(Gregs pic #2) works the same as mine with 2 posts?

Kev1n, I think dave76 pretty much covered it. Its funny, I have never come across one like that yet! Learn something new every day around here. :redface: Looks to me like the pins must have been the first change to the stronger style, and very short lived step between the two styles. Thanks for that picture!

Gregg,

 

[Modifiedmark]

Kev1n, I think dave76 pretty much covered it. Its funny, I have never come across one like that yet! Learn something new every day around here. :redface: Looks to me like the pins must have been the first change to the stronger style, and very short lived step between the two styles. Thanks for that picture!

Gregg,

The 2 pin style "useally" show up on 3700's.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Yea, I get the itch every year but its just too far for me to travel.

Bob, whats a measly little 1300 miles or so? :msp_biggrin:

Well Gregg, I learned a lot and the first was to read Mark's instructions thoroughly. There is a small roll pin on the throttle button that I didn't see. So I removed the large one by the throttle. I should have been alerted when Mark said he removed the rollpin using a nail. Mistake #1. Mistake #2 was losing the small rollpin and having to sand a rivet to fit the rollpin hole. Also I found that the spring on the button was either jury rigged or broke as it was half the length of the OEM one. Reinstalled new spring, button cover and rollpin and it works fine. Now just have to replace throttle trigger and rollpin for the trigger. Whew!
Bob

Glad to hear you got it figured out!

 

[Eccentric]

NO!
:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

:jester:YES!!!!:jester:

Let go of your hangups Jeff my friend. Remember that many Homelites were both Red and Green. Always with the negative waves......

I couldn't resist the price for these saws. All they need is fuel related work.Left to right---woodshark, 3700,3400,3400. The 3700 looks brand new, it's the only on with something broken. The stud in the recoil broke, so I'm on the lookout for a decent 3700 recoil. This line of saws really lasted the test of time, I have yet to find one with a scored piston. Not that I'm looking for scored ones, I just havent run into one yet.
Kevin
Photobucket is acting up, I had to figure out how to post pics another way.

Great haul Kevin. I like the different variatons of green and black top covers and such on the three 3400/3700 saws in that photo.

 

[paulyb21]

pp455

Is a PP455 worth a 3 1/2 hour drive for ~$120?
Seller says it runs strongly. Don't need another big beast but it looks REAL pretty in the pics. I know nothing about this type of saw, looks like pioneer bloodline??
Is it any good?
Thanks Paul

View attachment 179833

 

[rms61moparman]

Is a PP455 worth a 3 1/2 hour drive for ~$120?
Seller says it runs strongly. Don't need another big beast but it looks REAL pretty in the pics. I know nothing about this type of saw, looks like pioneer bloodline??
Is it any good?
Thanks Paul

View attachment 179833

I'd really like to have one, but I'm not sure about that!
Is the 3 1/2 hour drive one way?
I would give the $120.00 and make a 3 and a half hour round trip but for a 7 hour probably not.


Mike

 

[Mastermind]

Is a PP455 worth a 3 1/2 hour drive for ~$120?
Seller says it runs strongly. Don't need another big beast but it looks REAL pretty in the pics. I know nothing about this type of saw, looks like pioneer bloodline??
Is it any good?
Thanks Paul

View attachment 179833

The mailman would bring it to your door.

 

[paulyb21]

Pp455

Well, If its still there Friday am.... road trip
rms61moparman, it is 7 hrs round trip;
mastermind7864, no postal for this private sale; I wish, the gas alone will be almost 1/2 the cost of the saw! Hope its nice.

PB

 

[redunshee]

Bob, whats a measly little 1300 miles or so? :msp_biggrin:





Glad to hear you got it figured out!

Actually Mark, it operated for 5 tries and then the spring extended into the interior of the handle. So I followed your advice and ground down a small washer to fit inside the lock housing before replacing the spring. Did the trick.
Bob

 

[barneyrb]

Is a PP455 worth a 3 1/2 hour drive for ~$120?
Seller says it runs strongly. Don't need another big beast but it looks REAL pretty in the pics. I know nothing about this type of saw, looks like pioneer bloodline??
Is it any good?
Thanks Paul

View attachment 179833

There are a couple of things to really watch on those saws.

1) The cases will crack and break along the handle usually under the cylinder. I bought a lot of saws and had 12-15 of these and every one had the tail broke on the bottom of the cases.

2) The air filter design wasn't the best in the world. Take the cover off the air cleaner box, raise the air filter, the boot underneath, make sure it is intact and the clamp around the carb inlet is still firmly attached and in good shape.

3) The ignitions are not the best in the world, if that one is bad let me know as I have a "modern" fix for that too.

I have one I am in the process of restoring one except I am changing a couple of things, I hate that plastic starter cover and have changed to a metal one off a P-42 saw and I did modernize the ignition on the saw.

Good Luck.........