Nik's Poulan Thread

[Nardoo]

8500

It finally showed up today and I could not wait to have good look. All the decals have worn off as this has been a well used saw. A couple of weeks ago when I rang the old Russian guy who owned it he said the seriel number was 8500-3 which gave me hope until some members here told me the model number does not appear in the seriel number. When I saw this I started to hope again.

So off with the muffler and I measured the bore - 52 and 1/2 mm. That sounds small I thought, an 038 mag has a 52mm bore and is 72cc. Oh crap. So I pull the muffler on my 4900 and its bore is just 50mm. OK, these saws have a long stroke so on to Acres site and the 85 cc Poulans have a 52.4mm bore. Oh boy! It is really an 8500.

She is an ugly old beast and well used but the bore and piston look perfect even though the compression is only 145 lbs. Perhaps a set of rings is needed but not much more.

The oil filler cap is broken so its leaking used sump oil all over the bench, and the bucking spike is missing but otherwise it is original and intact. She starts right up and seems to have lots of power. I wonder how much better than the 4900 it will be?

It is probably going to need a full pull down and rebuild but as I have found they are really easy to work on, even for an idiot like me.

Sorry to post so many pics of this homely old gal but I think I am love. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder they say but I never thought I would ever find something so pretty. Now to find #1 and #2.:smile2:

Al.

 

[OhioGregg]

Congrats on the 8500:msp_thumbup: I'm green with envy. lol Like you said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A little work, elbow grease and a few parts, she will shine again. I'd be tickled with it. As for power between the 4900 & 8500 goes. I have not run either one.. But I have run a 7700 and 5200. Probably not going to notice a great deal difference, but if you run a long bar on them the 85cc will show its true strength. Just my opinion.:msp_thumbsup:


Gregg,

 

[redunshee]

Congrats on the 8500:msp_thumbup: I'm green with envy. lol Like you said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A little work, elbow grease and a few parts, she will shine again. I'd be tickled with it. As for power between the 4900 & 8500 goes. I have not run either one.. But I have run a 7700 and 5200. Probably not going to notice a great deal difference, but if you run a long bar on them the 85cc will show its true strength. Just my opinion.:msp_thumbsup:


Gregg,

Agree! 8500 seems to look a lot like my 5200. Guess Its just a newer model. Comp of 145 doesn't seem too bad for no these old saws, either.

 

[joe25DA]

Hello from trhe Dominican boys! Nice here But looking forward to getting back to the land of Poulans in the USA!

 

[OhioGregg]

Hello from trhe Dominican boys! Nice here But looking forward to getting back to the land of Poulans in the USA!

Hey, Its the old married guy! You might as well just stay there and enjoy it Joe, and learn to speak Spanish. While you been out of the country, we bought all the remaining Poulans to be found here. :hmm3grin2orange:
Hope you & the new Mrs. are having a great time!!!


Gregg,

 

[chris413]

hi im a newbie. how are the poulan super 25 da's? or s25da?
thanks

 

[mweba]

Hello from trhe Dominican boys! Nice here But looking forward to getting back to the land of Poulans in the USA!

I knew you wouldn't make it through the honey moon before checking in LOL.

 

[rms61moparman]

hi im a newbie. how are the poulan super 25 da's? or s25da?
thanks

They are fantastic saws that will still rival the best top handles from the "other guys" !!!
About the worst thing I can say for them is that it sometimes takes several pulls to get fuel to the carb if the saw hasn't run in a while. After the first fire the will (if properly tuned) usually fire on the first pull.
A lot of people will tell you that they are too small for a firewood saw and to them I say BUNK!
I knew a guy years ago who heated his house for YEARS with one. His only heat was wood and the S25DA was his only saw. (I also knew a guy who did the same with a micro. We made fun of him but he always had a warm fire in his stove!)



Mike

 

[redunshee]

Totally agree with Mike. The S25da's and CVA's are great saws. Very strong for 38cc's. Just picked up a chainbrake for one of mine and if I can figure how to post a picture I'll do so.
Bob

 

[chris413]

great info, thanks to you both!

notice you both have the s25da in your signiture, u like it huh. and red has it listed first interesting.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Hello from trhe Dominican boys! Nice here But looking forward to getting back to the land of Poulans in the USA!

Don't hurry Joe, if your lucky you only get to honeymoon once!

 

[Modifiedmark]

It finally showed up today and I could not wait to have good look. All the decals have worn off as this has been a well used saw. A couple of weeks ago when I rang the old Russian guy who owned it he said the seriel number was 8500-3 which gave me hope until some members here told me the model number does not appear in the seriel number. When I saw this I started to hope again.



So off with the muffler and I measured the bore - 52 and 1/2 mm. That sounds small I thought, an 038 mag has a 52mm bore and is 72cc. Oh crap. So I pull the muffler on my 4900 and its bore is just 50mm. OK, these saws have a long stroke so on to Acres site and the 85 cc Poulans have a 52.4mm bore. Oh boy! It is really an 8500.



She is an ugly old beast and well used but the bore and piston look perfect even though the compression is only 145 lbs. Perhaps a set of rings is needed but not much more

The oil filler cap is broken so its leaking used sump oil all over the bench, and the bucking spike is missing but otherwise it is original and intact. She starts right up and seems to have lots of power. I wonder how much better than the 4900 it will be?



It is probably going to need a full pull down and rebuild but as I have found they are really easy to work on, even for an idiot like me.



Sorry to post so many pics of this homely old gal but I think I am love. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder they say but I never thought I would ever find something so pretty. Now to find #1 and #2.:smile2:

Al.

Al, you done great! Were looking through the same eyes, I'll tell you that!

Congrats on the 8500:msp_thumbup: I'm green with envy. lol Like you said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A little work, elbow grease and a few parts, she will shine again. I'd be tickled with it. As for power between the 4900 & 8500 goes. I have not run either one.. But I have run a 7700 and 5200. Probably not going to notice a great deal difference, but if you run a long bar on them the 85cc will show its true strength. Just my opinion.:msp_thumbsup:


Gregg,

Well said!

They are fantastic saws that will still rival the best top handles from the "other guys" !!!
About the worst thing I can say for them is that it sometimes takes several pulls to get fuel to the carb if the saw hasn't run in a while. After the first fire the will (if properly tuned) usually fire on the first pull.
A lot of people will tell you that they are too small for a firewood saw and to them I say BUNK!
I knew a guy years ago who heated his house for YEARS with one. His only heat was wood and the S25DA was his only saw. (I also knew a guy who did the same with a micro. We made fun of him but he always had a warm fire in his stove!)



Mike

Mike, I know that guy with the 25 that you spoke of!

 

[rms61moparman]

great info, thanks to you both!

notice you both have the s25da in your signiture, u like it huh. and red has it listed first interesting.

What's not to like???
Light, fast, strong, reliable, easy to work on for a top handle and CHEAP compared to everything else in its class.


Mike

 

[Nardoo]

Thanks for the kind thoughts about my old Poulan chaps. It is nice to receive a little shared warmth! My dear, long suffering wife (who sat in the car last Sunday whilst I negotiated two more Partners, two Stihls, a bucket of 090 bits and a 36" NOS bar) just could not find it in her to praise the new 8500 after it had spewed its guts of used sump oil through its busted oil filler cap all over the lovely carpet in the back of her nice clean car. Any idea of what gets sump oil out of shag pile carpet?

And I too am starting to like those little one handed Poulans - they really spin. And mine is a little one (2300?). Wonder if I can put a 2500 top in it? Now there is a project.

And Joe, enjoy your honeymoon. Mine was 32 years ago and I still remember it vividly - man, that was living. Good luck!

Al.

 

[rms61moparman]

You know, now that I think about it a;

4200/5200/4400/4900/7700/8500 etc
and a
306/3400/3700/3800/330/365/4000/380
and a
S25DA/CVA


Would make a darned respectable 3 saw combo just about anywhere!


Mike

 

[a. palmer jr.]

great info, thanks to you both!

notice you both have the s25da in your signiture, u like it huh. and red has it listed first interesting.

I have three of the 25 based saws (2 are Craftsman) and have had them for several years without any major repairs other than the usual chain replacement and carb kits, fuel lines. I also have a few of the Micros and they run similar to the 25 saws only aren't quite made of as solid material but a little lighter weight. You can pick up the micros for nearly nothing because people don't know what they're worth.

 

[rms61moparman]

Thanks for the kind thoughts about my old Poulan chaps. It is nice to receive a little shared warmth! My dear, long suffering wife (who sat in the car last Sunday whilst I negotiated two more Partners, two Stihls, a bucket of 090 bits and a 36" NOS bar) just could not find it in her to praise the new 8500 after it had spewed its guts of used sump oil through its busted oil filler cap all over the lovely carpet in the back of her nice clean car. Any idea of what gets sump oil out of shag pile carpet?And I too am starting to like those little one handed Poulans - they really spin. And mine is a little one (2300?). Wonder if I can put a 2500 top in it? Now there is a project.

And Joe, enjoy your honeymoon. Mine was 32 years ago and I still remember it vividly - man, that was living. Good luck!

Al.

Fire!!!

Mike

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Thanks for the kind thoughts about my old Poulan chaps. It is nice to receive a little shared warmth! My dear, long suffering wife (who sat in the car last Sunday whilst I negotiated two more Partners, two Stihls, a bucket of 090 bits and a 36" NOS bar) just could not find it in her to praise the new 8500 after it had spewed its guts of used sump oil through its busted oil filler cap all over the lovely carpet in the back of her nice clean car. Any idea of what gets sump oil out of shag pile carpet?

And I too am starting to like those little one handed Poulans - they really spin. And mine is a little one (2300?). Wonder if I can put a 2500 top in it? Now there is a project.

And Joe, enjoy your honeymoon. Mine was 32 years ago and I still remember it vividly - man, that was living. Good luck!

Al.

Spot Shot and paper towels.

 

[Eccentric]

What's not to like???
Light, fast, strong, reliable, easy to work on for a top handle and CHEAP compared to everything else in its class.


Mike

You know, now that I think about it a;

4200/5200/4400/4900/7700/8500 etc
and a
306/3400/3700/3800/330/365/4000/380/245A
and a
S25DA/CVA


Would make a darned respectable 3 saw combo just about anywhere!


Mike

Good 3-saw category lineup Mike................................but you didn't put the mighty 245A in the middle list. Nobody's perfect...:jester:

 

[rms61moparman]

Good 3-saw category lineup Mike................................but you didn't put the mighty 245A in the middle list. Nobody's perfect...:jester:

I didn't put it in the middle list because it RIGHTFULLY belongs in the top.
Hard for me to classify a 74cc saw in the mid-range.

I didn't put it in the top class because it just won't hang with the others in the speed department.
Too big for the mid size and too slow for the top class.
They are a great, strong and reliable saw though.


Mike