Nik's Poulan Thread

[leecopland]

So I had this little 260 with a scored piston ring and cylinder. I was able to save the cylinder and replaced the piston and ring. I cannot help but modify these things alittle while I have them apart so I widened the exhaust alittle and of course the muff mod. The starter side cover had all the screws stripped out of it so I used some extra long machine screws which worked very well. When I first put it back together and started it I noticed the low side carb adjust had to be out around 2 1/2 turns, not normal to me. so I did a leak down test. I have a pressure bleeder I use for my cars and now I use it for my leak down testing and I have to say it works really well for this. Well anyways I find a leak not at the seals but when I put it back together I must not have used enough sealer on the crank case halves and found one side leaking. It was leaking 1 psi per minute, just enough to make the saw run poor. So back apart and do it right this time and saw runs great performs great. I really like these small poulans because they respond well to the mods I have been making to them. I took off the 18" bar and switched to 16". Here are a few pics.

Any chance of sharing where you got the piston/ring, and how you saved the cylinder. I have a 2550 with a piston that looks like yours and it won't idle so has an air leak too, but other than that it looks great. I don't suppose you recorded your rebuild? If I get this rebuilt it will be a back-up saw or a loaner. Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

Lee

 

[zogger]

So I had this little 260 with a scored piston ring and cylinder. I was able to save the cylinder and replaced the piston and ring. I cannot help but modify these things alittle while I have them apart so I widened the exhaust alittle and of course the muff mod. The starter side cover had all the screws stripped out of it so I used some extra long machine screws which worked very well. When I first put it back together and started it I noticed the low side carb adjust had to be out around 2 1/2 turns, not normal to me. so I did a leak down test. I have a pressure bleeder I use for my cars and now I use it for my leak down testing and I have to say it works really well for this. Well anyways I find a leak not at the seals but when I put it back together I must not have used enough sealer on the crank case halves and found one side leaking. It was leaking 1 psi per minute, just enough to make the saw run poor. So back apart and do it right this time and saw runs great performs great. I really like these small poulans because they respond well to the mods I have been making to them. I took off the 18" bar and switched to 16". Here are a few pics.

Nice clean rebuild man! Glad you caught the leak!

 

[3000 FPS]

Any chance of sharing where you got the piston/ring, and how you saved the cylinder. I have a 2550 with a piston that looks like yours and it won't idle so has an air leak too, but other than that it looks great. I don't suppose you recorded your rebuild? If I get this rebuilt it will be a back-up saw or a loaner. Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

Lee

The Piston and ring I got off of ebay and it was OEM. I do not have a recorder so only pictures like what you have already seen. The cylinder I used muriactic acid that I got from a pool supply place. It only takes a very small amount and they sold me some old bottle with alittle in the bottom for like 3 dollars. I used some scotch brite and some emery cloth to smooth out the cylinder. For the leak down test I used my pressure bleeder for brakes on my cars.

 

[3000 FPS]

Nice clean rebuild man! Glad you caught the leak!

Thanks. I am working on a 295 right now and have it completely tore down and starting on the mods to the cylinder. Someone really beat this saw. All 4 bolts that hold the engine in place were broken off about 3 threads up into the engine and it looked like they were still trying to run it. Both bearings are bad and I feel a small amount of up down play and they seem to turn alittle rough. The one saving grace is the piston and cylinder look really good. So a new ring is all I will do.

 

[Work Saw Collector]

We have been talking for pages In my GTG thread about Terry's buildoff GTG. What # of Poulan has a chance aginst the Husky 365 The Poulan 375 is close at 61cc is there a saw closer to the 65cc max allowed, that will turn the RPM needed?

 

[Eccentric]

We have been talking for pages In my GTG thread about Terry's buildoff GTG. What # of Poulan has a chance aginst the Husky 365 The Poulan 375 is close at 61cc is there a saw closer to the 65cc max allowed, that will turn the RPM needed?

The Poulan Pro 375 you mentioned is basically a 61cc Poulan 3700 with the better starter and air filter/top cover setups from the 4000. Poulan 4000/Poulan Pro 395 saws are the 65cc models in the 3400-4000 series. Not sure you could get 'em to turn the RPM's you're talking about however. This series does respond well to muffler mods, and they're strong saws to begin with.

 

[barneyrb]

We have been talking for pages In my GTG thread about Terry's buildoff GTG. What # of Poulan has a chance aginst the Husky 365 The Poulan 375 is close at 61cc is there a saw closer to the 65cc max allowed, that will turn the RPM needed?

The answer to your question is no Stephan, while Poulan did offer a 65cc saw they were set up to be torque monsters and usually cut at ~9500, they would do it all day but didn't produce the screaming r's you are looking for.

There may be one saw you could use but it as rare as hen's teeth and that would be the Poulan Pro 415 at 65cc and based off the JRed 2077-2083. Very good saws but rare also.....$$$$$

Model Profile: 415

 

[Work Saw Collector]

Thanks guys we were in the thread tring to pick a saw not in the main lines, not a Stihl, Husky, or Dolmar that could compete with the saws that will be there.

 

[OhioGregg]

Poulan vs Ash

The other day I took down 6 Ash trees along the edge of a woods & field. The conditions were good and no crop in the field yet, so thought it a good time to get them out. Drug them over to a grassy area in the lane, so could cut them up later. Yesterday me & my sisters BF decided to get to it. He cuts here with me quite often. All he uses are Wildthings!
We used his vertical splitter on the big rounds, so I didn't have to use a wedge & sledge, like I normally do. I decided to take some pics and to do a couple of videos on two of my saws I never have taken a video of. My 4200 & PP375. I have not had the 375 in wood yet, since I have owned it. The bigger logs I was cutting with the 4200 were 28" Ash. I cut all these trees down with the 4200, so the chain wasn't as sharp as it could have been, but it did a fine job.

When ever I think of 4200, I think of our buddy MoparMike... He knows them WELL, and has several. This series of saw wows me every time I use them. The 4200 & 5200. There is just no quit...in them. They just keep pulling at nearly the same rpm, even when leaned on.

Anyway, we had a good time cutting, and at the end of the day we had some ice cold MGD's and hot dogs over the camp fire, listening to Skynyrd on CD. LOL Kinda like a mini GTG.

Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

These first two videos are of the 4200, with 24" bar.

[video=youtube;XzAh1Hrs5Ao]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XzAh1Hrs5Ao[/video]



Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

[video=youtube;y8xUH4kxVSU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=y8xUH4kxVSU[/video]

Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

[video=youtube;DASBbEz8HRA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=DASBbEz8HRA[/video]

Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

[video=youtube;zl-DF5EOxKI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-DF5EOxKI&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

Gregg,

 

[HeRoze]

very, very nice... chips flyin' everywhere.

 

[Stihl-Pioneer]

We have been talking for pages In my GTG thread about Terry's buildoff GTG. What # of Poulan has a chance aginst the Husky 365 The Poulan 375 is close at 61cc is there a saw closer to the 65cc max allowed, that will turn the RPM needed?

How about the Poulan 3750/ Poulan Pro 380? They are 60cc and turn just under 14K.

 

[Modifiedmark]

This series of saw wows me every time I use them. The 4200 & 5200. There is just no quit...in them. They just keep pulling at nearly the same rpm, even when leaned on.


Gregg,

That is a very good way to describe them, just no quit in them.

Gregg, I dont remember something, refresh my memory please.

The 375, does it use the same side exhaust muffler as the 4000?

Yours seem to run really well.

 

[Stihl-Pioneer]

edit: I also wanted to ask, what size is that 330? It isn't on acres site that I could find.

They are 54cc. They are the Poulan 3450 in Yellow.
Model Profile: 3450

 

[Modifiedmark]

Thanks guys we were in the thread tring to pick a saw not in the main lines, not a Stihl, Husky, or Dolmar that could compete with the saws that will be there.

If you would spot a 30yo saw 4cc, then a 4200 would probably be the best comparison.

With 28" or bigger bars, my money would be on the 4200.

I have ran Mopar Mikes PP415 though and I'm pretty sure it has what it takes to run with the ones mentioned. Thing is though its not really a Poulan and is mostly a Partner.

 

[OhioGregg]

That is a very good way to describe them, just no quit in them.

Gregg, I dont remember something, refresh my memory please.

The 375, does it use the same side exhaust muffler as the 4000?

Yours seem to run really well.

Yes it does Mark. The only difference I can find in them was the carb. This one happens to have the Zama CM3 I think it is. Looks identical to the Walbro HBD though. It ran very well. At the end of the day it started to want die out on the low end, kinda had to keep it going with the throttle. Was to pooped to fiddle with it then. Due to advanced age and out of shape. LOL Will do some adjusting next time out with it.


Gregg,

 

[Modifiedmark]

Yes it does Mark. The only difference I can find in them was the carb. This one happens to have the Zama CM3 I think it is. Looks identical to the Walbro HBD though. It ran very well. At the end of the day it started to want die out on the low end, kinda had to keep it going with the throttle. Was to pooped to fiddle with it then. Due to advanced age and out of shape. LOL Will do some adjusting next time out with it.


Gregg,

Sounds like it might have been like you. Out of gas.