Nik's Poulan Thread

[Nardoo]

I see a set of rings on eBay that say they will fit a 306 or a245 how is this possible I contacted them and the seller says that is all the info they have on them. I thought they had different p&c.
Nick.

Those rings from Bryce are definately for a 245. Thanks to Aaron who gave me the heads up. I had a set arrive just yesterday and a quick measurement with the vernier made them just over 50mm.

Al.

 

[Eccentric]

Let me see if it is small enough file to post here.

It's breathtaking how many different outlets sold rebadged Poulan products. If Poulan completed all those saws in house, then their paint and decal inventories must have been HUGE. Many names I've never heard of before. Many I'm sure were marketed on other continents. "Tronk"? "Landoni"? "Katex"? "Rocher"? "Odiset"? "Nogamatic"? "Nauder"? Cool stuff.

Losts of interesting tidbits in that list.

-The Sears 3.0 saw (#358.356080 and 358.356081) is indeed a 3.4ci 3400 (badged with a 'smaller' displacement to meet a lower pricepoint) as we'd suspected. The one Sears model number is listed for both "3.0-18" and "3.4" saws.

-There was a 12" cutoff saw based on the Poulan 245. Looks to have been called a "45/12 Cut-All". I would LOVE to see one of those.

-There is a 4.7ci (77cc) version of the Poulan 4200-5200 saws (Craftsman 4.2-5.2) listed in the Sears section, yet the Sears model # listed for the Sears "4.7" (358.35871) doesn't come up with a match on the sears website. I'm guessing this would have been a Craftsman badged Poulan 4900 (yet it's listed as a "4.7" rather than a "4.9"). Curious...

-The Poulan 4900 isn't listed in the Poulan index of that saw series (which the list under the heading of "4.2/4.7/5.2"). The 4200, 4400, 5200, 5400, 6900, 7900, and 8500 chainsaws are listed, along with the "52/12 Cut-All", "52/14 Cut-All", and 8510 cutoff saws.

-The "Sears-Simpson Canada" saws (many with chainbrakes) are interesting too. Those model numbers don't come up in the US Sears website.

-The Dayton list is missing the Dayton versions of the Poulan 4000. I'm glad to see the other saws listed. Dayton model numbers make no sense to me, so I'm glad to see what's what. There's a 4Z971 on ebay right now BTW. According to this list it's a 306A with a 21" bar.

-The PP 405/455/475/475W/KS412/525/655 saws are listed under the heading of "Partner Buy-Outs".

-Some of the Sears models listed in the "25" family (seperate from the Micro saws, which have their own "Micros" listing show up as Micros on the Sears website...

-The Craftsman 3.6-20 (red Poulan 306A) isn't listed with the Sears saws, but is listed in the Canadian Sears-Simpson section.


Thanks for posting that list Mark. Lots of stuff to geek out over......

 

[rms61moparman]

I agree Mike. To be certain, he could pull the muffler and look in the ex port. The 38cc saws have a bridged exhaust port IIRC.

That won't make him certain....for certain!
I have one here with an unbridged port.
It came off of a late S25CVA.
As always with Poulans.......Never say always!


Mike

 

[Eccentric]

I see a set of rings on eBay that say they will fit a 306 or a245 how is this possible I contacted them and the seller says that is all the info they have on them. I thought they had different p&c.
Nick.

Yes, they're different!

Those rings from Bryce are definately for a 245. Thanks to Aaron who gave me the heads up. I had a set arrive just yesterday and a quick measurement with the vernier made them just over 50mm.

Al.

That listing has been in my 'watch' list for some time. The listing's title does indeed wrongly state that the rings are for a 306 or 245. The Poulan part number given in the listing description matches the rings in 245 (and not 306) IPL's. Mentioned them to Allan when he stated that he was looking for 245 rings.

Bryce's listings often have vague and contradictary info. He's had several listings for XL700/800/900 series Homelite pistons, cylinders, and rings over the last few years, and they wrongly state that the parts will work on a number of different conflicting models (with bores of 2" and 2-1/16"). A few of us have contacted him, asking for clarification as to what the bore measurements of the parts actually are (and for part numbers, as some of the listings don't contain them). None of us have had any luck getting clarification....

It seems to me that if a part will work for one model within a certain saw family, that's good enough for Bryce (and some other feebay sellers) to decide to list those parts as fitting ALL the saws in the family. In the case of pistons, cylinders, and rings, it's mostly true that you can swap whole assemblies (P/C/R) onto a different saw........but mixing and matching is of course not going to work. You CAN use the 2" bore piston and rings on a Homelite that had a 2-1/16" bore P/C/R so long as you ALSO install the 2" bore jug at the same time.....

 

[Eccentric]

That won't make him certain....for certain!
I have one here with an unbridged port.
It came off of a late S25CVA.
As always with Poulans.......Never say always!


Mike

Yikes. I do remember seeing a different cylinder number for some late S25 saws. Looks like he can only be certain by measuring the bore...

 

[tilenick]

It was silly of me to buy the rings without checking here first. I only have two 306's no 245 but now I have a set of rings......for a saw......I don't have? :msp_wink: need a new saw.
Thanks
Is there anywhere to get rings that will fit the306
Nick

 

[Eccentric]

It was silly of me to buy the rings without checking here first. I only have two 306's no 245 but now I have a set of rings......for a saw......I don't have? :msp_wink: need a new saw.
Thanks
Is there anywhere to get rings that will fit the306
Nick

Search ebay by part number. The 306A rings are 2577. Search for "Poulan 2577" and "Poulan 530002577". Sears has recently obsoleted that part (they sold a red 306A, called a Craftsman 3.6-20). They listed those rings as being available until quite recently. They 'updated' their site (with crap auto-complete stuff) and dumped a crapload of parts in the process.

A few months ago I'd looked up some parts for an older Kenmore washing machine we had. Parts were in stock and available. When the next paycheck came and I went to order the parts (a couple of weeks later), they had been obsoleted and were no longer available. Gave up and got a 'new' washing machine from a refurb place.

Look on the bright side though Nick......................you now have a reason to seak out a Poulan 245A!


If you can't find OEM rings for your 306A's, you can contact Otto Gas Engine Works and Hastings Rings for a 'custom' set. They sell rings to spec, and they're quite reasonable.

 

[tilenick]

I have been looking for the rings and have an ipl for the 306 just can't seem to find them. I
Just put a set of rings on a homelite xl12 and it really made a difference I would like to see how the Poulan would do with a new set. And the 245 will be on my list for soon
Thanks
Nick

 

[tilenick]

If you can't find OEM rings for your 306A's, you can contact Otto Gas Engine Works and Hastings Rings for a 'custom' set. They sell rings to spec, and they're quite reasonable.

I will call them soon thanks

 

[rms61moparman]

You can also PM the greek with the exact measurements and he will match them if possible.
He is a great source for the rings you can't get from our fantastic site sponsors!!!:msp_wink:


Mike

 

[Mac88]

Re: Identify this saw

The recoil is definitely from the earliest models of the 25 due to the color and slot for the sliding switch.
When you remove the recoil, look down in there and see how many mounting screws the oil pump has. Two screws = manual oiler ONLY and 3 screws = automatic oiler with manual assist.(IIRC)

I believe the "23M" is probably 2.3M which would be the 38cc cylinder.

So in short, I believe you have an S25DA with a 25 recoil cover.


Mike

Yikes. I do remember seeing a different cylinder number for some late S25 saws. Looks like he can only be certain by measuring the bore...

Thanks Mike, Eccentric, and everyone else that commented;

The saw has a 3-screw oil pump and bridged exhaust port. I also have what appears to be the donor for the starter assy. THAT saw
has a 2-screw pump, slide-type kill switch, bridged exhaust port, the outer cover on the muffler is cast rather than stamped, the
cylinder number is 28179 with a sideways arrowhead looking thing, and the crank case shows casting # 28182. It's missing the flywheel
so I'm unable to see if it will run. Both saws have good clean looking cylinders, and the one pictured started on the 3rd pull after I cleaned
the muck out of the fuel tank, put in a fresh spark plug, and re-adjusted the carb. I haven't run a compression test on either one. I'm not
a collector. All my saws have to be able to make sawdust on a regular basis. I think that "S25DA with a 25 recoil cover" is a keeper.

 

[Mac88]

Well we were both wrong. I had forgot that Poulan made a 2000 AV saw for a very short time. 99% of the time that single handle AV was on the 2300 AV.

I have a 2300 that appears to have been run without oil. I stole the AV parts off of it and put them on the Mrs. non-AV 2000.
She loves it. It does look a little strange with 2000 decals on one side and 2300 decals on the other.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

It was silly of me to buy the rings without checking here first. I only have two 306's no 245 but now I have a set of rings......for a saw......I don't have? :msp_wink: need a new saw.
Thanks
Is there anywhere to get rings that will fit the306
Nick

In my hot rodding days we used to file the rings down on the ends to fit. I don't know how much larger they are however. Filing the ring ends down gives the ring much more tension against the cylinder wall, but we would only go about .010 bigger.

 

[leecopland]

Thanks Mark - You Da Man!

Let me see if it is small enough file to post here.

Thanks ma man!
:yoyo::yoyo:

 

[XPLRN]

Well, Im right off US 30, so if ya can find that, you can find me.LOL

Gregg,

Happened to be out poking around the old posts on the Poulan thread and found the above fact interesting!! You are just down the road(US 30) about 100 miles due West of where I was born/raised; Wooster, Ohio. Bought a BMW back there in 2004 and rode as many 2 lane roads as I could back to Arizona. Took US 30 West over into Indiana sooo rode right close to your neck of the woods that trip.........was well before I got the CAD. Have you lived in that area all your life or ??

 

[XPLRN]

245A Gas tank gasket / sealing issue.

Yeah I will try it sometime, most all of mine are done right now though.

One thing to remember on the 306/245 saws is that sometimes a gasket is needed on the support around the center bolt. Fuel will sometimes make it up and leak around the screw head.

I use a piece of cork that comes from the center of the new gasket, cut it just a little bigger then the center support with a hole in the center for the screw to go through.

Seals it up good that way.

Haven't looked yet but are new/NOS fuel tank gaskets still available?? Or should one just "hope" that the old gasket doesn't "change" when the top part of the fuel tank is removed. This "hope and change" thing just hasn't been working out for a lot of people...........oops sorry to take it into a simple fuel tank gasket query.

Am out learning about what I'm up against with the fuel line/filter replacement on a recently acquired 245A . Ran across a few interesting posts/tricks on fuel line replacement;

Mark. I've changed these 306 tank lines with some special pliers that I made because I got sick of ripping the gaskets. I lost the pliers in my garage fire though. Just saying it can be done. I used the same pliers on the big pioneers too (P65 and such)

Yeah it can be done but it sure aint easy!! I like to use a smaller line for the pickup line so its more flexable and that knob on the fitting makes it hard to get that line on.

I have had pretty good luck if the gasket don't tear by coating it with Hylomar before reinstalling it.

I got lucky and got some new ones from Poulan a while back and have some on order as we speak, but I'm not sure if I'll get them or not this time.

Sooo is the MotoSeal applied the way it was described here by 'Stinkbait' the way to go or !??

What I do is remove the top cover on the gas tank and clean out the groove that the cork seal fits in. Then I fill that groove, just shy of level, with the grey motoseal. I let it completely dry over night before putting the top cover back on. Then you have a permanent seal that allows you to remove the top cover and replace it without having to redo the seal. It's kinda like creating an o-ring seal.

Does anyone have a picture of the tank top removed to show the gasket sealing surface where this "groove" that the cork seal fits into!??? I could probably bend up some special pliers but if the MotoSeal "O-ring seal/gasket" works well and isn't affected by constant exposure to fuel I'm thinking that might be a plausable way to go. I'd like to clean out the tank anyways........just don't want to pull the top off without a re-installation plan.

 

[OhioGregg]

Happened to be out poking around the old posts on the Poulan thread and found the above fact interesting!! You are just down the road(US 30) about 100 miles due West of where I was born/raised; Wooster, Ohio. Bought a BMW back there in 2004 and rode as many 2 lane roads as I could back to Arizona. Took US 30 West over into Indiana sooo rode right close to your neck of the woods that trip.........was well before I got the CAD. Have you lived in that area all your life or ??

XPLRN, I have lived here for the past 26 years. Moved around some before that. But my family has lived around here forever I think. I'm about 25 miles west of Upper Sandusky, and 70 miles east of Fort Wayne Indiana.

I bought a fuel tank gasket, for my 245A from Poulan (order tree) I think it was, couple years ago. Don't know if they are still available or not. Probably be a pain, but I think one could make one with the right thickness of some cork type gasket material from an auto parts store. Along with a little sealer, wouldn't hurt.


Gregg,

 

[OhioGregg]

XPLRN,
Here is a pic of the gasket, as it came from Poulan. Along with a clutch removal tool I got at the same time.

Gregg,

 

[hemiyota]

Does anyone have a picture of the tank top removed to show the gasket sealing surface where this "groove" that the cork seal fits into!??? I could probably bend up some special pliers but if the MotoSeal "O-ring seal/gasket" works well and isn't affected by constant exposure to fuel I'm thinking that might be a plausable way to go. I'd like to clean out the tank anyways........just don't want to pull the top off without a re-installation plan.

Here's the cover.....

 

[Modifiedmark]

Haven't looked yet but are new/NOS fuel tank gaskets still available?? Or should one just "hope" that the old gasket doesn't "change" when the top part of the fuel tank is removed. This "hope and change" thing just hasn't been working out for a lot of people...........oops sorry to take it into a simple fuel tank gasket query.

Am out learning about what I'm up against with the fuel line/filter replacement on a recently acquired 245A . Ran across a few interesting posts/tricks on fuel line replacement;





Sooo is the MotoSeal applied the way it was described here by 'Stinkbait' the way to go or !??


Does anyone have a picture of the tank top removed to show the gasket sealing surface where this "groove" that the cork seal fits into!??? I could probably bend up some special pliers but if the MotoSeal "O-ring seal/gasket" works well and isn't affected by constant exposure to fuel I'm thinking that might be a plausable way to go. I'd like to clean out the tank anyways........just don't want to pull the top off without a re-installation plan.

Since the time that I made the quote that you posted, I have ditched the Hylomar in favor of the moto seal.

I have not tried to use the Moto seal like Stinkbait has posted but I have used it for recoating the existing gaskets with great sucess.

New gaskets were still available a short time ago and might still be.