Poulan 245A help

[redunshee]

The tank vent is in the cap on the 245A.

Gosh, you're right Mark. I'm thinking of the 4200, 5200 saws. Sorry!

 

[axe2fall]

You have a great older saw there. Take Mark's and everyone else's advice and go through the saw before running them. The vent is a rubber duck bill valve in the fuel cap. If you can't see it, it probably has turned to goo.
They are great old 73 cc fairly light weight saw, especially for being all metal, no plastic. Only draw back to them, if you want to call it that, is the lack of anti-vibe features. But, I don't notice it much to be honest.

I run Woodland Pro synthetic oil at 40:1 in all my saws, young or old. No problem.:msp_thumbup: You mentioned the 4000 also. The 4000 is a saw i use more than any other. I like em so well, I have 4 of them. Here are a couple pics of them out working together.

Gregg,

Wow, great pics, Greg !
I might figure out how to post pics someday. Its good to know my saws have some admirers. I really dont know much about them. I have an 038 that I bought new in the mid 80s and its what I usually pick up. I am glad that I kept these saws.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Well, I drove the 20 plus miles today and picked up some non ethanol gas, don't know if it's regular or premium because the pump wasn't marked but the attendant assured me it didn't have ethanol. Paid 3.68 a gallon and bought about 4 gallons since I'm really not using the 2 cycles much right now. Just seeing if the rumor was true. Attendant also told me that the other stations could get it if they only tried.

 

[Guido Salvage]

I will definately do that first . . I should have already . . Sweet Home Tappahannock

I think that I had a guy from down that way talk to me about some saws at Field Day of the Past last year. If you are interested in some saws, I can try to find his information and pass it on. Be sure to check the thread on the Central VA GTG the last Saturday in March just south of Richmond.

A couple of my 245's:

 

[zogger]

Well, I drove the 20 plus miles today and picked up some non ethanol gas, don't know if it's regular or premium because the pump wasn't marked but the attendant assured me it didn't have ethanol. Paid 3.68 a gallon and bought about 4 gallons since I'm really not using the 2 cycles much right now. Just seeing if the rumor was true. Attendant also told me that the other stations could get it if they only tried.

Makes a difference. In cars I don't think you see a lot of difference in day to day driving with fuel injection and e10, but in small engines..man..I see the difference. In my job I am running diesel or small gas engines like ALL the freeking time, two strokes or four strokes, air cooled. The no ethanol premium I can get locally is LOADS better than e10. It's right now at 4 bucks, 3.999, but worth it to me to pay more over regular gas with alky in it. Engines start easier run better, end of story,especially in the summer when it is hot. Winter not so much, the refinned gas is more aromatic then, just better, but in the summer you can really see the difference, the alky gas goes stale real fast. I can't prove it, but I think the mix oil mixes better as well, and stays in suspension longer.

I need a killer good microscope, it's been bugging me. I wanted to look at half a dozen top debated swore by and at mix oils (in the same gas,mixed the same) under a scope, see if there were any profound differences in like droplet size and so on. I mean the whole idea is it is supposed to be a *mix*, and that's something I have yet seen a single discussion on. Ratios yes, but what is going on "under the hood" as the oil mixes with the gas.

 

[axe2fall]

I think that I had a guy from down that way talk to me about some saws at Field Day of the Past last year. If you are interested in some saws, I can try to find his information and pass it on. Be sure to check the thread on the Central VA GTG the last Saturday in March just south of Richmond.

I appreciate the offer but I have too much stuff going on now to get another saw. I was hoping to get this one going and use it to finish up some firewood and sell it next Fall. Probably wont happen this year. . . The filter was attatched and clean. The carb screen had some that I cleaned out. The saw still starts and idles but wont take fuel without bogging out. Its gonna have to get shelved for a while. . . I love the way the fuel tank was designed. Do you know if the inside was plastic lined/coated ? . . Or do I have fuel varnish starting to bubble up ?

 

[axe2fall]

Well, I drove the 20 plus miles today and picked up some non ethanol gas, don't know if it's regular or premium because the pump wasn't marked but the attendant assured me it didn't have ethanol. Paid 3.68 a gallon and bought about 4 gallons since I'm really not using the 2 cycles much right now. Just seeing if the rumor was true. Attendant also told me that the other stations could get it if they only tried.

I talked to the present owner of our oldest family owned service station today about ethanol. He basically pointed to a shelf with 4 different kinds of stabilizer on it and told me thats all I needed to fix the ethanol issues. I am not quite sold on that theory but I believe using treatment is better than not using it. I guess its good buisness to sell a inferior product and then sell you something to fix the product ! I am gonna check with a marina nearby that was a non-ethanol hold-out for a while and see if they still sell it. . . The service manager there probably loves ethanol . . imagine how much humidity gets sucked into that big ol fuel tank vent most boats have.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I talked to the present owner of our oldest family owned service station today about ethanol. He basically pointed to a shelf with 4 different kinds of stabilizer on it and told me thats all I needed to fix the ethanol issues. I am not quite sold on that theory but I believe using treatment is better than not using it. I guess its good buisness to sell a inferior product and then sell you something to fix the product ! I am gonna check with a marina nearby that was a non-ethanol hold-out for a while and see if they still sell it. . . The service manager there probably loves ethanol . . imagine how much humidity gets sucked into that big ol fuel tank vent most boats have.

I was told that some if not most marinas still have the non ethanol gas. Trouble is, we don't have any marinas around here because no big bodies of water nearby. We have a drag strip that has it but with everything racing money doesn't seem to be an issue with them and the fuel is more than I would want to pay. The 3.68 price is borderline with me and I won't use it in my saws every time, especially the ones I'm not gonna keep.

 

[zogger]

I think that I had a guy from down that way talk to me about some saws at Field Day of the Past last year. If you are interested in some saws, I can try to find his information and pass it on. Be sure to check the thread on the Central VA GTG the last Saturday in March just south of Richmond.

I appreciate the offer but I have too much stuff going on now to get another saw. I was hoping to get this one going and use it to finish up some firewood and sell it next Fall. Probably wont happen this year. . . The filter was attatched and clean. The carb screen had some that I cleaned out. The saw still starts and idles but wont take fuel without bogging out. Its gonna have to get shelved for a while. . . I love the way the fuel tank was designed. Do you know if the inside was plastic lined/coated ? . . Or do I have fuel varnish starting to bubble up ?

Vent, lines, filter? That's all easy stuff, that should help with that saw. Clean the carb out good again. Tighten all the other bolts/screws good. That saw *will* cut some dang firewood, tell ya whut. It's right up there scaring modern stock 800 buck saws. No it ain't quite as fast, but they pull. Did you look at the muffler, clean it out, burn the screen clean, maybe muff mod it just a scosh? Spend just two more hours on that saw doing the easy stuff, see what happens.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

I think that I had a guy from down that way talk to me about some saws at Field Day of the Past last year. If you are interested in some saws, I can try to find his information and pass it on. Be sure to check the thread on the Central VA GTG the last Saturday in March just south of Richmond.

I appreciate the offer but I have too much stuff going on now to get another saw. I was hoping to get this one going and use it to finish up some firewood and sell it next Fall. Probably wont happen this year. . . The filter was attatched and clean. The carb screen had some that I cleaned out. The saw still starts and idles but wont take fuel without bogging out. Its gonna have to get shelved for a while. . . I love the way the fuel tank was designed. Do you know if the inside was plastic lined/coated ? . . Or do I have fuel varnish starting to bubble up ?

It is varnish build up there is no plastic coating in these saws tanks. I would still change the fuel filter it could be your problem even though it looks clean don't mean that it clean. If it don't fix it then rebuild the carb and lines. As for the muffler mod talked about on this saw I would'nt waste my time. These mufflers are pretty open. I have removed the baffles before in the 245 but never much difference in power. The 245 is one heck of a saw that set a bench mark along time ago. 74cc at only 13lbs. I've owned 10-12 of these saws and they are bullet proof as long as the are taken care of and the p/c is in decent shape when you get it....the p/c are getting hard to find.

 

[axe2fall]

Vent, lines, filter? That's all easy stuff, that should help with that saw. Clean the carb out good again. Tighten all the other bolts/screws good. That saw *will* cut some dang firewood, tell ya whut. It's right up there scaring modern stock 800 buck saws. No it ain't quite as fast, but they pull. Did you look at the muffler, clean it out, burn the screen clean, maybe muff mod it just a scosh? Spend just two more hours on that saw doing the easy stuff, see what happens.

I can do that. Thanks for the encouragement.There must be something to these saws.Idid enjoy it for about 10 seconds.

 

[axe2fall]

It is varnish build up there is no plastic coating in these saws tanks. I would still change the fuel filter it could be your problem even though it looks clean don't mean that it clean. If it don't fix it then rebuild the carb and lines. As for the muffler mod talked about on this saw I would'nt waste my time. These mufflers are pretty open. I have removed the baffles before in the 245 but never much difference in power. The 245 is one heck of a saw that set a bench mark along time ago. 74cc at only 13lbs. I've owned 10-12 of these saws and they are bullet proof as long as the are taken care of and the p/c is in decent shape when you get it....the p/c are getting hard to find.

I think the varnish problem needs to be taken care of first. Its such an even, thin, clear coat that I thought it may be plastic. I would have never known it was there in a one piece fuel tank. It was coming loose in rubbery patches when I put the tank back together so I dont think I should replace the filter or rebuild the carb until I get all of that stuff out. There were no signs of any trash or water in the tank or on the filter but the carb screen had some superfine black specks. I will replace the fuel lines at that time as well.The fuel is good but will I replace it. It will need a muffler but not worried about it yet. . . . Any idea what will clean the tank out without hurting the magnesium ?

 

[MelonBoi1]

Stop with the 16:1, unnecessary with modern syn oils, use 50:1. Gas is crappier today then the olden days, but oils are MUCH better. You don't need to try and push sludge through carbs anymore.

Clean carb, see if it needs a kit, judgement call but most likely, won't hurt, new fuel line and filter, etc. New plug maybe. The basics first. If it sat for a long time, anything that needs to be pliable and flexible..ain't. Replace that stuff.

Great saws