Poulan 3400 counter vibe

[Magnumfloyd]

Nice 200t its not a saw but i got this blower for 20

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[Modifiedmark]

my buddy worked at philadelphia toro and it was one of the first 50 3400's they got, it was a demo saw he got for cheap after they brought em back from the dealer circuit. .325 20" was how it was delivered from poulan. i always thought it was weird myself .325 is a waste on a saw with torque not enough grab. almost all the 3400's that have come through my shop have been 18-20" .325

Interesting, I was working at a Poulan dealer at the time the 3400's came out. Never seen one with .325 and never seen it mentioned in a IPL either. What bars did they have on them? I'm not sure I ever seen a D176 bar in .325 either.

For an older saw i would recommend 32:1.

Why all the oil? I run all my old Poulans now that were originally specked out at 16-1 at 50-1 now.

You my perfer 32-1 but I have running proof that its not needed.

 

[Eccentric]

Interesting, I was working at a Poulan dealer at the time the 3400's came out. Never seen one with .325 and never seen it mentioned in a IPL either. What bars did they have on them? I'm not sure I ever seen a D176 bar in .325 either.


Why all the oil? I run all my old Poulans now that were originally specked out at 16-1 at 50-1 now.

You my perfer 32-1 but I have running proof that its not needed.

Have you ever seen a D096/D196 or UXL bar in .325 pitch Mark? I haven't.............but it's possible that the 3400's in question were outfitted with .325 pitch bars in that mount (with the 's' clip) instead of D176 mount bars. My late production 306A (from around the time of the first 3400's) has a 20" UXL mount 3/8" pitch Windsor bar with the 's' clip. Looks like it was sold that way...

He can run more oil if it makes him feel better. I run 40/1 with good synthetic in every two stroke engine I have. I agree that 50/1 with good synthetic oil is fine..................but I can't bring myself to do it. Heck.............it took me a LONG time to move away from 32/1, as that's what I'd ran in my 2-stroke motorcycles and such in the 1980's.....:cool2:

 

[belgian]

I got a 3400 not so long ago but was surprised to find that the crank bearings had quite a bit of radial play and obviously worn cranks seals (air leak). And the saw was not used that much, judging by its condition. Just a bit curious why these green Poulans are su much liked at AS.

 

[Freakingstang]

because they were American made runners! people that brought up and supported this country bought poulan and homelight, back in the day before people thought of those german saws as the norm, not to mention that most people didn't know about that sewing machine company.

It was the 261 of its day, the 4500 the 362 of its day and the. by todays standards, folks would prolly cringe just the thought of running one....

 

[redunshee]

I got a 3400 not so long ago but was surprised to find that the crank bearings had quite a bit of radial play and obviously worn cranks seals (air leak). And the saw was not used that much, judging by its condition. Just a bit curious why these green Poulans are su much liked at AS.

Surprising. Must have been owner induced. I've had/worked on a lot of 3400/3700 saws and have never needed to replace crank bearings. Crank seals, ever so often, but that's common for a 1980 era saw. The 3400 is just an easy saw to like.
Bob

 

[redunshee]

Is it okay to run 50:1 in this saw

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Many do but I prefer 40/1. I believe ModifiedMark runs 50/1 so it has to be okay. I'm a little more conservative, I guess.
Bob

 

[redunshee]

mels, I see your from Brookfield Ct. I bought my first Poulan, a 3400 in Brookfield at a OPE place called the Tractor Barn, in 1986.
Just curious if the place is still in buisness. I have a sister that lives in that neck of the woods, but I havn't been back to Ct. since 1987.


Gregg,

Heck, I was born and raised in Bristol, CT.and then in Terryville. Love NW Connecticut, Beautiful country. Moved to Texas in 91 but I'm a New England yankee(only real yankee) at heart. Almost a nice as Vermont, but not quite.
Bob

 

[Modifiedmark]

I got a 3400 not so long ago but was surprised to find that the crank bearings had quite a bit of radial play and obviously worn cranks seals (air leak). And the saw was not used that much, judging by its condition. Just a bit curious why these green Poulans are su much liked at AS.

Roland, that saw was introduced in 1978, why in the world would it need crank seals today?

As for the raidal play, it ends up being a triat of those needle brg saws. The crank end play is set by the depth of the crank brgs and I think they sometimes move around some. I know it sounds strange to some and especially by the way they do things today but a little end play in those dont hurt anything. They run and run forever that way.

In 1978 that CounterVibe saw was ahead of the pack.

 

[OhioGregg]

I have to agree with most of these fellas, I never seen, heard of, or read about a .325 bar & chain being used on any of the mid size or larger saws of that era. Now I can't say I have seen the very first of that model, when introduced, but if they did have a .325 setup, it was VERY short lived. No mention of it in any IPL's, or service manuals I have seen. I have no doubt that someone along the line has tried it though. I have seen a whole lot of "home engineering" on saws before.


Gregg,

 

[Modifiedmark]

Have you ever seen a D096/D196 or UXL bar in .325 pitch Mark? I haven't.............but it's possible that the 3400's in question were outfitted with .325 pitch bars in that mount (with the 's' clip) instead of D176 mount bars. My late production 306A (from around the time of the first 3400's) has a 20" UXL mount 3/8" pitch Windsor bar with the 's' clip. Looks like it was sold that way...

He can run more oil if it makes him feel better. I run 40/1 with good synthetic in every two stroke engine I have. I agree that 50/1 with good synthetic oil is fine..................but I can't bring myself to do it. Heck.............it took me a LONG time to move away from 32/1, as that's what I'd ran in my 2-stroke motorcycles and such in the 1980's.....:cool2:

Aaron, no I dont think that I have ever seen those mounts you list ever in .325 and thats why I was asking. When Poulan went with a .325 pitch on the 306SA they used a roller nose or hardnosed bar on them.

As far as your 306 with a UXL, I doubt very seriously that it left that factory with it. In those days they showed up with Poulan bars on them in the old style Poulan mount your aware of with the round adjuster holes. The Windsor bars were sold by Poulan as replacements a few years later, but that dont mean a dealer couldnt have swapped it out to make a sale.

 

[Modifiedmark]

because they were American made runners! people that brought up and supported this country bought poulan and homelight, back in the day before people thought of those german saws as the norm, not to mention that most people didn't know about that sewing machine company.

It was the 261 of its day, the 4500 the 362 of its day and the. by todays standards, folks would prolly cringe just the thought of running one....

Yep and back when that 3400 was being introduced most Furrin saws really didnt have much to keep up with that design. Partner was really the only one that I can think of off hand.

 

[sunfish]

When I bought my first saw in 1977, a Poulan 245A, Poulan ruled in the panhandle of north Florida. And had basically replaced McCullough and Home-lite. Most all the tree guys, loggers and pulpwood cutters used Poulan.

Stihl was just a rare speck at that time and most had never heard of Husqvarna. Bought a used 3400 in 1988 and used both Poulans until I got a 346xp in 2001. The 245 went to a new home (running very strong) and the 3400 was my back up saw.

The 3400 runs great to this day and has never had a part replaced, except for drive sprockets, bars and chains.

 

[Modifiedmark]

The 3400 runs great to this day and has never had a part replaced, except for drive sprockets, bars and chains.

I'm sure it dose and I'll bet you if you go check it, it will have some end play on that crankshaft that all the "experts" around here would proclaim to be unexceptable.

I also wont be surprised when someone comes along soon and says the air filters on them are no good either. LOL

 

[sunfish]

I'm sure it dose and I'll bet you if you go check it, it will have some end play on that crankshaft that all the "experts" around here would proclaim to be unexceptable.

I also wont be surprised when someone comes along soon and says the air filters on them are no good either. LOL

It does have a little end play. I noticed that a long time ago when replacing the drive sprocket once.

Mine still has to original air filter.

 

[Freakingstang]

It does have a little end play. I noticed that a long time ago when replacing the drive sprocket once.

Mine still has to original air filter.

must be junk... throw it away then. we live in a throw it away society. Would you wear the same underwear since 1979? :hmm3grin2orange:

Think of it this way... i was born in 79.... those were the saws My father had when i was old enought to remember. 34 years young and the ones that have them have used them...

 

[sunfish]

must be junk... throw it away then. we live in a throw it away society. Would you wear the same underwear since 1979? :hmm3grin2orange:

Think of it this way... i was born in 79.... those were the saws My father had when i was old enought to remember. 34 years young and the ones that have them have used them...

When I was 34, I already had 18 years on a 245A and a 3400 in my other hand.

Also didn't know what a XP was. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[sachsmo]

Being the Sachs Dolmar freak that I am,

There seems to be a little more to the relationship between Beaird Poulan and Sachs Dolmar than just some re-labled saws between the two.

I see the influence on both saws, whether it came from Beaird Poulan or Sachs Dolmar I dunno.


So next time Mark grips about the "over engineered German saws", me thinks he needs to take a closer look at his green babies.

 

[3000 FPS]

Being the Sachs Dolmar freak that I am,

There seems to be a little more to the relationship between Beaird Poulan and Sachs Dolmar than just some re-labled saws between the two.

I see the influence on both saws, whether it came from Beaird Poulan or Sachs Dolmar I dunno.


So next time Mark grips about the "over engineered German saws", me thinks he needs to take a closer look at his green babies.

I did not know that Dolmar made a reed valve engine that competed with Poulans.

 

[sachsmo]

I did not know that Dolmar made a reed valve engine that competed with Poulans.

3400 is piston ported is it not?