Poulan 3400 CV

[Drive_1305]

My uncle gave me a Poulan 3400 Countervibe and Im trying to decide if its worth fixing. It has spark but it seems to have low compression. It will crank if I pour a little gas in the spark plug hole but it won't stay running. I assume thats due to dried out carb parts. I looked at the piston and cylnder and they look pretty good and clean to me. When I rotate the flywheel back and forth I can hear a noise, its play between the rings and ring grooves. Also when I take hold of the flywheel and clutch nut I can feel a little up and down play and even more in and out play. Does that sound like a major problem with the bearings? I looked up some parts for a 3400 I supose its the CV. Rings and gasket set were about $25.00 and bearings about $17.00I've been wanting to rebuild a saw but don't know if the rest of the engine is that great or not.

Thanks for any help.

 

[woodbutcher44]

soak the carb over night then try it again tha is all mine took to fix an old tiner said that the polanl are comon to this if they sit for a season or more . mine now purrrs smooth .

 

[Justsaws]

The 3400 is a nice saw and seems to have a following. They do not usually feel as though they have much compression when pulling on the starter. Does it make a muffled popping sound if so it might just need carb work and some gaskets. Check to see if the rings have become stuck or are really sloppy. These saws also tend to get chewed up on the intake side from running a crappy air filter. The piston is chromed so it should be very shinny, the cylinder is not so it will look dull. Make sure the cylinder bolts are tight. Soak the carb overnight in gas mix as suggested and try it again. Check the fuel lines for cracks and clogging. Replace the fuel filter.
Good luck

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Ive got one in Wizard colors. It might be a 3700...I dont know, same basic saw.

Im looking for a new carb for mine...The Low side needle is messed up and stays loose in the threads. It starts and runs though, good running saws! Manual oiler is pretty convienient, puts out alot of oil.

I dont know why...but mine pulls hard. Lots of compression.

 

[Justsaws]

Red, some of the saws seem to pull harder than others in that series. Some were thick ringed some were thin. On some models the piston was chromed on other models the cylinder. They were a popular saw series and seemed to hold up fairly well.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Red, some of the saws seem to pull harder than others in that series. Some were thick ringed some were thin. On some models the piston was chromed on other models the cylinder. They were a
popular saw series and seemed to hold up fairly well.

I might put the gauge on it one day and see what it is actually making for compression.

Its a shame about the Carb..it actually runs great, but Ithink the threads in the carb for the L needle are just wallered out..it wont hold the needle tight, no matter what I do.

 

[deercatcher]

3400 poulan

When these were new, they were a break through saw. The forestry industry liked them, but the rings wore out. I was told by the poulan dealer that changing rings was routine maintenence and easier that working on the carburetor.

 

[Justsaws]

When these were new, they were a break through saw. The forestry industry liked them, but the rings wore out. I was told by the poulan dealer that changing rings was routine maintenence and easier that working on the carburetor.

I would believe that. The carbs are a pain. They can be real touchy, not good for 2 cycle.

Red, see if you can find a dealer that used to handle Poulans as they might still have some old stock or at least a old parts machine. The screw in question still has an o-ring and spring. Have you tried a different o-ring and spring?

 

[retoocs555]

I have used carbs for that saw.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I would believe that. The carbs are a pain. They can be real touchy, not good for 2 cycle.

Red, see if you can find a dealer that used to handle Poulans as they might still have some old stock or at least a old parts machine. The screw in question still has an o-ring and spring. Have you tried a different o-ring and spring?

O-ring? I have the spring, but it isnt the right one. Way too short.

again...O-ring?

I dont know of any old dealers around here. This saw was a parts machine when Igot it. Weak spark, carb was dirty...But after alot of tinkering, It ran, and cut wood pretty good.

what makes it "counter Vibe" is it balanced better or what?

 

[Drive_1305]

I've been tinkering with the saw some more here's what I've found.
The crank bearings have a little play up&down and even more in&out of the case. Acres shows it has Caged needle roller bearings which I've read have a little more play than ball bearings. I blocked the piston from the plug hole and intake port and I felt a little play in the rod. The piston and cylinder looks good as far as I can tell. The intake side the piston looks a little shiny near the bottom-maybe thats glaze. You think its worth spending $50.00 for rings, gaskets, filters and carb kit or just sell it for parts?

Thanks!

 

[Justsaws]

Rings=$10.00
carb kits=$12.00
hand cut cylinder gasket=$2.00

Not worth doing bearings. Good project for learning. Hack away and see what you can do. As a non-running but complete(with bar and chain) parts saw, $40.00 tops. As a running tree chopper, up to $120.00 for some. I say rip into it and see how you like it. Leave the bearings alone and try to restore the carb and the compression. Worse thing that happens is it locks up. Good luck.

 

[Drive_1305]

I got the saw going and its running and Idleing pretty good. It does seem like it changes speeds when I move it around. I put a new carb kit in it but the old parts didn't look that bad. I think the poblem was the carb pump cover had a chip where someone pryed it apart. I fixed it with some bondo and gasket sealer - is holding for now. The manual oiler works but it doesn't seem like the auto one does. Did the early models have an auto oiler? I haven't had time to tear it apart for a look.

 

[Marvinlee]

A late reply,

but, yes, the early models (mine is early 1980) did have automatic oiling. My 3400 CounterVibe bar oiler has worked well for a quarter century with only one repair to fix a plastic tube. The "Countervibe" term is advertising language for rubber engine mounts at a time when they were absent on some saws. My 3400 vibrates a lot compared to the Dolmar 5100S.