Poulan 3400 dies after 5 minutes

[ron in sc]

Had this problem last year and installed new rings and that cured it.

I've not used the saw much at all since I supposedly fixed it. But I did use it some after I fixed it and I didn't have the problem I'm having now.

Not sure what's going on. Used fresh gas and saw cranked right up. Ran and cut great for about five minutes and then it died. I could not start it again.

Any ideas? Maybe it's just worn out at 27 or so years old.

 

[SawTroll]

Does the idle rpms go up before it dies out?

 

[ron in sc]

Does the idle rpms go up before it dies out?

No it just stops.

 

[SawTroll]

Have you tried opening the gas cap, before attempting to start it again?

 

[dtnodya]

DID it die after 5 minutes or DOES it die after 5 minutes? Meaning, can you re-start it or not? If not, I'd say it's the seal(s) probably blew out. Or it could be a coil/switch issue ........

 

[DGG]

Are you sure the gas is really fresh and clean and that there isn't dirt in the gas can/tank (the gas may be sparkling but the inside of the gas-can looks like the Iraqi desert after they blew up the oil wells) .

I think a cheap fix try would be to replace the spark plug (correctly gapped), the gas filter (check the line and be sure there are no cracks but heck the gas line is so cheap I'd just replace it too), and the air filter.

If this doesn't improve the running then I would a install a carb kit, new float, needle valves, gaskets, etc. I would try this first before going nuts and starting a carb replacement or engine teardown.

I'm assuming that the bar/chain is sized properly and not binding. I'm also assuming that the chain/bar oiler is working okay.

I'll be curious to know what you had to do to get it running again.

 

[SawTroll]

DID it die after 5 minutes or DOES it die after 5 minutes? Meaning, can you re-start it or not? If not, I'd say it's the seal(s) probably blew out. Or it could be a coil/switch issue ........

He said he couldn't restart it.......

..first thing I would look at, is the gas tank vent - it could be that simple, but I don't really believe so.....

 

[Log Splitter]

My Poulan 3450 died the same way. The fix was a new ring.

Do you have a compression tester?

 

[ron in sc]

The fix was a new ring.

That's what I did last year when I fixed it.

Problem seem to be solved. I adjusted the high speed screw which raise the rpm and now it seems to work fine. I can restart it when hot and it doesn't die when cutting.

 

[ShoerFast]

Had this problem last year and installed new rings and that cured it.

I've not used the saw much at all since I supposedly fixed it. But I did use it some after I fixed it and I didn't have the problem I'm having now.

Not sure what's going on. Used fresh gas and saw cranked right up. Ran and cut great for about five minutes and then it died. I could not start it again.

Any ideas? Maybe it's just worn out at 27 or so years old.

Heat is the biggest enemy of electricity.

Are you getting spark when it quits, a fair tester is cut the gap back (wider) on a known good SP and testing for a good long blue spark?