Poulan 54 bow saw project Piston Size

[Pintony]

Hello Group,
I have a poulan 54 that I bought on ebay.
It is a bowsaw...COOL!!!
I want to restore this chainsaw I broke it down yesterday and I need first of all a Piston with rings. If you have information on where I can find parts or you have a running saw that needs a new home please post HERE......
I have restored the bar and chain already... + rebuilt the recoil unit on the starter.
Thank you in advance for any help...
Help take this chainsaw from the barn back to the field.

 

[Opihi59]

Looks like it is worth the effort. ebay may have parts, also post up in the Poulan thread in the stickies. Could try someplace like here Poulan Parts : eReplacementParts.com
or here Chainsawr Poulan

 

[Pintony]

Hello Group,
I thought I needed a piston??? The rings were frozen in the piston... so I put the Poulan 54 piston on my hot-plate Got it REAL HOTand the rings popped right off...
Lucky ME!!! Even lucky-er the ring land did not break off....Now I need to find rings...
Will any ring work? I do not have a 2-3 inch micrometer so measuring with a machinst rule the piston appears to be 2 1/16 inch. Which is about 52mm. Will any 52mm ring work?

 

[Pintony]

The cylinder looks OK...

 

[Pintony]

Hello Opihi59,
Thanks for the linkys I think that is a no no on this group???
I could be wrong????
Here is a shot of the saw now...

 

[67L36Driver]

I just went thru the same problem with a 2 1/16" bore Homelite XL-800. None of the metric rings were close enuff. Got a pair of NOS Homelite off evilbay for twice what 'The Greek' gets.

If they are 1/16" thick the Homelite rings will work.

Google Hastings.

B.T.W. A dial caliper for 25-35 bucks is a good investment.

 

[Teddy.Scout]

Your pretty much looking for rings that will fit the 51-68 models, excluding the SUPERS.
There Poulan made some weird changes and my list of parts numbers goes hay wire.

So in a nut shell you need a set of rings from a
"sand cast poulan" 45, 46, 51, 51A, 53, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68. will all work.
The 42, 43, 44 might work if you find a 68cc version with open transfer ports like you have.
The Early style Poulan sand casts were very minute in changes from model to model (upgrade to upgrade.)

The S or Super models went through a slew of changes that still has me thinking why, when and they are interchangeable to boot!

Part saws will be your best friend!!!!
I have cannibalized a wrongful amount of the direct drives to get the almighty gear drive versions going.

Parts have come up on eBay from time to time.
But they have always been listed by the part number only!
Luckily 90% are casted on the part!

53mm rings will work, with work!
I don't remember what I used? But a stock pile of odd rings helps.
As long as they are with in a mm I don't worry about it as long as I can shave them DOWN to size.
But have a 6 pack (or 12pack) to sand them down and end file them! (and at you own risk!!!)
Take your time and be patient!

 

[Pintony]

Hello Teddy.Scout,
So the poulan 54 is a 2 1/6 bore with 1/16 thickness?
If I have you correct then, the 53mm ring is too thick to fit in the piston ring grove?

 

[Teddy.Scout]

Correct!
Sand paper, BEER! and patience! Thickness solved
And gaps I have mostly used a file (small diamond file from Harbor Freight).

When getting into these OLD beast, specially the ones with NOS parts that are harder to find then hens teeth.
You need to make old school repairs for the old school saws.

Acres internet is a great info site for comparing piston-stroke and such of saws to locate parts that might work, or will work with modifications!

 

[turtle561]

hi pintony- nice saw, i have one also. i will measure the new piston and rings i have not installed yet. send me a pm.
the ring is .062" thick or 1/16. it is .096" deep, into the groove.
the piston is 2.060" at the top and 2.062" at the skirt.
the ring ends are cut square& pinned in the same spot. the pins are .062" dia. i think the part no. is 2548.

 

[turtle561]

in your post:
-that is #35 mower chain in the reduction drive if you need to replace it.
-the seal is handy behind the clutch on the bearing carrier.
-the left hand carb nut is under the small plate that holds the governor shaft, just aft of the flywheel.
a couple of pics of my 54-

1/2" chain

that's a .404" sprocket for it lying on the shelf.

on this piston, both rings pinned at the back of the piston, not the best situation compression wise. the rings are gapped likewise.
when you order rings make sure they are for an unpinned piston like yours. then you can spread the gaps across the intake side which doesn't have any ports. should help a bit.

 

[Pintony]

Hello turtle561,
WOW! Thanks for the photos!!!
This Site is GREAT!!!!
OK my piston "DID" have a pin. I thought that hole was just for the direction of the piston.
If you look closely at the photo above of my piston on the hot-plate you can see some damage to the top of the piston. Hmmm... I wonder what caused it?
Wow I would have never known..... With out your help....
Thanks again.
I guess I'm gonna need crank seals too.???

 

[turtle561]

i note the 'DID'rather than DOES have a pin... is it still in there ? maybe it came out and made that mark before it went out the exhaust. lucky boy if thats all that happened.

 

[nmurph]

I have a couple of 66's. One is the first saw I ever ran at about 12YOA.

Yes, the carb is fun to remove the first time. It will have you scratching your head for a while wondering why that carb won't come off with three nuts removed!!

 

[Modifiedmark]

i note the 'DID'rather than DOES have a pin... is it still in there ? maybe it came out and made that mark before it went out the exhaust. lucky boy if thats all that happened.

You aint lying there on the lucky part. I would make sure and peen the hole over on the top of the piston when a new pin is installed.

I seen that saw and wanted it but was afraid of it being siezed for that opening bid but it looks like it will work out ok.

Win some loose some.

 

[67L36Driver]

i note the 'DID'rather than DOES have a pin... is it still in there ? maybe it came out and made that mark before it went out the exhaust. lucky boy if thats all that happened.

Use a short length of 1/16" drill rod for the new pin. A Dremmel cut off wheel should work.

If you get butt gap rings, you can notch the ends with a 1/16" dia. swiss pattern file. End up with .005-.008 gap instead of .070-.080. Be carefull fileing.

 

[Pintony]

Hey Mark,
First of all... "Thanks for not bidding on my saw.
YUP! the cylinder was pretty stuck but not rusty
I do not see any dammage from the pin in the cylinder. There is a small scratch in the piston but it is not vertical it is lower on the skirt near the gundgeon pin.
I got a call tonight from a guy here in the same town where I live that has TONS of rings and says he knows he has the rings I need.
I was there one time and saw cabinets full of rings... Like 10, 6 foot tall cabinets....
Best part they are FREE!
I have an apointment to go there at 9:30 Saturday am.
The guy even says he has some old poulan saws he wants to get rid of.....

 

[Pintony]

I found the carb kit today on fee-bay..
Thanks to turtle561 for some GREAT PM's
Thanks for the peening advise and using a drill bit shank 67L36Driver

 

[Modifiedmark]

No problem, and I'm glad it looks like its going to work out for you.

The only sandcast saw that I have is my 71-A and I love that thing but I dont crave most saws as old as most of the other sandcast but wouldnt mind a couple more. Cbfarmall has a good 54 bowsaw and its a good runner. Pulls that 1/2" chain on the bow with some gusto.

 

[Pintony]

You guys have any hints as to part #s for the crank seals I need?