Poulan (PL3816) 16" gas powered 2-stroke chainsaw

[gdrew888]

Hi, just wondering if anybody knows anything about these little department store homeowner chainsaws?

My neighbour bought one of these a couple of months ago and it won't idle, stalls all the time.

He's run about 1 tank of gas through it and is now frustrated and looking at going to a battery/electric model.

I see a L & H adjustment screw on the carb, but it's not a standard screwdriver. Are these carbs adjustable?

Thanks!

 

[ammoaddict]

The ones I've had were splined screws. They are available on Amazon and eBay. I've had a couple over the years and they all ran good for what they were.

 

[gdrew888]

Yes, they look like splined screws, guess I need to go find a splined screwdriver in whatever size it is for a one time use...lol.

 

[Bubster]

Yes, they look like splined screws, guess I need to go find a splined screwdriver in whatever size it is for a one time use...lol.

amazon has a kit with 9 screwdrivers. They are splined, double d, pac-man and so forth. $10 and they work as should.As for the saw, not the most desirable, but keep it sharp with fresh gas in it and it will cut fine for its intended purpose.

 

[Bubster]

And by the way, once you adjust the carb on those saws , they have a tendency to not stay adjusted. So your screwdriver set will get used more than you think.

 

[gdrew888]

I wonder why the saw doesn't come with the "specialized" screwdriver if it's meant to be adjusted. Perhaps the owner didn't notice it when opened the box.

 

[ammoaddict]

They don't come with them. The EPA doesn't want homeowners adjusting their saws. It is completely adjustable.

 

[ammoaddict]

It's the 21 tooth splined driver and they work well.

 

[scottr]

gdrew888 , if you go to page 15 of the owners manual and read how to adjust the idle speed T adjustment it might solve the stalling problem .
It probably is a phillips screw .

 

[TLG]

You can use a non insulated butt splice connector for adjusting. Scribe a line on it with a sharpie for reference. If you want you can crimp the terminal on a straight pick to use like a driver. Cheap and works.

 

[gdrew888]

Excellent guys!!! This is what I came here for...thank you!

 

[Old2stroke]

These can be good homeowner saws for light duty use but you MUST learn how to tune the carb because the factory setting is never right and too many of them have an early death just because the high speed screw is set too lean.

 

[ammoaddict]

You can use a non insulated butt splice connector for adjusting. Scribe a line on it with a sharpie for reference. If you want you can crimp the terminal on a straight pick to use like a driver. Cheap and works.

I did that with the first wild thing I had. It does work. The splined driver just works so much better and easier.

 

[ammoaddict]

Hi, just wondering if anybody knows anything about these little department store homeowner chainsaws?

My neighbour bought one of these a couple of months ago and it won't idle, stalls all the time.

He's run about 1 tank of gas through it and is now frustrated and looking at going to a battery/electric model.

I see a L & H adjustment screw on the carb, but it's not a standard screwdriver. Are these carbs adjustable?

Thanks!

If he doesn't want it, send it to me. I'll pay for shipping.

 

[ammoaddict]

Excellent guys!!! This is what I came here for...thank you!

If you keep hanging out here and tinkering with saws, you're gonna end up like us. A bunch of saw nerds. Good luck.

 

[gdrew888]

If he doesn't want it, send it to me. I'll pay for shipping.

Oh he doesn't want it, he already purchased a battery powered Milwaukee chainsaw. I adjusted the "T" screw as suggested above by scottr and now it idles just fine. I put it up for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

 

[TLG]

I did that with the first wild thing I had. It does work. The splined driver just works so much better and easier.

Totally agree with you. Deciding factors are money for the tool kit and if you are even going to keep the saw. I try to be thrifty at first approach. LOL!

 

[ammoaddict]

Totally agree with you. Deciding factors are money for the tool kit and if you are even going to keep the saw. I try to be thrifty at first approach. LOL!
[/QUOTE


Same here. I bought that wild thing at a fundraiser auction. It didn't run right out of the box. I did the butt splice trick to get it running and sold it. Then I got a Husqvarna blower with the same screws, then an old 141, so I decided to buy the tool.

 

[k7iou1]

Hi, just wondering if anybody knows anything about these little department store homeowner chainsaws?

My neighbour bought one of these a couple of months ago and it won't idle, stalls all the time.

He's run about 1 tank of gas through it and is now frustrated and looking at going to a battery/electric model.

I see a L & H adjustment screw on the carb, but it's not a standard screwdriver. Are these carbs adjustable?

Thanks!

Before you mess around with any adjustments I’m going to make a guess the guy put auto fuel in it. I can tell you from experience repairing engines for a living that recreational fuel makes a difference. I would dump the fuel, get recreational fuel and add your oil mix for 50/1. Add 1 ounce of Seafoam to the gallon of gas and fill the saw and use it. I’d be willing to bet a soda pop it fixes the idle problem.

 

[Old2stroke]

Before you mess around with any adjustments I’m going to make a guess the guy put auto fuel in it. I can tell you from experience repairing engines for a living that recreational fuel makes a difference. I would dump the fuel, get recreational fuel and add your oil mix for 50/1. Add 1 ounce of Seafoam to the gallon of gas and fill the saw and use it. I’d be willing to bet a soda pop it fixes the idle problem.

What is "recreational fuel"?