Poulan problem

[DanMan1]

My little 42cc crapsman/poulan has a problem.
It should have died long ago but it keeps running.
Some reports say it should provide me at least 20-25 pulls of exercise to start, but the darn thing keeps starting after only 3 or 4 pulls. It should have siezed, jammed, fallen apart, or at least cought on fire after cutting a tree or two but it has kept runnning good for 5 years now.

Should I return this defective saw to the manufacturer so they may dissasemble it and see what they screwed up on this particular one?

 

[GASoline71]

point taken!

actually kinda funny though.......

Gary

 

[TonyM]

Yes, return it immediately. Hopefully Poulan can learn something from such a mistake, like how to screw all their saws up so they last so long.

 

[asb151]

Thanks for the laugh! Reminds me of my friend who traded in his new MS390 for small cc Poulan. He loves it.

 

[pbtree]

Some Poulans are not bad saws at that... but I tend to like the older ones best.

 

[TrogL]

OK, now I'm totally confused.

I've just spent the better part of a week being taken to task for buying a Poulan in the first place, following its instructions to the letter and having it die on me.

NOW, having taken it back, all the Poulan-lovers come out of the woodwork.

IDGI.

 

[Vman]

i have a Snapper 1838-38CC/18" which i believe is a really a Poulan that has mega miles on it and has outlived it's time, and still runs pretty dam good. it has been given some good TLC, but no $$ except spark plugs, chains and bars.

 

[medcave]

A few months ago I found a Craftsman 2.0/Poulan 2000 in the scrap metal pile at work (insert snide comments here). Replaced the fuel line and it started on the 3rd pull! $35 for a new 12" bar, chain, and sprocket and it's like new. Nothing like the feeling of breathing life back into an old pos saw.

 

[2Coilinveins]

I've got the same thing, DanMan1. My Poulan's seem to be good for 8-10 cords of wood, then they loose compression and refuse to start due to cylinder wear. Rest of the saw in beautiful shape. Not worth putting a new piston and jug on it for $70 when a reconditioned saw is $50 at the Sears service center or $5 at a garage sale. What would it take to Nikasil one of these things?

 

[NWCS]

it takes about $130 to have a saw cyl plated with a nikasil type plating. price applies to about any saw cyl.. got that quote from when i wanted to have a Mcculloch SP125 block replated about 2 months ago.. that plan was pushed to the bottom of the list.

 

[1Alpha1]

I have a little POULAN 2150. I've had it about 3 yrs. now and it just runs great. Starts easy, idles effortlessly, and cuts what you put in front of it....within reason of course.

Best part is.....I bought it brand-new in the box at a Target Store on close-out, for like $45.00 or so. Liked it so much, I went back about a week later and bought the last one they had for my step-son.

Then....about 3 months later, Wal-Mart was closing out some POULAN bars and chains for pennies on the dollar. Bought some bars / chains ranging from 12"-18" for almost nothing.

Bottom line......I have a great little saw and plenty of bars / chains for it.....all for under $75.00

 

[2Coilinveins]

Thanks Dedcow, that's less than I was expecting.

 

[Chris J.]

2Coil, is it the P&C, or just the rings? Seems to me since so many of those Poulans are sold getting new rings should be easy, & or finding a P&C for less than $70.00 also shouldn't be too difficult. Of course maybe doing the P&C on a dirt cheap saw wouldn't make much $$ sense, but everyone's $$ situation is different.

Aw ra best, Chris J.

 

[CNYCountry]

OK, now I'm totally confused.

I've just spent the better part of a week being taken to task for buying a Poulan in the first place, following its instructions to the letter and having it die on me.

NOW, having taken it back, all the Poulan-lovers come out of the woodwork.

IDGI.

I don't think it was so much for buying a Poulan but instead your initial resistance to taking a brand new malfunctioning saw back and asking for another, a repair or a refund, regardless of brand.

 

[semi]

I have a poulan wild thing that has been going strong for over 3 years. WE cleared and entire lot with it and cut up countless cords of wood. It was a good little saw for $125 new. but that's just it, it's a little saw. If i would have had a bigger more powerful saw, i am sure i could have saved some time over the past 3 years. But that's not the fault of the saw.

 

[GASoline71]

Ibut that's just it, it's a little saw. If i would have had a bigger more powerful saw, i am sure i could have saved some time over the past 3 years. But that's not the fault of the saw.

Good point. No matter what brand you have it's gonna cut wood. As long as you realize the limits of each brand or size of the saw, you'll do just fine.

Gary

 

[2Coilinveins]

2Coil, is it the P&C, or just the rings? Seems to me since so many of those Poulans are sold getting new rings should be easy, & or finding a P&C for less than $70.00 also shouldn't be too difficult. Of course maybe doing the P&C on a dirt cheap saw wouldn't make much $$ sense, but everyone's $$ situation is different.

Aw ra best, Chris J.

There are score marks in the cylinder big enough to park an Escalade in. :blob5:

I'm reasoning this matter out like this:

$50 for saw originally + $130 for Nikasil plating + $70 for parts = $250 Poulan Wild Thing, excluding time to work on the saw and PITA factor

$280 DCS540 delivered to my door = Proven saw with no extra work and no PITA factor involved

Not a priority at the moment, but when it gets to the top of the list, I know what I'll be doing.

 

[TrogL]

I have a poulan wild thing that has been going strong for over 3 years. WE cleared and entire lot with it and cut up countless cords of wood. It was a good little saw for $125 new. but that's just it, it's a little saw. If i would have had a bigger more powerful saw, i am sure i could have saved some time over the past 3 years. But that's not the fault of the saw.

On another thread, they're saying You may only have accumulated 10 or 20 hours total time when the saw fails from cylinder seizure due to faulty plating. This happened to thousands of their saws in 2004... and a "wild thing" left your hands buzzing from the vibe, carb always vibrating out of adjustment making it hard to start and it wouldn't idle.

 

[2Coilinveins]

Where's it say that, TrogL? I didn't know the Wild Thing cylinders were plated at all!

Edit: Nevermind, I found it.

 

[TrogL]

Where's it say that, TrogL? I didn't know the Wild Thing cylinders were plated at all!

That was a combination of two entries - one complaining about cheap Poulans, the other talking about wild things.

Both are in this thread .