Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Ryan Groat]

The last night after work and supper scrounge .

What does that hold, half a van worths?

 

[DFK]

I dont think the bumper is anywhere near dragging....
David

 

[mainewoods]

Thanks Steve, I haven't seen cousin Wilbur since the day I shot that video. He used to talk kinda funny, sure was nice to hear him talk normal for the "shoot"!!

 

[zogger]

Well much less excitement here today. Since I never pulled the muffler on the ms271 to look at the piston. It still has the machine marks which is a good sign.

Put a new spark plug/air filter/fuel filter in the cs400. Probably didn't need it but I figured it couldn't hurt since I have no history with the saw. I would like to clean up the exhaust port but I'm not sure about how to break the carbon loose. I tried a dowel rod but that didn't do much. I had the piston to dead center and blew the port out before reassembly. Any advice would be appreciated.

Old plug.

Take the muffler back off. Bring the piston back up again. Spray it some with like carb cleaner, angle it so it runs out, like tip the saw over to the front. Wipe out with rag and Q tips. Do it again. Soak and clean the muffler in some strong soapy water as well, bet that is plugged up. rinse and air blast dry. Burn the screen clean with a propane torch. then maybe either change mix oil to full synthetic, and/or re adjust the carb screws. Also, running rich is a symptom of plugged up dirty air filter, just for reference. Sometimes that is all it takes to get a small engine running great again.

I have to try and keep the small engines running on the farm here, the ones he provides to his other goofball workers, man, every single time I get given a two smoke to look at, air filter dirty, fuel filter and tank dirty. then they yankyankyankyankyank a hunnert times and bust the starter, or try to make it worse by richening up the H screw! One I looked at the other day had obvious signs of slammed to the ground abuse, a trimmer. Also looked like they were trimming pure mud, had to take a hose to it at first just to see anything, then the air blaster, then I could start on it.

 

[nomad_archer]

Thanks zogger. I wouldnt say that the saw is running bad. I just want to learn on it because it was inexpensive. I will clean out the exhaust and muffler. I would bet the saw is still running the factory tune so probably not running rich at all. I use a sthil synthetic so I should be good in the regard.

I am thinking about doing a mm because the cat in the muffler is loose and rattles around like a rock in a tin can which drives me nuts. It would be my first mm and tune job but a little common sense a video or two and help from the chainsaw forum and I should be able to get the saw tuned without an issue. I have watched the videos but I wont have much confidence in my work until I try to do it myself.

 

[JustJeff]

Thanks zogger. I wouldnt say that the saw is running bad. I just want to learn on it because it was inexpensive. I will clean out the exhaust and muffler. I would bet the saw is still running the factory tune so probably not running rich at all. I use a sthil synthetic so I should be good in the regard.

I am thinking about doing a mm because the cat in the muffler is loose and rattles around like a rock in a tin can which drives me nuts. It would be my first mm and tune job but a little common sense a video or two and help from the chainsaw forum and I should be able to get the saw tuned without an issue. I have watched the videos but I wont have much confidence in my work until I try to do it myself.

I muffler modded my little 33cc craftspoulman and tuned using tips from here and youtube. It cuts way better than a $35 saw should! I'm still afraid to mess with anything I can't afford to lose......the 5020av may be next.

 

[MustangMike]

Just make the H screw a little too rich after you mod, then slowly lean it till it clears up when in the cut, but make sure it always breaks up when not in the cut.

 

[dancan]

Please join me in welcoming the new guy to the forum. I think there is another member up in your area that scrounges using a minivan.

Is that the new scrounging ride dancan?

What does that hold, half a van worths?

I dont think the bumper is anywhere near dragging....
David

Pfffft , Comedians ....... That's Jerry's ride LOL

See , old faithful in the background

 

[farmer steve]

Pfffft , Comedians ....... That's Jerry's ride LOL

See , old faithful in the background

looks like it was raining. your shirt's all wet.

 

[nomad_archer]

Just make the H screw a little too rich after you mod, then slowly lean it till it clears up when in the cut, but make sure it always breaks up when not in the cut.

Any rule of thumb as to which way to turn the H and L screws to make it rich? Like counter clockwise to richen it up. Just want to make sure I am turning the screws the right way.

 

[JustJeff]

Any rule of thumb as to which way to turn the H and L screws to make it rich? Like counter clockwise to richen it up. Just want to make sure I am turning the screws the right way.

Yes. Left is rich. You can usually find the stock specs online. For example on one of my saws, the stock setting is 1 1/2 turns out from gently closed. This is a good starting point and if plug is good, fuel is good and air filter is good, then a little turn of the screw makes a noticeable difference.
If there are limiter caps on the screws, they may have to be either removed or modified to get it rich enough with a muffler mod.

 

[JustJeff]

If it idles good and doesn't bog or hesitate when you suddenly mash the trigger, then leave the low jet alone. And the high, just do it like mustang mike said.

 

[nomad_archer]

Limiter caps are now off. The drywall screw trick worked great. I couldn't adjust the carb with the caps on.

Looks like the mm is a tomorrow project. I took the muffler off to soak it like zogger suggested and when I took the deflector and screen off there were loose metal pieces that must have came off the cat. Thankfully I don't think any got sucked into the cylinder. Dodged a bullet there.

Muffler is currently soaking in some krud cutter over night just because it cant hurt anything.

 

[svk]

Back online after 5 days of canoeing.

Here's the canoe country edition of scrounging firewood.

I have found it fruitful to search eastern shorelines as prevailing westerly winds push driftwood to the east shore and spring high water puts it up high. Lots to chose from and it's very dry. (Notice the high iron content in that rock.) That larger diameter piece in the middle actually had some grey paint on it, probably from one of the resorts that used to be on the lake but were closed down by the USFS years ago.


Split a bunch up, hid from the rain, then finished the stack. The cedar up there is almost impervious to rot. It grows extremely slow though. Average about 15 years per inch of diameter. Even the balsam grows slow up there. I counted 47 rings on a 5" chunk of balsam. Around my house it would be that big in less than 10.



Then I broke the axe. But I still left about 1/3 of the pile for the next group to use after burning as many fires as I wanted.




Here's one batch ready for shore lunch.

 

[nomad_archer]

svk you know a fiskars wouldn't have broken on you. Just sayin .

Looks like you daughter is having a great time as well. Glad you got her out. What kind of fish were for shore lunch. My fish identification is a little fuzzy today but the picture looks like walleye.

 

[Marshy]

Very nice, can't wait to take my little ones camping. My youngest turns two in September and my oldest turned 3 in May. I think my wife would be the least prepared for camping (mentally). I would have to bring a lot of vodka for the camp fire at the end of the day.

 

[svk]

svk you know a fiskars wouldn't have broken on you. Just sayin .

Looks like you daughter is having a great time as well. Glad you got her out. What kind of fish were for shore lunch. My fish identification is a little fuzzy today but the picture looks like walleye.

Yup they are walleye. And I just about purchased a Fiskars but I have so many standard axes that I figured I'd take one along.

 

[USMC615]

Yup they are walleye. And I just about purchased a Fiskars but I have so many standard axes that I figured I'd take one along.

Good deal on the canoeing/camping...walleye are some good eatin.

 

[svk]

Good deal on the canoeing/camping...walleye are some good eatin.

Especially when cooked in my secret poaching solution then dipped in garlic butter!

 

[USMC615]

Especially when cooked in my secret poaching solution then dipped in garlic butter!

...and when can I expect the 'secret solution' to be PM'd? Lol. I can handle the garlic butter part.