Setting idle mixture on a Mac 3200

[gypsydavey]

As many of you who own newer Mac saws know, there are three carburetor adjustment screws on the left side of the case. These are marked "t", "l" and "h". I have a 3200 with about 10 hours on it and recently it has been showing signs of a too rich idle mixture, i.e. - if I set the running saw down for more than a minute it will load-up and die. The only way to get a restart is to pull the fouled plug and spray it with brake cleaner, reinstall and go through the hot start drill.

The question is - which of the three adjustment screws regulates idle mixture and which way do I turn it to lean out the idle? If someone has the definitive answer, plus any other relevant input, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[tomdcoker]

The (L) needle is for the idle setting. Turn it to the right for lean. Tom

 

[Paintman]

I just got ahold of a Mac 3200 off of a guy that had given up on it. He told me it ran good if you kept a screwdriver in your pocket. Soon as I paid him for it, I tore it apart and found the problem. The fuel line coming from the tank was too long and had a kink in it just in front of the carburetor (Zama). Looks to have been there since new cuz even when I removed the line, the kink stayed. When I put in a new line, I actually put in a longer line than was in it originally. Reason being, the original line was not stuffed into the tank far enough and the filter wasn't even close to the bottom, Hince too much line outside the tank. She seems to hum just fine now. Even fires on the first pull ice cold and runs on the second pull.

Seems evident that the quality contol is (was) very lacking in these models. Just something to check out. Good luck tearing that 3200 apart. It is simple built, but has screws everywhere holding it together.

 

[gypsydavey]

Mac 3200 idle mixture, cont.

The (L) needle is for the idle setting. Turn it to the right for lean. Tom

Thanks for your reply Tom. After posting my inquiry here I called the 1-800 help number for Mac and they gave me the phone number of the nearest authorized service center (30 miles away). The fellow who answered told me exactly the opposite of your advice - "turn the L needle counter clockwise (left) to lean the idle mixture"!

I figure I might as well count the turns to full stop to the right, back the needle out to where it was and start fishing, eh? Do you know the function of the "H" and "T" needles by the way - H for full throttle mixture and T for throttle stop perhaps?
Dave

 

[ozflea]

H = High speed mixture,
L = Low sreed mixture,
T would be the idle speed adjustment.

Screw both the L and H in till they bottom out lightly them turn them open 1 turn and adjust from there, set the low speed out till the saw accerates smoothly without hesitating and the high speed needle rich enough till it four strokes under load.

Mc Bob

 

[gypsydavey]

Thanks for your input Mc Bob. Wilco and see what happens. Loved the Oz saw website - some of those race tools are pretty scary looking. Keep 'em pointed downrange...