The lil saw that could

[Howsitgoineh]

I have two Craftsman S185 42cc saws with 18" bars, purchased new for about $31 each on clearance (the store was dropping the entire brand of saw, they were normally $185 each). The oilers are adjustable and I set them "reasonably," 40:1 mix per the manual.

On a few 24" cuts I stayed in the cut wayyyyy too long and should have pulled out for a few seconds several times, one saw might have lost some compression due to that (or it was crap fuel on the refuel, not sure).

They've been great "beater" saws for jobs you really don't want to use a good saw for. They were made by MTD who seem to have "borrowed" the best Jonsered ideas when they folded.

Keep 'em cool and try to not run them out of gas, 40:1 works great (32:1 does not in these), and keep the chain sharp.

I climb with my old 40cc craftsman. 16" bar
Runs 40:1 ratio. It doesn't quite compete with the newer huskies we run at work, but it holds up really well. Starts first pull, and runs all day reliably. Cuts reasonably fast. My buddies at work joke about the saw sometimes, but it cuts just fine for me, and I paid 40 bucks for it

 

[lowbudget]

reviving an OLD thread - I have a Craftsman 42cc/18" that I believe is Husky? It's dark gray, came with a black Craftsman case and doesn't have the chain-brake in the handguard.

all the spare parts I've bought for it (air filter oil pump, clutch) are Husky parts but I need a new carb. anyone know of a good/cheap source?..

thanks in advance

 

[scottr]

reviving an OLD thread - I have a Craftsman 42cc/18" that I believe is Husky? It's dark gray, came with a black Craftsman case and doesn't have the chain-brake in the handguard.

all the spare parts I've bought for it (air filter oil pump, clutch) are Husky parts but I need a new carb. anyone know of a good/cheap source?..

thanks in advance

Your craftsman chainsaw has a model number .
Probably 358.??????

 

[lowbudget]

Your craftsman chainsaw has a model number .
Probably 358.??????

it probably does but it's at the farm and I won't be there for a few days. can I come back at ya when I get that?..

 

[scottr]

it probably does but it's at the farm and I won't be there for a few days. can I come back at ya when I get that?..

Yes .

 

[lowbudget]

thanks Scott. I finally got down there - my model number is 358. 350180. all the parts I have gotten already are Husqvanrna parts. I'd really just like to swap out the carb and I think that will solve all my problems...

 

[scottr]

thanks Scott. I finally got down there - my model number is 358. 350180. all the parts I have gotten already are Husqvanrna parts. I'd really just like to swap out the carb and I think that will solve all my problems...

Your saw looks like my PP220 or PP260 that use a walbro WT-391 carb but your saw has a hand guard not a chain brake.
Easy carb to clean and rebuild.

 

[Exophysical]

Main point of this post is does anyone have a saw that was cheap and was pushed to its max and survived hell?

I've got a crappy 33cc Poulan witha 14" bar, not even sure the exact model offhand. I got it for less than $50 Cad at a midnight madness sale 15 years ago, and simply because no tears would be shed in the event of it being stollen, its been my camping/ trail maintenence/ trapline saw.

While it is an utterly terrible saw, because it tends to always be on hand when I need it, that saw has handled jobs way bigger than anything it was designed to do. One of the years I was trapping we had a super wet summer coupled with high winds, it wasnt even trail clearing that winter... it was tunneling, sometimes a hundred yards in a stretch of big poplars. Tangled, stress loaded, and pinchy as hell. On a couple ocasions I brought a better saw, but the Poulan handled the lions share of the work.

At one point I had my ski-doo unhooked from the sled and was carrying the saw on the foot-runner, it must have hooked a tree or something cause the bar got bent into a horse shoe. I got home, stuck it in a vice and got it fairly straight-ish, dang thing is still working to this day. Through the hunting season I keep that saw and a jack-all in my truck, lifting the truck and shoving bucked rounds under the tires has gotten me home on more than one occasion.

 

[lowbudget]

Your saw looks like my PP220 or PP260 that use a walbro WT-391 carb but your saw has a hand guard not a chain brake.
Easy carb to clean and rebuild.

Ok thank you. Seems simple enough but is there a reason to rebuild the original carb when a new one (with hoses, filters, gaskets and spark plug) can be had for $20 shipped?

 

[scottr]

Ok thank you. Seems simple enough but is there a reason to rebuild the original carb when a new one (with hoses, filters, gaskets and spark plug) can be had for $20 shipped?

I would prefer to rebuilt a known good WT-391 to an unknown carb .
I have not bought any aftermarket kits with carb , fuel Ines , filters , gaskets , spark plug but have read about quality issues with aftermarket kits .

 

[maowwg]

I would prefer to rebuilt a known good WT-391 to an unknown carb .
I have not bought any aftermarket kits with carb , fuel Ines , filters , gaskets , spark plug but have read about quality issues with aftermarket kits .

Agree! I've done maybe 30 or 40 Poulan rebuilds and they always need fuel lines, and a metering diaphragm. "Rebuilding" the carb is almost always just cleaning out the screen, flushing any gunk out with carb cleaner and replacing the metering diaphragm. They almost never need a carb replacement. I have occasionally (like twice) ordered a new carb online and both doesn't fit quite right. For the cost of a carb on line with shipping, you can often find another non running saw as a parts saw on Marketplace. Just "rebuild" that carb and get yourself back up and running leaving you with a pile of replacement parts.

 

[stihltech]

Most of the "cheap" saws I see have the same issue. Too lean from the factory. Richen them up and they run decent.
Am I against someone using them. No. My only issue is when they bring them to the shop. Most of the time the cost of repairs are equal or close to the cost of the unit. Then they leave it and it ends up in the dead pile.
I gladly tell customers what they need to do to repair the saw.