What do you all check on a saw you’re flipping as a runner? I have a few that I’ve acquired that all I know about them is they run. Do y’all do compression tests or vacuum tests or make test cuts before you sell one as a runner or is it more of screw it it runs and that’s as far as you go kind of thing?
What to check before selling?
- Thread starter rw05
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I'd give it a good look over after making sure it runs and idles. Most important is tell the prospective buyer that the saw is mostly unknown to you. I also let the guy make some test cuts. I had one guy say a test cut wasn't necessary, but I insisted anyways. That was with my ms290. The saw started on one pull for the demo. It had never cold started like that in the 10 years I had owned it.
Picture of piston with muffler removed should suffice.
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Maybe it knew it was its best chance at escape?
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Personally, I like to make sure-
A: The saw is clean.
B: It runs.
C: Nothing is obviously broken that may cause problems sooner rather than later.
D: The saw is tuned for the fuel mix in it- and the prospective new owner is made aware of that mix ratio.
E: If sold with bar and chain, bar is dressed and chain is sharp.
A: The saw is clean.
B: It runs.
C: Nothing is obviously broken that may cause problems sooner rather than later.
D: The saw is tuned for the fuel mix in it- and the prospective new owner is made aware of that mix ratio.
E: If sold with bar and chain, bar is dressed and chain is sharp.
I find it lucky if I even get a model #. Usually just a blurry picture, description "chainsaw for sale", and an inflated price.Saw a 136 last week, well used, for 220.00 on Marketplace.
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Always take off the muffler and look at the piston condition. I have had some saws with real knarly pistons still give a good compression reading, and you have to figure the guy that buys it will look at it as well.
I test drive running saws aiming to run it at higher operating temperatures around 15 minutes or longer then shut it off long enough to fuel it, then run it at least another 5 minutes or longer. It typically takes that long for some problems like bad electronics to show up often times. If i am going to depend on a chainsaw i want to know what i am getting and if selling i expect buying off me you want the same. Otherwise it's like buying Chinese, pretty good chance you will waste way more of the buyers time and money then you will make.
I aim to take care of the problems or let them be known. I see it most often a seller can get their price just as easy revealing problems verses not and not dissappoint the buyers. I have been plenty on both sides of the stick.
I aim to take care of the problems or let them be known. I see it most often a seller can get their price just as easy revealing problems verses not and not dissappoint the buyers. I have been plenty on both sides of the stick.
Saws I buy rarely run, LOL.
D is a big one, especially if you fix/tune other people’s stuff. If it doesn’t have mix in it I always ask how they make their mix to make sure that when I tune it, it’ll be at least close to their specs. As for @MontanaResident , Bob has a decent J-red collection as I recall.
For the OP, when it comes to selling saws I’ll either sell them as a project and list everything I know is wrong with them, or they are sold as good runners that I feel confident I could fuel up and run all day without any issues. I’m not big on “prettying up” my saws for pics, I’ll typically just hit them with some compressed air before taking the pics. I‘ve only sold a couple of saws with b/c’s included, but I typically try to make sure the chain is sharp and the bar is in good functioning shape (tip spins freely, etc)
I like when the flywheel doesn't smash up against the coil when testing free play.One doesn't need to test this aspect first if the piston is stuck, I mean why worry about it.lol.
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Nice check list.
By the way, the number of Jonsreds is at least equal to the number of Stihls and the same in Husqvarnas in my own personal stable of saws that both run and I own. Those on the bitter pills can believe what they want- I do not have to prove anything to anyone, kinda wish I had a couple of new Stihls to polish though.
nckcalifornia
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I would think that if you list a saw with a description like “it runs. That’s all I know.” Ppl will be scared to buy. Probably worth you doing as much testing/inspection as you’re comfortable doing just to be able to put a buyer at ease and make your sale.
I’ll go over everything and sell it with a clear
conscience. Start and run it a few times, make sure there are no hiccups and advertise it as such. My experience is that a well written advert showing that you have done all the tests / serviced it will sell quicker and easier.
I have started doing exactly this with OPE equipment and it’s now officially under my business name.
conscience. Start and run it a few times, make sure there are no hiccups and advertise it as such. My experience is that a well written advert showing that you have done all the tests / serviced it will sell quicker and easier.
I have started doing exactly this with OPE equipment and it’s now officially under my business name.
I do the best I can to make sure when a saw leaves my shop it is in great working order but another thing that was not mentioned after the fact is who buys the saw and what they do with it after it is out of your hands, I once sold a saw, 372xp total rebuid and specified exactly how to break in a fresh saw and after the second fried cylinder ..... well I found out later down the line, even though he said he did what I asked that he was using it to mill logs with a fresh saw
sandman2234
ArboristSite Lurker
Does "runs when gas is sprayed into carb" help or hinder a sale?
I would think that statement would tell a prospective buyer that the electrics work and that they just fried the piston and rings!
David from jax
I would think that statement would tell a prospective buyer that the electrics work and that they just fried the piston and rings!
David from jax
nckcalifornia
ArboristSite Lurker
Lol I think you made your point.
Do you know if the operator richened the high jet accordingly? Or even had the carb tuned properly from where you set it?
I chanced a new 372xt with 24" full comp semi-chisel milling out the gate this past year. I ran one tank bucking up some rounds and idling, second tank on the mill. Has at least 15-20 tanks through it with no issue so far. I also wasn't bogging/loading it up, just letting her pur and glide.
This was an XP and the carb was set up by me before it left here and both times the vac-pressure tests were 100% and I do log test them before they leave and specify 40-1 mix - I wasn't there to watch what he was doing or what he was milling but clearly overheated. Had one of my 372xp's come into the shop last week with some minor issue that went out of here as a total rebuild in 2019.
