why do poulans require SO MANY F#$@&NG pulls

[david newbie]

I just just picked up 2 low hour poulans. Wood Shark and a 2050 for a grand total of 25$. I know most of you think I paid way too much, but isn't it still Hanukkah? I rebuilt the carb on the wood shark ( Walbro) and got it to start, but it seems to take an awful lot of pulling and cursing. Why is that? any simple solutions for this ( other than a nice dumpster) ? I have not touched the 2050 yet, but I'm expecting the same. Thanks for any tips. Try not to be a chainsaw snob you guys.

 

[ZR440man]

You aren't threatening it properly. A few years ago I was out in the woods hanging up steel gongs to shoot at. Had a branch hanging across the trail, so off the 4-wheeler came the Woodshark. It was having a grumpy fit about starting like it does some days.. After about 10-15 pulls, I told it " one more pull and I'm hanging you on the tree, getting the M1 and pumping 8 rounds of M2 ball into you!" Started next pull and behaved all day!

 

[ZR440man]

Seriously however, after I pulled the limiter caps off and tuned the carb, it has been starting and running better. I do notice if it sits for awhile hot, or just sits in the sun, the fuel tank builds up pressure that can cause it to flood. Cracking the gas cap releases the pressure. My 2050 defies any tuning to make it run better. I use it as my "loaner" saw...

 

[cookies]

poulan likes to use under sized carbs that are barely able to fully fuel requiring 2+ turns out of the needles, I found setting the needle lever a hair high helped greatly for cold starts and required less turns out of the needles too. Chinese carbs actually make them easier to start.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

You can't say it didn't warn you. It's right in the name. Keep on Poulan and Poulan and Poulan!

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I laugh when the stihl guys bring saws in like that. I walk over and start some of my poulans in 1 pull or 2 sometimes and they look in shock.



IMO lot comes down to owners.

 

[Jasonrkba]

Tuned for Chinese climate.

 

[Old2stroke]

Often it's a problem with starting techniques. These saws all have "primer" bulbs and you have to squeeze it until you can feel fuel being squished through it, then you know that the carb is full of fuel. (you cannot flood the saw by squeezing too many times). Cold saws do not like to start with the throttle closed, so when you set the choke on, it open the throttle and latches it open until the trigger is blipped, now when you pull the cord and it coughs but doesn't start, DO NOT TOUCH THE TRIGGER or you will unlatch the throttle and will be trying to start with a closed throttle, just push the choke off and pull again and it should start after a couple of pulls and run at fast idle until you blip the trigger to unlatch the throttle and return to idle. Anytime you want to set the saw for fast idle to help with starting, you have to pull the choke all the way out and then push it all the way back in.

 

[david newbie]

Often it's a problem with starting techniques. These saws all have "primer" bulbs and you have to squeeze it until you can feel fuel being squished through it, then you know that the carb is full of fuel. (you cannot flood the saw by squeezing too many times). Cold saws do not like to start with the throttle closed, so when you set the choke on, it open the throttle and latches it open until the trigger is blipped, now when you pull the cord and it coughs but doesn't start, DO NOT TOUCH THE TRIGGER or you will unlatch the throttle and will be trying to start with a closed throttle, just push the choke off and pull again and it should start after a couple of pulls and run at fast idle until you blip the trigger to unlatch the throttle and return to idle. Anytime you want to set the saw for fast idle to help with starting, you have to pull the choke all the way out and then push it all the way back in.

Thanks for all that info. I already do those things. Today it starts just fine. I threatened it with a nuclear weapon and it got the message. Or possibly i flooded it yesterday

 

[Dennis Gauge]

This is going to be an unpopular suggestion, but my aging dad did it out of necessity. He could run a saw for about an hour a day, if he didn't wear himself out trying to start it. A squirt of what I named "Old Man's Helper" i.e. starting fluid, the saw would start in 1-2 pulls every time.

If you've got the primer bulb, make sure the carb is primed, give it a quick squirt of starting fluid, and otherwise start it normally. You're not running the saw off the starting fluid, just giving it a rich fuel mixture to ease starting.

Still have both saws, 026 and 036 Stihls. They both ran fine last time I fired them up. I really should take them out and cut some wood with them. (Yes, if triggers a memory with anyone about a previous thread of mine, I know the 026 is a 50cc saw, just what I'm looking for, but I'm OCD and I want a "red" one to go with my 2166. The 026 and the 036 are a matched pair... Really I should get an 044 as the 70cc saw... Aw now my OCD and CAD are playing off each other!)

 

[slimbo3006]

I have an older poulan that will not even burp untill the 10th or 11th pull everytime.

 

[Trailsawyer]

I have an older poulan that will not even burp untill the 10th or 11th pull everytime.

PULL ON!

 

[rd35]

I’ve had several folks complain to me about not being able to started their 026 or MS260. I tell them, “press down hard on the kill switch in the choke position as you pull the rope!”. With very few exceptions the saw fires on the first pull! Those saws have the air filter choke flap set-up and they are notorious for not closing all the way when the switch lever is in the “choke” position. Pressing on the lever closes the flap the rest of the way.

 

[david newbie]

I have no explanation for this , except maybe I was flooding it after I rebuilt the carb. Now, it seems to start with 2-3 pulls! Probably was influenced by all the great minds at arborist site?

 

[maowwg]

Respectfully, reliability is good with the various Poulan saws I’ve worked on, as long as they have compression they run. The strato saws are a little harder to adjust.

You said it flooded. You may wish to check your fuel lines. One came across my bench that had the fuel lines reversed at the primer bulb and it had a long return line inside the tank. With a full tank, it’s pumped gas out of the return line and forced into the carburetor flooding it. I reversed the lines at the primer bulb and the saw ran well.

Another oddball thing I came across, was a saw with a faulty kill switch. It wouldn’t start or run reliably. However, when I tested for spark, I could see a little spark. You can test that they just pulling one of the leads off the kill switch. Of course you’ll have to choke or pull the plug boot it to kill it. I doubt the factory pays more than a quarter for those rocker switches.

Setting the proper gap on the spark plug and coil helps. New or clean air filter doesn’t hurt reliability either.

Otherwise, I found the Poulans like you’re describing to be reliable starters, presuming of course good compression and the carb is adjusted.

 

[stihltech]

When a saw has no fast idle it will require a lot of pulls to start it. Very common on the 026/260, plus others. A slight adjustment of the rod usually cures the issue.
Not a fan of the little Poulans, but cured many by richening the carb. Usually so lean from new they hardly run. Richen the carb and it becomes a decent running unit