HankG Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Having problems with a chainsaw and was wondering if anyone could help, as I know nothing about them. The chainsaw is, I believe, ten years old. It has never been run. The history, as I know it, is that someone bought it and left it sitting in their garage for years, then had a garage sale, where my brother bought it. Then it sat in our garage for years, unused, and now it has passed to me. I followed the tips my brother gave me for the first use (more oil in the mix and checking the chain tension), but it won't start at all. I looked up the manual online and have followed the starting instructions to the letter without luck. I was going to replace the spark plug but wanted to see if there was any troubleshooting I should do first to check for other possibilities. Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Spark plug is cheap, doesn't hurt to try. Has it been sitting with gas in it? If so I would almost guarantee it turned junk(the gas that is) and that you may have to get the carb rebuilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC88Pathy Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Going to need to know a little bit more information. When you say it won't start what are the symptoms? Does it try to turn over when you have the choke on after you pull it a couple of times? If not then I would suggest changing the spark plug. It could also be the air to fuel mixture. The manufacturer should have the instructions on how to adjust the carb (usually screws somewhere on the outside). Any rust visible anywhere? Could be the cylinder is rusted stuck after having sat for so long. Fuel lines ok? Check to see if there's anything the manufacturer installed for shipping that would prevent it from starting? Also out of curiosity what brand is the chainsaw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 Spark plug is cheap, doesn't hurt to try. Has it been sitting with gas in it? If so I would almost guarantee it turned junk(the gas that is) and that you may have to get the carb rebuilt. Nope, it never had fluids in it until today. Going to need to know a little bit more information. When you say it won't start what are the symptoms? Does it try to turn over when you have the choke on after you pull it a couple of times? If not then I would suggest changing the spark plug. It could also be the air to fuel mixture. The manufacturer should have the instructions on how to adjust the carb (usually screws somewhere on the outside). Any rust visible anywhere? Could be the cylinder is rusted stuck after having sat for so long. Fuel lines ok? Check to see if there's anything the manufacturer installed for shipping that would prevent it from starting? Also out of curiosity what brand is the chainsaw? It doesn't try to turn over. Would it be worth adjusting the carb before it shows some signs of trying to start? I had thought about the but the manual says something like 'the carburetor has been pre-adjusted by the factory' so I didn't try, although it wouldn't be the first time something came out of the factory less than perfect. I pulled off the plastic cover and everything looked shiny and new underneath. The primer bulb filled up nicely so I think the fuel lines are ok. I didn't see any shipping type thing that would stop it from starting and the manual didn't mention anything. It's a Poulan Wood Shark 1950. Sounds like my best bet is to pick up a new plug and see if that does the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morpheus Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Unlikely that it's "never" been run if there's gas in it. They are shipped bone dry. If it was dry, brand new, never used, then pull out the spark plug. Check inside the boot that goes on the end of the plug, check for corrosion and clean as required. Put a new plug in it, as the electrode/ground is probably rusted. Squirt a small amount of oil/fuel mix into the cylinder before putting the new plug back in. Prime/choke/pull ------ If it had gas in the tank when you got it, then it's been run, there's been fuel in the carburator that has since evaporated, and left a varnish/gummy residue in there. The diaphrams, when left coated with gas to evaporate, curl up and dry out. If that's the case, your best bet is to take it into a small engine shop, for probably a carb overhaul, or to someone who knows how to to that kind of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 A lot of saws have a kick guard....if it is pushed back the saw will cut off or not crank until it is put back in to the original position...I would start with pulling the chain off and crank it without it incase for some reason it is bound up and keeps the engine from starting...then squirt a little starter fluid in the spark plug hole and a new plug...I would also pull it with the plug out and the plug wire hooked up to make sure there is spark...or get someone to hold the plug wire and pull it see if it shocks them...then you know you have spark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 it may not have the chain stop.. but regardless, it should start.. the chain stop only stops the chain and not the motor. now, make sure to move the button or lever to ON.. then, if you have a little clear bladder near the gas tank, depress that 2 or 3 times only.. then turn the choke to full.. pull.. etc.. i'd check the plug first and see if it's even throwing a spark. it could be just the connection where the wire touches the plug. it could also be the magnet that produces the current. if it is rusty (or the receptors) it will not produce any electrons. your symptoms are exactly what i'd expect in either case. btw. old poulan saws are freaking awesome.. i wish i still had mine.. it'd eat wood better then even a stihl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nige Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 use fresh mix gas when trying to start it too. A dirty carb should still start as long as it has compression and spark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 Just swapped in the new plug and it started up beautifully. Thanks for the help guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 well that was easy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 It seems I spoke too soon. I haven't been able to get it to start again after that initial test. Now when I try, the saw tries to start up, I see a bit of exhaust, but it doesn't actually get to idling. I'm going to try adjusting the carb and see if that makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 no don't mess with the carb man. choke it till it starts.. if this doesn't work.. open it back up to air out.. the carb should only really be adjusted when the engine is running. otherwise you're just turning screws for no real reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 Ya, I played with the carb a bit and it didn't change anything so put it back where it was. Just got it running a bit but it was smoking a lot. I expected it to smoke a bit since I had more oil in the mix, but this looked wrong. Turned it off, and it kept smoking. Pulled it apart, and turns out it was oil burning in the muffler. My brother said to use double the oil for the first few uses, but I'm starting to wonder if that is causing some of the problems, or if there's something else going on. Should I dilute the mix to bring it back in line with the normal ratio? Snapped a couple pictures. This is after running maybe one minute total in its lifetime: http://pages.suddenlink.net/hank-g/IMG_1054.JPG http://pages.suddenlink.net/hank-g/IMG_1055.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 what's the mix in there now? you should be just running the recommended ratio (32:1 i think??) at all times. i'd hit the carb with carb cleaner and then start it and let it idle a bit until it warms up.. then you can adjust the carb.. the two screws is all you need to mess with.. one is low idle, the other high idle.. first u set the low idle.. it should idle perfectly at rest (no gas).. the high idle should be perfect with the trigger fully engaged.. acceleration/de-acceleration should be nice and smooth too.. play with them tull you get it right on... not that hard. oh, the extra smoke (if you have the correct mix) could still be because of the idle or choke.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 (edited) The chainsaw says 40:1 on it, so doubled it to 20:1. I'll try cleaning it out and diluting the mix to a normal ratio. Been playing around with it more. It went through the biggest thing I have to deal with (~13", it's a 14" bar) pretty easily, but there were a couple oddities. For one, the chain got hung up a couple times and I had to back it up a little then resume. I don't think it was binding, but I didn't put much effort into arranging the wood before cutting, so it might have been, or I could have been trying to go too fast. Either way, I was happy with how fast it went through. However, the saw is making a weird noise. I only hear it at idle, but it's possible that it just isn't loud enough to hear it under throttle. It's hard to describe, but it sounds almost like the hissing of high pressure air. Not sure if it's something to do with the exhaust or what. Also, the smoking has stopped. Edited May 20, 2009 by HankG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismothunder Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Did you put bar oil in it for the chain.If ya didnt then you burnt the chain up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 Did you put bar oil in it for the chain.If ya didnt then you burnt the chain up. Yes, I filled the oil before use and, judging by the oil in the driveway from when I was revving it up, the mechanism works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 It's hard to describe, but it sounds almost like the hissing of high pressure air. Not sure if it's something to do with the exhaust or what. Also, the smoking has stopped. just the chain sliding through the bar? i know the huskvarna that we had when I was doing yards had that "hissing" noise when idling and it was just the chain sliding through the bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankG Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 just the chain sliding through the bar? i know the huskvarna that we had when I was doing yards had that "hissing" noise when idling and it was just the chain sliding through the bar That's good to hear. Sounds like I can get to work tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 make sure the tension is good on the chain...wear eye protection and if you don't have leather chaps put on a pair of thick shorts then throw a pair of jeans on top of that...I had a chain break on me and it caught me on the thigh...it ate through my jeans, shorts and boxers but barely knicked the skin and i didnt even bleed...I wasn't wearing any other safety gear and the only reason I had jeans on is the land I was clearing had so many mosquito's that I had to wear long pants and long sleeves...pretty much one of the scariest things i've ever experienced...my buddies dad had the same thing happen but it got his shin and he was in shorts which lead to some stitches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 don't over tighten it though.. the most prominent mistake with chainsaws. it need a bit of slack. work the controls on the side of that saw. there is one screw to loosen the other loosening screw. it works well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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