Mcculloch 610- Master It's Alive.

[heimannm]

The 600 Series saws are much maligned, and not all of it is unwarranted. They are heavy, performance is pretty low for a 60 (or 57 cc) saw, different models were 3.4 and 3.7 In³. McCulloch may have suggested up to 28" bar, I bought a well used 650 that had been fit with a 48" bar. This was a tree service saw and they agreed it was not fast with the big bar, but it was a better alternative that dragging out the McCulloch 840 they had previously used...

There were many different models and not all were created equal. The 650 with the compression release on the side seem to be the most desirable, at least the people that ran those won't ever be happy with a 605 or 610. There was also a 655 (carried the same "The Professional" label as several of the 10 Series saws like the 10-10S and several PM55 models). The PM5700 was a later version (57 cc) like the Silver Eagle 3420 (3.4 In³ or 57 cc). There are hard copy IPL's for a mythical PM645 I have never seen or heard of one actually existing.

Montgomery Wards sold a version as well, more orange than yellow with a "TM" & model number designation.

Heavy, slow, loud, the oilers would seep into the crankcase and smoke at start up...and as Al noted virtually indestructible. I was given a 610 that was locked up, I bumped the flywheel with a hammer and a block of wood to knock it loose and with a little more coaxing it was again a runner.

We have a Timber Bear (one of the late 60 cc versions) with new rings that does not perform badly with a 24" bar but certainly can't keep up with a healthy PM55. There was an Eager Beaver model as well...too many names to properly identify one saw. You do really need a score card, or at least a complete set of IPL's with model numbers to be able to identify the different saws and know just what goes in to them. The piston and cylinders had variations, and there were thin and thick ring versions but virtually all of the other parts interchange . Bars and clutches interchange with any of the 10 Series saws. Am I rambling???







Mark

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

i have work on dozen of those saws tj. be careful as the blue choke levers like to break real easy

check out figure 7 will be page 9 on adobe. that is you idle says nothing about max rpm ill keep looking for ya

Thanks for looking!

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

My vintage Mac 610, same as yours, handles a 28" bar. I was surprised that it did. I also have a 5700 that will do the same:



This saw still runs well today:

How well does it handle the bar? I haven't cut with mine yet...and it has a 20." Seems pretty dern responsive!

 

[heimannm]

And don't forget the 690, a cut off saw based on the more desirable 650 cylinder.





Mark

 

[jake wells]

i got a 610 locked up tight the recoil and flywheel is busted i might use it as a anchor for when i go fishing.

 

[heimannm]

Make sure to drain the fuel and bar oil first, you don't want to pollute the water.

Mark

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

Might as well save the spark plug to.

 

[Al Smith]

Trivia: When they first hit the market the PM 610 sold for around $225 and came with a 20" bar,chain bar wrench maybe a couple of files and other stuff .K-Mart later sold then with a 16" bare bones saw $ 169 they sold a lot of them in the late 70's and in a resurgence of wood burning because of high natural gas prices etc .At the same time I think a Stihl 042 fetched somewhere around 350 .

With a good sharp chain a 610 would give an 042 a run for the money .My fathers which I now own with his passing would run away from an 042.You see the old man was a tweeker too .

Keep in mind the 610 is 3.7 cubic inch and the 042 is 4.2 .I think it has to do with the horizontal cylinder against the verticle cylinder is where the lugging power comes from .In addition to that the transfer ports on a 10 series is the only example of that type I'm aware of .They control the transfer in varied areas under varied pressures depending on the position of the piston I forget now if it goes back to front or the other way around but it works great .

So for the money a clean one not all beat to a pulp is a good alternative for an occasional firewood cutter .Mine sit mainly because I have better saws to use .I've ran those things all day and I'm not as young as I used to be .WTH I'm going on 70 and if I want a lighter saw all I have to do is go the shed and pick one out .

 

[Wood Doctor]

i got a 610 locked up tight the recoil and flywheel is busted i might use it as a anchor for when i go fishing.

Mine locked up like that about 15 years ago. I got it loose with a wrench and a few hammer taps. The flywheel was intact. To my surprise, it has run fine ever since. I never have figured out what caused it to lock up.