Please help me make a few Poulans run again

[n240sxguy]

I had a couple little branches I needed to cut up, so I figured that was a good excuse to get one of the poulans out to tweak some more. Here's a video of the better 4218 running. It seems to cut ok. Throttle response isn't bad. Is it 4 stroking or just revving when pulled out of the cut? Wtf is up with the chain spinning afterward? Is the throttle adjustment too far open? Could the ripped intake gasket be the culprit? I just realized I haven't replaced or repaired that yet.

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[DND 9000]

How is it acting when you turn it in idle from the left to the right. If it gets really fast on one side and on the other it`s very slow or nearly dieing, you`ll may have an air leak. The idle mixture could also be a little bit to lean. Have you adjusted the carburetor right? You can also try to slow it a little bit down with the throttle adjustment screw. From the sound in the cut, I think it`s 4 cycling on full throttle. The problem could also be your ripped intake gasket, try a new one.

 

[n240sxguy]

How is it acting when you turn it in idle from the left to the right. If it gets really fast on one side and on the other it`s very slow or nearly dieing, you`ll may have an air leak. The idle mixture could also be a little bit to lean. Have you adjusted the carburetor right? You can also try to slow it a little bit down with the throttle adjustment screw. From the sound in the cut, I think it`s 4 cycling on full throttle. The problem could also be your ripped intake gasket, try a new one.

Are you talking about the L screw? It is 1/8 past 1.5 turns out. It acts worse on either side of that. It acts sluggish when I turn it out more, and doesn't run right when turned in. Not really that it runs fast, it just doesn't want to run at all. It will run for a couple seconds and die. The H screw is just shy of 2-1/4 turns out. I turned it out past that and it had zero power. Came back lean until it seemed to just barely burble when I was revving it. I haven't messed with the throttle adjustment screw again since my first attempt at that. It seemed to run and cut pretty well, it just wouldn't slow down afterward. Once it did slow down, it was fine. I could rev it a couple times, and it would slow right back down. It was only after holding it wide open for a few seconds, like in a cut, that it wouldn't slow down. Any idea where I can get just the intake gasket? Everywhere I've seen it's sold as a kit with 2-3 other gaskets for like $10.


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[DND 9000]

With turn it in idle from the left to the right, I mean moving the idling chain saw from the left to the right and in the other direction, also up and down. If the speed changes then significantly (normally it should not change speed more than 200-300rpm) that indicates an air leak somewhere. I would pressure test the crankcase (both possitive and negative pressure) to be sure that there is no air leak. If one is found (for example the crankcase seals) it has to be repaired. I would also give the carb a good cleaning and a rebuild and see what happens after that.

 

[n240sxguy]

With turn it in idle from the left to the right, I mean moving the idling chain saw from the left to the right and in the other direction, also up and down. If the speed changes then significantly (normally it should not change speed more than 200-300rpm) that indicates an air leak somewhere. I would pressure test the crankcase (both possitive and negative pressure) to be sure that there is no air leak. If one is found (for example the crankcase seals) it has to be repaired. I would also give the carb a good cleaning and a rebuild and see what happens after that.

You mean hold the chainsaw, and change its orientation? Like tilt it to the left and right and up and down? I don't have a setup to pressure test it. I can clean the carb, but a rebuild isn't in the budget for these low $ saws.


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[DND 9000]

Yes I mean that, tilt it to the left and right, also up and down.

 

[dannyupsolate]

It takes a few seconds for chain to stop. Looked like it stopped after 15 seconds or so. Was still running a touch rich move H screw in a little you are close. Looked like it cut pretty good. Keep on learning and you will be surprised what you get out of a cheap saw. Do you want to risk a 500 dollar saw to learn the basics.

 

[n240sxguy]

It takes a few seconds for chain to stop. Looked like it stopped after 15 seconds or so. Was still running a touch rich move H screw in a little you are close. Looked like it cut pretty good. Keep on learning and you will be surprised what you get out of a cheap saw. Do you want to risk a 500 dollar saw to learn the basics.

So still a little rich on the high side? That's kinda what I thought. What about the low side? Idling and throttle response seem good, but the chain takes a while to stop. Should I try to adjust the throttle linkage? I was more impressed with it this time than I have been with any of the three so far. Definitely don't want to learn on an expensive saw. My baby is sitting in her case while I mess with these things. I felt bad for not getting her out to run yesterday.


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[dannyupsolate]

L side is mostly about cranking easy and idle good. It is very normal for chain to take several seconds to stop. I don't worry even if they move very slowly at idle. Saws have different temperments. clutch wear ,sprocket wear, bar oil flow, tree sap all influence weather chain creeps a little

 

[n240sxguy]

I did notice that I had to tweak it a little once I put some oil in it to go cut. It slowed everything down a bit. This thing pours oil. I don't know if a tank of oil would last as long as a tank of gas. I was idling a lot, so maybe it was just wasting extra and they would be used up at the same time during normal operation. I do remember that about my old 4218. You could set it down and come back to a puddle.


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[dannyupsolate]

oilers are like me slow down with age.

 

[n240sxguy]

Do newer Poulans live long enough to slow down? [emoji23]


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[dannyupsolate]

I often take good motors out of wore out beat up cases and put them in straight gassed new cases. Many of them last till some knuckle head straight gasses them or drops a tree on them. Just like any other saw.

 

[n240sxguy]

I used the most currently discussed 4218 to cut down a couple bushes today. I'm gonna say that one is good to go. So, that's the one I'll keep unless one of the other two impresses me more. I'm satisfied. I bought three saws for $50, and have one running pretty well so far. I'll be back soon with one of the others. Thanks for the help so far.


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[dannyupsolate]

get some good chain without the huge shark fin between the teeth. it is the worst.

 

[n240sxguy]

What is up with the safety chain having the huge bumper pieces in addition to the shark fin rakers? Just seems like overkill, and excess weight, for no reason.


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[dannyupsolate]

great question for philbert. he studies such things. cut4fun did a lot of testing seems to think stihl lo profile is cats meow. http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/chain-build-off/chain-build-off-5237/ . all I can afford is used chains at flea market I use anything without huge shark fin.

 

[n240sxguy]

Thank goodness I found this site after I had already decided to get my echo cs-590. If I had found it before then, I would've been able to salvage my old pp4218, and never experienced a bad ass saw. I just did a civilized version of a wood run; i.e. drive the mower and wagon around back to the wood shed to get wood. I took my 4yo son and the 4218 that I have fixed up. It's not a tractor and tree cutting, but it's bonding time that we have so far, so I'm happy with it. I had to cut some long splits down to fit our wood stove. That Poulan runs good enough that I probably wouldn't have justified the funds on my echo last Christmas. I don't know, I love echo, so I may have. Anyway, thank all of you for helping me get this one going good. I'll be rereading as soon as I get a chance to work on the next one. Merry Christmas if I'm not back before then.


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[n240sxguy]

A nice guy a state above me is sending me a little Poulan top handle to add to the collection as part of the Christmas giveaway on AS. While I was looking up info about it, I looked up mod info. Then one thing let to the other, and I modded the muffler on the 4218 that I have running. I was just gonna drill a few holes in the front between the mounting tubes that go through the muffler to add to the two tiny slots that the exhaust has to go through. I didn't realize the tubes would come out. Now it has the two slits, four 3/32" holes, and the two big holes where the tubes where. It's still restricted by the spark arrester and the close clearance of the deflector plate. It makes the 4 stroke sound so much clearer that I know it's tuned right instead of just hoping it is. I guess I had it a little rich before, because it's perfect now. It'll burble at wot, clear up in the cut, and burble any time it's lifted out of the cut. Sounds really good. Not too loud because the deflector plate still restricts it. Now I need to get a good chain for it. This consumer crap chain is horrible. And it has a cutter broken off. Any recommendations. I was looking at the Oregon 91vxl I think it was. Regular semi chisel.


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[dannyupsolate]

better start new thread under just chains section. ask them something like best lo profile chain out of the box. see how they like vxl. I will use or sell anything without the huge shark fin.