Poulan 3816 ??

[Boo Boudreaux]

Hi Mes ami [Cajun french for my friends]

A good friend of mine came by my shop last week and got some fuel line from me for a saw. He is a outboard mechanic and saws ETC ETC and owned a few dealerships in town and a very good gunsmith and machinist.

He changed the lines out and after 15 minutes got it to pop one time. So John told him to bring it to me since I stock kits and such.

Bull tried to start it to no avail, Me Too to no avail. So I tagged it.

Yesterday I checked the spark and it was great. I squirted fuel from a charcoal lighter can that I use for such small engines into the carb. I don't use starting fluid at all. No pop at all.....

I even tried the oh chit method with the plug over the hole [ya'll know the eye brow singer] Tried to put a lil gas in the plug hole and put the plug back in. Nope Nothing ~!~!

So I have the plug out know and pulled 30 or 40 times upside down and left it like for over night. I will try tomorrow.

So does anyone have an idea where to go next except for taking the flywheel off and check for a broken key ??

 

[Guido Salvage]

So does anyone have an idea where to go next except for taking the flywheel off and check for a broken key ??

To the dumpster?

Did you rebuild the carb? If the lines turned to goo it is possible crap got sucked into it.

 

[smokey7]

If you are having spark issues which that's what I kinda thought was implied I have had these cheap saw coils do that several times. I have a cheap coil on a briggs that does it as well as a couple saws poulan and homelite. Test the switch circuit first then swap in a coil. A sheared key will jack up timing but won't stop the spark all together. On a cheap saw if you need a coil lines and kit it's not really worth it for a repair job as I'd charge close to 100$ parts and labor. That's a g9d used coil new kit and lines. And a basic clean up. If you add a chain sharpie and other extras it gets expensive quick.

 

[T.Roller]

Have you pulled the muffler and checked the cylinder. Probably scored to hell and back. Those are throw away saws I wouldn't spend much time on it.

 

[Boo Boudreaux]

It has gtreat spark and 140 on the compression ~!~!

 

[Guido Salvage]

It has gtreat spark and 140 on the compression ~!~!

The only remaining variable is fuel. Pull the plug, pull it over a bunch of times and put in a new plug. I would also check the carb settings (if adjustable), many times the screws need to be way out on those saws for them to run.

 

[Boo Boudreaux]

Guido, no I didn't but John took the top off and cleaned the screen.

 

[Boo Boudreaux]

Here is a update. I pulled the carb off to make sure it was a zama. Nope its a walbro So I wanted to look at the piston and pulled the rope a lil and some vapor came out. I pulled on the rope just like I would to start it and it popped and ran for 4 seconds. Wow. So I put the carb back on and got it to run for 2 seconds at the most.

I had a kit in stock and overhauled the carb. I did notice before I put the kit in there was gas coming out the carb when I pumped the primer bulb. Ok I said a kit is in order.

I took the the adjustments out and made sure every passage was clean and clear. I can get it to run for 5 or 6 seconds and it still dies out. So a new carb will be ordered.

I took the muff off and everything is in order on the piston. Looks like new.

Sooo anything else or ideas ??

 

[Mark71gtx]

I bet the fuel lines are routed wrong and/or the same fuel filter was used and it is clogged up.

 

[T.Roller]

Here is a update. I pulled the carb off to make sure it was a zama. Nope its a walbro So I wanted to look at the piston and pulled the rope a lil and some vapor came out. I pulled on the rope just like I would to start it and it popped and ran for 4 seconds. Wow. So I put the carb back on and got it to run for 2 seconds at the most.

I had a kit in stock and overhauled the carb. I did notice before I put the kit in there was gas coming out the carb when I pumped the primer bulb. Ok I said a kit is in order.

I took the the adjustments out and made sure every passage was clean and clear. I can get it to run for 5 or 6 seconds and it still dies out. So a new carb will be ordered.

I took the muff off and everything is in order on the piston. Looks like new.

Sooo anything else or ideas ??

trash can.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I tried rebuilding the top end on one of them that was straight gassed. After installing the piston and rings, the cylinder broke apart as I tightened the mounting bolts to the frame. So, I then had myself a wonderful parts saw that the owner gave me for nothing.

Fix at your own risk.

 

[Mark71gtx]

They truly are garbage, but if you want to hear it run, I still say check the fuel lines. They get routed incorrectly. A lot...

 

[Boo Boudreaux]

Update on the trash can saw. Which I had many I got from from the trash and scrap yards AND got 80 percent running and are still running today.

Ok here it is I talked to John and he said he re did the lines. Well I re checked like Mark said to do. Guess what THEY were backwards. Kudos Mark ~!~!

Roll Tide I have to give you the bronze medal for the the trash can part. I had a few Poulan saws when I bought some property in Wilmer Alabama by the Miss Ala line. I had the wally world reciept and turned it in after a week.

Got a new one and ran for quite a few years. A buddy of mine still has a sears / poulan for over 25 years that I kitted the carb on last year. He cut 3 chords of wood this year with it. We use non ethanol gas in our machines down here. Well some of us do anyway.

Thanks to all for responding ~!~!

 

[Boo Boudreaux]

They truly are garbage, but if you want to hear it run, I still say check the fuel lines. They get routed incorrectly. A lot...

I was typing a message when you posted this message you were right about the lines I never question John cause he is a great mechanic ~!~!

 

[Mark71gtx]

They can trip you up fairly easily. Especially if they were crumbled to the point you can't see where they used to go... I found a helpful video online about how to determine routing. The guy had the carb and purge bulb in his hand. He connected the hoses up and dropped the line with the filter in a jar with fuel in it. You press the purge bulb and watch the fuel hose pull fuel, or you swap the lines around until it does... just make sure the purge bulb is blowing into the tank/jar and pulling a suction through the carb when it is being pushed. Lots of folks try to push the fuel through the carb. It will only run for a few seconds like that, if at all...

 

[Motorhead]

I had a few of these 3816s,Didn't last very long.I have 4 older poulans,still going strong.

 

[dougand3]

I like the 1990-2005 Poulan 42cc saws. They can be competent little saws after muff mod and tuned richer. Their problems are almost always fuel delivery. The newer strato Poulans - seen too many scored P&C. And they aren't worth buying those parts.