MCCULLOCH The official McCulloch thread

[Steve]

I have seen several flywheel covers with the recoil start pillars broken off, JoeyMT has one from his PM850 that broke when trying to start it without the compression release. I'm sure a lot of that comes from technique (drop starting and jerking on the starter for example) but there are limits to what the recoil starter/flywheel housing can handle.

Mark

Those were the days! I remember when Joe ripped that starter apart. He broke that in your presence correct? I though you guys where trying to get a baseline compression reading on a fresh 82cc?

 

[Al Smith]

--that jerk starting is hard on the pawls also ----Then again some could destroy an anvil with a turkey feather .

 

[heimannm]

Al, do you have a video of that? I'd like to see how it's done. I've heard that turkeys were tough old birds...

 

[Al Smith]

--or the anvil was made of Jello----

 

[Al Smith]

However about the recoils .I think if all the bolts are in place and tight on the big red valve engines I think dropping them has broken more of them than arm stronging has .Fact my pristine Mac 105 had sat in a repair shop over 20 years with a broken recoil .Almost as good as a barn find .

 

[Al Smith]

Just a trio of rather nice Macs .Left 10-10 S center 700 right 805 with an early 850 engine ( long story on that one ) .That one I'll run in the saw fest thing .It's a good cutter but I doubt it will place .It's a gutsy thing and pulls a 32" bar buried with an 8 tooth .However in the 5 cube class there are a lot of models that are much faster .It's got the power but most likely not have enough speed . These all are pretty much shelf queens .They get a little run now and again though .

 

[heimannm]

The 805 even has the extra shield on the lower brace.

 

[Vinnywv]

Look great. My 805 has the extra brace also...however my clutch cover is yellow. The starter cover is black but not the clutch cover. It has a new engine in it. Great runner but mostly a shelf queen. Its actually a decoration in my mancave. Along with a very unused pm800, a very unused DE80 and a shelf queen SP81. Nice room to sit in and stare. Lol

 

[Al Smith]

Although most people would not know in the example above the some what hybrid 805/850 uses the 850 muffler .It's the bottom curvature side discharge .This one has a reed cover one of the few I have that actually works .I forgot if I removed the baffle or not but it's typical McCulloch loud but not that bad .
Regarding the chrome delaminating on the original engine I think it goes back to that Rhodesian chrome ban /boycott .The source of hard chrome world wide had a shortage .Less and less of it was used on automobiles for example and the quality of same was terrible .This might have led to the hard nickel plating used today .

 

[Al Smith]

Now comes the cutting system .Because of the size of the wood on this class at saw fest it's going to take 24" .It seem Mac OEM bars depending on who made them could be 81 drivers or 84 drivers .The bar I used which is pristine and is the short one .Then I must have went through a dozen chains trying to find one the cutters had been down to the last rivet which are the fastest .Had plenty of 84 link just not many 81 . I found one and gave it the treatment. It will cut but if it will make a difference is yet to be determined .

 

[mirage]

I got a McCulloch 549 that I think is all there. The piston is stuck. Thinking about trying to get it to run. Can anyone be willing to pass along any info on how to take this apart the correct way and help guide me through this. Thank you

 

[jacob j.]

I got a McCulloch 549 that I think is all there. The piston is stuck. Thinking about trying to get it to run. Can anyone be willing to pass along any info on how to take this apart the correct way and help guide me through this. Thank you

You might try shooting some PB Blaster or Kroil down into the engine and letting it sit a for a couple days if you think the piston is stuck due to corrosion. Heat can help with that as well.

 

[Al Smith]

If all else fails and it's stuck above the ports you could use a trick going back to model T Fords .Knock the center insulator from an old spark plug and weld or braze a reducing bushing then use a grease zerk with a grease gun full of oil to push it loose .The average grease gun will produce upwards of 4,000 PSI .It will come or bleed . .

 

[mirage]

It has been soaking in some kind of penetration oil for 3 months now.

 

[mirage]

Is there a piston cylinder that comes off or is this a block type.

 

[67L36Driver]

It never ceases to amaze me how much crap can accumulate on the flywheel side of the lowly 10-10.

Let’s hear it for O’Reilleys foaming engine degreaser. [emoji3060][emoji3060][emoji3060]

 

[Dream]

It never ceases to amaze me how much crap can accumulate on the flywheel side of the lowly 10-10.

Let’s hear it for O’Reilleys foaming engine degreaser. [emoji3060][emoji3060][emoji3060]

Chainsaws in general are some filthy rascals. Newer ones are better, but still bad.
I blow off the big chunks with compressed air and scrape the obvious chunks out first.
Then the whole thing minus recoil and clutch covers goes in the parts washer.
I made a "prefilter" out of old t shirts to catch the bigger chunks and save on the washer pump. Have to replace that often. The table in my parts washer is all fabricated from angle iron.
Parts washer came to me with no table, so I made my own. Have expanded metal, then screen wire, t shirt "filter", then more smaller expanded metal and screen on top.
Have to replace the cloth often, but it sure makes cleaning up better.
I hate trying to put together a saw with crud getting into it.

 

[Dream]

It never ceases to amaze me how much crap can accumulate on the flywheel side of the lowly 10-10.

Let’s hear it for O’Reilleys foaming engine degreaser. [emoji3060][emoji3060][emoji3060]

That looks darn good too BTW.
Amazing how much better they look with just a little time and elbow grease.

 

[heimannm]

 

[mirage]

NOW thats what I am talking about. Thank you so much Mr Heimannm.