MCCULLOCH The official McCulloch thread

[mirage]

Thank you very much. I got the 6-10 running today after a lot of LTC but the carb will not tune. Thank you for all the help. Reeve

 

[edju1958]

I got the 555 running late yesterday.The muffler was totally shot.I had another muffler here that I picked up when they were cheap a few yrs.ago.It's a 10-10 muffler,but it was the same size & fitment as the original muffler.Surprisingly the gasket was still there & I had the missing bolt.After I got it back together I fueled it up & 15 pulls later it fired up.It runs like a top & oils well too! Pics to come.

On the other hand....the PM5700 is biting me in the butt.The recoil got locked up while trying to start it.I took it off today & retensioned it & now it works fine.I pulled the carb off & put a new kit in it to no avail.I pulled the carb back off & lowered the metering lever a tad & then it held pressure better.I noticed the carb mounting gasket had a slight tear by the ear.It should've been OK,but to err on the side of caution,I put another gasket on & it still won't pull fuel.I'll try another carb & if it still won't fire I'd have to assume there's an intake issue.The saw has 180 psi.& it fires on a prime.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I got the 555 running late yesterday.The muffler was totally shot.I had another muffler here that I picked up when they were cheap a few yrs.ago.It's a 10-10 muffler,but it was the same size & fitment as the original muffler.Surprisingly the gasket was still there & I had the missing bolt.After I got it back together I fueled it up & 15 pulls later it fired up.It runs like a top & oils well too! Pics to come.

On the other hand....the PM5700 is biting me in the butt.The recoil got locked up while trying to start it.I took it off today & retensioned it & now it works fine.I pulled the carb off & put a new kit in it to no avail.I pulled the carb back off & lowered the metering lever a tad & then it held pressure better.I noticed the carb mounting gasket had a slight tear by the ear.It should've been OK,but to err on the side of caution,I put another gasket on & it still won't pull fuel.I'll try another carb & if it still won't fire I'd have to assume there's an intake issue.The saw has 180 psi.& it fires on a prime.

For sure Ed! , I ve found the gasket under the tank torn before, man that saw made me pull my hair out .

 

[Al Smith]

As a suggestion pull the fuel line out and inspect for cracks inside the gas tank .It happens every so often and all it will do is suck air .I've had this happen on several saws not only McCullochs

 

[edju1958]

As a suggestion pull the fuel line out and inspect for cracks inside the gas tank .It happens every so often and all it will do is suck air .I've had this happen on several saws not only McCullochs

You might have something there Al.As it was I had to trim the line at the end where the filter goes on as it fell off.I didn't like the way the line hooked onto the carb either.I'll just replacer the entire fuel line & eliminate that from the equation.Sometimes the easy things are the simplest fix.

 

[edju1958]

Update on the 5700 - I got it running somewhat.I clipped off about 3/16 in.off the fuel line where it goes on the carb on the 5700 & it fired up! The only thing is the carb is NFG,as Bob used to say.In order for it to rev up I had to turn the lo screw out 2 full turns,it should only be 1-1 1/4.Then the hi screw won't stay in the carb,it falls out.Due to the lo being turned out so much it won't idle even with the idle screw turned in all the way.Fortunately I just bought another carb on feebay about a week before I bought the saw (premonition I guess).I got it for a good price & it holds pressure.I'll do a carb swap in the next few days.There were 2 issues with the saw not wanting to start - a bad fuel line connection & a bad carb.

 

[Al Smith]

I had to look up what a 5700 even is .evidently it's a version of a Pm 610 by design . Fuel lines can drive you bonkers .Most are made of synthetic rubber like Buna-N or some other derivative .You are far better off rather than cobble a replacement from normal bulk fuel lines to try to find either an OEM or good aftermarket part .If you've ever had a saw catch fire you'll know exactly why I think that way .It took me over a year to find a NOS line for a 2100 Husqvarna and cost me over $20 but to me was worth it .I came real close to loosing that thing to fire . Gasoline is not to be toyed with . Although I don't spend a lot of money I have many hours restoring these old things and I don't want to see all my work go up in smoke .

 

[heimannm]

Basically a redecorated PM605.

Mark

 

[Al Smith]

I've got three PM 610's .My Dads RIP ,mine and one that looks nearly new I bought for my son .One of the most under rated saws ever built but one of the toughest .

 

[Al Smith]

Old trick on that carb .On the wallered out jet hole take a little ball from a bearing or a center punch and tap it in the hole with a little hammer .Tap now not like driving a 16 D nail .It will deform the threads which might work or might not .You might try a single wrap of fuel proof teflon tape . Perhaps some number 2 permatex because it might be sucking air through the threads .

 

[Bmcnue]

So this 250 wasn’t too bad to get back into good running condition. I’m not sure it was used very much. What are some bar options? I have a couple that will work but I’m not sure the oiling would be sufficient. All I have are Homelite bars though so the oil hole isn’t a perfect match but it does get through just not immediately. The bar that came on it is an 18” and I think it can handle a 24” quite well.

 

[edju1958]

Old trick on that carb .On the wallered out jet hole take a little ball from a bearing or a center punch and tap it in the hole with a little hammer .Tap now not like driving a 16 D nail .It will deform the threads which might work or might not .You might try a single wrap of fuel proof teflon tape . Perhaps some number 2 permatex because it might be sucking air through the threads .

Al,if the carb is sucking air through the hi needle,will that cause it to act like it's starving for fuel? (which is why I had to turn the lo needle out so much,kinda makes sense) I can use this carb for parts & put another carb on to see if it'll run better.

 

[edju1958]

Back a couple pages ago I wrote about a PM55 cylinder that I have with a wallowed out plug hole.Everyone here said to go get a Save-A -Thread kit & use that.Today I went to Advance Auto & found the kit & just as I suspected it won't work.The insert falls into the hole & it falls back out.Trying to JB Weld it into the cylinder is a complete waste of time.I called a friend of mine who works in a small engine repair shop & he told me about a product called Keen Sert.I found the info online,but can't find out where to buy it here in the U.S.Also,I couldn't find the correct size needed.

 

[Steve]

Back a couple pages ago I wrote about a PM55 cylinder that I have with a wallowed out plug hole.Everyone here said to go get a Save-A -Thread kit & use that.Today I went to Advance Auto & found the kit & just as I suspected it won't work.The insert falls into the hole & it falls back out.Trying to JB Weld it into the cylinder is a complete waste of time.I called a friend of mine who works in a small engine repair shop & he told me about a product called Keen Sert.I found the info online,but can't find out where to buy it here in the U.S.Also,I couldn't find the correct size needed.

Can your friend get the insert you need?

 

[Bmcnue]

Back a couple pages ago I wrote about a PM55 cylinder that I have with a wallowed out plug hole.Everyone here said to go get a Save-A -Thread kit & use that.Today I went to Advance Auto & found the kit & just as I suspected it won't work.The insert falls into the hole & it falls back out.Trying to JB Weld it into the cylinder is a complete waste of time.I called a friend of mine who works in a small engine repair shop & he told me about a product called Keen Sert.I found the info online,but can't find out where to buy it here in the U.S.Also,I couldn't find the correct size needed.

A keensert is simply a name brand. They make inserts like a helicoil and they also make inserts like the ones that were suggested that you can buy idividually from McMaster-Carr. I think there is a link a page or two back. Those inserts like suggested from McMaster will most likely work. You mentioned the plug hole was "wallowed" out from the plug being loose. I've never seen a loose plug wear a hole 2 sizes larger than the original and thats about what the inserts from McMastter Carr would be. A helicoil is a wire insert so it really doesn't go much above the size of the original hole so I can see it wearing that much. I would be careful with with type keensert you get. They go their name from the inserts they make with the 4 pins that drive in beside it. They are essentially the exact same insert that was linked a page or two back only they have 4 small pins that you have to drive down beside the insert. If you actually got one like those and it didn't work the keensert likely will not work either, it is the same diameter. The link below would be the same as most keenserts only without the locking pins. If the one below is too small then the locking pins won't make up the difference. The one I am linking here will take a 3/4 tap so that is a couple of sizes larger than the original hole and like I mentioned, I really don't see a loose plug causing that much wear, it would've never stayed in long enough to do that.

https://www.mcmaster.com/90248A092/

 

[Bmcnue]

These are like a keensert and as you can see, the only real difference is the locking pins that drive in once installed. If you did get an insert like the ones suggested before the keensert style won't be any better. It only requires about .03 inches larger hole.

https://www.mcmaster.com/key-insert...system-of-measurement~metric/thread-size~m14/

 

[edju1958]

These are like a keensert and as you can see, the only real difference is the locking pins that drive in once installed. If you did get an insert like the ones suggested before the keensert style won't be any better. It only requires about .03 inches larger hole.

https://www.mcmaster.com/key-insert...system-of-measurement~metric/thread-size~m14/

Rather than a loose plug,it was more likely wallowed out from being cross threaded repeatedly.I've never seen a plug fall into a plug hole & fall back out again just like the inserts do.I've come to the conclusion that there's no saving the cylinder - it's junk.Ya win some,ya lose some.I can use the internals though on my PM555.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Rather than a loose plug,it was more likely wallowed out from being cross threaded repeatedly.I've never seen a plug fall into a plug hole & fall back out again just like the inserts do.I've come to the conclusion that there's no saving the cylinder - it's junk.Ya win some,ya lose some.I can use the internals though on my PM555.

It can be welded, but cost prohibitive if you don't have a rare/expensive saw.

 

[Al Smith]

I was going to suggest that saw would be relegated to a parts box but it's not my saw .

 

[edju1958]

I was going to suggest that saw would be relegated to a parts box but it's not my saw .

Al,sometimes I just don't know when to quit,Lol.