MCCULLOCH The official McCulloch thread

[JKNW]

That 1-42 I picked up is one that was sold without the brace . There's a little cap piece screwed to the handle and the threads in the bottom of the engine have very intact paint all the way in. I think for the light/limited use this will see in my care I'll leave it be, I've got enough modern (easily replaced) stuff to cut with that the old Macs live a life of ease around here.

 

[heimannm]

Let's see a photo of that cap please. I have IPL's that show the 1-42 and 1-43 models without the lower brace but no depiction of an pieces added.

It just appears that they left the brace off...thanks.

Mark

 

[MedicineMan]

Got some time to mess with my new-to-me SP81.
Pulled the recoil and clutch covers. Got all the goop scraped and wire brushed out, then put tje covers through the parts washer. Looks much better. It has lost a lot of paint, but most of my saws are that way.
Installed the new air filter and fired it up.
Went out and made a couple of cuts. It pulls fine, but has an air leak. Started racing after a cut or two. Revs up when I turn the flywheel side up. Tries to die when I turn clutch side up. Sounds lile a crank seal to me.
Any advice? I mostly have 10 series experience. This is my first SP that ive done much with.
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It's a 10 series with antivibe. Since you are familiar with the 10 series motors and the SP125 antivibe, you are familiar with the sp81, which many of us believe is the best saw Mcculluch ever made.

 

[edju1958]

Since 610 #3 bit me in the hind quarters today after I cleaned it thoroughly (no spark now after firing on a prime),I moved on to 610 #4.This saw looked promising & I didn't even pull the fan housing/recoil off to inspect it.It firerd on a prime a couple days ago,so I put fuel in it & checked the fuel filter (the PO got clever or lazy & plugged a Poulan filter into the line instead of using the proper fiolter) & I readjusted the needles on the carb.The hi needle was good at one full turn out,but the lo needle was set at 2 1/2 turns out..About 12 pulls later & it was running like new.The OPL is broken,so I'll have to replace that.I'll probably get rid of the brake flag & put a regular one piece chain brake on it.3 out of 5 running so far.I'll try another ignition module on the saw with no spark & see what happens.I'll also see about getting some bars & chains on the saws that I got running thus far & post some pics.

 

[JKNW]

Let's see a photo of that cap please. I have IPL's that show the 1-42 and 1-43 models without the lower brace but no depiction of an pieces added.

It just appears that they left the brace off...thanks.

Mark

It's some kind of plastic, I'd imagine most didn't survive.

 

[Al Smith]

With regards to the SP 81 they tell me it was very popular on the left coast after most old growth cutting was discontinued .I have two 82's,an SP 81 and an 805 that has a complete early 850 engine .From my perspective they cut about the same which is good .The longest bar I have is 32" which is plenty in Ohio .As mentioned seals are real easy to find .I'm not real certain if you can wear out those bearings .Fact seldon do the seals go bad on these or any other 10 series . I might mention I do have a 36" bar that was given to me fitted with a .404 nose and a 50 thou bar groove which I changed to 3/8".That .404 might work well on the coast with softer trees but I doubt it would do good here in the corn belt .

 

[heimannm]

Interesting JK, thanks for the photo.

Mark

 

[Dream]

It's a 10 series with antivibe. Since you are familiar with the 10 series motors and the SP125 antivibe, you are familiar with the sp81, which many of us believe is the best saw Mcculluch ever made.

Seems like the best of both worlds D.
I really like the way it handles.
The 3/4 wrap handle bar is nice.
Have to remind myself to use the decomp. The saw reminds me if I forget.
Not one you want to drop start when its cold. Has around 180 PSI compression.
I think it's gomna be my new favorite toy for awhile...

 

[Al Smith]

I think it was an sp 81 I had flooded .Drop started it and the decomp closed and walked the rope .Lost my balance and fell on the saw .Since that event which could have cut my arm off I've never dropped any thing except a top handle .Once bitten twice shy .

 

[JKNW]

Got a bar on the 1-42 and threw a carb kit at it. Ran a little but I need to put a fuel line in it, seems like it's sucking air.

 

[heimannm]

I have NOS fuel lines from the tank to the carburetor. The one in the tank can be replaced with generic fuel line and a filter but it is rather tricky getting it done through the fuel cap. Still possible, just requires patience and effort.

Mark

P.S. Your chain is just a bit loose...

 

[edju1958]

Seems like the best of both worlds D.
I really like the way it handles.
The 3/4 wrap handle bar is nice.
Have to remind myself to use the decomp. The saw reminds me if I forget.
Not one you want to drop start when its cold. Has around 180 PSI compression.
I think it's gomna be my new favorite toy for awhile...

Brett,Bob Johnson told me a few yrs.back that drop starting a saw will eventually break the pawls.I've torn several saws apart & found broken pawls.No other explanation that I can think of.
Yeah,when your saw has that much compression you definitely want to remember to use the DSP.

 

[Dream]

Seems like the best of both worlds D.
I really like the way it handles.
The 3/4 wrap handle bar is nice.
Have to remind myself to use the decomp. The saw reminds me if I forget.
Not one you want to drop start when its cold. Has around 180 PSI compression.
I think it's gomna be my new favorite toy for awhile...

Let me clarify what "drop starting" is to me.
If I hold the saw by the top handle in my right hand, I will then pull it up to the compression stroke slowly with my left hand.
Then " drop" slighly with my right hand as I pull sharply with my left hand to spin the crankshaft fast enough to fire the saw.

I know how fast that can go bad.

I will sit a saw down and start it on the ground when I feel I need to.
Like this particular SP81.

When warm, I will sit it down with the bar sitting over a log and pull it over that way.
One quick tug will remind me to use the decomp on this one...

 

[Dream]

Brett,Bob Johnson told me a few yrs.back that drop starting a saw will eventually break the pawls.I've torn several saws apart & found broken pawls.No other explanation that I can think of.
Yeah,when your saw has that much compression you definitely want to remember to use the DSP.

Thanks Ed.
I think a lot of people do damage to their starter pawls and recoil by just yanking away at it when drop starting or free-hand starting a saw. I only "drop start" after bringing the crank to the compression stroke same as you would with it sitting on the ground.
One thing I DONT usually do is think to pull the recoil handle out a bit when I shut a saw off.
I know this helps keep it from kicking back against the pawls when it stops with the rope fully retracted, but I think theres enough "give" in the rope to negate any damage.
Most Macs ive had the pleasure of owning had no issues with recoil starters.
Almost all of them had issues mostly limited to fuel supply or cleanliness because of outright neglect.

 

[edju1958]

I finally finished up on the 4th 610 saw today.Yesterday I changed out the ignition moduel (probably didn't have to) & put it back together.Today I fueled it up & got it running.I went to shut it off & it didn't.I figured it was the switch that'd gone bad.So,I pulled it apart again & found the kill wire was unhooked from the ignition module.I plugged it back together,put the saw back together & had no fire.Damn! I had to pull it apart again & replace the switch.I got 3 switches from Mark & this was my last one.I couldn't get that switch to fit in the switch hole for the life of me (I know there's a little tab that the switch fits onto).I finally got so aggravated with that switch that I gave up on it & went & got the switch plate from a parts 605,not knowing if it was any good or not.I put that switch in,put the saw back together AGAIN & got lucky.The switch was good.What a PITA! Then there was the recoil that refused to hold tension.I suspect the spring is broken.I ended up taking the recoil off a parts 610 that came in the lot.All I need to do is put bars & chains on & find some bar stud nuts.I'll take pics next week when it warms up of all the 610s I repaired this week.

 

[cinci5]

I finally finished up on the 4th 610 saw today.Yesterday I changed out the ignition moduel (probably didn't have to) & put it back together.Today I fueled it up & got it running.I went to shut it off & it didn't.I figured it was the switch that'd gone bad.So,I pulled it apart again & found the kill wire was unhooked from the ignition module.I plugged it back together,put the saw back together & had no fire.Damn! I had to pull it apart again & replace the switch.I got 3 switches from Mark & this was my last one.I couldn't get that switch to fit in the switch hole for the life of me (I know there's a little tab that the switch fits onto).I finally got so aggravated with that switch that I gave up on it & went & got the switch plate from a parts 605,not knowing if it was any good or not.I put that switch in,put the saw back together AGAIN & got lucky.The switch was good.What a PITA! Then there was the recoil that refused to hold tension.I suspect the spring is broken.I ended up taking the recoil off a parts 610 that came in the lot.All I need to do is put bars & chains on & find some bar stud nuts.I'll take pics next week when it warms up of all the 610s I repaired this week.

Ed do you still have a good 650 just wondering if you got the saw fixed you lent out. I think it was the bar.

 

[edju1958]

Ed do you still have a good 650 just wondering if you got the saw fixed you lent out. I think it was the bar.

I'm looking for another 650.My buddy who borrowed the only 650 I've got really wants to buy that saw.He ended up sweapping bars off another 610 that I'd lent to him.That was back in early Nov.& I've yet to get the 650 saw back.

 

[JKNW]

Thanks Ed.
I think a lot of people do damage to their starter pawls and recoil by just yanking away at it when drop starting or free-hand starting a saw. I only "drop start" after bringing the crank to the compression stroke same as you would with it sitting on the ground.
One thing I DONT usually do is think to pull the recoil handle out a bit when I shut a saw off.
I know this helps keep it from kicking back against the pawls when it stops with the rope fully retracted, but I think theres enough "give" in the rope to negate any damage.
Most Macs ive had the pleasure of owning had no issues with recoil starters.
Almost all of them had issues mostly limited to fuel supply or cleanliness because of outright neglect.

Yeah the starter damage is usually from not putting tension on the rope before pulling, that running start into the pawls is really hard on them. Done properly drop starting doesn't put any more load on the recoil than any other method. It can be done starting the saw on the ground or however else. I see and fix quite a few motorcycle/atv kick starters hurt the same way.

 

[edju1958]

I've come across something that kinda baffles me.I've been told that the PM650 has thin rings,yet the IPL shows the same rings (part # 94132) for the 610 as well as the 650.Is there indeed a difference between the 610 & the 650?

 

[heimannm]

It depends on the date of manufacture. The early PM610 models had thick rings, later models had thin rings.

94132 are the thin rings
94133 are the thick rings



The piston assemblies (94130 thin ring, 94131 thick ring) can be used interchangeably.

The PM650 cylinder had the DSP valve located above the muffler like the 690 cut off saw. I believe the PM650/690 cylinders may have better porting but I've never tried to actually compare them with a "regular" PM610.

Mark