MCCULLOCH The official McCulloch thread

[Yukon Stihl]

Snowmobile engines from the 90’s didn’t use gaskets on the engine halves. A trick to seal a stubborn case half was to use white cotton thread imbedded in the sealer of choice around the case half

 

[heimannm]

Ed - there are different pulleys to go with the different mounts as well. If memory serves me correctly, the ones held on with screw in the post have a slightly smaller bore and get stuck on the through bolt type starters.



Mark

 

[edju1958]

Today was not a good day,pretty much a crap sandwich without the bread.
It started off with sharpening a couple chains.The 1st chain was on my Stihl MS310,that went well because I didn't loan that chain out.The 2nd chain was a nightmare.I'd put it on my MS310 last yr.& let my older brother use the saw,he can't sharpen a chain to save his life.He pretty much ruined a brand new 18 in.chain.I did manage to get the chain straightened out so it cuts again.So it was on a Timber Bear that I got running last week.I went to cut a cookie & found that the oioler doesn't work.I fished around in the oil tank with a wire with a hook on it to see if I could hook onto the oil line & was unsuccessful.It looks like I'll have to pull that saw apart & put a new oil line & pick up in it.
Then I finished up on putting the 610 back together & fueled it up.I could barely pull it over,but it tried to fire.Somethging is binding in or on the saw.I'm really not looking forward to pulling that saw down again.
I also had another 610 that I'd gotten running last week sitting there & found that the oiler on it doesn't work either.I'm about ready to get out of the saw game.It seems that just about every saw I touch lately turns to sh*t.

 

[heimannm]

In a way Ed, that is good news....I was beginning to think I was the only one.

I fixed John Deere 40V for a fellow, left it set for a week waiting for a new clutch drum to arrive. When I installed the new drum I tried to start the saw and it was locked up. Removed the spark plug and tried it, bar oil came puking out. I've replaced the o-rings on the oiler, we'll see if that takes care of it.

Mark

 

[ZERO]

Speaking of the 600 series I let the experts Steve @Stump Shot and Greg @farminkarman do their thing.
This project turned out beyond belief.

 

[edju1958]

As for the Timber Bear that wouldn't oil yesterday.I found out why when I tore the saw down today.Obviosly the saw had been into by someone beforer me & things weren't done right.The oil pick up was replaced with a fuel filter & a line that wasn't impervious to oil.No sealant was used on the tank either,if it was used it was gone.They used some sort of thread locker on the 2 top bolts that hold the tank to the engine & I had a helluva time getting those 2 bolts out.As I said previously,things happen for a reason.The clutch nut wasn't OEM,just a plain nut.Fortunately I had the proper nut on hand.I also found that when they broke the starterr pulley they also broke a pawl spring.Again,fortunately I had one on hand.I got the saw mostly put back together.All I need to do is put the fan housing/recoil back on & the bar & chain & chain brake.I'll finish it tomorrow.
as one fella said a couple yrs.ago - "what did McCulloch do,build a saw around an oil line?"LOL Here's a pic of the deteriorated oil line.Originally it came out of the tankl in one piece,but it just fell apart after I'd handled it.

 

[Dream]

Today was not a good day,pretty much a crap sandwich without the bread.
It started off with sharpening a couple chains.The 1st chain was on my Stihl MS310,that went well because I didn't loan that chain out.The 2nd chain was a nightmare.I'd put it on my MS310 last yr.& let my older brother use the saw,he can't sharpen a chain to save his life.He pretty much ruined a brand new 18 in.chain.I did manage to get the chain straightened out so it cuts again.So it was on a Timber Bear that I got running last week.I went to cut a cookie & found that the oioler doesn't work.I fished around in the oil tank with a wire with a hook on it to see if I could hook onto the oil line & was unsuccessful.It looks like I'll have to pull that saw apart & put a new oil line & pick up in it.
Then I finished up on putting the 610 back together & fueled it up.I could barely pull it over,but it tried to fire.Somethging is binding in or on the saw.I'm really not looking forward to pulling that saw down again.
I also had another 610 that I'd gotten running last week sitting there & found that the oiler on it doesn't work either.I'm about ready to get out of the saw game.It seems that just about every saw I touch lately turns to sh*t.

No need to get out of working on saws. Just stop working on McBricks.
You'll feel MUCH better after a 10 series or two.

 

[heimannm]

I had a 6-10 in recently that had me very frustrated, leaky fuel tank and the boss for the carburetor spacer was too rough to seal. That project took weeks longer than it should have to get sorted out.

Oh yeah, leaking oil tank cover too...

Just trying to help, Ed.

Mark

 

[edju1958]

I appreciate everyone's confidence in me & cheering me on to another project.Ido have a couple 10 series saws that I could move on to,but they need the same thing as the frustrating 610 - tear the engine down AGAIN.There are certain models that I enjoy working on & there are other models that I detest,& that's not just the Mac brand either..When people come by they almost always see me wrenching on a saw.I've found that working on saws keeps one's mind sharp because we're always thinking,trying to figure out & diagnose a problem & subsequently fix it.There's no better elation (to me anyway) than getting that old saw that someone has set aside for dead running again.This is probably a "high" that only us saw guys can understand.Thank you for your encouragement!

 

[edju1958]

Just when I start feeling good about myself the Timber Bear has to bite me in my ass.I got it all back together today after I got home from a dr.visit & put oil in the tank & fueled it up.I tried the manual oiler & got NOTHING.I figured maybe the saw needs to be running while I try the manual oiler,so I firerd it up & still NOTHING.The tank was only about 1/2 full,so I shut it down & filled it completely with oil & tried pumping the manual oiler again,still NOTHING.I went to pull it over to start it again & the recoil broke beyond repair.There were only 3 screws holding the recoil on & I thought maybe that had something to do with it,but the more I think about it I know that isn't true.I'm going to put a different fan housing on from a 605 & then I'll be able to put 4 screws in the recoil housing (the TB fan housing had a screw broken off in it because they used the wrong screws & used a drill driver to put them in).
As for the non-oiling issue,I have a new line in & the pick up I was able to blow through by mouth.I'll try putting a new pump gasket on & a new pump.There was some oil up on the top of the gasket when I took the pump off.Maybe the diaphragm in the pump is bad?

 

[heimannm]

Ed - The later model 600 Series saws had a check valve integrated into the oil pump, earlier models used the same disc check valve as the 10 Series. There are different diaphragms used for the two different arrangements and they are not interchangeable. If the integrated check valve is not working, the saw will not oil.

10 Series type check disc and diaphragm.



Integrated check valve and diaphragm.



You can test the integrated check valve by pressing a piece of tubing squarely over the brass body and gently trying to suck and blow, it should hold a vacuum but allow the oil to pass when you apply pressure.

Mark

 

[heimannm]

Here is a different one for the McCulloch crowd, Pro Mac 61, one of the Italian McCulloch saws. Mike Acres site has it listed as a Pro Mac 60, 1998 manufacture date, and 59cc built in an Italian McCulloch factory.

Back story on a big group of saws I picked up in Oregon a few years ago...seems that Ormark/Oregon chain manufacturer were testing chains, I believe for kick back propensity, and a saw shop in Eugene (Mr. Chainsaw) got the saw when they were done. If you look at the cushion on the front handle you can see where a section was cut away for the saw to be clamped in their test rig. The tape on the trigger release was also a by-product of their testing.











Mark

 

[heimannm]

This saw was run a bit, but the inside was absolutely clean other than some assembly grease in the area of the brake. I decided to take it down for a good cleaning anyway, I am just odd and curious like that.



The good folks at Oregon had installed one of their clutch drums with a spline adapter, the sprocket has only the faintest signs of a chain ever having been run on it.





The only problem that I saw was the vent line from the fuel tank, badly deteriorated, notice the lump in the middle like a snake that swallowed a rat?



There was a sintered metal plug or breather pressed into the line.



Mark

 

[heimannm]

The saw seems to be put together pretty well, split magnesium crankcase, bolt on cylinder, separate plastic fuel tank, gear drive oil pump, Walbro WJ carburetor, and overall very easy to work on.



It also has a feature I've never seen on any other saw, the opposite end of the throttle shaft has a lever that pulls a cable that I can only surmise is connected to some kind of valve on the oiler.

Throttle connection.



Oiler "throttle)



High tech oil tank vent.



Mark

 

[heimannm]

For whatever reason, the 8mm bar studs are larger in diameter at the bar pad requiring the use of a large frame bar. I did happen to have a new 16" hardnose bar in the large mount so I went with that.











It has the hottest spark I've seen from and electronic ignition in quite some time. But alas, after the effort to clean it up I don't think I am going to fuel and oil it for a test run, just move it out to the display for now anyway.

Mark

 

[cinci5]

Just when I start feeling good about myself the Timber Bear has to bite me in my ass.I got it all back together today after I got home from a dr.visit & put oil in the tank & fueled it up.I tried the manual oiler & got NOTHING.I figured maybe the saw needs to be running while I try the manual oiler,so I firerd it up & still NOTHING.The tank was only about 1/2 full,so I shut it down & filled it completely with oil & tried pumping the manual oiler again,still NOTHING.I went to pull it over to start it again & the recoil broke beyond repair.There were only 3 screws holding the recoil on & I thought maybe that had something to do with it,but the more I think about it I know that isn't true.I'm going to put a different fan housing on from a 605 & then I'll be able to put 4 screws in the recoil housing (the TB fan housing had a screw broken off in it because they used the wrong screws & used a drill driver to put them in).
As for the non-oiling issue,I have a new line in & the pick up I was able to blow through by mouth.I'll try putting a new pump gasket on & a new pump.There was some oil up on the top of the gasket when I took the pump off.Maybe the diaphragm in the pump is bad?

I have some new diaphragm's if you need them. Both styles. Text me.

 

[edju1958]

There were 3 things preventing it from oiling - 1)the oil pick up was half plugged,that went into the trash.2) the oil nipple that the line plugs onto was plugged too,luckily I'd put a longer line in it previously & I was able to blow the blockage out by mouth.3) the oil pump was no damn good,I replaced it with one that I'd bought on feebay for $28.It pumps oil really good now.
Tomorrow I'll be tearing into another 610 that won't oil.
Oh yeah,my parts that I needed for the starter arrived today,so I was able to finish up on the original recoil that was on the saw.I also took the fan housing off the TB & used the one from the parts 605.Now it has 4 screws holding the recoil on.

 

[edju1958]

I have some new diaphragm's if you need them. Both styles. Text me.

IIRC,someone did a post on the other forum a fewe yrs.back & he said he didn't have any good results with replacing the diaphragms in those oil pumps.
'

 

[heimannm]

My oddity for today, McCulloch Titan 51. I cannot find anything listed on Mike Acres site that has any further information on this model. It does have similar modifications for the test rig, and this one certainly appears to have run & cut something.











Mark

 

[heimannm]

This one has the same bar mount as the Pro Mac 61 for the large mount McCulloch bar, I did have another 16" hardnose bar available and outfit it with a 68 DL .325 .050 chain.







Someone had robbed some parts from the starter but I was able to come up with the items needed to complete this one.

Mark