I'm stumped. I have a Poulan 3300 (33 CI) Timbermaster chainsaw that just won't work right. It starts at full choke and will rev decently at almost full choke. The carb has been cleaned thoroughly and I've adjusted the air seven ways to Sunday, but it still won't work without the choke on almost all the way. This is one that's mounted with a rubber tunnel between the carb and engine. Think I have a pinhole in the rubber? Looks like I'll have to split the case to inspect it. Opinions...yeah, I know...get a new one. This one belongs to another guy. I just bought a Farm Boss, Stihl, and am liking it thoroughly.
Poulan Chainsaw
- Thread starter yeehaw1960
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Cracked primer bulb?
There should be a hose from the underside of the carb to a hose barb on the block . This is to run the diaphragm in the carb. Check the hose real good for cracks - I have replaced this hose on several poulan chainsaws. If the hose is cracked, the engine will starve for fuel without the choke on. HTH.
I replaced that hose and the hose that feeds the fuel. The filter is free flowing, and there isn't a primer on this one. It's making me wonder. This is from when Poulan made decent chainsaws with Walbro carbs. Thanks for the answers though. I have it soaking in the stuff that will eat your hand off if you slip. Maybe I'm missing a passage.
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Geesh! I'm about ready to throw this thing out the door. Hoses are good. When I blow into the hose on block, engine reacts (turns over a little). Filter is free and clear. Diaphram and pump is soft and pliable. Soaked carb in the "bad" stuff overnight. What on Earth am I missing? I may thow a kit into it next week to see if that helps. Any other ideas? THANKS!
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If it only runs on choke then there has to be a air leak someplace. Did this happen after you removed the carb or did it just start out of the blue? You say it runs OK at full throttle, so it's getting adequate fuel?
There has to be a crack, loose hose, or other compromise in the induction system.
There has to be a crack, loose hose, or other compromise in the induction system.
Kestas
Staff member
Another wild stab at this -- check for spark. After pulling and pulling, do you smell gas? I kow you said the engine reacts, but I wonder how strong or intermittent the spark is.
I once had to replace the magneto on my cheapie Poulan.
I once had to replace the magneto on my cheapie Poulan.
Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to check the rubber "tunnel" between the carb and engine. It may have a crack in it. It has to, it just has to!<----overly dramatic.
Originally Posted By: dave123
You know what they say about Poulan you keeep pulling,pulling and pulling.
LOL that seems to be the case with the brand new ones I bought. Got a Poulan Chainsaw to trim up trees, and a Poulan Pro Leaf Blower to take care of the leaves. Hopefully they will start easier after some run time. My MTD cheapo weed eater starts better now that it has some time on it.
You know what they say about Poulan you keeep pulling,pulling and pulling.
LOL that seems to be the case with the brand new ones I bought. Got a Poulan Chainsaw to trim up trees, and a Poulan Pro Leaf Blower to take care of the leaves. Hopefully they will start easier after some run time. My MTD cheapo weed eater starts better now that it has some time on it.
Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960
Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to check the rubber "tunnel" between the carb and engine. It may have a crack in it. It has to, it just has to!div>
Carby boot leaks are common, even on near new 'premium' brands.
Both Husky and Makita/Dolmar have released TSB's and upgraded parts for some of their pro saws in the last couple of years due to carb boot leaks.
357XP Huskies (and maybe others) used a plastic clamp that deteriorated and loosened, it's replaced with a metal clamp, and the hot rod Dolmar PS5100S had a small metal insert ring placed between the boot and carby to prevent boot distortion.
Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to check the rubber "tunnel" between the carb and engine. It may have a crack in it. It has to, it just has to!div>
Carby boot leaks are common, even on near new 'premium' brands.
Both Husky and Makita/Dolmar have released TSB's and upgraded parts for some of their pro saws in the last couple of years due to carb boot leaks.
357XP Huskies (and maybe others) used a plastic clamp that deteriorated and loosened, it's replaced with a metal clamp, and the hot rod Dolmar PS5100S had a small metal insert ring placed between the boot and carby to prevent boot distortion.
Originally Posted By: Cmarti
Air leak as stated earlier. If manifold is not the culprit (Carb to cylinder connection) tighten the bolts on the bottom of the saw. They hold the case/jug together. They can vibrate loose. good luck
Also in some cases the gasket maybe crack causing air leak.
Air leak as stated earlier. If manifold is not the culprit (Carb to cylinder connection) tighten the bolts on the bottom of the saw. They hold the case/jug together. They can vibrate loose. good luck
Also in some cases the gasket maybe crack causing air leak.
I gave up for now. I'll post a you tube video showing it "run". The rubber boot looks brand new after getting it off. I put a kit in the carb and that didn't help. I've replaced the hoses and filter too. The gas cap is venting, the spark plug is new. I thought a bent back up plate that holds the mounting bolt in place was the culprit. No dice. I thought I was patient, but... I'll check the engine casing this weekend sometime if I don't throw it off a cliff. I told the owner it was dead anyway.
For the Poulan equipment...After a certain number of pulls on the rope for the blower, the rope will start staying out. I runs right across a plastic surface and starts to cut a groove. What engineering!
For the chainsaw, it's an amazing piece of engineering as well. It has a metal piece of throttle linkage that rotates and strikes a plastic part of the linkage. The spring at the base of the plastic piece is so cheap, it breaks easily. When you go to the small engine shop, they will sell you a new carb, but they don't have the spring. When you try to adjust the factory presets on the carb to smooth things out, it makes it run even worse. I said I would never do it, but I shopped around and bought a Stihl Farm Boss for $300. I am now living the dream that only Stihl, Echo (not from big box store) and Husqvarna owners are. Plus, I get to feel guilty for a few years for spending so much.
For the chainsaw, it's an amazing piece of engineering as well. It has a metal piece of throttle linkage that rotates and strikes a plastic part of the linkage. The spring at the base of the plastic piece is so cheap, it breaks easily. When you go to the small engine shop, they will sell you a new carb, but they don't have the spring. When you try to adjust the factory presets on the carb to smooth things out, it makes it run even worse. I said I would never do it, but I shopped around and bought a Stihl Farm Boss for $300. I am now living the dream that only Stihl, Echo (not from big box store) and Husqvarna owners are. Plus, I get to feel guilty for a few years for spending so much.
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Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960
For the Poulan equipment...After a certain number of pulls on the rope for the blower, the rope will start staying out. I runs right across a plastic surface and starts to cut a groove. What engineering!
For the chainsaw, it's an amazing piece of engineering as well. It has a metal piece of throttle linkage that rotates and strikes a plastic part of the linkage. The spring at the base of the plastic piece is so cheap, it breaks easily. When you go to the small engine shop, they will sell you a new carb, but they don't have the spring. When you try to adjust the factory presets on the carb to smooth things out, it makes it run even worse. I said I would never do it, but I shopped around and bought a Stihl Farm Boss for $300. I am now living the dream that only Stihl, Echo (not from big box store) and Husqvarna owners are. Plus, I get to feel guilty for a few years for spending so much.
You mention the big box stores in a bad light. The reason I bring this up is that I've just purchased a lot of new Echo equipment for my wife's landscaping business - 1 chain saw, 3 blowers, 4 trimmers, and 4 string trimmers. All were purchased from a repudible landscaping supply company, with the exception of two blowers purchased from Home Depot. Of the 2 from HD, one has gone back, and it's replacement (2 days use) is probably going back for the same problem today (the engine will idle fine, but it won't accelerate or reach anything like full power). Is Echo sending their assembly line rejects to the big box stores?
For the Poulan equipment...After a certain number of pulls on the rope for the blower, the rope will start staying out. I runs right across a plastic surface and starts to cut a groove. What engineering!
For the chainsaw, it's an amazing piece of engineering as well. It has a metal piece of throttle linkage that rotates and strikes a plastic part of the linkage. The spring at the base of the plastic piece is so cheap, it breaks easily. When you go to the small engine shop, they will sell you a new carb, but they don't have the spring. When you try to adjust the factory presets on the carb to smooth things out, it makes it run even worse. I said I would never do it, but I shopped around and bought a Stihl Farm Boss for $300. I am now living the dream that only Stihl, Echo (not from big box store) and Husqvarna owners are. Plus, I get to feel guilty for a few years for spending so much.
You mention the big box stores in a bad light. The reason I bring this up is that I've just purchased a lot of new Echo equipment for my wife's landscaping business - 1 chain saw, 3 blowers, 4 trimmers, and 4 string trimmers. All were purchased from a repudible landscaping supply company, with the exception of two blowers purchased from Home Depot. Of the 2 from HD, one has gone back, and it's replacement (2 days use) is probably going back for the same problem today (the engine will idle fine, but it won't accelerate or reach anything like full power). Is Echo sending their assembly line rejects to the big box stores?
At the very least, Big Box stores don't have people who know their equipment. They have some teenager slapping things together if assembly is required. They (for the most part) don't have people there that know anything about what they're selling except the price. And, I suspect that Echo and John Deere, and Cub Cadet have a "special" Home Depot assembly line for more "disposable" equipment. Remember, the bottom three models of Husqvarna are made by Poulan. Holy Sh*&! Everything else Husqvarna makes is world-class, but you can't buy them at a big box store.
Real small engine shops spend time to ensure what they're getting in is of quality workmanship. They spend time to ops check the stuff they sell. And, if you ask most workers in a small engine shop how something works or why it's better, they can actually tell you. For your blowers, they probably would have taken the one you brought back to the big box store and tweaked the air screw and made it run fine for awhile longer. Home Depot would throw it into a vat with the rest of the [censored] that was returned.
Real shops don't carry Murray or MTD or the other stuff that's hastily designed and squirted off an assembly line without regard for the end customers. You can buy a pretty OK John Deere riding mower at Home Depot, but you can't buy anything like what a normal John Deere dealer has. Yes, they have tougher decks and better engines than the MTD, but to get a real, tough, beautiful cutting John Deere, you have to go to a dealer. They'll charge you till you bleed, but you'll get something that will last half a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I despise reputable dealers for dangling quality in my face for a price, but you gotta love the stuff you get there.
Oops, my soapbox broke. It must have come from Lowes!
Real small engine shops spend time to ensure what they're getting in is of quality workmanship. They spend time to ops check the stuff they sell. And, if you ask most workers in a small engine shop how something works or why it's better, they can actually tell you. For your blowers, they probably would have taken the one you brought back to the big box store and tweaked the air screw and made it run fine for awhile longer. Home Depot would throw it into a vat with the rest of the [censored] that was returned.
Real shops don't carry Murray or MTD or the other stuff that's hastily designed and squirted off an assembly line without regard for the end customers. You can buy a pretty OK John Deere riding mower at Home Depot, but you can't buy anything like what a normal John Deere dealer has. Yes, they have tougher decks and better engines than the MTD, but to get a real, tough, beautiful cutting John Deere, you have to go to a dealer. They'll charge you till you bleed, but you'll get something that will last half a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I despise reputable dealers for dangling quality in my face for a price, but you gotta love the stuff you get there.
Oops, my soapbox broke. It must have come from Lowes!
Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960
For the Poulan equipment...After a certain number of pulls on the rope for the blower, the rope will start staying out. I runs right across a plastic surface and starts to cut a groove. What engineering!
For the chainsaw, it's an amazing piece of engineering as well. It has a metal piece of throttle linkage that rotates and strikes a plastic part of the linkage. The spring at the base of the plastic piece is so cheap, it breaks easily. When you go to the small engine shop, they will sell you a new carb, but they don't have the spring. When you try to adjust the factory presets on the carb to smooth things out, it makes it run even worse. I said I would never do it, but I shopped around and bought a Stihl Farm Boss for $300. I am now living the dream that only Stihl, Echo (not from big box store) and Husqvarna owners are. Plus, I get to feel guilty for a few years for spending so much.
You pay for what you get. Just like computers buy a cheap Emachine and the power supply goes...causes motherboard to fry and so on. Some are lucky than others.
Personally why waste your time on cheap stuff. Yes Ive seen cheap Puolan chainsaw///worthless for hard stuff.
For the Poulan equipment...After a certain number of pulls on the rope for the blower, the rope will start staying out. I runs right across a plastic surface and starts to cut a groove. What engineering!
For the chainsaw, it's an amazing piece of engineering as well. It has a metal piece of throttle linkage that rotates and strikes a plastic part of the linkage. The spring at the base of the plastic piece is so cheap, it breaks easily. When you go to the small engine shop, they will sell you a new carb, but they don't have the spring. When you try to adjust the factory presets on the carb to smooth things out, it makes it run even worse. I said I would never do it, but I shopped around and bought a Stihl Farm Boss for $300. I am now living the dream that only Stihl, Echo (not from big box store) and Husqvarna owners are. Plus, I get to feel guilty for a few years for spending so much.
You pay for what you get. Just like computers buy a cheap Emachine and the power supply goes...causes motherboard to fry and so on. Some are lucky than others.
Personally why waste your time on cheap stuff. Yes Ive seen cheap Puolan chainsaw///worthless for hard stuff.
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