Tepramental and Idiosyncratic Chain saw @GRRRRR.com

I have an old Craftsman 18" chainsaw that runs like a raped ape IF you get it to start in the 2nd or 3rd try after the initial attempt. To do that, on mine, you have to do the choke pull, choke pull, no choke pull, then trigger. Once you get past that and it still hasn't caught, you might as well put it back on the shelf because you are done with it for at least half a day! I bought a Lowes branded job a couple years ago. Spring vibration isolators, short stroke starter, easy to start... I love it but I can't bring myself to get rid of the old cantankerous Craftsman. Kind of the same as the pretty truck and the old beater that gets the job done in conditions that you would hate yourself for taking the pretty one.
 
On most saws, it works best to put on the choke and pull the engine over till it fires. At that point,
the engine is essentially flooded. Then setting the engine to "run" and pulling it over leans the
mixture and allows it to start. The start process usually will require three to four pulls to start.
This is of course regarding a cold engine. Once warm, one pull will usually suffice.
 
I had a 4-stroke trimmer that had a failed primer bulb yesterday. Taking the trimmer apart enough to access the bulb, one of the fuel lines "disintegrated". I had some 5/32 fuel line that was "almost the same", so I hooked it up and managed to squeeze one end into the tank. The fix completed, I reassembled and fired it up. It ran like **** to say the least. I figured that the new fuel line I used was closed off entering the hole in the tank, so I opened up the hole enough for an easier fit for my new line to allow air (or gas?) to pass back into the tank. After reassembling and start up, the engine now runs with full power.

Just my latest foray into small engine repair.
 
I had a 25 year old Husqvarna. Worked great for all those years. Started acting up, missing, quiting, all the same problems. Figured I would start with gas line. Then to carb mount seal. Then to carb kit. Then to new carb. Then to ingition coil. Got it down to crank shaft seals. Took it all the way down to the crank. Ordered the seals. The wrong seals showed up after two weeks waiting.

Threw the whole works in the trash and bought a new saw. Runs great!!!!

What did I learn. I am bull headed!!

Use the saw for 20 years and buy a new one once it starts giving you troubles. After 20 years, I deserved a new saw.

D
 
I have 4 chainsaws, a Stihl, 2 Husqvarnas and a 25-30 yr old Jonsered (which still runs the best).
 
Twirpunky said:
I had a 25 year old Husqvarna. Worked great for all those years. Started acting up, missing, quiting, all the same problems. Figured I would start with gas line. Then to carb mount seal. Then to carb kit. Then to new carb. Then to ingition coil. Got it down to crank shaft seals. Took it all the way down to the crank. Ordered the seals. The wrong seals showed up after two weeks waiting.
Click to expand...

All that failure would have had me questioning my man-hood - or at least my engine repairing ability!
 
Save your manhood. Even if it runs good, buy a new saw every 15 years and throw the old one out. Don't give it to a buddy, he will want you to fix the dang thing. "THROW IT OUT"

Oh, another thing. Throw it out on the same day as the garbage truck picks up the trash. If you are like me, you will be picking it out of the trash for another attempt at fixing it.

D
 
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