Any poulan lovers out there

[kossetx]

My only complaint is, if I forget to drain out the chain oil after using the saw, it all leaks out and makes a mess.[/QUOTE]

Ah yes, my only complaint too.

 

[Chuck52]

I've got a Husky .... model 54 or something. I couldn't get it running a couple years ago and then didn't need it much last year, so I'll probably end up taking it in to get it fixed. I probably just screwed something up rather than it being a bad saw. One question...I've read how one saw or another will "cut rings around" another. With the same chain design, the main difference between two saws would have to be the RPMs to make a major difference in cutting speed, I would think. Is there something else involved? I know one can be easier to handle, lighter of heavier, etc, but really it seems to me that chain design and RPMs have to be the major factors in cutting speed.

Chuck

 

[JazzDad]

I second the glitch about the bar oil leaking out when not in use.
Also, try as I could, I was unable to find a replacement air filter. Oh, I need one because the original does not seat properly and sawdust gets into the carb. Summary: the Poulan I do not like.

 

[SPIKER]

I to have had some of the oil leak out but I NEVER drain the oil or gas, and I DON'T run it dry. In my opinion that is one of the WORST things to do, pretty much ALL 2 cycle engines use the gas/oil mix as a LUBE, run it dry and there is no longer the needed wet lube inside it.

I think my WORST complaint is the dang gas cap swelling up it is a bear to take out after it sets a LONG while. I have noticed that it was fine until I had some cheap 10% ethanol gas in there once, since then it swells up regularly, I take out the cap & put it into a nice warm spot to HEAT it up to 100 or so degrees for a hr or so, that or run the propane torch over it for a few min to warm it up goo then it shrinks back to size for a while. This is common I guess and is the worst thing I have found with it. I orriginally bought my wild thing 18" 10+ yrs ago to cut Rail Road ties (old used ones with rocks and lots of hardened creosote in them) I pretty much ate the bar & new chain up but did all I asked of it, throwing sparks & all. I used a 1/2 a 1 gallon jug (with top cut out of it) full up with oil/water mix to dip the chain/bar into while cutting for extra lube & extra cooling. I didn't do that until 3rd or 4th cut and chain & bar would get really hot. but the mix of oil & water sure helped it live a lot longer between cuttings...

Mark M

 

[tallyho8]

My Wild Thing leaks oil out when laid up too if it is upright. I found that if I leave mine laying on it's side, the oil doesn't leak out. Gas & oil fill caps side up.

 

[JRobyn]

Chuck, IMHO you've hit the nail exactly on the head.... assuming that the saw engine starts and runs properly, 95% of *cutting* performance is the chain. Of course, there are MANY different chain designs, and only some of the larger more commercial saws can use the more aggressive designs, plus, the more agressive they are (in general), the more kickback-prone they are, so many retailers (big boxes) will not even sell the really good-cutting chains or saws wearing them! I think this may be one reason that many folks swear by Stihls, because the dealers are a bit more liberal with selling more agressive chains on them.

I have found that by taking the depth guides down to a little more than the typical 0.025", even the super-safe anti-kickback chain performance can be increased quite a bit.

- Jay

 

[blueriver]

I had one once ... won't make that mistake again.