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Worst chainsaw repairs....

Started by Weesa20, November 04, 2013, 07:42:44 PM

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Weesa20

Been lurking for awhile...for my first post I thought I start a "worst chainsaw repairs" thread so folks can tell about cob-jobs that they have found...for example, I recently picked up a nice little PP220 on Craig's for 20$. Seller said that he had replaced the fuel lines, it still wouldn't run for more than a couple seconds. Has an almost new Oregon B&C that I can use on other saws so I figure I can't lose.....I get it home to find the seller used the wrong/too small diameter feed line and USED CLEAR CAULK TO TRY TO SEAL IT WHERE IT PASSES THOUGH THE CASE TO THE TANK and didn't replace the return line and had the lines backward to the purge bulb...probably couldn't get the right size line through...total cob-job....20 minutes and I had it running with the right size lines

Anyway....what have others found?

beenthere

Weesa20
Good on you.   8)

A little more explanation about the purpose of the thread would help us to focus a bit.

Is it to point out how some people try to fix things, which may beyond their control or ability... ??

Or is it to point out how good we can make them run after the right fix ??

Not sure what is gained, but willing to listen..
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Weesa20

Thanks for the warm welcome! I was thinking that we could share stories of other people's incompetence and the short cuts that they have tried to take and what we did to make the correct repairs...I was thinking this might make an interesting thread, but if not, mods please delete.

beenthere

Quotethinking that we could share stories of other people's incompetence

That is what I was a bit afraid of, was the reason. Was only curious.
In different ways and for different things, we are all less than competent, IMO.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Weesa20

Welcome to philosophy forum....geez, I was trying to start a good natured discussion about our experiences...like everyone, I have my limitations...for instance, I can't maneuver an aircraft carrier or fly a plane, but at least I have the self awareness not to try....unlike this guy who is lucky he didn't catch himself on fire with a hot engine and a leaking gas tank and then try to pass it off as a machine with properly replaced fuel lines.

Terry Syd

OK, I'll give it a go. I bought a very beat up 029 for $50 and this is what I found.

The saw was covered with oil, heaps of oil - I later figured it out what had happened. The previous owner had broken off the tang for the chain oiler when he played around with the clutch, so he simply poured oil on the chain and let it sling off.

The starter rope was broken - that's because he had chewed up the starter pawls and jammed them up inside. Apparently, the extra resistance to turning over the engine wasn't a big enough clue, so he just used extra strength on the rope - until it broke.

I knew he had attempted to work on the starter at some time, because he lost the screws to the starter cover and used an odd selection of whatever was in his garage to put the cover back on (he completely stripped one screw hole out).

He had also lost the hardware for the chainbrake pivot and put a nut inside to shim it up to where the chainbrake worked. (at least he was safety conscious)

Once I got the saw running with a new rope, the saw wouldn't idle. I noticed that he had turned the idle mixture way out and the idle screw way down - yep, he had an air leak. Turns out one of the bolts that held the cylinder on had fallen out. Pretty obvious when you looked at the bottom of the saw. I don't know how long he had run the saw that way, but he did manage to score the cylinder.

Tightening the bar wasn't a high priority for this guy, he ran it with the bar loose and pounded out the face of the saw and the side cover.

A bunch of other little things that indicated he didn't have the tools, knowledge or intelligence to work on a saw.

The saw is now back cutting wood with a ported 64cc top end, muffler mod, 20" NK bar, 9-pin, upgraded oiler and reworked carb. It works great, but still looks like it came out of a garbage bin.

chainsawr

We have seen so many, I'll just list some of my favorite really common ones.

- Large framing nail as a pull handle

- Sock air filter

- Sheet rock screws through sticks to hold plastic handle and tanks together

Those would be homespun field repairs.

On 'professionally' fixed saws it is common to find: wrong spark plugs, wrong fuel lines, backwards pistons, rebuilt motors with straight gas still in the gas tank, no air filters, cross threaded bar nuts.  Wrong mounting pattern bar, and wrong pitch of chain are also on the top of the list.  All fun stuff.

You name it we have seen it.

I should really have taken pictures of all the wooden, hand carved, improvised pull rope handles we have seen over the years.  They are actually pretty cool, some of them.

but hey if it runs, cuts and gets the job done what more can we ask.
www.chainsawr.com

Over 50,000 parts in stock.

Selling excellent Dolmar chainsaws and power equipment.

High volume Oregon bar and chain dealer.

nmurph

I recently picked up a very 346NE for $50 that the shop couldn't get to run with a stable idle--carb bolts not snugged tight.  8)

ZeroJunk

One of the best deals I ever got on a saw was a very nice looking Stihl 026. Not sure whether this qualifies as a repair or not. Somebody had put a new plug in and apparently dropped it on concrete or something and the gap was closed tight. Sold as non running. I didn't even need to buy a new plug. Just opened it up and the saw ran like a new one.

sawguy21

 :D Now that is funny. We had an early style Remington Mitey-Mite come in for warranty repair, no start. Yes that is MANY years ago. No spark so changed the points. Still no go so changed the coil, the condenser was molded into it. Hmm, no joy there either. Installed the mag from a running saw. Nada. Installed the dead mag on the other saw. It worked. O.K. now what? I set it aside to deal with more pressing work, my partner had a go at it with no success. The store started putting pressure on after a few weeks so took it down for another go. For some reason I had the bar and chain off, when I pulled the rope the clutch turned backwards. DanG, somebody had reversed the spring and starter pawls, it had the F-M starter, and wound the rope counterclockwise on the pulley.  ::) Fixed that, it started one pull. We charged the labor to education tax and sent it out.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

sablatnic

My worst/best repair job was probably when I was repairing my own Partner S55, which needed a new cylinder and new bearings. No cylinder to be had, but I had one off a P70, which could not get into the crankcase of the S55. No problem, dismantle the saw, make a boring tool from an old bolt and a broken drill bit, clamp the empty crankcase onto the drill press, and bore it out to fit the cylinder. Didn't have the correct bearings either, so had to grind what I had to fit he crank shaft. 20 years and many hours ago, and it is still running great. The best S55 I've ever run!
;D

sablatnic


Cedar Savage

I bought a non running echo 346 on ebay for $40 or something...they have the gas & oil tanks reversed on them. I flushed the oil outta the gas tank & pumped the purge bulb to flush the lines an it fired right up with a lil smoke. I mounted a quarter tip bar on it & its the lightest carving saw I have. I love it... 8)
"They fried the fish with bacon and were astonished, for no fish had ever seemed so delicious before."         Mark Twain

Cut4fun

I have seen so many different fixes  :o :D, but I'm not going to dwell on it here.  I just do my own redneck fix if that is what they choose and move on.   ;)

Ward Barnes

Working in a big box store you see some real zingers.  Then there are the customers who will not give you a chance to tell them how to fix their own saw (we don't repair on site).  One couple came in, picked out a new saw, and only when I stopped to assist did they relate their tale of wow.  I tried to explain that there was nothing wrong with the saw itself, it was a chain that had stretched past the point that the chain could no longer be tightened.  The look on their face said, "Man you are so stupid".  I hope they are happy with their new saw.
7 year old Stihl MS 390.  New Stihl trim saw MS 250.  Kubota BX 2200 tractor.  2005 F150 4X4.
Dull chains cause accidents.  Accidents cause shorter life spans.
You don't sharpen a chain when it gets dull.  You sharpen a chain to keep it from getting dull.

IndianSprings

I've see some real train wrecks but the absolute worst saw to ever work on is the Stihl 019, I love my Stihl's, but a Husky engineer had to have planted this design in someone's mind. I won't even touch one if there is any other option. It has to be the worst designed saw from a major mfg.
Indian Springs Farm
Firewood Purveyor
Orchard Grass & Alfalfa Hay
Stihl 660,460,441,440,038,361,261x2,028,200T,032,030
Homelite Super EZ, Dolmar 133,143
JD Farm Equipment
Buy made in the USA

H 2 H

I picked up a Husky 55 from a local framer and he couldn't get it running for the life of him

I dumped the old fuel put fresh fuel in it and noticed the spark plug wire wasn't all the  way down on the spark plug pushed it down and it fired right up

Brian

Old BROWN eyes strikes again !

"Saw troll speaks with authority about saws has never even touched. Well maybe he touches the pictures in the brochures before he rips on them"

".... guess you need to do more than read specs, and look at pictures !"

coxy

Quote from: IndianSprings on November 10, 2013, 09:01:23 PM
I've see some real train wrecks but the absolute worst saw to ever work on is the Stihl 019, I love my Stihl's, but a Husky engineer had to have planted this design in someone's mind. I won't even touch one if there is any other option. It has to be the worst designed saw from a major mfg.
the 460 stihl demo saws is a pain in the

AKDoug

Quote from: IndianSprings on November 10, 2013, 09:01:23 PM
I've see some real train wrecks but the absolute worst saw to ever work on is the Stihl 019, I love my Stihl's, but a Husky engineer had to have planted this design in someone's mind. I won't even touch one if there is any other option. It has to be the worst designed saw from a major mfg.
I was glad the carb was bad on the last one I worked on and I convinced the owner to trash it. I hate those things with a passion.

Gunny 1992

Years ago a Sears Home Center opened by my old home and stocked Husky saws, don't know if they still do?  A friend told me to check out their clearance table.  On the table were the usual homeowner reconditioned saws so I asked to talk to a manager.  He came out and I asked him if he had anything larger that was returned.  He said they did and took me downstairs to their loading dock, saw had gas in it and had to be stored there.  A 455 Rancher brand new, so I asked what was wrong with it.  He said he didn't know.  I started the saw and it ran fine except seemed a little bogged down and was throwing sparks out of the cover.  We negotiated to $150 and I took the saw home.  The person who bought the saw, putting it together, did not notice the brake was on and stretched the chain brake over the clutch drum.  I don't know how it was possible but they did it!  Took it apart and replaced the brake band, put it together, worked like a new saw (because it was and never touched wood).  Gave it to my father for fathers day, I am a stihl guy, and he is still using it today in northern Michigan.  Thee End.
Few saws, few axes, few exes, less money!

Gunny

Lanternguy

not a horror story but i was at a garage sale and spotted a pretty nice echo Cs3000 saw, asked the guy how much and he said it doesn't work it wont start how about 5$?  i pressed the primer bulb and could see a tear in the bulb so i said sure gave him the 5 bucks he was asking.  Ordered a new primer bulb and it fired right up total investment under 10$
Echo CS3000, Stihl MS180, Echo 450P, Stihl MS361, Stihl HS46C-E, Stihl Magnum BR600, Echo SRM225, Stihl FS 56, Echo TC-210 Tiller, Stihl BG56 C-E,  Black and Decker Alligator, Poulin Pro Blower

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