Running my chainsaw out of gas "breaks" it

Old saws don't really love new gas... they weren't made or designed to run on alcohol. You might want to find a fuel dealer (marina? or one that services marine engines) that stocks alcohol free gasoline.

I've never heard of 'not running them out of fuel'. My last saw was 18 years old when I cratered it with the tractor (Stihl 025)... always ran it to dry. [Engine still ran, even after crushing]

I've got a stack of Poulans, Mac's, and Stihls... and prefer the Stihls. Imho, there's no such thing as a 'free saw'. Acquired a 'free one' last fall (a 20 year old Stihl)... researched its probs and found it needed a 40$ part. Hesitant about ordering it, in case it has 'other issues' too!

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This saw was gifted to me at Christmas. Mom bought it off Craigslist. The guy started it up for her in the Wal-Mart parking lot and it seemed to run fine. Now I think I could get it to run well enough to pull the wool over someone else's eyes, if I were the low-down, slimy sort.

The premix I was using from the hardware store is alcohol-free.

Never never use ether on any internal combustion engine. It's the Kiss of death.
jim

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Is starting fluid not made of ether anymore? I used starting fluid.

That's the fuel pump, just so you know. And those little flappers, those are the one-way valves that pump the gasoline up and into the carburetor. The carburetor itself is the part with the thingie that moves when you pull the throttle trigger on the handle.

Starting fluid is still ether. A bit rough on engines, particularly 2-strokes, but not the end of the world either.

Something you didn't mention was the air filter. Did you clean that? A saw going weak and smoking after "quite a bit" of use is fairly indicative of a dirty air filter restricting air, causing the engine to be getting a overly rich mixture. If you're cleaning with a brush, and not compressed air blowing it out from the inside, there's a fair chance the filter is still quite restricted.

I don't really go along with your thinking of simply replacing the carburetor. At least not yet.

If this were my saw, we'd be down to just a few last things before I threw the saw against a wall.

Carburetor rebuild kit (~$5). Take the carburetor off the saw, clean it thoroughly with a spray can of carburetor cleaner (wear safety glasses! That stuff burns like the dickens if you get it in your eyes). Replace the gaskets with new ones from the kit. Make sure to remove the mixture screws and clean those passages out. It only takes a spec of screw them up. This is a good link for understanding the carburetor, and how to set it after you clean it. http://store.chainsawr.com/blogs/tun...saw-carburetor

New spark plug (~$3). A spark plug that has seen regular fouling is quite prone to a phenomina called carbon tracking, where the electricity runs along the surface, instead of creating a spark across the gap.

New clunker for the fuel tank (~$10). This is the thingie that lives on the end of the fuel line in the tank. It's also a fuel filter. When it gets plugged up, your mixture tends to go lean and screws up setting the carburetor correctly.

A foot or two of fuel line (~$6). Just replace it. You'll probably damage the old line trying to replace the clunker. The old type lines tend to swell half shut from the ethanol anyways, and they do get brittle.

Muffler cleaning (free). Pull it off, open it up (if possible) and clean out the carbon that's probably covering everything. Pay close attention to a screen that is likely in there! Make sure it's not blinded with carbon.

At that point, the saw would be at the end of the line for me, generally speaking. Sure, it's fixable. Anything is fixable. But the cost of fixing it vs the cost of replacing it with a new saw becomes prohibitive.

The reason that I was jumping straight for replacing the carb is that the guy at the shop allegedly replaced the diaphragms, the fuel lines, the spark plug and the fuel filter the first time I had it in. I have not cleaned the air filter and I don't remember him mentioning it. I will clean that out or replace it.

I'm not sure how much I trust what he said he did to the saw. I will consider replacing the consumables before replacing the carb.

You sure are a game one on this. I tip my hat to you for your determination.

Cleaning the air filter clear is a daily maintenance item for chainsaws.

As well taking the bar off, cleaning the grove the chain rides in, and flipping it when you reinstall it. Wouldn't be surprised if this is the root of your oiling problem actually. But lets get the saw running reliably.

Here are a few links I've found that will likely help you with this saw.

This is the owners manual for a Mcculloch 3514:
http://lawnandgarden.manualsonline.c...idRes=16407498

A Mcculloch tech library:
http://www.puresimplicity.net/~heviarti/tsl.html

Another Mcculloch tech library:
http://macbobaust.com/saws1.html

And a small Mcculloch chainsaw thread from many chainsaw owners who have them (and love/hate them):
http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw...ies/218770.htm

When I do a carb job, I do the whole carb. Everything comes off and out including the welch plugs. All the passages get solvent and air and it get's put back together and test run till it works right. Even after all that some carbs just get so gunked up in the passages that they won't work right. The diaphragm (there's only one) is a piece that moves from crankcase pressure to pull the needle back to let gas into the engine, the fuel pump is on the other side and also works off crankcase pressure. You need to check any lines or boots that may exist to see if they are cracked and leaking pressure or vacuum. Fuel lines can collapse and cause problems too but you say he replaced them. A new carb will not fix a leaking boot or impulse line.

A complete carb kit is going to run $15.00 or so these days. Setting it properly, if it can be set right at all, will run another $15-20.00 in labor anyway at a shop.

Ditto.
I did the disposable chainsaw purchase thing for years. I noticed they last about 2yrs then problems start. Wasting time energy and dollars chasing repairs.
Saved up my lunch money and purchased a Stihl. (any high quality saw works all though there are few to choose from,, Stihl invented the chainsaw and Germans make top quality machinery).
What we forget or don't want to factor is the time and energy wasted trying to get low cost tools to work. Buy quality for life.
I sawmill/kiln dry and manufacture flooring to furniture for a living. I use a chainsaw about 6 days a week 52 weeks per year.
You purchase a Stihl saw appropriate size for the work you do and I guarantee you will love it and it will make the cheap saws look like chumps.

Just don't:
Run it out of fuel.
Use starting fluid.
Use any 2cycle oil other than Sthil.
Make the gas/oil ratio anything but what the mfr. says.
Use used motor oil for bar lube.

Also I finnaly tried an electric chain sharpener (the chop saw type) and I love it. I get just as much chain life as I did sharpening with a round file. Also it keeps the teeth exactly the same length which can be a problem hand filing.
Also it allows perfect uniform lowering of the depth limiters which one cannot do by hand.

I sharpen planer/jointer knives and bandsaw blades also for a living.
jim

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If an elected official is in charge of a budget and that budget is not balanced, the elected official is not eligible for re-election until the budget is balanced.
Be a leader not a follower

I would agree with this if you can find a used one. As far as new ones go, only the top two models (professional models) are still made in Germany. I am sure they sell for close to $1000 bucks.

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Starting fluid is NOT good to use on a two cycle engine.. If you must use something to start it with, you're better off using WD-40.. it at least has some lubrication in it.

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BTW, have you by chance looked inside the cylinder to see if there are any scratches or scores in the wall or piston? I've seen saws that would run if they were damaged, but they usually weren't much fun to start... Check especially on the exhaust side of the engine..

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Never let your fear decide your fate!
Kein Mitleid für die Mehrheit