adjusting screws on chainsaws.

[soundbeltfarm]

got given an old poulan chainsaw but when i run it on no choke it dies after awhile but with choke half on its sweet.
not sure here. tried richer fuel but no luck.
also it has a adjuster for idle and 1 for L and 1 for H.
ive worked out the L and H.
but what is the difference between the idle screw and the L screw?
i know this has nothing to do with bikes but i thought someone must know a bit about it.

[What?]

The idle screwadjusts throttle position, the other two alter air/fuel mixture (L for low revs, H for high).
I find the best trick is to fiddle with all three until it won't run at all, then take it to the shop for a service...

[Sensei]

Idle is just that idle L is for the low end mixture once you have set the idle speed , this will help when you first rev it up & the H is for full noise so once running you hold it full open & set the H screw so motor pulls near full revs
L & idle work together . Check air filter for been clean & plug colour for fuel settings / Hope this helps . Could come check it out for ya on weekend if no joy . Owned my own Lawn mowing business so know a fair bit about 2 stroke motors etc

[soundbeltfarm]

The idle screwadjusts throttle position, the other two alter air/fuel mixture (L for low revs, H for high).
I find the best trick is to fiddle with all three until it won't run at all, then take it to the shop for a service...

i got to the no run at all point tonight then got pissed off.
i might try the H screw to see if that sorts out the engine dying off when the chokes off.

[soundbeltfarm]

Idle is just that idle L is for the low end mixture once you have set the idle speed , this will help when you first rev it up & the H is for full noise so once running you hold it full open & set the H screw so motor pulls near full revs
L & idle work together . Check air filter for been clean & plug colour for fuel settings / Hope this helps . Could come check it out for ya on weekend if no joy . Owned my own Lawn mowing business so know a fair bit about 2 stroke motors etc

cheers man. might take you up on that.
i'll let you know what happens.

[Sensei]

Your trouble is with the bottom end not the top Use the L to get it to Idle Turn Idle up so it will keep ticking over then play with the L to get it to respond quickly when you blip the revs up

[soundbeltfarm]

Your trouble is with the bottom end not the top Use the L to get it to Idle Turn Idle up so it will keep ticking over then play with the L to get it to respond quickly when you blip the revs up

yeah just thought the H might help when im running the saw on full tit wiht the choke off the engine dies. like it starving of fuel.
but with the choke on half it will run with out dieing but it dosnt run full speed.

[Sensei]

If the choke is half on then it is running rich so you need to richen up the Low end mixture to get it right as this is all you are doing by having the choke on & want run full out with half choke as it well by flooding it so fix the bottom end .

[Timber020]

Poulan chainsaws, no offence, are the pits of saws. Not worth taking in to get fixed 98% of the time. Which model is it? One of the micro? It sounds like the carb could use a rebuild (in saws they screw up more often than youd think.)

Once you start playing with the screws you can get yourself in some real messes but as a general setting screw both fully in clockwise then turn the
high 3/4 anti and the Low 1 full turn back. Then you can fine tune from there. Get some good 2stroke oil and run it at 35/1.

Free saws are great, but they can be white elephants.

[Motu]

Yeah,I don't bother with my free Homelite anymore - I hire a saw for the day.Poulan...total Electrolux crap,from new - in one crazy part of my life I was a chainsaw mechanic (Stihl agency,but I worked on them all) and a near new Poulan sent me crazy....I fixed it but....

As Timber020 says,if it won't answer to the basic settings you'll need to look at the carb - get a diaphram kit and rebuild it,simple,but fiddly.

[Racey Rider]

I find Stihl two stroke oil really good. Have used it for years now in my saws and other light motors at 50/1 with never a problem.

Always a bit dicey telling others how to adjust their mixture control over the net without being there to check plug colour I reckon.
Get out there Sensei, and adjust it for the man while he takes the thou for a strop round the mountain!

and if he's not back,,, you can stack that lot in the shed!

[riffer]

On the subject of chainsaws, I recently acquired a Stihl Farmboss 310, 59cc with 20 inch blade.

It's reaaaallly nice for cuting up firewood...

[Timber020]

The farmbosses are pretty good saws for firewood, you do have chaps and steel caps right? If you havent got one, put a chainsaw mitt on it, they are life savers (literally, Id be dead without mine).
Dont use old mixed fuel, if you leave the saw for a while (like over a month or two) dump out the fuel and put fresh stuff in, will save you on carb rebuilds in the future.