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one_iota
31st January 2011, 02:15 PM
Yes I know another chainsaw thread........but at least it isn't in General Chat :p;)

I have a 15 year old chainsaw (McCulloch Eager Beaver 2016) that my old man gave me. It has been used twice by me in anger 7 years ago. It has been sitting around with fuel in the tank since.

My partner is desirous of trimming a large bay tree in the back yard. So how delighted was I (and she) when it started on the third pull. All good until I lifted the blade above the horizontal or to the side. It stalls. I figure that it is flooding and that the carburettor is the source of the problem. If the carburettor jet is gummed up I guess that it wouldn't even start.

Any ideas before I start fiddling with the carburettor? (I'm a diesel owner so the last time I played with a carburettor was on a twin SU set-up in an Austin Healey Sprite decades ago)

BTW I'd like a new one but prefer to take on a challenge if there is a reasonably easy fix.

weeds
31st January 2011, 03:02 PM
if you look inside the tank you should see a piece of fuel line with a filter attached, this moves around inside the tank when you tilt the chainsaw on its side i.e. always makes sure the fuel pickup is at the lowest point in the tank

spudboy
31st January 2011, 03:48 PM
Same thought here as Weeds. The filter thingy is heavy, so it always sits at the "bottom" of the tank no matter which way the saw is turned. If this has fallen off, or it has a split in the tubing it will suck in air.

Have you tried it with a very full tank of fuel? If it does it with a full tank of petrol , then probably not this issue.....

one_iota
31st January 2011, 05:52 PM
That sounds like an easy fix....I'll have a squizz this weekend...I'm sure the topiary will wait.

I'll let you know what I find. :)

one_iota
13th February 2011, 02:23 PM
A quick progress report:

All the fuel lines resemble uncooked macaroni...brittle to the point of disintegration...it's a wonder it started at all :eek:

So off to get some new tube to redo all the lines.

The upside is that the machine has been disassembled and cleaned.:)

Now all I have to do is get it back together again and pull the cord. :twisted:

one_iota
14th February 2011, 01:12 PM
:)

So this morning the trip to the mower shop to buy fuel line and a new fuel filter, 3 hours of work to put it back together while I could still remember what went where and then........

spudboy
14th February 2011, 01:28 PM
No speakers on my PC, so can't hear the sound, but am presuming you got it running. If so, good work!

weeds
14th February 2011, 01:32 PM
GOOD STUFF

out of interest what did the old fuel filter look like

one_iota
14th February 2011, 01:49 PM
No speakers on my PC, so can't hear the sound, but am presuming you got it running. If so, good work!

Yes it works....at all angles and tilts.

I was getting a little worried with the first dozen pulls with no response.

Then I found further proof of my mechanical idiocy...I'd forgotten to turn the spark on. :rolleyes:

Another dozen increasingly despondent pulls later and we had ignition.

I immediately emailed my partner at work wishing her a happy St Valentines day with the sound file attached...I'm sure she'll be chuffed :D.

And thanks for taking an interest. :)

one_iota
14th February 2011, 01:53 PM
GOOD STUFF

out of interest what did the old fuel filter look like

It was a 10mm diameter 20mm long ceramic filter in a plastic cage.

The replacement is a little larger and well weighted with a thick metal washer.

Thanks again for the tips above. :)

one_iota
14th February 2011, 02:21 PM
I found this useful:

YouTube - Chainsaw Repair Replace Fuel Line

I even learned how to say "grits" with a drawl ;)

And for the record I used 500 mm of line including replacing a length from chain oil reservoir. $20 including the filter ($8)