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Chainsaw Curse
TRAP55
Member Posts: 8,292 ✭✭✭
Four saws, all were down when I need them most, trying to get the two backyard trees trimmed up before the rains come.
Started with my antique 70's Stihl 041AV. It's a beast, 16lbs, all torque, and 5.5hp, not the one I want to climb up in a tree with. One cut, I notice the bar is dry, and oil running out the front of the chain oiler. Runs great, no chain oil. Off to the shop, they can't find parts. I find some NOS parts, back together working. That took a month.
While it's in the shop, I dig out my dad's old Homelite 240. Clean it up, sharpen chain, 3 cuts, no chain oil. Dead oil pump again. Think I just found a pump diaphragm for it.
Drag out the trusty never fail Remington electric to get a head start on the small stuff. It has chain oil, for a few seconds until it all runs out. See a pattern here yet?
Best friend comes to my rescue with an old Stihl 021, with a new bar and chain. Says I can have it, got it for $40 from a coworker, and he just bought a new Husky. Runs like crap, a few tuning tweaks it's ready to go. 5 cuts, no chain oil!!! :evil:
Pull it apart to find that the coworkers name is probably Bubba. That's when I find the old burned up bar and chain under an oil soaked towel in the bottom of the Stihl case it was in. He had the sprocket/clutch/oil pump worm drive apart, and figured it would work fine as long as the parts were back in there. Might have, if he had all the parts. Only good news was, that all the parts were had for $20. 3 weeks now, and the last 3 parts I ordered for $6, are still sitting in China in the USPS office, waiting to ship! I've got computer parts from China in 5 days! Stihl wants $30 for the oil pump. Same pump from China is $1.90.
One hour with the 041 yesterday, and I feel like I fell out of that tree a dozen times.
Call the buddy that gave me the 021 saw, and ask to borrow his new Husky. "I'll loan you my guns, my new car, even my dog, but dude, you're chainsaw cursed!"
Went out a while ago, took one look at that 041, and started thinking how a suitable amount of high explosives can cure so many problems. 8-)
Started with my antique 70's Stihl 041AV. It's a beast, 16lbs, all torque, and 5.5hp, not the one I want to climb up in a tree with. One cut, I notice the bar is dry, and oil running out the front of the chain oiler. Runs great, no chain oil. Off to the shop, they can't find parts. I find some NOS parts, back together working. That took a month.
While it's in the shop, I dig out my dad's old Homelite 240. Clean it up, sharpen chain, 3 cuts, no chain oil. Dead oil pump again. Think I just found a pump diaphragm for it.
Drag out the trusty never fail Remington electric to get a head start on the small stuff. It has chain oil, for a few seconds until it all runs out. See a pattern here yet?
Best friend comes to my rescue with an old Stihl 021, with a new bar and chain. Says I can have it, got it for $40 from a coworker, and he just bought a new Husky. Runs like crap, a few tuning tweaks it's ready to go. 5 cuts, no chain oil!!! :evil:
Pull it apart to find that the coworkers name is probably Bubba. That's when I find the old burned up bar and chain under an oil soaked towel in the bottom of the Stihl case it was in. He had the sprocket/clutch/oil pump worm drive apart, and figured it would work fine as long as the parts were back in there. Might have, if he had all the parts. Only good news was, that all the parts were had for $20. 3 weeks now, and the last 3 parts I ordered for $6, are still sitting in China in the USPS office, waiting to ship! I've got computer parts from China in 5 days! Stihl wants $30 for the oil pump. Same pump from China is $1.90.
One hour with the 041 yesterday, and I feel like I fell out of that tree a dozen times.
Call the buddy that gave me the 021 saw, and ask to borrow his new Husky. "I'll loan you my guns, my new car, even my dog, but dude, you're chainsaw cursed!"
Went out a while ago, took one look at that 041, and started thinking how a suitable amount of high explosives can cure so many problems. 8-)
Comments
At least some Motrin helps dull the back and shoulder pain that boat anchor 041 gave me. Even my boys call that one "the ground crew saw", makes it easier to get one of them up in the tree though.
Most/many saws have an adjuster for chain oil flow. When my oiler craps out I keep a can of spray (motorcycle) chain oil in my toolbox. Back in the day I kept a can of used motor oil handy and periodically dipped the chain and bar tip into the oil. my way old Mcculloch didn't have an oiler. No real idea how old my Mcculloch is, the best guess is fifty-five years.
same thing, I have and old XL12 blue color, got to be over 50 years old, still starts 2-3 pull, when I am done using it, turn it upside down drain fuel, then start it and let it run carb dry/empty. may sit 8 months to year between starts, but few pumps fuel, choke it and it allways starts.........