Poulan 3300 chainsaw

[deepNdirt]

I have a 10 year old poulan that has never let me down, well until now
The last time in use it was running rough and found reason to be a small fuel leek in the fuel line, I replaced the fuel line to one that was somewhat smaller in diameter, actually was what the man at the small engine shop said he used on his weed trimer's and chainsaws, My chainsaw does not use a primer bulb and has always started easily from choke,

But now after changing the fuel line, it will start up and run for approx 20 seconds and die as though it had ran out of gas, My thoughts are that the new size fuel line is not getting an adequate amount of fuel to the carburetor, Thus causing it to stall when the fuel is used up from the carb. in other words, its using up the fuel faster than can be supplied... I can see into the fuel line and notice small bubbles start appearing in the line,

What is Your thoughts on the problem? does anyone have any suggestions?
or experience with this sort of fuel delivery thing?
or could it be something entirely different I need be looking at?

I need to get my chainsaw going soon as i have a tree company coming to drop a tree for me and thats all they'll do for the price we agree on,
Leaving it for me to cut up,

Thanks in advance.......:thumbsup: and No! I dont think I want to go buy a Sthil or Husqvarnas
I like my poulan very much BTW it is the Larger 20" bar 54 cc Poulan-Pro

 

[barneyrb]

Well, it being 10 years old and probally left (at times) with gas in it I would think your carb needs a good cleaning and a kit put in.

Now, take some of your old line to either Napa or O'Rilleys auto parts and they usually have a decent selection of Tygon line, get the correct size and a new fuel filter. Clean the air filter good, adjust the carb correctly, check and possibly replace the impulse line (two lines going to the carb, gas on lower left and impulse on top right looking from the rear of the saw) and go cut some wood.

There is nothing wrong with that 3300 and I would rather have it than a Husky 455 or Stihl 290.

 

[xyz123]

3300 is a great saw. My dad bought one new back in the mid to late 80's. I would re-do fuel line, rebuild carb - only about $10-$15 for complete kit and about half hour time, Also check the impuse line, the one on my dads had cracked and I replaced everything I just listed above. Still runs like a tops.

Oh I gave him a like brand new MS290 to run, he gave it back after a couple months. Preferred the poulan 3300. I dont blame him either if you compare the build of the 3300 :thumbsup: to a 290 :thumbdown:

 

[radioman]

IF you didn't like the local shop answer, then trust your instincts and get a larger line.

 

[KubotainNH]

Bubbles would make me think there's a leak in the line. Will it run at low RPM's? If not then I doubt it's the size of the line. Make sure no cracked lines, good filter and clean the carb.

 

[deepNdirt]

IF you didn't like the local shop answer, then trust your instincts and get a larger line.

Its not that I didn't trust the Shop mechanic, although I dont think I made it clear to him about the size of my chainsaw, I didn't' have the old line with me when I stopped in there and I just ask him for the fuel line for a chainsaw? However when he hand me the 16"pc of smaller fuel line, I did tell him I thought the fuel line from my chainsaw was larger, and is when he told me this is the size he uses when replacing fuel lines on saw's and weed trimmer's, as I said it may not be the line at all,

 

[deepNdirt]

Bubbles would make me think there's a leak in the line. Will it run at low RPM's? If not then I doubt it's the size of the line. Make sure no cracked lines, good filter and clean the carb.

it runs good at idle as well as revving it up as it alwasy has, but only for the 20 or so seconds,
it might well need carburetor work, I think I might have gotten it a bit out of adjustment while attempting tweaking on it, I read that both low and high should start out at 1 1/2 turns out, and work in or our by half turn at a time, does this sound correct?

 

[xyz123]

I start at 1 to 1 1/4 out on both and no dont turn half turn at a time. 1/8 or less at a time till you got it right. 1/2 turn at a time is to much IMO.

 

[deepNdirt]

Must have been the size of the fuel line after all, I change back to the correct size and she fires up and runs without stalling,:thumbsup: I didn't have the adjustment too bad off, Here is the comparison of the two lines sizes,
can actually fit one inside the other, I knew when trying to install the smaller line, I had to stretch the hole using a awl and had to be quick to install the line before it shrank back,

 

[KubotainNH]

That's one small hose, looks more like weed whacker string.