Thoughts on saw running problem

[Pastonian]

Hoping some of the more experienced guys on here can let me know what they think...

 

I recently purchased a saw for use around a couple of small lakes I help maintain as part of an angling club. I purchased a chain saw identical to this one - http://www.huttimports.co.uk/52cc-chainsaw-p-291.html?osCsid=o4cdmqfcr9rpn5hf9b1rmr53p2

 

I know it's not a stihl or husqvarna but it will not get much use and will only have to deal with any wind blow trees and occasional removal of some branches hence couldn't justify spending out for a brand name. The saw cost me £78.00 all in, local husqvarna dealer offered a well battered looking second hand older version of the 440 for a bargain £180 cash:thumbdown:

 

Anyways cheap saw arrived, put it together, started fine etc. I was using it in anger at the weekend to deal with a wind blown tree (approx 20cm diameter tree) that's been around a while and all was going really well until after about 15 - 20 minutes use the saw started to lose revs part way through a cut, if i lifted the bar slightly revs would go right back up to full and would cut normal again, next cut same thing happened then it started to lose revs more and more during a cut until it died part way through a cut and then wouldn't restart.

 

I checked usuals such as fuel, fuel filter, air filter, removed plug and checked for spark, chain tension was fine etc, put it all back together and it started no problem, idled for a couple of seconds and then died, if you tried to rev it it would also just die (fuel starvation?). I gave up at that point came home with the hump. Fiddled around with it a bit more later that evening, blew the fuel lines on air compressor etc, still would start first pull then die after a couple of seconds and die when trying to rev every time, I then adjusted the low speed on the carb back to shut, then back to same place (manufacturer recommended setting) and it's started fine and idled and went to full revs and then idled happily for 5 minutes, was fine when I started it last night after work and tonight although I haven't cut anything with it again yet.

 

So in my view the only thing that made any difference was to shut off the low speed adjuster and put it back to same place which doesn't make a lot of sense, do you think it was as simple as something iffy on the low speed jet which was fixed by simply moving it or something more sinister that's going to get worse?

[MarshallArb]

cheap saws are never worth it. sounds like it may have a fuel pick up or carb problem.

[Dean Lofthouse]

After spending nearly 20 years repairing and servicing all types of tool, power tool and generators, then seeing the market flooded with cheap import and getting them in for repair, I can definately say you have wasted your money and all you have done is bought £78 worth of trouble.

 

Bearing in mind the tool has around 35% profit from the retailer and thats after it's gone through the supplier, wholesaler and shipping costs. So in effect that saw costs, I would guess about 10% of the retail price to manufacture, ie £8 -£10 at most £15

 

I have been to a factory that takes in returns, the volumes of returns would make your eyes water.

[Pastonian]

It might have been cheap but I have a friend who has exactly the same saw, he's had his for well over 18 months now and uses it all the time for firewood, he estimates it at around 200+ hours use and has only had to sharpen the chain, nothing else has been wrong with it, perhaps he just got lucky... either way spending over £180 + for a stihl or husq to cut maybe 2 trees a year and remove a few branches every year..... a bit excessive.

[Dean Lofthouse]

It might have been cheap but I have a friend who has exactly the same saw, he's had his for well over 18 months now and uses it all the time for firewood, he estimates it at around 200+ hours use and has only had to sharpen the chain, nothing else has been wrong with it, perhaps he just got lucky... either way spending over £180 + for a stihl or husq to cut maybe 2 trees a year and remove a few branches every year..... a bit excessive.

 

I was going to add "they are ok if you only use them every blue moon"

 

B&D diy drills are or were, designed for, if my memory serves, 8 hours use.

[Pastonian]

Lucky my black and decker angle grinder is still going strong after over 12 years fairly hard use then

 

The choice of a new small husq or stihl for at least £170 or a well used looking second hand husq for £180 isn't exactly over attractive either, parts can be sourced quite easily for this saw in the UK and even if it is a dodgy carb I can replace it for £16, if it lasts me 200+ hours also then all fine and dandy in my opinion.

 

I'm thinking/hoping that perhaps it was a bit of crap left in the carb from manufacture or something thats now cleared through... was simply wondering if anyone had experienced anything similar

[Stephen Blair]

Lucky my black and decker angle grinder is still going strong after over 12 years fairly hard use then

 

The choice of a new small husq or stihl for at least £170 or a well used looking second hand husq for £180 isn't exactly over attractive either, parts can be sourced quite easily for this saw in the UK and even if it is a dodgy carb I can replace it for £16, if it lasts me 200+ hours also then all fine and dandy in my opinion.

 

I'm thinking/hoping that perhaps it was a bit of crap left in the carb from manufacture or something thats now cleared through... was simply wondering if anyone had experienced anything similar

 

check the clunk(the thing inside the fuel tank thats sucks up the fuel)it should always fall to the lowest point in the tank, it may be caught up or something, that is the first place i would look, take it off and give it a blow. if you get it going sell it and buy a stihl or husky, if i spent 15 quid on a rod, bailer twine for line and a bent nail for a hook then asked an angling forum where i was going wrong, what do you think they would say?just a thought:001_smile:

[log supplier]

now now lads.. i know people like huskys and stihls. but this saw might just have a manufactor prob? bit of rubbish left in the carb when it was made?

weve all bought something which is not highly rated...

best try out the saw after its been tinkered with and see what its like...

(check the fuel pickup pipe)

 

its not what youve got, its how you keep and use it...

[Dean Lofthouse]

Lucky my black and decker angle grinder is still going strong after over 12 years fairly hard use then

 

 

Grinders were made to a slightly higher spec and I'm not talking about the old metal gearbox drills, we used to get 20 year old ones in for new brushes.

[Stephen Blair]

now now lads.. i know people like huskys and stihls. but this saw might just have a manufactor prob? bit of rubbish left in the carb when it was made?

weve all bought something which is not highly rated...

best try out the saw after its been tinkered with and see what its like...

(check the fuel pickup pipe)

 

its not what youve got, its how you keep and use it...

 

we dont like huskys or stihls because they are pretty colours, its because they are quality tools, i just wouldnt like someone to waste there money, my mate has a fishery, he used to use b+q strimmers. he would go through about 3 a year . i finally convinced him to buy a big still, he has had it about 3 years now, it gets thrown in the shed every night, left covered in crap all winter then fires up for the next season. the members would grumble over a couple of extra quid for tools, but stand there in head to toe in goretex, with 1000quid rods.