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Lawnmowers direct were Bartrum mowers, they now are part of the E Doe group.

Do we know who supplied this machine? if it’s a dealer I know I can try to follow its progress, I was in no way being rude to this person, I just find it strange that someone would purchase a product, decide there was something wrong with it, go to the trouble of ordering a special tool required to alter the carb settings, go on line to ask what may be wrong with it, and as a last resort speak to the seller, I deal with these queries every day from customers with issues with there machines, and we are normally the first port of call, I hope this machine can be rectified easily and to the customers satisfaction as a these things reflect badly on the Husqvarna brand.

There isn't a filter on the pick up pipe, there is a filter however on the bottom of the oil tank, you can just about get to it between the tank and the crankcase, it is retained by a Philips screw, turn the saw upside down to do it.

As a matter of interest where was the saw purchased/returned to?

Most Stihl machines i have seen have compensator carbs, so i cant imagine the air filter would be the issue, unless it is completely blocked.

You should in no circumstances be tampering with the carb this will invalidate the warranty, anybody telling you to do this on a new saw is an idiot, you have no idea what you are doing and have probably done more harm than good, i give up.

An on line supplier still has an obligation to look after machines they have sold, your next step is to contact the supplier and put it back on them, your contract is with them, they have taken your money, if no joy contact the first and garden office in Aycliffe, if it’s one of their dealers they should sort it out with them, all the joys of buying online.

Not sure i would have drilled out the hole, it uses a micro bore hose which as said is an interference fit in the tank, this hose does not kink easily which is necessary as it takes a strange route up and over the top of the carb, bigger diameter tube may not be quite so suitable, it also must move freely through the crankcase.

There were a few modifications done after this year. Removing the hose from the breather, the hose is then blanked off, and the breather left open. Removing the fuel hose from its location, and shortening so as to keep it further from the cylinder ( this does entail re positioning the carb inlet elbow). Slot cut out of the top cover to allow better cooling of the rear of the cylinder. You can also blank off the the deco valve. Use the purge to pull cooler fuel through the carb.

Level with the floor not the sides.

So this was an entry level saw, produced in the American Poulan factory so let’s not be expecting it to perform like an XP saw, the fuel tank breather is in the top of the tank so you need to remove the tank to access it, so check it’s function, the fuel filter in the take was a crappy thing so replace, the rubber inlet tube and impulse tubes can crack and leak air, failing this you may be expecting to much from it, it could well be a case of vapour lock.

A standard instant gasket, without a pressure vac gauge you are always going to be guessing, you say you have done all these things but the answer lies in one of the things suggested, I will reiterate Chinese carbs are crap and could be leading you astray.

There is no chance of the muffler being blocked in my opinion, they are very open.

The 266 never really suffered with any on going issues, from the description it does sound fuel related, when fitting the oil seal in the oil pump you have to be very careful re installing it back over the step in the crank as it will pop the spring out, a small amount of sea lent under the flywheel side oil seal holder is a good idea as the holder is plastic and can distort with age, fuel filter replacement is always done on an old saw, perished fuel hose is another possibility, a pressure test will show this, the HS series carb was very reliable, there are core plugs over the jets which are best removed and cleaned underneath, I have no faith in Chinese carbs. Impulse hole in cylinder blocked or gaskets incorrectly positioned, induction block warped and not seating properly, the early 266 had twin steel piston rings, these did give issues hence the return to a single cast ring, failing this cylinder off to assess piston condition. Excessive air gap between flywheel and ignition unit.

No Steve not the old vibration governor, i meant the ignition governor/limiter, these machines have the blue unit, cant remember now what they were limited too, that's what old age and furlough has done to me. I always let them hit the governor, sorry limiter, and lean off a shade more.