Would anyone have some knowledge regarding how the oil lubrication system works for this model? I find it goes through lube oil very quickly (almost instantaneously) the manual priming for the oil works fine but I'm pretty sure that the problem is in the automatic self priming where it runs dry fairly quick. Is there some kind of adjustment or maybe a rubber seal that needs replacing? Any advice or a service manual would be appreciated.
Can't make the UT model number. Can you post it so I can look-up the saw's IPL. The problem trying to go by Super XL is that Homelite used that on nearly all of the models.
Some had vacuum operated oil pumps and others had crankshaft driven oil pumps. The vacuum operated pumps are no longer repairable due to lack the diaphragm being available. The crankshaft driven pump might be still repairable if the it is just the o-rings that bad, If I remember correctly yours uses the crankshaft driven pump.
Either way these older chainsaws by Homelite are pretty well not repairable nowadays. Since the Original Homelite and the John Deere made ones are no longer supported. A shame as they were very good saws back in their day.
I still see a few of these come across my bench but those are usually only carburetor repairs.
BTW the saw looks to be an early 1980's version.
EDIT> According to the serial number it was made in 1980.
This chainsaw is an oldy but a goody, it has a bit of weight to it as it's the older style all aluminium and metal body not the plastic ones. This is by far one of the best chainsaws I have used as it's got plenty of power and the weight behind it makes it solid on large trees and cuts with ease. I haven't pulled the oiler pump out yet as I have never worked on one of these before and would prefer someones knowledge or a service manual as I guessed parts are obsolete and care would be needed not to damage anything else to try and repair the problem. Any idea AVB what could be the issue with the oil disappearing quick, most of the problems I read online are that the oil won't self prime, could it be as easy as an O ring or some kind of seal. I have attached a picture below of the I'd plate if that helps, and would really love to get it working properly as it starts with no problem and has no other issues.
Think I might have found my smokin' gun. Next to the oil fill plug there's another plug which I pulled out and it looked fine with all the O rings but as I researched more about this plug it looks like there is supposed to be a tube in the end of it with a filter on the bottom. So I poured the remaining oil out of the plug and was surprised that there was quiet a bit of oil in it considering I'm under the impression it runs dry Verry quick, anyways at the bottom of the oil sump I found this hose with a filter. Wondering if its only sucking up the oil to the bottom of the plastic stick and I assume it's run dry cause it can't take the oil up from the bottom of the sump and sucks air once the oil drops below the stick with out the hose. Sounds to easy, so I'm going to install a new hose as it's so lose it slips right off.
I hope this means you can keep the saw viable. It's a cool looking metal bodied saw made when Homelite meant quality, much like Poulan and McCulloch at the time. Unlike now!!
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
So is this still a 1980 model? And is I most likely that the oil pick up tube was the problem being disconnected I took the pump out and gave it a clean and it looks to be in good condition the worm and cam looks new with no wear or chips in the threads, it's a Verry simple pump and doesn't look like much could go wrong besides wearing and two O rings. I found this service manual online which I will post up for reference. Even if for some reason the Automatic oiler still doesn't work I should be able to just press the manual oil button every so often as it should now pick the oil up from the bottom of the sump. This is really a beast of a chainsaw and I love the fact that you can increase the bar size up from 16" to 24" not sure if there's bigger but the 58cc engine and the weight behind it allows for effortless cutting on the biggest stumps.
Well I use an McCulloch MacCat for ten years using a hand oiler until the PNC wore out.
Here is the Technical Bulletin telling how the figure the year of production make make your saw either a 1980 or 1981 depending if you go by the serial number or the lot number.
Thanks for the document, still trying to make heads or tails out of it. Can't work out the day of the year, shouldn't those numbers be between 1-365 or am I reading it wrong. I get what you mean it's either 1981 or 1980 depending if you go by lot#C or serial#0 the rest doesn't really make to much sense with the build day for either lot# or serial#.
In your case I am thinking you go by the lot number day of the year section.
It does seems Homelite was losing it during the 80's. But they have been sold at least a couple times seem then. I they was once sold to John Deere but that didn't last.
It seems once a good company gets sold out things just falls apart.
Yes AVB, that is pretty much what Briggs are doing to Victa here, but I guess brand loyalty there days is not so important. The genuine Stihl stuff still has the reputation as being the benchmark saws are judged by. Same with the commercial Honda mowers not the domestic type people get caught with. If you want to buy quality, you have to pay for it and manufactures want to chase the volume market and use their brand name on the cheaper end products. Does it hurt their brand name, I'm not sure
I only recently discovered that Husqvarna have commercial range chainsaws and domestic. It's their commercial range that have theIr renowned high power. I read a comparison review between a Husky and some American brand (McCulloch maybe) by an American and he described how the two philosophies diverted where the American saw was mainly low end torque whereas the Husky was all about top end power. He had nothing but praise for the high end power delivery of the high tech Swedish saw.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Yes Husqvarna has two different lines. The low end are nothing but nothing but Poulan chainsaws in Husqvarna colors. Both both Poulan and Husqvarna low end (Consumer grade) are good saws when use as intended. I currently servicing a 390xp and a 570 Husqvarna saws which are the commercial versions. The weight of the 570 is a little much for me now if I was planning cutting firewood all day. Still a little lighter weight wise than the Homelite C-52 that I have used.
Here the original McCulloch has gone out of business. The two McCulloch saws I had did last 20 yrs though I had to repair them several times. With McCulloch being it came down robbing the worst of the two to keep one working due to lack of part availability.
A lot of the Craftsman chainsaws for years was were Poulans in Craftsman dress. Now Craftsman is using MTD chainsaws.
Of the chainsaws I repair here the Echo line seems to be the gutless wonder. Simply no torque when needed.
Here the most popular chainsaw brands are Stihl, Husqvarna, and Poulan.
When I bought an EBay item from California a few years back, it came wrapped in newspaper which included ads for Stihl chainsaws stating they are fully set up outside of the box before you buy. There was a number something like 1800-STIHL in the ad. Very fascinating. It also said they were made in America.
Funny you mentioned Echo. Look what I took a pic of today at Bunnings, Australia's biggest hardware chain. PS: what's your opinion on those tool-less chain tensioner wheels on some chainsaws. I have a no name Chinese made chainsaw with that feature and am having trouble with it.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
MF, I like Echo, but the new ones seem to clog spark arresters more commonly than other makes. MSAA used to sell them under the name Craftsman - don't know how old mine is but has a float carby and points
Back to chainsaws, a good way to prolong the life of the tool-less tensioner is to lightly hold the end of the bar up at any time you have the tensioner loose (open/unlocked) - that way the little bits of the tensioner don't cop full weight of the bar and eventually break it.
Doesn't hurt to do it on the regular ones either - especially the cheaper ozitos, poulan, new homelite
I would be more worried about the cheap bits of the 'spring assist' starters - I helped a guy with one of the bunnings 4 stroke Yardking trimmers - broken starter after 4 uses. He said he always 'latched' it in before pulling the cord hard. Fortunately the starter from a Full Crank Ryobi fitted straight on
My uncle just bought a a new Stihl saw and was trying to explain to me about this new starting feature that seems so complicated and a wast of time. I was a bit confused when he showed me how to start it that if I had to borrow it I wouldn't have a clue how to get it running, I'm pretty sure it's got that tool less chain adjuster thingy as well if I remember correctly it's some kind of plastic wheel you rotate but it's so plastic I'm surprised they haven't made the bar plastic yet.
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