Chainsaw Repair

Husqvarna - Stihl - Poulan - Jonsered - Dolmar chainsaws and more => Poulan => Topic started by: TommyC on March 30, 2013, 07:33:14 pm

Title: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: TommyC on March 30, 2013, 07:33:14 pm
My trusty 2300CVA just today would not start today. :(  After pulling >50 times, I saw fuel only part way up the fuel tube in the handle.  After replacing the fuel line and same result, I became convinced that the carb simply wasn't sucking fuel from the tank.

I totally disassembled the top end, removing the carb.  I removed both sides of the carb and carefully cleaned all the tiny ports.  I even removed the fuel valve and cleaned it.  I put it all back together and hope it will work now.

But along the say, something caught my eye:  below the black plastic "manifold" (on top of which bolts the carb) - in the forward/left-hand corner - there was a tiny wire protruding out of the crankcase.  It sticks up about a half inch or so, and the top of it is curled.  It appears that the wire might be slightly bent.  Instead of sticking straight up, it's slightly angled as it comes out of the tiny hole in the crankcase.

1) What in the devil is this wire for?
2) Is is supposed to be slightly bent of should it protrude straight up?

If anyone's had one of these babies apart, they'll know exactly what I'm describing.
Any help is appreciated.

Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: Cut4fun on March 30, 2013, 08:24:45 pm
Been in 1800 2000 2300 saws. But I cant think of what your talking about at all.   ???

A PIC is worth a 1000 words they say.   ;)
Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: TommyC on March 31, 2013, 08:16:02 am
Thanks for your reply, Cut4fun.   Yes, a picture is worth 1000 words.

So in the attached, you'll see the "pin" as I have described.  It's just above the oil fill port.  As you can see, it has a "Shepherd's hook" bent on the top, and it seems to (possibly) engage a plastic peg on the underside of the black manifold.  This leads me to think that it somehow pushes against a spring down in the crankcase when the manifold is in place.  But I can't think of any reason for that to be so.  Also, I don't feel any spring when I push the pin down.  It sticks into the case ~ 1/2".

It reminds me of the switch on a dryer door, which engages a spring to signal that the door is closed (thus close the switch).  In this case, no such purpose comes to mind.  Hence, the mystery.  If I had a Shop Manual, I bet the purpose would be explained.
Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: brokenbudget on March 31, 2013, 09:27:58 am
thats just the tank vent. there is a check valve that pressurises the oil tank with the help of the crankcase. if there wasn't any vent, the little saw would have oil pumping out while the saw is shut down. usualy the whole tank in a few minutes.
sometimes they use a cotter pin, other times you find nothing in the hole but a big pile of empty. you never know what somebody has put in there until you look. :)
Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: Cut4fun . on March 31, 2013, 09:46:26 am
See pic fixed that real quick.

 Most times I see the little cotter pins instead.
Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: 660magnum on March 31, 2013, 10:13:52 am
I've seen a short set screw in the vent too. It is not real tight in there. It leaks around the threads.
Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA
Post by: TommyC on March 31, 2013, 07:55:20 pm
So it sounds like BrokenBudget, Cut4fun & 660Magnum are saying that there is a tiny vent hole in the  bar oil tank to relieve pressure after the saw is shut down.  Who knew?  The pin does look bent to my eye but since it's no more critical than a "hole plug", I'll not fret over it.  It's good to finally know what in the devil it is.  (Thanks.)  I'll just leave it be ...

As for my saw not running and no fuel being sucked to the carb, does my approach seem reasonable:  Remove the carb, totally clean every port, and reassemble?

BTW, the  SS reed valve below the carb looked fine.  I carefully removed it to inspect; cleaned and & reinstalled.
Title: Re: Poulan Model 2300 CVA: REROUTE THE FUEL LINE !!!
Post by: TommyC on April 15, 2013, 09:35:59 am
Now I'm gonna post back in a way that I hope makes a real contribution to this forum.

Having done everything I said earlier in my post, I re-assembled the chainsaw and, alas, it would not start.  More specifically, the carb again failed to suck fuel up the line.  Just as I was about to give up the ghost & post back asking if anyone knew where I might buy a new carb for this old boy (bought the saw 19½ years ago for $168), I went back to basics.  I once again removed the fuel line from the carb and sucked, to make sure the fritted filter wasn't clogged and that the new line wasn't broken.  Sure enough, I got fuel.

So I looked more carefully at the line and noted that just as it bends 90° down ahead of the trigger pivot, then 90° forward toward the carb area, there was a kink.  I took the line entirely out of its in-handle channel and noted that , w/ a few pulls, fuel was drawn up the tube to the carb.

First, a little side bar on the Poulan fuel line.  The "stock" tube is opaque (black) and therefore useless (imho).  Years ago, when it became time to replace the fuel line, I used clear ⅛" Tygon tubing from a hardware store.  This material is surely cheaper, nicely flexible, connects perfectly w/ the filter, and as well on the barbed carb fitting.  A 15¼" length was perfect.  The only problem w/ this tubing, as I ultimately discovered, is that its walls are fairly soft, and so it's vulnerable to kinking in the stock configuration.  So what's the remedy?

The whole problem is the contorted alignment the tube has to follow to get to the carb, especially after it turns down past the trigger pivot, and then - in a short distance - bends again forward to go the to carb.  I removed the tube from its channel within the right-hand side of the handle, and then removed this handle part.  I fired up my propane torch and heated a utility knife.  With the heated knife, I carved out plastic material from the front of the right-hand handle piece in such a way as to open up a passage in front of where the tube first bends down (to make its jagged jog).  After a bit of clearing, and some careful deburr work, what I ended up with is a nice way for the fuel tube to simply pass forward thru the end of the handle, where it then takes a mellow 45° turn downward toward the opening of the carb housing, and then gently into that housing to connect w/ the carb.  The radical jagged jog is effectively bypassed!

I reconnected the fuel line as I described and voila!

Oh, with the new alignment for the fuel line, the ideal length is exactly 15".

So, in summary, this problem had nothing to do w/ the carb!  I hope this may help others who have experienced this aggravating problem.  But for this, I remain convinced that Poulan produced a very reliable chain saw in its 2300 CVA series.  ;D