It don't work; buy it reduced

I went ahead and read 10 pages worth of reviews for this saw on Amazon. While the majority of the reviews came from inexperienced users in the area of the carburetor adjustments, there were a few with issues of the chain being thrown. One thing that had been mentioned in a couple of the reviews that I didn't know was that Poulan outsources the production of these saws to China.

I'm guessing it might be the luck of the draw in receiving an older production model vs the newer Chinese made. Or maybe they send the Chinese made ones to the cookie cutter stores like TSC. Who knows!

I'm still not 100% convinced it's a crap saw, especially since I do own one and it has earned it's keep many times over. But for what it's worth, I don't expect perfection from anyone or anything. If I can correct the flaw, I do. Otherwise I just live with it. My point is, if you buy a cheap saw, don't expect perfection. Make the corrections yourself or take it to a "trusted" mechanic and have them make the corrections for you.

Would I purchase another PP4218 if mine bit the dust tomorrow after reading the less than flattering reviews. Yep! And if I can get them cheap, even better. (cuz I'm a cheapskate)

 

Looking at the pic tags - the trimmers' status seems like carb adjustment fix...and could be as simple as turn the Idle/TAS screw in ~ 1-2 turns.
$149 saw doesn't run and TSC knocks 1/3 off price. Wow, quite the princes, they are.
Who is going to buy a non runner small engine tool? Someone who can work on them and someone who can work on them would never give $100 for a non runner Poulan 42cc. Quite the conundrum. I say TSC pegs the stupidometer.

If you want to take a gamble on a non runner Poulan - search ebay for "chainsaw", then check "For parts or not working". VMInnovations sells 33cc and 42cc Poulans for $35-$45 shipped. You may have good luck and get one needing only carb adjustments. You may be SOL getting one with scored P&C. The parts price of OEM P&C exceeds what you could sell it for.

 

How Do They Know THE TEMPERATURE or the elevation that you will be running your saw at? If your at the same elevation and running at 72 or 80F or whatever it was assembled at and hope that the screws were set in the exact correct place and that every saw is identical in how much air and fuel it needs then they may not ever need to be adjusted. But we live in the real world.

 

I have a buddy with a stihl saw. I can't tell you the bone head stuff he has go wrong with that saw. If you don't know what your doing you don't know what your doing. He had bent bars, burned the paint off oF the original one. Cuts dirt reguraly , cuts wiTh a chain duller than one I pull off my saw to sharpen. Throwing chains left and right with it.

Those who write reviews have a bad taste in their mouth and want to express it, whether it was the fault of the saw or not. Ever heard the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Not saying you did not get a lemon. But the Poulan I have used are just plain utilitarian homeowner saws and work for what they are.

 

Thought it was $50 too. No way I'd stop or even look at 100

 

And homeowners don't usually buy $500 and $800 saws

 

Hard starts are a classic symptom of incorrect tune.

 

I have been considering getting one of the wireless tachs so I can tune my saw. What do you guys think? Or should I just take it to someone that knows how to do it? If I can learn to do it, I can save the costs of some shop doing it.

 

They say the refresh time is too slow and you have to hold it open too long, esp if lean.

Watch a few youtube videos. MasterMech has a good one with some cool rock music in the background (or is that a different video?)

There are many on youtube. Some have better sound than others. You want to hear that 4 stroking on the H circuit. To tune the L side it's really about idle speed more than any distinct sound. It's like turn left till it bogs turn right till it bogs then find the point between with highest rpm, so there not a distinct sound your listening for like the H