Poulan Pro PP5020 won't start

[virtual_guy]

My saw hasn't run for a while. The issues started when I was cutting up a fairly large hickory tree that fell. The saw started getting dieing after it got hot. Later it wouldn't start at all.

So here's what I've done and checked:

Changed the plug, fuel filter, air filter, carburetor, and ignition coil.

Low and high adjustments are about 1-1/2 turns from seated.

I occasionally get a single pop when I pull the cord.

The plug has spark, there is fuel on the plug when I take it out.

I don't have a way to check compression but it feels right.

I drained and replaced the fuel.

I pulled the fly wheel and the shear pin thing is intact.

Can anyone offer any advice?

 

[ILENGINE]

Remove the spark plug and shine a light into the spark plug hole looking at the exhaust port with the piston in the down position. Any cylinder damage and you are done. Or you can remove the muffler but sometimes the mounting bolts will break off and look at the side of the piston, but the spark plug hole is easier

 

[virtual_guy]

Thank you. I'm ready to figure it out and fix it or throw the dang thing away. ? I appreciate anything I can look for at this point.

Any idea what might have caused cylinder damage if that's the case? I've taken pretty good care of it and it doesn't have that many hours.

 

[ILENGINE]

If you find cylinder damage in that area most likely cause is running too lean causing lack of lubrication due to heat buildup. Fairly common with Poulan saws, or most low end consumer products. Modern emissions standards don't play nice with small engines.

 

[StarTech]

Poulan saws are not bad saws when properly tuned. The problem IL is very few techs even know how to properly tune a two cycle engine. Many techs are simply too lazy to even learn how.

The guessing at the carburetor settings of using the will start settings will get most techs in trouble. I have repaired quite a few two cycles and PNC damage is not all that common; unless, someone has pretty well straight fueled them or had improperly tuned them. It take tuning and actually using the saws during tuning process to get them right. This why I keep a log here at the shop and cut a lot of cookies.

And of course there is operators that have no idea of how to properly mix fuel or just buy the cheapest two cycle fuel oils. When a good quality multi mix oil is used fuel mix induced problems are rare in a properly tuned engine.

Btw going by feel on compression will not cut it as even with just 100 psi these engines will not start normally and even if they do they will not run right. 99% of two cycles require over 100 psi starting compression to even start.

 

[ILENGINE]

@StarTech the issue with Poulan and most of the other box store handheld items are the carbs are set too lean from the factory and most people just live with it until it quit then complain that it didn't last long.

 

[StarTech]

@StarTech the issue with Poulan and most of the other box store handheld items are the carbs are set too lean from the factory and most people just live with it until it quit then complain that it didn't last long.

That might be the case as all I can only go by is what comes through my shop. Of the 50+ Poulans that came through my shop last year only one had PNC damage and that was because they stuck an cheap eBay carb on it. Now the MTD/Troybilt four cycle handhelds is a different, lots of PNC damage from lack of proper oiling which is a design problem.

After repairing the Ryobi backpack blower yesterday I can seen where they are set too lean but that could have been the Zama kit I used too. But I kinda doubt it. I actually surprised it didn't have problems other than the Ruixing needing a cleaning and new carb kit installed.

 

[virtual_guy]

Poulan saws are not bad saws when properly tuned. The problem IL is very few techs even know how to properly tune a two cycle engine. Many techs are simply too lazy to even learn how.

Btw going by feel on compression will not cut it as even with just 100 psi these engines will not start normally and even if they do they will not run right. 99% of two cycles require over 100 psi starting compression to even start.

Good info. This and everything else here in fact. Thank you all. I looked through the plug port and it looked "suspicious" so I took the exhaust off. I don't really know what that damage looks like but I'm pretty sure what I saw isn't good. I'm not in the mood to buy another saw but it's beginning to look like I'm about to do just that.

 

[virtual_guy]

 

[StarTech]

It been straight fueled and the PNC is now toast. Depending how much you want to put in it but it is rebuildable.