How to tune a chainsaw 

Old video but best one I've come across so far the demonstrate lean vs 4 stroking. This is why I come to youtube, thanks!

Good grief man... that was by far and away the best video I've seen on tuning a saw! That 11 mins made more sense than 11 hours of the other "how to" tuning videos. Thank you for taking the time man, really appreciate this vid.

A true professional. Its nice to see someone who truly knows what they are doing and sharing with others. I was not aware of the details regarding the adjustment. There seems to be lots of confusion about the High Low adjustment. Your demonstration made it all make sense. If I had to give some critical advice, it would be to explain more about the Term "4 stoking" which I now know means the "sound pitch" of the rev. and also I was lost a few times during the adjustments being made. It was hard for me to tell if you were going "fat" or 'lean" during the fine adjustment phase. Great video!

It’s real obvious you know what you are doing and can teach us who want to learn from you. Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂 As a rookie chainsaw fixer I have no idea what some of your terminology means so it’s hard to know what you mean. If you use your industry terminology please just remember us rookies and include what your definition of your terms mean so we can easily follow along with you sir. Thanks again.

Thank you for explaining how to get the carb to run when it is out of spec ,first video in 100 that i have found that exact information i am looking for, even the manufactures website wont give you that info. thank you

I think this is the best tuning video from a sound standpoint. But, probably people who have never tuned a saw can't quite get it from this video. It takes some tuning experience to know what you are doing and saying in this video. But, I loved it, and found it very helpful. Thanks.

"Hope that helps somebody out." Boy, and does it! One of the best videos on the subject I've ever seen, Mitch, and yes, I realize this is nearly a 3-year old video. Well done! I have to do a carburetor rebuild on a McCulloch 1-43, and this is a good primer on doing the adjustments. The good news is that I hear the Tillotson HL series of carburetors (used in the McCulloch 1-4x/5x series of chainsaws) are easy to work on, and I'm hoping the adjustments will be easy to hear as well.

Been trying to learn to adjust the carbs on my old saw. Thanks for the sounds during the tune.

Simply good, sound, experienced advice. I have always endeavoured to listen to the motor revs and now I understand what car by settings drive to that. Thanks heaps. One of the better RU-vid videos I have seen.

This totally went over my head. I think i need to hear this in person.

Thanks my friend my saw sounds great now..It was stalling as soon as i took the choke off, now runs smooth ..

I’m a newbie when it comes to chainsaws I just want to say thanks you did an excellent job on how to explain and both of my chainsaws are running super thanks again Please keep the videos coming

Very Well Done, on both types of chainsaws. . . thank you for taking the time to post.

Still the best vid out there man... I recommend this to all my subs.

You are a Lifesaver! Love all your videos! Thank you so much for taking the time do do them!

Good video, thanks, it's cold here in Michigan and this helps getting another saw going so the firewood gathering can continue.

Poulans are great saws imo had one for years absolutely no issues

my biggest problem.heh heh heh, was ordering that stupid 21 spline for a poulan, small town and NO ONE had it , not even tractor and supply, witch here is a poulan dealer that and i bought the saw for like $40 bucks, it was used once and the guy wrapped the brake around the clutch drum, thanks for the video i needed to know the resets and tune by sound,

thank you... no nonsense and about as clear as i can imagine possible

Great video! Thank you for demonstrating & explaining everything, it's really helpful.

Thanks for the video! It seems that theres a fine line between running rich enough to achieve that "burble" doubling up sound when tuning and letting off when in high throttle in wood, and not going too rich to get that wicked "high speed doubling up" sound. Like where u said the ignition was going to fall apart. Took me a couple of views to see the difference, thanks so much!

2 stroke engines are the easiest to tune, repair etc. Most mechanics know the difference between a 2 and 4 stroke engine. Its a touch and go process tuning an engine, and sometimes its not even the carb, its the exuast, you could test and tune for hours before coming to that conclusion. As I was told when rebuilding my first 2 stroke 125cc dirt bike when I was 14, All it is, is gas, exaust, and spark. if its not running right its usually one of the three. the " four stroking" you referred to is from the plug not firing, so its actually not changing into a 4 stroke cycle as that is impossible. a pitted stator plate and sensor will do the same thing. and when its leaned out that far depending on how many hours the saw has on it, high RPM's and very little cylinder lubribcation = engine seizure. Its a good video it makes sense except the term "4 stroking" It can be heard the cycle is thrown off. simple plug misfire. I'm interested In modding my saw, there are a lot of potential in most stock saws its just getting the perfect power band. Match port and polish both ports, and an exaust that provides optimal compression. Then remove the carb and remove the jets and so slightly drill them out. hotter spark plug. Those are all fairly simple mods. Stroking the motor is where real power and torque will really develop. Good Video man

couldn't have made that video any better, thank you for your time for making the video

Thanks for taking the time to show all the differences!

Nice job on explaining carb tuning which can sometimes be extremely tricky. Thanks for posting.

This is the best tuning video I have seen yet.

That's a good straight forward demonstration video that I have definitely been needing. I smoked my 350 husky hear the revlimiter not a rich condition...still crying over that one. I've cleaned the carbs and tuned the Poland's 2010's or whatever they are 40 something cc's. Those cheap-o's run awesome and are bullet proof...or so it seems! I guess the 36's don't have rev limit...I ported those and the tuning went fine...who nows??? Great video!

Great video got both my saws running great. Used to take them to a shop. Thanks!

fantastic video Mitch, I watch this over and again, great viewing.

4 stroking is when a 2 stroke starts sounding somewhat like a 4 stroke .

Thanks for doing this video. That was exactly what I needed to tune an old chainsaw

Thanks Cobber, Very well explained and demonstrated. Yes, you helped me out !

I thought it was badass every time you stabbed the screwdriver into the log.

I wish you would have explained a little better what to do when someone has messed with the carb to the point that it won’t even start. Maybe you can do that for another video.

Excellent video, I really appreciate you demonstrating the difference in sound it makes at each level. The only thing that I would say could make it better is to define what you mean by "4 stroking." I assume I figured out what you mean by that statement when I tuned my own saw today and it got to point that the cylinder would fire 4 times and then stop.

Excellent tuning tips,thanks an take care.

I didn't except this to be the best video I've seen on tuning yet but it was. Your demonstration of both too lean & too rich on both types of coils was great, thanks for a fantastic video. I seem to have the most trouble on an old neglected saw after doing a carb kit with getting the first pop. I've got quite a few odd ones that the screws have to be way out on to get a decent tune on it, and just as many it seems the carb is just crap and they won't run well at all even though everything else is good, good compression, no leaks, good spark etc. I think that ethanol is probably the worst thing ever to happen to them and that's probably why but unfortunately I can't find cheap carbs for a lot of nice old saws I'd like to get running better. Do you always set the idle out 1 turn to start? Setting the idle in relation to the L has always been something of a mystery to me since it seems like you can have a number of combos of L to idle, some I have to crank way up just to idle around 3000, or maybe some of my saws are just weird. (I KNOW some of my saws are weird and I haven't gotten them running great yet.)

Great information....I even understood

Thanks a ton!! Recognize your name from one of the forums and your quality here is just as high, kudos! Think I finally 'can hear' 4-stroking, I hate the thought of hurting one of my saws so I don't want to get toooo extreme putting it from Screamer to Four-stroking (ideal is *just-at* enough for 4-stroking, not a touch more/less, right? Want to be sure :P ) Were you using a tach w/ the Poulan? Seemed one's clipped onto the Dolmar (and lol at how you nonchalantly go from a big-box-store saw to the Dolmar ;D ), gotta say I've found almost zero use from my tach I always end up tuning by-ear if I 'optimize' by using the tach it's never as good as by-ear :/ What kind of range is there on H (and L!) from Screamer to 4-stroking, are we talking 0.5 turns or 1.5 turns? I know it's variable among machines but any rough answers on this would be incredibly appreciated!! Also, for Idle RPM/Idle-adjustment, I think I've got your point that it's "back&forth" between Idle adjustments and Low adjustments til you're at the sweet spot right? I noticed your chain wasn't moving at all on idle, which is what most of my Factory Service Manuals advise although I tend to see other vids like this show a saw that is slowly moving at-idle... GREAT video, I've watched so many of these vids in the past year and have gotten pretty 'OK' at tuning my own saws but have watched ur vid here at least 5X now LOL (the inefficiency of background-watching :P ) and honestly think this is the best / easiest-to-understand one I've found yet so really thanks again!! PS- Limited coils...never even heard of this before, based on Dolmar having one / Poulan not having it I'd be inclined to think "limited = good" but will be googling now to see-- would love to hear your thoughts though since you own both! :)

You did, I understand now how to tune them. thank you!

I have an echo blower that will run lean at idle randomly, then return to normal. It will do this for 30 seconds or so. Maybe once every couple weeks. It gets used commercially everyday almost. Not sure if it sucks up a pocket of air or something, but I found I could clear it by blipping the choke on and off a couple times.

Thanks! I think I am starting to get it now!

Good clear instruction. Great vid. Help a lot of people I guess.

i hate ads but that live action call of duty was sick!!

If your not sure always run little be rich. Got it.

Best video of this subject I've seen.

I'm starting to really appreciate the auto tune carbs. I was hesitant on them for a bit. But at work we have a Stihl with it and it's lived in the back of the truck for over a year in all the weather and it held up and it's been super abused thrown and shit thrown on top of it. We don't even maintenance the thing. I popped the air filter of it and it was disgusting. Thing still just goes

Very helpful, thanks!

Great video. Do you have one on tuning the carb for a Poulan Pro PP4620AVX?

Greetings from Germany Peter.

this is over my head and its so frustrating, and it would be nice if you put the camera on the other side or turn the other way so i can see wtf you're doing...and a more thorough explanation of "fat" vs "lean" would be nice

Back when they didn't have Tachometers for the (H)🤘

man this video is very helpful but I just can't hear that difference when im out there with my actual saw, could be because its a bigger saw 461 and its just always really loud but I find it hard to find that perfect medium especially with the limited coil

nice and very thorough video! Thanks!

Thank you for the video! VERY helpful.

Thanks! Really helped me tune my new Husky!!

Thanks for the video, Great explanation.

that helps explain 4 strokin sound

Thanks, extremely helpful vid

Great video.

This is a great video!!! I do have a random question. When you adjusted the idle butterfly, did you go leaner or richer to get it to idle?

Thank you! Great video.

helped me too...best video

Excellent video! Appreciate you showing the differences between limited and unlimited coils. I was gonna ask, if you know what saws Dolmar puts limited coils on, or if it's all of there saws. Thanks again!

Great stuff! Greeting from the netherlands!

Nicely done, That really helps

If my husqvarna cuts out on idle, can I just adjust the low idle to fix that.bas long as I rev it now and then, I can keep cutting. On occasion there's some smoke too. Not sure if adjusting low idle will fix that too?

Thanx

thanks for the vid man it really helps me! appreciate it!

A heavy four stroke? I was mystified for a moment. He was talking about the sound but I've never heard anyone use this term... It was just "fat"

I've got 455 husqvarna that start but runs, funny, than well not start again. a but but no adjustments on it. what should I do?

Using clockwise and counterclockwise, for the high and low jets, are you adjusting air or fuel, and does clockwise add or subtract? Clockwise on the low speed reduces air and thus richening the ratio, counterclockwise adds air and leans the ratio. Or is it the other way and does the high speed work the same?

Thanks! Helped me for sure.

My chainsaw has a round adjustment . do I get a 21 tooth adjustment tool for a new 18 inch poulan pro ?

Thanks a million

Helped me out. Thanks.

Good video mate.I use tach and have them 200-400 under maximum rpm to tune high.Do you think thats a good way

sorry I dont know your " engine lingo" lean? is that when your turning the screw clockwise? You say the same crap when your "running it fat" does that mean you your turning the L screw counter clockwise?

does the poulan super 25 cva have a limited coil? because i have been trying to get the carburator adjusted on mine for about 2 years now any tips and tricks for this saw will be very helpful. thank you

Thank you good sir for your sacrafice... i would not do the same just for youtube haha

Great! ! thank you for sharing

Thanks you this helped heaps.

good work well done

Good video, thanks

Thank you fine sir!

Great vid

"Too little fuel and it'll fall on it's face" what does that mean exactly?

great helped a lot thanks

5 stars sir great video

What is the proper setting for the idle screw ?

thanks, lots of info

great help

What exactly does "4-stroking" mean? This is a good video, but I'm sure I would get a lot more out of it if I knew what that term means.

the sound a 4 stroke 2 cycle engine makes ,, such as your 4 stroke mower would...at high rpm

Thanks

Top.....

Great Vid thanks

I still don't get what you mean by four stroking. Is it a certain sound?

yer helped me,tks . . .

is this trick perfect for any model chainsaw carbs