Good info, thanks. I have my Dad's old Super XL12, used it as a kid in the 80's, it look just like your's, has the tag and decals although this one isn't quite as clean as your's. I have it on the bench to get it running. No spark. Haven't pulled the flywheel yet to see what's wrong. I'll look at some more of your relative videos. Thanks for posting this stuff.
My dad bought a new super xl manual oiler 1967, we cut a lot of brush and firewood on our farm. First saw I ever ran. Miss my dad and days cutting wood. I was 16 years old in 1967. Man time really passed away fast. Thanks for your videos, brings back a lot of memories.
My family’s first saw is a super xl non automatic. Needs a bunch of small things, it always ran so sweet. I have a photo of my late father smiling ear to ear running that super xl. Thanks Leon
I have a Super XL-12 that my father gave to me back in the mid-1980's. (S/N 1789162) Fairly sure he originally picked it up at a farm sale in the early 1970's. Always ran great and only repairs that I remember doing to it was to replace the bar and chain, and also repair one of the ends of the handle after i managed to break it. I was told many years ago to tip it upside down and drain out all of the gas after every time it was used. It always starts and I believe that draining out the gas really helps. Until I watched this video I never realized how old it was. Thanks for posting this.
Good tip. I have 5 of these saws running and ready to cut, today, if need be...till something goes lol Mine are all hard worked saws that I acquired and have been fixing and using. I was thinking just the other day that I am one guy with 5 working saws and parts enough to assemble 2 or three more lol MAYBE I should drain out the gas out of a couple, or three, and put them away...but then they will get lonely and stiff :-(
spent a lot of hours on ipl's restoring my dads super xl12. your vids and store were a lifesaver. luckily it still had the metal tag on it. made it twice as exciting to restore, knowing it was more rare.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been struggling to identify my old Homelite saw, a well-used machine missing all its decals. The ID plate is still there and says "Terry Corporation, type 50003, serial 30661159, Pointe Claire, Quebec'. So.......it appears my saw is a 1973 model (the main casting is dated Jan. 1972). So far so good. Oil filler cap below the sparkplug, angled handle bar, blue paint, manual oil pump.....everything is pointing towards it being an XL-12. Not a Super. You're a tremendous help Leon! I'm heading over to your website now.
When my Grandpa was logging Many years ago, he had the super xl12, xl12 in the blue color and one in red color but I don't remember what it was. All three were Homelite saws, slow by today's standard but he made his living logging and sawmilling.
Hey ! Thank you for sharing great insight. No I going to inspect more close on mine XL 12. I always thought I have one super XL...and well...I still think...but now i can know for sure...and knows the differences in detail.
Is it really a "Super"...58cc? I think all my XL-12 like saws are Canadian builds. Tags are missing on some. They do vary from the American made ones. I was on House of Homelite forum many years ago and Americans thought a couple of my saws were "Unicorns" or modified lol
I have a super xl auto I picked up a couple years back. I like it, but it has some idle issues. (I believe its the crank seals, I just have not had the time to go into it; I had replaced the reeds which were severely pitted and gapped, helped tremendously, but still not right) On mine, there is no tag whatsoever, and was curious to how old it is. It’s blue.
It seems that my Canadian made ones have other variations. I have an XL Automatic with a chain brake, with electronic ignition(factory), with the oil fill below, like with the XL-12's
Hi, great info, hard to find any of these old saws in Australia, let alone chasing replacement parts!! Any chance I can email you a few pics to confirm my super XL12 automatic!
I have a ‘66-‘67 Super XL with green handle, I’m wondering how rare of a saw is it? Single owner, in good condition. Also, thinking about sending it your way to work your magic to get it into usable condition if you are taking in new business?
I have a super xl with auto and manual oiler blue. And a xl-12 blue. Didn't realize they combined the saws into 1. The super xl 12 isn't really that much better
The blue ones are also the older ones yes? I have three blue ones, two of which should run again when I get back to them. Still fixing up red ones lol Canadian versions, so a couple have chain breaks...red ones. I'll have to watch this more closely as most of my XL-12's + have had parts swapped here and there. To be honest I thought all my XL-12's+ were about the same CC's but I did notice a couple were clearly more powerful. Hard to find Canadian service manuals. A few of my saws need the manual oilers fixed. Only thing preventing their running. I haven't learned how to repair the oilers as yet, besides cleaning. Some seem easy to get at, others require more disassembly to get at, it seems. Big job replacing the copper oiling pipe to the bar, it looks like 😞 Well I am heading to my shop to see what I actually have. I know one red one I just fixed up to use, has both an automatic and manual oiler, no chain break. Running beautifully.
OK I checked. My red one is an XL Automatic. No mention of Super. The tag is missing but both sides say XL Automatic, and it exactly matches what you showed as an XL Automatic. It has a manual oiler as well, but to be honest, I never noticed if the automatic oiler did much. I am use to the manual pump so I would use it automatically. Mine are Canadian versions. I have some old blue ones with no lables. Maybe there is a super hiding there lol
Update I have a saw that came to me dissembled, not sure why, it is likely the newest "XL-12" like saw I have. I will eventually get this one running again. The thing is, after having a closer look, I realized it is another XL Automatic....HOWEVER It is red, it has a chain break, the oil fill is below like on XL-12's, fat muffler, factory electronic ignition, Canadian made 🙂 I need to somehow make sure I use proper parts, to assemble. I know it wants to run as I borrowed a carb from my working saw, to test, and it ran fine. It did not sound like all my other XL-12 like saws though. I am not sure that the fat muffler alone is what makes it sound so different. We shall see. I am getting some supplies and a couple more tools.
So what does the "12" number actually designate? I have a '79 red Super XL (Automatic....but that part doesnt matter), in some of my notes I call it a "Super XL12", but sounds like I need to drop the "12"!! great info Leon, as always the Homelite guru!
I pick up everyone of the xl series I come across at a decent price. In the pile I haven't tried to get going is a green handled XL15 I think. I noticed that the sprocket cover looks different. What are the doos n don'ts on the 15 ???? I didn't realize that it was different in any way. Now that I know I wanna get it out , and going. Seems it has more green than just the handle. Paint is really good on it.
There were three gear drive/XL-15 models. All are substantially scarcer than other XL’s. If it is a red/white saw, then it is an XL-15 with the green handle as a transplant. If yours is a blue saw with a handle that faded to green, it is a Super XL-15, and it is much scarcer yet. The red/white/green gear drive with a true green handle is an XL Automatic GD (Gear Drive). It may be one of the rarest Homelites. I have only seen one surface.
I got a 1979 super xl give to me that had xl piston rings my neibor bought it used years ago it broke in it qiut lol I had extra cylinder and rings it runs now lol
