The Poulan Tool less system is junk...Buyer Beware

[30-30man]

I've always had good luck with Poulan saws even with all the complaints.  The last one I owned was a 16inch 2150, I owned it for 13 years.  The fuel lines rotted then it developed one problem after another.  I quickly ran down to the local big box store and bought a new Poulan 46cc with a 20 inch bar and the tool less adjustment. I thought it would give me the same service the 2150 did.  Well, it lasted about 30 minutes while cutting an oak that fell recently because of some storms we had come through.  The chain kept coming off and I could not get the bar adjust on the bolts.  Then I noticed that only one bolt holds the whole bar on.  The tensioning nut is made of plastic and it quickly strips.  This design is total crap.  How it passed quality control is beyond me. After four attempts, I put it back in the box and bought a Husky 350.  I couldn't believe the differnce.  Much more power and the chips fly.  It handled the task with no problem.  I guess it doesn't pay to go cheap with chainsaws.

[torpedoman]

If you really want a good chainsaw go with a shindowa have one 25yrs+ and one 2 yrs old the son in law is running the old one and both cut fast and cut more wood on the same gas as a friends stil and are lighter. except for chains the only thing replaced on the old one has been gas filters and sparkplugs.

[Beers]

There are many many products that it's unwise to try and save money on, and chainsaws are definitely a great example. I've got a Stihl 011 that's been working flawlessly for 20 years. Yours isn't the only Poulan I've heard of that didn't survive it's first use.

[Old Syko]

One thing no one ever seems to notice on the Poulan saws is the chain.  It has many fewer cutting teeth than a standard Oergon chain.  Put on a good chain and you'll find there isn't enough power to pull it.

I still use an Echo 601 that was discontinued around 35 years ago and has outlasted a truckload of chains.  This one has a 24" bar and has always been my trim saw.  Used an Echo 750 with a 3' bar for intermediate work for years and a Jonsared with a 4' bar for falling.  Thankfully I no longer have or need the big saws anymore and was able to give them a new home some years back.

Too much plastic and other inferior materials on all the new saws for my taste.  Quality never goes out of favor.

[30-30man]

I try to buy American when I can. I'm not in lumber for a business.  I never needed a real big saw.  I have a McCulloch 35 that's big enough for large stuff. It was my dad's. It has the 36 inch blade.  I hate to handle it though as it weighs near 80 pounds.

 What I'm ashamed of the most is that Poulan is about the only American made saw now.  It's made right here near my neck of the woods...Augusta, Georgia.  You'd think Americans would know how to build a saw.  The engine ran fine, it's just the chain tensioning crap they stuck on it.  The system they are using will not keep the chain on the bar.  I've had good luck with Poulans...Sad I will not be buying anymore.  Almost felt guilty walking out with a Sweedish made saw.

[Beers]

Stihl's are built by Americans, right in Va. Beach.

[30-30man]

I thought Sthil was a  company from Sweden or Finland like Husqvarna.  Oh, well I stand corrected. Why Poulan changed a proven design is beyond me.  The new system stinks.  Poulan has gone down hill much like Homelite and McCulloch.  They all use to make decent homeowner saws. 

[DCRthe3rd]

Maybe around 10-11 yrs ago I bought a cheap craftsman saw , about 90 dollars , I use it mostly for camp fire wood , and I like my camp fires , it has worked well for me , I was a bit nervous about buying it since I seen one sitting there that had been returned , but mines been good to me , probably not what I would buy if I cut wood for a living but thats different.

[30-30man]

Most of the Craftsman stuff is made by Poulan now.  Poulan still makes a good saw for the money, they just need to trash the tool less bar adjustment.  There was nothing wrong with the old system.  I think the idea was actually copied from Sthil, or that's the first saw I saw with the design.  The 2150 Poulan I had would keep up with any 16" saw I'd seen. I cut a couple of holes in the muffler and richened the high jet a little. It would scream.  It ran for along time and I would have fixed it if it was cost effective. 

One thing I noticed about the two saws I've bought in the last couple of weeks is that none of them smoke like my older ones.  I use the same oil so I know it's not that.  I guess they adjust them too lean to meet EPA regs now. I wonder what this does for the life of the saw?

[ihuntbucks]

I have a Homelite Pro 360 bought back around 84 or 85 and it has never gave me a min. trouble.It is not used to cut wood for a living;but it has cleared much land and cut many,many loads of firewood.I don't know if they make this mod any more or if Homelite is any good now days.But they sure made one h**l of a saw in the 80's.....Rick   BTW-I was thinking Craftmans were made by McCuller (sp?)

[30-30man]

McCulloch went bankrupt a few years ago and sold their name to a Chinese company.  They are still making them but they aren't even close to the ones I knew.  The only place I know that sells them is Harbor Freight. This made parts for the old ones very hard to find. Then again, they'd have to be better than the Poulans out now with the toolless system. Poulan wouldn't even warranty this system, they claimed it was a wearable item not covered under warranty.  They did offer to sell me the parts to convert it back to the old method.  I just took it back to Lowe's and bought something worth having.  I looked at the Homelite but they looked so cheap now.  They are nothing like the old ones.  I'd love an old Homelite, they made good saws too.

[NYH1]

I prefer Husky's, mainly because they fit better then the rest.  I've had my 365 for a year now, it's been great.  I bought my New Edition 346XP last week.  Haven't really ran it yet.  Jonsered's are the same saws as Husky with a straight front handle bar instead of the angled front handle bars on the Husky's.  The color is different as well. 

Stihl actually has a few plants around the world.  Most of their saws are built in Germany and the US.  Most of the saws they sell in the US are built in Virginia Beach.  I believe their larger saws that are sold in the US are built in Germany.  I'm not sure where the cut off is, I thought it was the MS441 and larger.  Not 100% sure though. 

Dolmar actually makes a really good saw as does Shindaiwa.  They both have similar problems in that they don't have very large dealer networks.  It's harder for most people to get parts for these two brands then it is Husky, Johnny Red and Stihl.  They both make good saws nonetheless.

Poulan made Husky's cheaper saws, the 137 and 142 in the US.  Husky dropped those two models for their new 235 and 240.  I don't know if Poulan is making the 235 and 240's or not. 

[charles p]

Working with a chainsaw is hard tiring work.  Why make it even harder by using an inferior product or design.  Thank goodness I rarely need a chainsaw anymore.  Back in the 70's we had a Dayton and a Poulon.  They were identical except one had a roller tip blade.  They were good dependable saws back then.

Nothing is more frustrating than a chainsaw that will not crank, except maybe an outboard motor that won't crank when you are ready to come home.

[30-30man]

The thing that puzzles me is the old system worked well.  Now all you can buy is the tool less junk.  It won't be long before this starts to hurt sales.  The word is getting out now I believe. I've used cheap Poulans for many years.  I've managed to get 10+ years out of them with no service. I can't say that for the other makes I've bought.  I still love a cheap Poulan saw but I hate the new system. 

[STUMPJMPR]

I have a husquvarna 353 it is a great saw....It will cut all day long and I have been using it alot since hurricane katrina cleaning up our property...I gave a poulan a try someone gave me....It was brand new in the box it vibrated so bad it made your arms hurt and if you shut it off it would not crank again until it cooled completely off....

[alleyyooper]

Poulan, Johnsered and Huskavarna are all owned by (s/p)Elictrilux corp. I have a old 162SE  husky I bought in the mid 70's that has been a great saw. When I decided I wanted a new one I bought another Husky a EPA 55. It has bee a horriable saw because of the carb isn't/wasn't adjustable and ran to lean and kept scoreing pistons because it would get to hot. When the husky dealer went out of bussness I bought a Johnered 2150.
Cut real good, but I found I had top wear a glove on left hand as the exhust kept the handle to hot when cutting for a bare hand. 2 years old and the plastiac gismo in the chain break broke. 4 years old and the chain oiler is now non working and needs repair.
So I am back to my old 70'd model Husky 162SE.

Al