Poulan chain saw

Jody Hawk

Senior Member
I was in Home Depot back in December and as I walked in the door, they had Poulan 18" chain saws for $100. Well, I can always use a chain saw around here so I bought one and put it in a spare bedroom until I needed it. Well, several weeks ago I got it out to do some trimming on some of the trees in my yard. I pulled the cord and it stuck and wouldn't retract but the motor cranked so I wrapped the cord around my hand and went ahead and used it. When I stopped it, the cord retracted back in the spool like it was supposed to.

A few days later, I got it out again. The first pull and the cord stuck again. This time, it wouldn't go back in. So I load it up and take it back to Home Depot. They tell me all they can do is send it off for repairs. I'll have to pay $35 which I'll get back if it is under warranty.

So yesterday, I go to pick up my chain saw and they don't want to give me my $35 back. I've already looked at the owners manuel and it is under a 1 year warranty. I'm about ready to turn the place out at this point so this older fellow tells the cashier to go ahead and refund my $35. He then goes on to tell me that Home Depot only warrants their gas powered products for 30 days only.

Well, this morning I get my "fixed" chain saw out again and the first pull it sticks again. I hit it real hard on the side and it retracted. I'm about ready to call Poulan. I've used this saw 3-4 times and it's been nothing but a headache. :banginghe
 

Bitteroot

Polar Bear Moderator
you did better than me.... I ripped the handle completely off the saw while cutting..I went and got a real saw after that... plastic handles and chain saws spell trouble. Of course my friend was not to happy about it... but hey, it was his firewood pile! :pop:
 

Hooty Hoot

Gone but not forgotten
Not trying to be a smart aleck but you made two mistakes.

1. You bought a hundred dollar chainsaw

2. You bought it from Home Depot

Home Depot does not warrent the products they sell. I have been burned by them twice. Once for a $2500 refrigerator. Home Depot's philosophy on returned goods is " if it is in good shape, and can be resold, we will give your money back". If it was tore-up when you bought it,
"we just sell this stuff and don't guarantee it". It's kind of funny really. I just don't make any warrantable purchases from them anymore. Oh yea! You could have bought the same saw from Walmart and got your money back.
 

Foreboy

Member
My Stihl 028 woodboss that I purchased used in 1995 still operates great every year after several new bars, plugs, chains.

The $10O Lowe's Husquavra lasted 2 years, or was it 1.5?
 
I have had one for almost 10 years, Was proberly US made then, I did notice that when ever I bought any replacement parts from the depot, they always wore out fast, I did a complete REBUILD on the Chain, the blade and small screws , spark pulg filters ect about 3 years ago using only direct purchase parts I got from them POLAN and the thing runs fine. They have a major distribution center in Gerogia, might be worth a call.

As a side note My Homelite leaf blower from the depot did the same thing with the cord, when I went to take it back, I got the same story you got, I solved the problem by going to the manager and asking who the rep was from the company that services the store, He gave me the guys number , called him, He gave me 2 options, either they would let it get fixed at a local repair shop to be fixed at their expense or bring it back to the store to be held till he gets through next time. I took the leave it at the store, went back a few days later, brand new one waitting for me in a box----- I never used it but sold it off and purchased a backpack type the next fall

From what I heard there is a small " finger " near the recoil spring that snaps off alot and that causes the issue on lots of recoil stuff

Get in contact with the represenative , you might be suprised

Good Luck
 

scottypp

Senior Member
it's actually a pretty ez fix, if you pull that side cover off. It's either one of the fingers mentioned above- or the recoil spring is too tight.. i would pull the cover wd 40 the heck out of it.. see how it moves.
 

Miguel Cervantes

Jedi Master
Two rules in life that are tried and true.

#1 - you get what you pay for.

#2 - buy Stihl..;)

My Stihl is 10 years old, never been tuned up, never used fuel stablizer, and it still cranks and runs like a charm. I have been horrible at taking care of it, but it has never let me down.:cool:

By the way, owned a Poulan / Crafstman prior to that. This is when I learned rules #1 & 2.:D
 
I hate POULLIN' chain saws.
It takes two people to operate them one to get it cranked and the other can give him a break and run it for a short time till it has to be worked on.
 

Jody Hawk

Senior Member
it's actually a pretty ez fix, if you pull that side cover off. It's either one of the fingers mentioned above- or the recoil spring is too tight.. i would pull the cover wd 40 the heck out of it.. see how it moves.

I'm gonna try spraying it real good with WD-40.
 
WD40 is ok , The best oil I have ever used is KOIL, We had an old car engine had not been started in at least 10 years, Tried once nothing, We took the pulgs our KOIL ed the cylinders and waited 3 hours later it had worked free started rough but runs fine KOIL is the for stuff anything stuck
 

hammerz71

Senior Member
I had a Stihl saw that I bought used from my uncle when he got emphysema and couldn't do any wood cutting anymore. This was prolly a year or two after I got out of high school, so prolly around 1987. Thing ran like a top for years. Had a house in Vidalia with a Buck Stove insert and also had a pot belly stove in my shop out back. The thing got used HEAVY.
Had it stolen out the back of my truck in Florida during the '04 Hurricanes when I went down to cut up some trees that fell or looked like they were about to, on my parents property.

Bought another Stihl, a Farm Boss. Big, heavy, but runs like a top and will cut anything. I no longer have the house in Vidalia so it doesn't get used often, but I keep a little gas with stabilizer in it and will crank it every couple of months just to run and it starts on the second pull every time.

You get what you pay for...
 

contender*

Senior Member
Buy a Husqvarna and you'll never need another. I've got one that's lasted me 20 years and it will still get the job done.
 

pondman81

Senior Member
Poulan quality has gone way down I got 1 in 2000 and it still runs trouble free (yes I use it often).However I got 2 Sthil's a 440 and a 026 that are just beasts.
 

The Big Z

Senior Member
I have a Husqvarna 50 rancher 18" blade since 1976. Never had any problems with it. Recently bought a new 455 Rancher 22" blade for the bigger stuff. I've learned to buy quality the first time and never look back.
 

Rays123

Senior Member
I run a lawncare/tree service and I have owned about every brand of saw there is. My advice would be to buy a dolmar or a redmax, yes there foreign brands but there the best saw for the money out right now, I still love my huskys and I use them for all the big stuff but my crappy "stihl wont cranks" just sit in the shop
 

Bamafan4life

Senior Member
haha, whats funny is i borrowed my brothers today and its only been used once it ran 10 minutes halfway through the pine we where cutting and turned off, the guy who was helpin us knew alot about chainsaws he sharpend it at the right 10 degree angle for the soft wood (something some people dont no) the guys a jet aircraft mechanic he took it and replaced the filter plugs everything you could do to it, and i wouldnt crank. it aint getting no compression. so probly the ring on the motor is wore out. lol i think these would be good for a city boy who may be cutting some brush and trees no bigger than 6'' in diameter.
 
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