Homelite Chain Saw Problems

9688 Views 14 Replies 7 Participants Last post by FergusonTO35, Jun 22, 2009

virgin1

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2009

Brand new Homelite model UT10580, 42cc engine, 18" bar, date code 06/13/08, actually the second one I have tried overheats and /or vapor locks after a few minutes of use and will not start again for an hour. It will sit and idle for extended periods (tried that as a test,0 but as soon as you try to gas it, it will stall and refuses to restart.
This thing is driving me nuts!!! What good is a chain saw that only runs for 10 mins at a time. Before someone asks, I have checked my gas-oil mixture and am very careful to get it right. I also only use fresh stabilized fuel. Besides this thing isn't old enough or had enough use to warrant a fuel issue.

Any one else have this problem with a Homelite? Any suggestions?

I don't need a professional saw and cannot justify spending $500+ on one either, but we do have trees that need occasional attention on our property.

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music-in-a-bottle

· #2 · Jun 20, 2009

That's the first and only problem. It's a homelite! I'd sell it and get something else. My opinion.

Lawnboy7229

· #3 · Jun 20, 2009

Have you tried adjusting the carb,h and L speed. Sounds like it might be running a little lean.

Lawnboy7229

· #4 · Jun 20, 2009

I like the old homelite saws, they run ok....well atleast the old ones, don't know much about the new ones.

FergusonTO35

· #5 · Jun 20, 2009

I would definitely try adjusting your carb first. Alot of new saws come right from the factory adjusted too lean. If you want the best tutorial on how to adjust a 2 cycle carb go to Youtube and look for a user named "Davidsfarm". He has an excellent, easy to follow video on how to adjust 2 cycle carbs, among many other things. I recently bought a like new Poulan saw at a yard sale for 15.00, the seller couldn't get it to stay running and had given up on it. A turn of the screws and its now a champ.

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xdiver86

· #6 · Jun 21, 2009

Either the vent hole in the gas cap is partially pluged or the high speed is set to lean..

Lawnboy7229

· #7 · Jun 21, 2009

Also what does your plug look like? It can be a good thing to diagnose problems with.

brokenbudget

· #8 · Jun 21, 2009

if you want to talk chainsaws with people that live chainsaws, go here http://www.arboristsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9:
they will set you straight.
i say take it back to home depot where it came from and get your money back. there is no point trying to polish a turd. you can get into a nice dolmar for about 75-100 bucks more than you spent on that "saw".
yes it's lean and you could try to tune it but why bother if the thing is going to fall apart every 10 minutes. plus to tune it properly you need to remove the limiters on the carb. again why bother
i'd love to see the $500 42cc saws you were looking at. even the stihl ms230 is only around 300 bucks (40cc but will smoke that "turd" you have now, plus run right, plus dealer support plus...):trink39:
really, dump the homlite, don't spend any time on it. it's not worth it period.:sorry1:

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brokenbudget

· #9 · Jun 21, 2009

music-in-a-bottle said:
That's the first and only problem. It's a homelite! I'd sell it and get something else. My opinion.

exactly:trink40:

virgin1

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 21, 2009

FergusonTO35 said:
I would definitely try adjusting your carb first. Alot of new saws come right from the factory adjusted too lean. If you want the best tutorial on how to adjust a 2 cycle carb go to Youtube and look for a user named "Davidsfarm". He has an excellent, easy to follow video on how to adjust 2 cycle carbs, among many other things. I recently bought a like new Poulan saw at a yard sale for 15.00, the seller couldn't get it to stay running and had given up on it. A turn of the screws and its now a champ.

Excellent suggestions Ferg. Thank you. Thanks a lot! I will check on Youtube as you suggest, as I am not a 2-cycle expert, though I did grow up with Saab 96's w/850cc 2-cycle engines.
I see you have Brain Salad Surgery as your avatar. Are you also an E/L/P fan?

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virgin1

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 21, 2009 (Edited)

Thank you all for the immediate replies. I really do appreciate them, positive or negative, and am surprised by the reaction this thread has gotten in less than a day.
I may try adjusting it if I cannot return it.
A turd? Probably. And I am not that impressed with Home Depot as a rule. Less so the more time goes on, but we have had a line trimmer from them that has seen hard duty for over 6 yrs now and doing fine.
This saw has some features I was looking for and it was a birthday present from my wife who had ulterior motives, I'm sure. Like the big tree that had come down in a fairly recent storm.

For what it's worth, I was considering the same saw for some of those features, but hadn't really decided at that point.
I really only need a chain saw once in a while and have other things to do with the money we make, so I too thought this a relatively sane purchase... until now.....

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rscurtis

· #12 · Jun 21, 2009

In one of my recent posts I made reference to the OPE industry in a race to the bottom. Your Homelite, once a great name, is the result.

virgin1

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 21, 2009

I agree.
Of the three Homelite products we now own, and of the four we have tried, only one has proven itself as a good machine/tool. That's the curved shaft line trimmer we have owned since 2003.

virgin1

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jun 22, 2009

I found Davidsfarm on Youtube, but nothing about 2 stroke carb adjustments. I even searched the site in multiple ways.
If you have a link, please provide it for me.
Thanks.

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FergusonTO35

· #15 · Jun 22, 2009

Here's the link from Davidsfarm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhXGWF-B_hs&feature=channel_page

Yeah, I'm a huge ELP fan.

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