No matter what I do, the saw will not quite start up. it goes for about a half a second at best then dies. I checked & cleaned the points, put in a newer plug, checked to see if plug was sparking (it was), mixed new gas and oil and checked the compression, it was 120 psi. Nada! A little history on the saw: My original use of the saw was in 1975 where I was cutting wood to sell that summer. After some use the saw quit working. Given that it was still under warrenty I sent it in to be repaired. The saw worked for a shorter time than it did the first time around. Either the warrenty ran out or I was fed up with the saw at that point. The saw has been stored for 30& years in a dry environment which leads up to where the first half of this letter began. The vent hole in the gas cap is clear. Is there anything else besides the coil that could be cursing the saw? If the coil is the culpret, is it worth replacing if even available given the temperment of the saw when it was less than a year old? What do you think of these 40-42 cc Craftsman chainsaws advertised in the mid $150.00 range? In the future I hope to cut 2-4 cords of wood per season. A burnt orange Sweedish chainsaw would be nice but parts seem to get scarce after a handfull of years. I have a P85 Partner that never gave me any trouble except that the 3 clutch brake material pads on the inner clutch dissapeared. Zero clutch replacement options are offered. Even if a replacement clutch could be found, it would cost around $150.00 for another inferior clutch which would be gone within the life of a chain and bar. Any suggestions or conclusions regarding the above?

Paul S. Turner, August 2007

On your poulan, check if there is an crankcase pulse line running from the crankcase to the carb. If this is leaking or deteriourated it may be the problem. Also check for obstructed fuel line and pickup. If those check out ok, it may be in the ignition system, Check continunity through the points, ohm test the coil with a multimeter. If the points are bad use a megafire module instead of the points (avalible at most lawn mower shops) If the coil is bad, try to cross reference it with the coil on a another saw, or shop E-bay.
I came across this question by accident, I am in the market for a partner 85 cc saw, not running is ok. my email is
jllinenfelser@msn.com. Email me with more details about your poulan as it should not be to hard to get running, and also if the partner is availible. good luck Jim

jim linenfelser, February 2008