Help me pick a 60cc saw!

[Wildo]

Those are not the same dawgs as mine has. My dawgs look like the ones on the website with holes in them.

 

[jetsam]

I got an auto reply last night, but nothing since. Bummer; I have next week off and it doesn't look like I'll be getting any big oak processed.

I guess this is what I get for not paying the extra for a local dealer. Tempted to just tear it down and fix it.

I do have a local dealer (in typical Long Island fashion, their Google reviews feature fraud, theft, police... but that's how we roll around here, I'm afraid). If they have a 6400 and if I can get them to honor Chainsawsdirect's final price, maybe I'll return the first saw and buy one locally. Was really trying to avoid that, but it beats waiting through a week of vacation time for the saw to make a round trip to the west coast.

 

[KenLockett]

If it makes any difference you might tell them that at least one other potential customer is attentively evaluating their (chainsawsdirect.com) response to your situation with the new saw. Perhaps you could get them to overnight you one on Monday and then they could issue a RMA on the defective unit. Depending on how this goes for you will have a lot of bearing on whether I order from them.

 

[jetsam]

If it makes any difference you might tell them that at least one other potential customer is attentively evaluating their (chainsawsdirect.com) response to your situation with the new saw. Perhaps you could get them to overnight you one on Monday and then they could issue a RMA on the defective unit. Depending on how this goes for you will have a lot of bearing on whether I order from them.

We'll, my first observation with my customer service experience is that they don't seem to work weekends.

 

[TreePointer]

Wish you lived in my area. We are fortunate to have a good Dolmar dealer who can fix just about any OPE.

 

[jetsam]

Your safety chain is Oregon vanguard. Give it a wirl. You might like it...or not.

(broken link removed to https://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/products/chain/72_73_75VChain.htm)

Huh, their ad copy says that this safety chain is as fast or faster than the non-safety LGX that I bought to replace it. I guess I will try it and see, if I ever wind up getting a saw to put it on.

 

[jetsam]

So, as you might expect, it's not returnable if you put oil in it. The local dealer wants 2 weeks and $50 to look at it to see what the problem is, and promise to bill me if they have any trouble getting Dolmar to cover the warranty service.

Guess I'll take it apart myself. I've never taken a chainsaw apart before ; should be fun. I'll let you guys know how to get a Dolmar clutch off without a clutch tool after I figure it out!

 

[Clyde S. Dale]

So, as you might expect, it's not returnable if you put oil in it. The local dealer wants 2 weeks and $50 to look at it to see what the problem is, and promise to bill me if they have any trouble getting Dolmar to cover the warranty service.

Guess I'll take it apart myself. I've never taken a chainsaw apart before ; should be fun. I'll let you guys know how to get a Dolmar clutch off without a clutch tool after I figure it out!

Could you ask your Dolmar dealer to pull the clutch for you? I would hope they would do it for free or at most a small charge.

 

[woodhog73]

So, as you might expect, it's not returnable if you put oil in it. The local dealer wants 2 weeks and $50 to look at it to see what the problem is, and promise to bill me if they have any trouble getting Dolmar to cover the warranty service.

Guess I'll take it apart myself. I've never taken a chainsaw apart before ; should be fun. I'll let you guys know how to get a Dolmar clutch off without a clutch tool after I figure it out!

This policy is crazy. How would anyone know if there is a problem with the saw unless they run it ? If it's a manufacturer defect which it has to be because you have not used it yet, then I don't understand why the dealer won't accept a return. Worse case if the dealer gets your saw and determines it's not a warranty issue then they can choose not to replace it. I guess I just don't see the difference whether it's a large internet company or a small local dealer.

The dealer where I buy my Jonsereds told me they get repair requests all the time on saws that didn't come from them. They still repair them with the same customer service expectation because I'm sure they want to win people over for future business. Hopefully the local Dolmar dealer will do their best to make this right for you and also earn you as a future customer too.

 

[Jon1270]

For a problem like this I'd be talking (broken link removed to http://www.dolmarpowerproducts.com/contact/contact_information/).

 

[jetsam]

For a problem like this I'd be talking (broken link removed to http://www.dolmarpowerproducts.com/contact/contact_information/).

Took you up on that idea. If I pay to ship the saw to one of their service centers, they'll fix it in about a week. This is cheaper and faster than the local dealer, so I'll do that if I can't figure out how to get this bloody clutch off.

Here's the corpse of clutch wrench #2. Figuring out what #3 looks like now. I can't believe how much force it takes to loosen the clutch. It looks like it's just a threaded connector.

Edit: OOOOH. You know who fixes broken Makita saws? Home Depot tool rental! Maybe I can borrow the clutch tool from them!

 

[jatoxico]

I can't believe how much force it takes to loosen the clutch.

Double checking, you know they are reverse yes? I can get the right sized crescent wrench in mine then use a large adjustable to grip that.

 

[Jon1270]

Yeah, I don't think softwood is going to be strong enough for a tool like that. Maybe drill some holes in a piece of bar stock and use bolts or tapped-in pins. Remember it's a left-hand thread, so clockwise loosens it!

 

[jetsam]

Hah!

Okay, so I called Home Depot and asked the tool tech if I could rent or borrow his Makita clutch puller.

He told me he doesn't have one because it's easier to use a punch and a hammer to jar it loose, then spin it off with your fingers.

Told him I love him, hung up!

Edit: He was right, too. After dicking with that for over an hour, I took it off in about 10 seconds with a hammer and a punch.

 

[jetsam]

Victory! The saw is oiling. I lost a muffler bolt so I am going to Home Depot to pick one up and thank the tool guy.

 

[Jon1270]

So what was wrong with it?

 

[jetsam]

So what was wrong with it?

Oiler line kinked back in the tank. Could maybe have fixed it from the outside with a big curved pair of hemostats if I'd known enough to try.

It's a funny setup. I will post pics of the whole process after it gets too dark to cut wood.

Look! It has wood chips on it! *sniff*

 

[KenLockett]

OK, so it was a relatively easy fix. However, #1 I would now be wary to purchase from Chainsawsdirect.com since they said can't take returns if you put oil in it?? What about gas??? How would you have known the oiler was not working if you don't put oil in it or how do you know it won't run unless you put gas in it? Bottom line IMO they should have made it right as you absolutely just purchased it. Next, how can a local dealer opt to charge you for a repair when the darn thing is under warranty? Doesn't the dealer repair shop get paid by Dolmar after the diagnoses and repair? What was the $50 for? If it was for a deposit prior to getting full payment from Dolmar then I can understand but if not ridiculous. I for one gotta re-think purchasing from a dealer versus online and secondly if I do purchase from a dealer I want assurance that they are going to repair under warranty when needed and in a timely fashion. If I break something that is not covered under warranty then I expect to pay but fair is fair. And especially in your case with the saw literally brand new.

 

[jetsam]

OK, so it was a relatively easy fix. However, #1 I would now be wary to purchase from Chainsawsdirect.com since they said can't take returns if you put oil in it?? What about gas??? How would you have known the oiler was not working if you don't put oil in it or how do you know it won't run unless you put gas in it? Bottom line IMO they should have made it right as you absolutely just purchased it. Next, how can a local dealer opt to charge you for a repair when the darn thing is under warranty? Doesn't the dealer repair shop get paid by Dolmar after the diagnoses and repair? What was the $50 for? If it was for a deposit prior to getting full payment from Dolmar then I can understand but if not ridiculous. I for one gotta re-think purchasing from a dealer versus online and secondly if I do purchase from a dealer I want assurance that they are going to repair under warranty when needed and in a timely fashion. If I break something that is not covered under warranty then I expect to pay but fair is fair. And especially in your case with the saw literally brand new.

It was not really an easy fix. I spent most of the day figuring out how to take the saw apart, removed the muffler assembly, clutch drum, clutch, oil pump, and all the oil lines, not to mention the clutch brake assembly, which I lost a part for and had to make a new one out of whatever I had in the garage. It COULD have been an easy fix if I'd been more knowledgeable and gone in from the other side where there was already a hole, but oh well.

I don't think I share your concerns about buying online. If I bought it at the local dealer, I am pretty sure I'd have paid more, and then they'd have treated me to the same '2 weeks and $50 and we'll tell you what the problem is' routine.

It is good to know that if there's an issue I can't fix, I can ship it to Dolmar's service center and they'll fix it in a week for the cost of shipping.

Overall, I'd say that both dealers (online and local) met my expectations pretty exactly. (Neither one was what I hoped for, but both were what I expected!) Notice how it's 'illegal' for me to ship the chainsaw back to chainsawdirect.com, but apparently not for me to ship it to Dolmar's service center"? Yup yup. I'd rather have them lie to me about that than have a local dealer sit on the saw for a month and then charge me who knows what.

From the other side of this whole experience, I'm kind of glad it happened, because now if anything goes wrong with the oiler or clutch or clutch brake, I know how to fix it, plus I got to plan my muffler mod.

 

[woodhog73]

I don't think I share your concerns about buying online. If I bought it at the local dealer, I am pretty sure I'd have paid more, and then they'd have treated me to the same '2 weeks and $50 and we'll tell you what the problem is' routine.

I'm glad you got it fixed.

I think though this depends on the dealer. Yes you can save by purchasing online I agree. But there is something to be said about dealer service.

Many years ago I purchased a Stihl 036 brand new. I had a problem with the coil after roughly 3 tanks of gas. They fixed it for free. Another 3 tanks or so it happened again. I brought it back very frustrated. The owner thanked me for my business, took my 036 back ( having run 6 plus tanks of fuel in it ) and took a brand new 036 off the shelf and said here have this one. No questions asked.

He also gave me an extra bar and 2 spare chains for my troubles and time spent going back and forth.

I personally always support local business whenever I can.

Not trying to be a jerk because I like a good deal as much as the other guy. And I'm glad you got the saw sorted out.

I live in logging country so honestly the saw shops near me have to provide good service or else they are out of business.

 

[jetsam]

Okay! As promised, here's New Saw Surgery. As mentioned, I have never taken a chainsaw apart before. As you might expect, it was a lot more involved than it really needed to be, but I learned a lot!

So here's the saw before I took anything apart. Oil should come out of that green tube and blorp onto the chain. Oil not come out! Problem! Dealers say go jump in lake! Also problem! Happily, (and maybe accidentally), Baileys Online has the service manual for this saw where google can see it. I might not know what the hell I'm doing, but I have instructions! How bad could it be?

D-ring- washer, drive sprocket come off the clutch cover. Set the brake.

Push the brake towards release a little bit- enough to loosen the band just enough to pull the clutch cover off. If you release the brake, put it back on and try again.

Take the brake spring cover off. It just has that one little slotted screw holding it on. At this point, if you're going for the oil pump, you should also take the brake itself off; I didn't do it until later because I didn't think it would be in the way.

The service manual tells you to take this little piece of foam out next. I did. Why is it in there in the first place? For what possible reason did I take it out and then put it back later? Good questions. Leave the little piece of foam alone. Also, see that little black pin in the brake linkage, looks like the rounded end of a black screw? That is a little pin that is held in its spot by nothing whatsoever after you take the plastic cover off. If this proves a surprise to you, you may well lose it like I did and then be surprised that your saw has no brake. More on this later.

We have to take the whole muffler assembly off so we can jam something in the cylinder, so we can pop the clutch loose. That little triangular thing is a muffler bracket. 3 screws including that sneaky one on the side. Also, see those 3-tabbed stainless steel dealies at the top of the muffler? They're caps that I imagine are supposed to keep wood chips out of the recessed holes for the muffler screws; they just pull off. Take them off and get the two screws underneath them, plus the third longer muffler screw up top. Don't drop the aluminum standoff or the muffler gasket.

Here's the muffler assembly free of the saw.

Hello, Mr. Cylinder! We need to jam that piston using the special magic Dolmar Cylinder Wedge. Oh, wait, we don't have any special magic Dolmar tools.

Plastic coat hanger, stuffed with wood, wrapped in duct tape. Boom. You want something that is strong enough to get hammered between two pieces of metal but which will not scratch said metal or leave any little bits of anything behind! Make sure it's strongish, soft, and clean.

Super duper pistonjammer in action. Mock me if you must, but it worked. Now that the piston's jammed, we can pop the clutch loose!

I looked at the drawing of the Dolmar clutch tool and decided that I needed a 3 pronged wrench with a retaining cap to stop clutch parts from spraying across the room. Behold.

Well, that didn't work, and I put a dent in my hand besides. Time for a bigger better clutch puller tool!

Well, that didn't work, and it broke my 2x4 besides. Time to call Home Depot and ask the tool guy if I can borrow his Makita clutch puller. He tells me he doesn't have one because it's easier to use a punch and a hammer to pop it loose. .... well, he is SO RIGHT. I don't even have a picture of this because it worked so fast. It's reverse threaded, so put a big punch or big screwdriver down in there and bang it clockwise.

The white thing is the clutch drive for the oil pump. Behind it.... the promised land! The oil pump herself!! It looks like the drive thing is in good shape.

Two screws are all that separate me from inspecting the pump and its plumbing. Well, that and that pesky brake, which I can now see is going to need to come out.

I'm not sure if there's going to be oil everywhere when I pull the pump, so I drain the saw. That saw holds a LOT of oil! Let's see if I can remember which glass has my drink in it and which one is significantly less tasty. (Editorial note: By the end of this adventure, I did indeed get to taste bar oil several times, but not because I drank from the wrong glass.)

Someone who knew anything about chainsaws would have said, "Hey, I think I see the problem!" at this point. That someone was not me. I was also not the guy who drained the oil and saw the problem before he took anything apart. But if I knew what I was doing, you wouldn't have this photo essay to entertain you, so there's that.

Pop the brake band out, remove two pump screws, and the pump lifts right out with a little wiggling. At this point, I saw what I thought was the problem: NOTHING connects the feed tube and the oil pump. I checked the exploded diagram in the service manual to see what was supposed to be there, and the answer is: NOTHING. WTF, Dolmar people. That green tube end just kind of sits on the outside of a hole in the pump. So if your saw drips oil out the case sometimes, that's a design feature. The black tube is the supply line from the oil tank.... IT gets a nice aluminum 1/8" barb connector on the oil pump. Unlike the green discharge tube, which just kind of sits on a hole in the pump and hopes for the best. Did I say 'WTF' yet?

Here's the plumbing for the oil supply from the tank to the pump. Plastic L-barb on the straight side, and the aluminum barb on the oil pump goes into the other side. Notice how both sides of the tubing have some sort of appropriate connector to allow fluid transfer? Are you taking notes, Dolmar? I am able to blow air through this line. The bar oil tastes about like you'd expect. The green thing in the photo comes out next- it just snaps in, pry it gently out with a flat screwdriver and a pair of needlenose.

Holy cow, I just pulled the intestines out of my saw. Lookit that. I can blow air through the intestines and filter, too. Bar oil still tastes about like you'd expect.

Blew air through the green output tube. Bar oil still tasting mighty fine. Hooked the green tube to the input side of the oil pump and used it to try to draw some oil through the pump to see if it worked. It did not work. Not sure if this means the pump is defective or that it was just operating at about 13,440 RPM less than it was designed to. Results inconclusive. Took the pump apart as much as I could, looked okay, put it back together.

Put everything back together. Clutch took three tries because I kept getting the brake wrong (it's easy to get part of it underneath the clutch cover; it goes AROUND the clutch cover.) Hey, look what you can see under the oil cap now.

Took her out and tested it... and THE OILER WORKS! Huzzah! One thing I did not know when I took this photo: See the linkage pin that makes the brake work? The little black one we talked about above, the one that's not retained by anything? You don't? That's because it's not there. If it's not there, the saw has no brakes. I soon discover that my saw has no brakes, I find out why, and spend 30 minutes crawling around looking that that stupid black pin (and the muffler screw that I lost).

SO, the pin and the screw both fell into an alternate plane of reality on the way to the floor, and are not to be found. I hope they're happy in their new life; perhaps in the happier universe they went to one of them will win the next Presidential election. I know I would vote Pin or Screw in a heartbeat. Since they're off having those wacky adventures, I fabricate a new pin using a roofing nail and a file. Works fine. I go to Home Depot and get a new muffler screw- 5mm x 0.8mm x 20mm cap screw. It has an Allen head instead of a Torx one, which is annoying, but at this point I just want my damn saw to work.

This is out of order, but look how beat up my cylinder jammer got! Everyone suffered today.

...but now the suffering's over, and the saw is oiling nicely and it has WOOD CHIPS and SAWDUST on it!! Huzzah!

I did not learn for sure what the problem was. My first guess is that the oil feed line was all kinked up inside the oil tank. My second guess is that the oil pump had some sort of problem that was resolved, as so many problems in my house are, by my disassembling it and squinting thoughtfully at it. My third guess is that the discharge line was sitting crooked underneath the oil pump, and since only hope and good intentions join the oil pump and the discharge line, it didn't work.

I DID learn lots of other things, starting with "If you have an oiler problem, one side of the saw has a big hole that leads to the most likely problem, OR you could take the whole damn saw apart and dig through from the far side, whatever floats your boat."

Special thanks to jatoxico and Jon1270, who gave me some good tech support inline, the web guy at bailey's online who accidentally left the Dolmar service manual lying around, and a big "hoo-rah" to the Home Depot tool tech who told me to forget the magic clutch popper tool and just hit it with a hammer. =D

 

[jetsam]

Oh, and an actual saw review: That thing cuts like a beast. I can't say I buried the bar since the rear 2" of the bar are occupied by gigantic Dolmar Brand Tree Stabbers, but I buried as much of the bar as I could in oak and she didn't bog down. This is before the muffler mod and retuning! I am impressed. It really chews through the gas and oil, but man it cuts fast.

At a very rough guess, it was cutting about 10x faster than my little 30cc echo with 18" of bar in oak, and maybe 2x as fast on small stuff. (This comparison is a little unfair since the Echo had been run a full tank and a half since its last sharpening, and the Dolmar had a fairly sharp chain on it- Oregon factory sharp.)

 

[jetsam]

I personally always support local business whenever I can.

Not trying to be a jerk because I like a good deal as much as the other guy. And I'm glad you got the saw sorted out.

I live in logging country so honestly the saw shops near me have to provide good service or else they are out of business.

If you met some of my local businesses you would buy online too!

You're not coming off like a jerk.

I live on Long Island; your average person here would run screaming if they ever came face to face with a real live tree. Saw shops here are pretty much only patronized by landscapers and arborists.

There are a couple of us rogue wood cutting hearth.com members here also though, apparently!

 

[D8Chumley]

It's a shame you had to tear apart your brand new saw but good to see its working proper now. My favorite part was the " disassembling and squinting thoughtfully at it" That made me lol

 

[jetsam]

It's a shame you had to tear apart your brand new saw but good to see its working proper now. My favorite part was the " disassembling and squinting thoughtfully at it" That made me lol

I swear that fixes stuff. I don't know how many things I've taken apart and put back together and was surprised to find that it worked afterwards.