About Michael Expertise Ex-Tool & Die Maker. For the last 30 years I have performed maintenance on a large estate, including mechanical repairs of cars, trucks, tractors, ATV's, carts & trailers, chainsaws, mowers, snowblowers, machinery, hand tools. I do blade & tool sharpening, modifications and adaptations requiring designing and fabrication of accessories or parts made of metal, wood or plastic. Indoor skills include repair of appliances, furniture, electrical wiring, plumbing and structure.
Question Michael-
I have a nice old Poulan 71A chain saw, 1961, and it has always been such a great saw - simple, powerful, loud, and heavy. The ignition system is very simple - a cam actuated contact point, a coil, a condensor, the magneto (flywheel), and the spark plug/wire. My problem is that I have no spark. The other problem is that the parts are very hard to find. I bought the only condensor I could find several months ago, and have about 1 or 2 hours run time since. My question is this : what EXACTLY is the function of the condensor, and if I suspect it can I test it? If I can't test it to confirm its functioning, can I replace it with a similar-but-not-exactly-the-same condensor? How are they rated/spec'ed?
Simlar question for the coil - how do I test it? I'd like to confirm it's integrity also. With my meter, what should I see and where?
ANy help will be very appreciated. Hurricane Frances looms and I need my saw!
Kindly -
Scott Carter
Answer Hi Scott,
Sorry, most of your electrical questions are out of my range of knowledge. I do know that the condenser helps preserve the points by refining the current or absorbing the excess. Also they rarely go bad, so the possibility of you having 2 bad ones is low. I don't know about your other condenser questions. As far as the coil, usually if the points are clean and gapped and you are not getting spark, the coil is bad.
