295 (TYPE 3) Poulan Chainsaw - Overview

The machine was offered for free on FB marketplace. The person tried a rebuild of the carb, but could not figure out how to connect the fuel line, which feeds from the tank above the carb. I couldn’t either, so I went to a local parts dealer, who could not find a diameter the same size (it’s tiny). I assumed there may have been a fitting ... Read more in the tank, but if so, it was absent. The only parts that were found in the tank: a large filter in a 3/4”piece of larger tubing and this tiny fuel line was inserted into the other end. The resulting arrangement was long enough to reach the hole in the tank.Since the machine looked spectacularly clean, I used these parts to make it run.

1. Using diagonal cutters, I cut a very sharply angled end on the small line.

2. I generously lubricated the new line and the hole in the tank. I then took angled end of the new line and inserted it into the hole. Using a screwing type motion , I slowly worked it into the tank, using generous amounts of lubricant, until the line was far enough into the tank to grab from the fill hole with needle nose pliers. I then pulled and twisted until the line came out of the top of the tank.

3. I cut the angled end square at this point. I then inserted the filter into the larger tubing the cut about an inch longer than the filter Barb.I then lubed the larger line and the smaller line and pulled the line back into the tank from the bottom until the filter laid flat on the bottom of the tank.

4. At this point, I cut the end of the small line so that about an inch protruded from the bottom of the tank. I then re-lubed that line and inserted into a well lubricated length of larger line of sufficient length to reach the inlet on the carb.

About the carb: the donor of the machine had apparently attempted a rebuild. While it was very clean, he assembled it incorrectly. The metering diaphragm was pinched and he left off two of the four screws which held it together. I disassembled it, and using the correct parts assembled in the correct order, (there are parts for multiple applications included in the kit), mounted it back to the machine, and after about six or eight pulls, it roared to life. I did not get into the jets etc, because they seemed to work. This Walbro carb only has one inlet and no purge bulb, and after adjusting the carb it starts on the third pull every time using the choke as it was designed to.

To start, remove the plastic carburetor grill. DO NOT remove the carburetor. The fuel line has to be sliced down to fit through the tank hole and get it in far enough up into the tank to grab with needle nose pliers.( need long needle nose pliers which I didn't have) I placed about six inches of the plastic tubing in the jaws of vice so t ... Read more hat half of the tube was squeezed in the vice jaws. I then used a razor blade to shave off the exposed tube. I slipped the shaved end of the tube up through the tank hole far enough to grab with long tweezers and pulled it up to where I could grab it in the tank with needle nose pliers. I put light lube oil on the remaining tubing and pulled it through. It takes a steady firm pull to pull it in. Install the filter and pull the tube back down into the tank. I also used a small diameter drill bit and with my fingers slightly reamed the tube ends to ease the tube over the filter and carburetor nipples. To prime the engine, spray starting fluid into the carburetor and start. Repeat until the engine will run on fuel. It took me hours to figure this out, but will take less than an hour with this method.

Seven screw, three case cover, two air cleaner, two carb mounting, pulled carb, drained tank, pulled old fuel line, treaded new one in, wire to thread, thread to angle cut fuel line. Reassemble, test, sharpen chain, retest…not exactly a doityourselfer, graduate degree in mechanical/industrial engineering and former medium/heavy mechanica ... Read more l. Get fuel line on carb prior to reassembly, line may need some stretching with a tapered punch.