Kaleb,
I hope the new saw (Poulan or other) works out. I urge you to use only
fresh gas (to avoid gumming up the carb) and keep the mix mixed (for
longevity). As far as I know, all these 2-cycle carbs are similar (and
fundamentally different from 4-cycle carbs) and bad fuel can harm any of
them. I've owned several Poulan chain saws, blowers, weed whackers, etc.
They don't last forever (probably cheaper metallurgy plus lower production
QC) but I always get at least 5-10 years service unless I poison them with
bad fuel. There must be lemons but I haven't gotten one yet. My use is
light-duty homeowner stuff so a throw-away after a few years is OK by me.
But if I was a heavy user (like a tree guy) I'd spring for a Stihl or Echo.
My other pet peeve is to keep the chain sharp (only requires a file). A
dull chain is dangerous and it stresses all other parts of the saw. You
want to see nice little chunks of wood when you cut, not dust.
I ran across the following link that has a lot of detail on these "all
attitude" carbs. It may help explain my obsession about fuel.
http://www.asos1.com/smallengine02/smallengine02.htm
Note the many small fuel passages that would be easily blocked by a little
gum or varnish.
Hasn't changed from the 30s or 40s, when Farmall tractors had a decal
by the gas cap that said "buy clean fuel, Keep it clean."
Even with QA improvements, the fuel now is unstable, so it is
probably worse than when those tractors were new. I never use 2
cycle gas that is over 4 months old. I always keep the lid on the
fuel can. I always empty the tank of the 2 cycle engine before
storing, and then let it run out of gas. My 30 year old stihl has
never failed to start.
Old 2 cycle gas can be burned in your car, or used for bbq lighter if
you are extremely careful. (Don't get within 3 feet of the grill
when lighting.) It is less volatile than straight gasoline, which
does not make bbq lighter. 16 to one is better then 50 to one also,
as the higher oil content makes it less volatile.
As Scott says, 2 cycle carburetors are more prone to plugging than
other carbs. You don't want gasoline in them getting stale or
corroding the pot metal.
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