Craftsman/Poulan Chainsaw Crankshaft Seals

[Seakaye12]

The saw is Craftsman 358.351810. 40cc

I suspect bad crankshaft seals.....but in looking at the parts diagram...where are they??!!

It must have seals; eh? Are they the typical metal with a rubber lip sort of seal?

Can anyone point me to a better parts diagram/parts source for whatever sort of seal this engine uses? Thanks!

#29 in the drawing is the bearings.

[bgsengine]

seal is part of the bearing.

[Seakaye12]

seal is part of the bearing.

hmmm.....I thought that might be the case.

Someone was looking for a cheaper way to build something and they found it?

[Seakaye12]

Thanks....after you confirmed my suspicions I went looking for a decent picture of both sides of the bearing....and now I understand.

[KE4AVB]

A commonly use bearing and seal 530056363. Use on many of the Poulan/Husqvarna home owners saws. Can be got out of China or Hong Kong for less than $5.00 each including shipping but it will a take 2-3 weeks to get them in hand.

Now the seals only can be had too. Here the Ebay listing page of your options.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=530056363&clk_rvr_id=956482019762&mfe=search

[Mek-a-nik]

I think one reason they are combined is because if the bearing is bad, the seal will leak. No sense replacing just the seal.

[KE4AVB]

I think one reason they are combined is because if the bearing is bad, the seal will leak. No sense replacing just the seal.

Really depends on what your having to do here. Anytime you got the disassemble the PNC and crankcase the seals should be replace due the seals compression indentations. Air leaks are possible if changing parts or the seals are not placed in their original positions on reassembly. If it is because they are leaky around the crankshaft then yes replace both the seal and bearing.

Without a press and an correct sized arbor they are nearly impossible to replace anyway but I replaced several of these due to struck rings or crankcase/tank replacement where the muffler had burned a hole in the oil tank. I learned how to replaced them when working the Homelite (TTI) versions where they sell the seals separately.

If in doubt about bearing condition, they low enough in cost out of China to buy them already assembled. On these home owners saw it hard to repair them reasonably using OEM sourced parts. Paying $60 for a pair bearings/seals plus our markup and labor will usually cause declined repair on these. That is what it would have cost me last Christmas; now I can get OEM for around $10 ea plus S&H. At least the prices are coming down and is more inline with reason.

[Arkie]

I've suspected leaking seals on erratic acting chainsaws, especially if idling issues, but very seldom find that crank seals are the problem, but if seals are leaking on a Poulan the saw needs salvaged. (you are whipping on a dead horse)
I use a mityvac 4000 series pressure/vacuum pump that I bought as a kit few years back as a kit, came with brake bleeding kit, several hose adapters, still has new extra re-build kit for the pump, extra in-line pressure/vac gauge, carrying case all for like $40.
I would only do a seal test on a Poulan saw if it were my own saw, especially not a customers. I would tell them too go buy a good saw and I own some Poulans/Craftsman saws myself, when I go to the woods with a Poulan/Craftsman saw I take a Stihl also so as I can get er dun in one trip. (always have a back-up plan when trying to use a Poulan chainsaw and this should be stated on the front page of the owners manual) Takes too much time to rig a cheap chainsaw for a seal test and if seals are bad or not bad you have already spent too much time on the saw anyway, probably already installed a carb kit, fuel lines, trying to analyze and adjust carb, new spark plug and you are working on a disposable type saw. You can very easily get blamed for a saw that is a POS even when new.
It's wrote right on the front of most owners manuals that the saw is for OCCASIONAL USE ONLY

One thing that Poulan/Sears Craftsman saws are good for is if you need some learning experience for working on chainsaws, no great loss if you can't repair it and it won't give good service for very long if you think you have repaired the Poulan.

You will then recognize a good chainsaw when you see one.

[Seakaye12]

Without a press and an correct sized arbor they are nearly impossible to replace anyway
now I can get OEM for around $10 ea plus S&H. At least the prices are coming down and is more inline with reason.

I've suspected leaking seals on erratic acting chainsaws, especially if idling issues, but very seldom find that crank seals are the problem,
One thing that Poulan/Sears Craftsman saws are good for is if you need some learning experience for working on chainsaws, no great loss if you can't repair it and it won't give good service for very long if you think you have repaired the Poulan.

You will then recognize a good chainsaw when you see one.

Thanks AVB for the warning about needing a press. I didn't realize that; I thought they could be replaced more simply.

And Arkie; I hear you. The project would never fly if I was asking a customer to pay the costs involved. I just hate to see something junked...and parts are pretty cheap,Frankly....I've been introduced to Chinese tools at Harbor Freight...and I find them to be at least as good as the chinese stuff sold at; say Sears or Lowes. Just a lot cheaper.

Now; buying direct from China makes it cheaper still. I wonder how long the cheap pricing will last. Just yesterday I was introduced to this site:

http://www.aliexpress.com/?spm=2114.010 ... 2.1.yLp9iU

Just about anything you want. As long as it's not too heavy....the shipping is affordable considering the low initial cost. I bought a case for my cell phone for 98cents. Sheesh.

[Arkie]

Without a press and an correct sized arbor they are nearly impossible to replace anyway
now I can get OEM for around $10 ea plus S&H. At least the prices are coming down and is more inline with reason.

I've suspected leaking seals on erratic acting chainsaws, especially if idling issues, but very seldom find that crank seals are the problem,
One thing that Poulan/Sears Craftsman saws are good for is if you need some learning experience for working on chainsaws, no great loss if you can't repair it and it won't give good service for very long if you think you have repaired the Poulan.

You will then recognize a good chainsaw when you see one.

Thanks AVB for the warning about needing a press. I didn't realize that; I thought they could be replaced more simply.

And Arkie; I hear you. The project would never fly if I was asking a customer to pay the costs involved. I just hate to see something junked...and parts are pretty cheap,Frankly....I've been introduced to Chinese tools at Harbor Freight...and I find them to be at least as good as the chinese stuff sold at; say Sears or Lowes. Just a lot cheaper.

Now; buying direct from China makes it cheaper still. I wonder how long the cheap pricing will last. Just yesterday I was introduced to this site:

http://www.aliexpress.com/?spm=2114.010 ... 2.1.yLp9iU

Just about anything you want. As long as it's not too heavy....the shipping is affordable considering the low initial cost. I bought a case for my cell phone for 98cents. Sheesh.

You wrote:
I just hate to see something junked...and parts are pretty cheap,Frankly....I've been introduced to Chinese tools at Harbor Freight...and I find them to be at least as good as the chinese stuff sold at; say Sears or Lowes. Just a lot cheaper.

Now; buying direct from China makes it cheaper still. I wonder how long the cheap pricing will last

Right about junking, I've got a salvage pile that is really handy where I can sometimes take two or 3 from the salvage and build one.

I don't understand the China shipping cheap rates either? I ordered a $2 part from China awhile back with free shipping, about month later it finally arrived in a regular business envelope the front and the back were completely covered with stamps and when I added the approx. cost of the stamps they were around $20.
How can they ship a $2 item to USA with free shipping from China, Hong Kong, etc?