chainsaw carvers... problem with my saw

I have a new homelite 16" that i've only used a couple times.

Right now, when i turn it on, it will work for a little bit and then it bogs down when i hit the throttle.

any tips/clues? i've searched the internet high and low and people talk about taking the whole thing apart and rebuilding the carb. i dont think that's the problem since it's so new. i'm hoping it's something simple that i can do to fix it.

How's the chain tension? If it's new I would suspect that the tension is too tight. I like to be able to pull my chain a good inch away from the bar.

Check the air filter. It may be clogged with sawdust. It needs to be taken out and brushed off frequently.

If the saw has sat un-used for more than a couple of weeks or more, the gas may have gone 'stale'

The new fuel we have today has ethanol which can break down in a very short time. It turns into a white goo stuck in the nooks and cranny s of the carburetor.
Drain the gas and adding fresh gas can clear it out.

I use 'Sta-bil' is a red additive that I use in all my gas powered stuff, motorcycles, chain saw, lawn mower, weed eater and outboard motor.

As the other post mentioned, it might be as easy as a clogged air filter.

Clean the filter, change the plug while you have it open and also try fresh gas. Its a twice a year issue with me. also make sure the gas to oil mixture is correct, and that you add lubricating oil to the reservoir EVERYTIME you add fuel. Also check the tip of the blade to make sure it hasn't been burnt or distorted.

I always use recycled motor oil to lube my saw. Its free and does a great job.

Other than those I would buy another one.

In addition to all of the above possibilities, I have had a couple of saws that required carburetor adjustments after the first few uses. The factory settings are not very dependable, especially in homelite and poulan models. If you are not familiar with carb adjusting yourself, maybe you have a local lawn guy that would be willing to take a peek? If nothing else works, take it back where you purchased it.

thanks for all the tips, guys. I tried most of them with no luck and finally gave up and exchanged it yesterday.

the receipt showed i bought it last december but since i had the extended warranty, they let me exchange it. it had less than an hour of use on it, though there's no way i could prove that.

some people tell me it's because it's a homelite but that's what i can afford right now so i have to make do. :)

maybe if i can keep this one running long enough to sell a couple tiki's, i can afford something more reliable. but then, if this one is reliable enough to get me thru a couple tikis, i guess i wont need a new one. the old catch-22.

ha

thanks again!

Sell a few tikis, buy a better brand of saw, save the Homelite as a backup. :wink:

I'm not the most experienced chain saw guy out there, but here's what I have done (and like you, my budget is limited).

Buy a craftsmen electric chainsaw for 50 to 75 bucks, purchase the exchange warranty for an extra 10 bucks (which allows you to exchange them if they break for 3 years), beat it up until it dies, go back to Sears & switch it out for a new one, and start over. No gas to buy & no carburetors to adjust, just fill it with chain lube, plug her in, and go.

I started with the cheapest model they had (which was 50 bucks, and has since been discontinued), I burned it out in a month, took it back, they swapped it out no questions asked (they didn't try to test it or ask me what happened or anything), AND they upgraded me to a nicer saw for free, AND gave me a rebate card to get some money back as well. This nicer, upgraded piece they gave me actually works really well. And everyone lived happily ever after.