It's only about a year or two old. Cleaned the air filter (wasn't that dirty), checked the spark arrester screen, clear, and checked the fuel filter, not obviously blocked, but I didn't replace it. It has fuel. I can't imagine it's the spark plug. It's a 32cc 2-stroke, by the way.

I can start it pretty easily and use it, but if I let it idle too long, it stalls. I don't know if it would die under load, it didn't seem to. Sometimes it sort of dogs out while sawing. It feels kinda like if you have an air leak in a diesel. Could that be a possibility? My pop suggested a carb problem, which would make sense with the idle, but the owner's manual just tells me to bring it to the "nearest McCulloch Service Center." Anyone know how to adjust it?

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Diaphragm carbs usually have 2 mixture screws next to eachother on the side. Don't know about your saw but as a rule the smaller one is for the idle jet and the larger one is high speed jet. Sometimes they are blocked off s homeowners can't access them, other times they may have plastic limiters put over them. If you can find the smaller one let it out{counter clockwise} and see if that's it.

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Sounds like a fuel problem. How long did it sit with gas in it? The crappy fuel these days doesn't last long. Try mixing some fresh fuel and run it through at high revs for a bit. Always works for me. I try to empty the gas from my saws if I'm not gonna use them for awhile, but sometimes I forget and get the exact symptoms you describe. At worst take the carb out and clean with carb cleaner and blow out the passages. The 2 screws are for idle and high end. adjust high end at full throttle to where it will run the fastest and idle to where it idles smooth but doesn't run the chain. If all else fails buy a Stihl!!

These newer saws are notoriously sensitive to mixture strengths. That's why I always readjust the jet screws every season on my later saws.

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It sat for several months with fuel in it. I was thinking maybe that cause it says not to let it sit with fuel it in cause the carb will gum up. It only started having this problem after going through a the old fuel that was in the tank, though. It ran fine on the old fuel. I'll fill it with fresh fuel and then look at the carb.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

I'd suspect that the idle circuit is partially plugged with varnish. Pretty common from old fuel. Current fuel seems to get varnished faster than previous formulations.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

New fuel and no help. It doesn't even seem to want to start now, just dogs out, even at full throttle. I think I'm going to completely reset the carb once it gets a little warmer out.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Ditto the carb clogged with gunk from the stale fuel. I'm religious about keeping my Stihl empty when it's not in use. Had a used snowblower that had had stale fuel sit in it. Wouldn't run well at all and I had to rebuild the carb - the float in particular was so gummed up, it wouldn't clean up properly, never mind the pins! If it is only a bit gummed up, you might be able to run it clean, if it's really bad though it'll need to be opened and cleaned up, IMO. Good luck!

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

McCullough is long since gone and out of the chain saw business- Home Depot finished them off, along with Homelite. Just something to keep in mind before you invest a lot of time in it. They weren't very good saws when new, and they don't get better with age.

Why would it run fine on the old fuel that was sitting in there? I only started having trouble after I ran out and had to fill it up again.

I found the carb adjustment screws, by the way, I'm going to try adjusting those today.

http://www.mcculloch.biz/
It seems they're still in business, although not in the U.S. We have an old McCulloch that has served us well, and I might just use that, but the new chain is sharper and I like the automatic chain oiler.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Yep, it was the carb. Adjusted the carb, quarter to half turn counter clockwise on the idle screw and it idles great. Thanks, guys!

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition