Chainsaws

I have an early model Husqvarna 3120xp chainsaw. have done engine work, replaced seals etc. proceeded to do pressure/vacuum test and air leaked profusely out a (manufactured) hole in the side (not the end) of the crankshaft, clutch side. have heard varying reasons for this hole which do not seem to make sense. Is this hole supposed to allow air to come through, through the crank case and for what reason? or is it just a blind hole? If air is leaking through it, does this mean there is an internal crack? internal valve not working? Can I run the saw with it leaking air through the hole or does it indicate a potentially catastrophic internal crack? Someone said to plug it! please someone reply, I need help, have had many differing opinions from mechanics.thanks so much. please go to 3120xp.webs.com for picture of hole. (scroll down)

455 chainsaw dies when throttle is wide open
,was running good when chain slipped off bar. after refitting and adjusting chain, saw is chocking down and dying when throttle is fully opened

I am having issues with my 440 chainsaw. First some background.

I bought it new and have been using this saw for two years for cutting up firewood. Pretty much from the beginning it has not started as easily as I think it should. There is a primer bulb that is supposed to be pressed 6 times. I have found it requires around 30-50 presses to be effective.

Last summer the saw would often stall if I left it idling for more than about 20-30 seconds. Last fall when I used it last the engine sounded funny. A relatively knowledgeable friend of mine said the carburetor needed adjusting. So, over the winter I took the bar and chain off, cleaned out the saw dust and gunk as best I could, cleaned the air filter, cleaned the spark arrestor, replaced the spark plug, lubricated the chain sprocket with grease and the needle bearing on the clutch drum with engine oil. Put it back together to adjust the carburetor, and I could barely get the thing started. When it would start it would only stay running for about 15 seconds. And when I could press the trigger, the engine would not rev and the chain wouldn't rotate. I assumed this was carburetor issues, which I tried to solve by adjusting the screws, but no luck. I assumed I just didn't know what I was doing with the carb adjustments.

Took it to a local small engine repair place (nearest husky dealer is 125 miles away). Mechanic got the carburetor adjusted for me, but says there is very low compression and the piston ring looks gummed up. Says this could be caused by old gas that evaporated some and got too rich. I did use gas from last summer. It sat in a can over the winter, outside. I live in Alaska, it gets cold. So the gas was probably 6-8 months old. Mechanic also said it could be bar oil that got in the gas tank (I kind of doubt I did that), or something similar. And that maybe running a leaner mixture of gas, like 70/1 or 80/1 would help. But he didn't sound optimistic.

But I am also reading in the forums that lubricating the needle bearings should be done with grease, not engine oil. The manual said engine oil. Is there an issue here? Could that have caused the piston rings to get gummed up? I drizzled many drops of 2-cycle engine oil right on the thing while spinning it like the book said.

And why did it take 30-50 pushes on the primer bulb to get the thing started?

The big question, is this something that will cost me as much to fix as buying a new saw? (Local guy thought so and said he would have trouble getting parts as he was no longer a dealer). Do I cut my losses? Do I buy a new saw and then try to fix this one in my spare time with after market parts? Any advice is much appreciated.

I have a 562xp and have noticed that in cold weather after a short idle time i grab the throttle and it bogs down. I am going to order the cold weather cooling air block. Do you think this will fix the issue? Also whats the difference between the three different air filters? Should i run a different one for winter and summer?