Homelite XL 12

[i3bpvh]

I found an old homelite XL 12 chain saw in grandpa's garage (grandpa died last year) and decided rebuilding it would be something constructive to do. I have no idea how old it is, the plate on it says XL 12, serial # 1987198P. Now that I'm done, before I fire it up I'm wondering if the fuel mixture is 50 to 1 or 32 to 1. Any ideas? Plus any other things I should look out for when dealing with these old saws?

 

[TMonter]

If you're using a modern oil 50:1 should be sufficient, but you can mix at a higher oil ratio if you are concerned at say 40:1.

 

[Gooserider]

If you're using a modern oil 50:1 should be sufficient, but you can mix at a higher oil ratio if you are concerned at say 40:1.

Might also want to ask, or at least take a look over on Arboristsite - they seem to have a good number of folks over there that are into doing old saw restorations - might be able to give you advice on howtos and / or parts sourcing...

Gooserider

 

[mayhem]

Maybe too old and this is probably too obvious, but pretty much any 2 stroke make in the last few decades seems to have the mix ratio printed right on or near the gas cap. Like I said, probably too obvious and its probably nto there, but just throwing it out there.

 

[Jags]

Even with the new oils in the old machine, I would probably lean towards the 40:1 ratio. You may actually have to lean out the carb a touch as well.

 

[i3bpvh]

I actually just got done with it last night. when I got it I gave it a few pulls, and the compression felt O.K., but the fuel line was just a sticky mess. tried to pull it out of the fuel tank and it just came apart. So everything had to come apart to get the old line and filter out. gave myself a quick lesson in small engines. Anyway, back together. started up pretty quickly, (after I realized there was a trigger lock I had to push in), but it stared spitting gas out of the carb. let that dry out and then tried to restart it, and gas was spitting out of the muffler. I though it was done for. But I let it dry out and decided to give it another go. Started right up and hasn't leaked a drop yet... Knock on wood. It'll be a good back up saw it the stihl gets pinched in a tree. Only thing is I don't think the manual oiler is working as well as it should.

 

[i3bpvh]

Maybe too old and this is probably too obvious, but pretty much any 2 stroke make in the last few decades seems to have the mix ratio printed right on or near the gas cap. Like I said, probably too obvious and its probably nto there, but just throwing it out there.

Nothing on the cap except "Use Mix." I found some info on the arborist, and everything I read said it should be 32:1, but with the newer synthetic oils you can run 40:1 or even 50:1. I put in 50:1 and it runs great, and barely any smoke!! But man it this pig loud

 

[Jags]

But man it this pig loud

I have an old dude that will shred your hearing. It is called a "Bobcat" 4.6hp. I think it has a clinton engine for power. Looks like the attached pic, but has additional labels on it. Not to mention that while at idle on the ground, it jumps around like a little kid. Heavy sucker too.

 

[JSJAC]

That is the first saw I got from my dad.LOUD very loud. when you use that saw all day you know it . Do not miss it much.

 

[i3bpvh]

must be damn good saws though, seems everyone here has one that was handed down from dad/ grandpa/ brother.

 

[Gooserider]

My father had a Homelite when I was a kid, I'm not sure of model, etc. but he used it a pretty fair bit to make the firewood we burned at our summer cottage, clearing brush for maintaining the road leading into where the cottage was (He was treasurer for the development association, and head of the road committee that spent 90% of the association's money), and so forth... The saw was really noisy (especially after half the muffler rotted off :lol: ) but started and ran reliably for as long as I can remember. I never ran it, and I think he sold it when he got rid of the summer cottage after I was long out of the house...

From everything I've heard, by the standards of the time, the 50's-60's era Homelites were great saws, but there has been a lot of improvements since then, and by todays standards they would be considered overweight, underpowered, and totally lacking in safety and convenience features...

My feeling is that while it might be fun to own one and restore it or get it running, I would be doing it for the challenge of having done it, or collector value only, I would never want to actually USE one of those for felling or firewood production given the modern alternatives.

Gooserider