Craftsman blade won't spin

[mfoley312]

Hey, first time posting.

I have a craftsman 14 inch chainsaw that I'm having an issue with the blade not spinning. I don't mean no spinning at all, I mean it spins but also feels like it's being held back from spinning fully.

The brake is not engaged. I just replaced the brake assembly because the ring that goes around the clutch was broken and the chainsaw was throwing sparks and smoking and I thought this was the reason.

So, replaced the assembly and there are no sparks, but it's smoking when trying to get the blade to spin. There is bar oil/lube in the tank.

When I remove the brake assembly, the bar and chain, and then crank the chainsaw, the clutch spins freely and at full speed when nothing is attached. No smoking either.

What can I start with looking in to as being the problem?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

 

[Cskyline]

Hey, first time posting.

I have a craftsman 14 inch chainsaw that I'm having an issue with the blade not spinning. I don't mean no spinning at all, I mean it spins but also feels like it's being held back from spinning fully.

The brake is not engaged. I just replaced the brake assembly because the ring that goes around the clutch was broken and the chainsaw was throwing sparks and smoking and I thought this was the reason.

So, replaced the assembly and there are no sparks, but it's smoking when trying to get the blade to spin. There is bar oil/lube in the tank.

When I remove the brake assembly, the bar and chain, and then crank the chainsaw, the clutch spins freely and at full speed when nothing is attached. No smoking either.

What can I start with looking in to as being the problem?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

Sounds like you already isolated the problem . Maybe clutch issue?

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Take the bar and chain off- the whole thing will fit in the bin a lot easier then.

Sounds like you have cooked things up on the PTO side- possibly just a simple ruined bar (not blade) nose sprocket bearing fallen apart- but smoking is never a good look and quite possibly cooked the oil seal to the crank under the clutch, probably disintegrated the oil pump worm drive plastic components in the process.
Are you sure the chain (not blade) is mounted correctly and the drive links are running in the spur drive of the clutch drum and not jammed under it? This will fry things up quite nicely.
Photos of the area under the clutch, the clutch drive system, the chain drive links and the bar will help diagnose things- but to be honest, with these wee saws it does not take long for parts replacements to add up to more than saw replacement.

 

[mfoley312]

I've just replaced the clutch and the clutch drum. No luck, still smoking and still little chain movement.
Already spent like $60 on parts for this $150 chainsaw. So probably just need to go for a new one. I always like to try before giving up but this seems to be more of a project/cost than the saw itself.

Thank you both for the input.