help with old XL-12

Mike(NEOhio)

Well-known Member
Location
Newbury, Ohio
My old ('70s) XL-12 doesn't get used a lot but for the last few years I have not been able to get the carb adjusted right. It starts OK but when I hit the throttle it wants to die, then goes back to idle when I let it off. Seems like the idle mixture screw has little effect. I can open it two or three turns and the idle doesn't change. Sometimes I can get it to run OK for a short time. Today I gave it a good cleaning, new fuel line, fresh gas and it still does the same thing. If I get it up to speed it pulls fine in a cut but after dropping to idle it doesn't rev again. I'm open to any suggestions. Probably should rebuild the carb.
 
Had one and could not keep it running. Repair man said throw it away because he could not get parts anymore.
 
Yes, rebuild the carb. The xl series saws were, and still are good saws. Pull it apart and soak it in carb cleaner over night. Parts are still available.
 
Too lean.

It's not the low speed adjustment.

Back out the high speed screw until it takes throttle.

If you cannot get it to take throttle, rebuild the carb.

Above asumes that the carburetor attachment screws are properly tightened.

Dean
 
Rule of thumb on all two cycle saws, turn high and low speed jets all the way in and back low speed out 1 full turn, back high speed jet out 3/4 turn. If it's going to run it should at that point. High speed jet screwed in much more than 3/4 turn will lean the saw out and could burn it down.
 
sometimes people screwed the adjustment screws in too far & damaged the seat beyond repair. If a carb rebuild doesn't change things only a new carb will make it run.
 

XL12 is a good saw. Any fool tells you they can't get parts just isn't looking at all. Rebuild the carb, new filter, see what happens.
 
Thanks to all for the tips. I took the carb apart this morning and cleaned everything with B-12. It was very clean and I didn't see any obvious problems. Now the idle is erratic, OK at first then it will die after a cut and not restart but spark is OK. 10 minutes later it starts. I'm going to get a carb kit.
 
I don't remember which carb. was in the old XL12, but they were basically the same. I assume since it works under load the tank filter, screen under the fuel pump diaphragm, and the possible screen under the main load port/soft plug are all clean. Under the idle port/soft/welch/concave expansion plug there should be three holes going into the throttle body. One is for idle, the other two aid acceleration. It sounds like that area has a problem.
 
I had a Poulan that acted similar. Would not rev up like it should. Problem turned out to be soot build up clogging the muffler. A good cleaning of the muffler and exhaust slots made a world of difference.
 

I got an XL 12 from a friend of mine and it was in pieces i put it together and had same issue rebuilt the carb and it runs like new
 

You are absolutely right. Lee owns a small business in Virginia called the LiL Red Barn. He has NOS parts for most any Homelite, and also does repair them. I have used him for both of my Homelite saws which I prefer over my 2 Huskies, and my Stihl. Run 20 inch bars on both, and they just don't know quit. I did mess up one time and got the mixture wrong and the piston seized up. I let it cool down for the rest of the day, and then took the exhaust off and poured some Seafoam all over the piston. After working it back and forth for about 3 minutes, it freed up, and is back to its old glory and cutting some big trees for my sawmill.
 
(quoted from post at 14:51:34 09/01/15) Thanks to all for the tips. I took the carb apart this morning and cleaned everything with B-12. It was very clean and I didn't see any obvious problems. Now the idle is erratic, OK at first then it will die after a cut and not restart but spark is OK. 10 minutes later it starts. I'm going to get a carb kit.


Carb needs rebuilding and the fuel lines and filter needs replacing. Start there. Check exhaust for obstruction, unlikely in an XL, and change the plug too. If after that you still can't get it running right then have the crank seals checked by competent saw shop. Those are good old saws and worthy of saving, but any saw eventually needs service.
 
(quoted from post at 06:01:22 04/01/18)
(quoted from post at 14:51:34 09/01/15) Thanks to all for the tips. I took the carb apart this morning and cleaned everything with B-12. It was very clean and I didn't see any obvious problems. Now the idle is erratic, OK at first then it will die after a cut and not restart but spark is OK. 10 minutes later it starts. I'm going to get a carb kit.


Carb needs rebuilding and the fuel lines and filter needs replacing. Start there. Check exhaust for obstruction, unlikely in an XL, and change the plug too. If after that you still can't get it running right then have the crank seals checked by competent saw shop. Those are good old saws and worthy of saving, but any saw eventually needs service.

I will offer that parts for these old saws are easily acquired. I get mine from Lee at the LiL Red Barn http://www.lilredbarn.net/Default.asp While Lee does not work on them full time as he has a full time job, he does work on them almost daily. He also has a presence on Ebay, which is where I found him. He is a super nice guy and very knowledgeable about Homelites as well as many other saws.
 

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