26 LCS #355129

[mineralman2]

I figured it would happen sooner or later. I found a 26 LCS on eBay that was looking for a forever home, and I couldn't pass it by. The adoption fee was only $110 including shipping, and I'm happy to say that it arrived today. I wish every Monday could be like this! The saw is mostly complete but it definitely needs some TLC. Some paint is missing and the massive HOMELITE logo is completely gone, but I really can't complain (yet). The engine turns over and it has decent compression but I haven't put a gauge on it yet nor have I tested for spark. I'm still familiarizing myself with all the quirks and I'm building a punch list.

Right away I know it needs a new throttle linkage (left) and belt cover gasket. It looks like the belt was recently replaced but there's still a thick coating of rubber powder inside the housing from the old one. That will all get cleaned out. The carburetor guard is cracked into 3 pieces, but I can probably JB Weld these pieces back together in the interim while I price out a new one. The chain is very stiff and some of the links are seized, but they're not nearly as rusty as the links on my EZ so there's hope! The chain tensioner bolt is also rusted inside the nut and won't turn. I currently have these parts soaking in MMO. The automatic rewind starter mechanism is also funky. The cable isn't frayed but it is kinked in a few spots. I have to take the starter apart anyway because the spring keeps popping out of place and the cable won't rewind all the way. At first I thought it was just sticky from oily sawdust, but I suspect there's something wrong with the spring. 

Needless to say, this is probably just the beginning. Once I get the starter to behave properly then I can check for spark and test compression. I'll be updating this thread as I make headway with this project. I'm delighted to finally own one of these! First and foremost this beauty needs a bath, which it'll get tomorrow. Tomorrow is most likely a snow day for us here in MA. 

[onlyhomelites]

Looks like a great project!

[mineralman2]

The recoil spring seems a little hokey but I lubed it up and it rewinds the cable much better now. I tested for spark but I didn't see anything, so I'm gonna have to pull the flywheel and inspect the ignition system. I'm hoping it's as simple as cleaning off the points. I also freed up every link on the chain one-by-one in a bench vise with WD-40 and a plastic mallet. This is the same treatment that I gave the EZ. The chain tensioner bolt is also free, thanks to a fat screwdriver and a wrench. Baby steps!

[mineralman2]

I now have spark! I pulled the flywheel and found the filthiest set of points I think I've ever seen. The gap was correct but it was completely bridged with petrified oily sawdust. I had to pick it off with a dental pick and then scrub the points with emery cloth. While I was in there I also cleaned off the rest of the ignition plate with a toothbrush. The flywheel got a good scrubbing as well. I was able to get the recoil spring positioned correctly and it seems like the rewind mechanism is actually gonna behave. Once everything was back together I squirted some fuel mix into the spark plug hole and got it to run for a couple seconds.

Now I found out the fuel system needs a complete overhaul. The filter inside the tank is missing, and the internal fuel hose was half-melted into silly putty and had collapsed on itself. The shut-off cock is missing the knob. The fuel line running from the tank to the carb has snapped just after the crimp on the tank side, so that needs replacing. I took that hose completely off and blew some fuel into the inlet elbow on the carburetor but the engine wouldn't run, so I'm gonna have to remove the carb and clean it. I suspect it's full of shellac and gummy bears.

The cap for the oil tank is completely seized in place. Someone else had trouble with it because the top of it is already snapped off. I've tried WD-40, pliers, a pipe wrench, and vise-grips but it won't budge. Replacement caps are available so I think I'm gonna wind up drilling it out. I hate the thought of replacing the whole fuel/oil tank too but that's always a possibility.

[mineralman2]

I was able to make my own throttle linkage using a thick piece of steel wire and it seems to work quite well! I'm still waiting for a new fuel hose to be delivered, which I ordered a couple days ago from Mark (mapr_7722 on eBay). I pulled the carburetor off and cleaned it out but the inside of it was surprisingly clean to begin with. While the carb was off I also freed up the swiveling mechanism for the handle and carburetor. It was stuck but I freed it with WD-40 and some light taps with my trusty mallet, and now it swivels quite freely. Once it was back together I filled the carburetor with fuel through the inlet elbow and started her up! She ran for little over 10 seconds, just long enough to test the throttle. Seems like the governor is working properly! It's a very low-RPM saw.

I'm still trying to figure out how to handle the seized oil cap, but it's not exactly at the top of my to-do list. I still need to repair the carburetor guard piece that sits underneath. It arrived in 4 pieces, but I don't think it was damaged much during shipping. I'm pretty sure I saw the cracks when I was looking at the photos on eBay. I have most of it back together with JB Weld but I still have a couple pieces left to bond. It's been a fun project so far! I'm super-stoked to know she's a runner!

[mineralman2]

I finally got the rest of that carburetor guard piece back together with JB Weld. Turns out the metal was rather warped along the cracks so I had to use a flat file to remove some metal to get the pieces to fit together snugly. Somehow I managed to increase the overall length of the part by about 1.5 mm, so I had to remove some more material on the inside of the through-hole for one of the bolts to get all 3 bolts fastened. One less thing to lose sleep over.

[mineralman2]

The reproduction fuel hose arrived today, and it fits beautifully! Mark does a terrific job manufacturing these things! Might be worth an honorable mention in our Feedback Forum.

[xl130]

Great to hear the feedback on the fuel lines. I need to buy a set for my 26LCS project.

[mineralman2]

I finally made my first cuts with the LCS just a few minutes ago, and all I can say is... Holy Crap! It cuts very slowly compared to today's saws, but surely it was way better than cutting by hand back in its day. It gets the job done, that's for sure! The oil plunger works like a dream. I squeezed all the rusty crusty bits out of the oil line before cutting with it, and now it spits out plenty of clean oil. I still have to adjust the fuel hose and filter inside of the tank to make sure it sits on the bottom. I had to fill the tank almost to the top before it would draw fuel on its own. I'm still waiting on a replacement shutoff cock, but I was able to set the carburetor adjustments to the recommended settings per the 1957 shop manual. Now the saw will idle and respond well upon throttle-up. I'll have to play more with the high-speed adjustment since it's still running a little rich, but that's okay with me! It runs, it cuts, and it idles!

Folks, this saw is 72 years old and it still runs like a champ! Outstanding!!!

[xl130]

I have found that adding washers and bolts to the fuel hose on this style fuel pickups helps to keep the filter down in the tank.

[mineralman2]

Sounds like a good idea. Might as well work with gravity.

[mineralman2]

Spent some more time today annoying the neighbors with the LCS. I noticed the starter doesn't always wanna grip the flywheel and spin the engine. I think the balls in the starter mechanism aren't flying out all the way. Seems like every other pull, or every third pull, actually engages the flywheel. I'll probably add some lube and see if that does the trick. If I have to take the mechanism apart again and clean it then so be it. The kill switch isn't working, so I have to pop the wire off the plug to stop the engine. The previous owner apparently grounded the wire to the exterior of the saw on one of the screws nearest the switch, so I haven't been able to install the cylinder cover. The IPL doesn't seem to suggest where the wire is supposed to connect, so I'm kinda stumped.

Leon suggested in one of his videos not to cut with the saw without the cover unless it's a cool day outside. Is this because direct sunlight would add more heat to the cylinder, because wood chips would clog the fins, or something else? I've cut with the saw on two separate occasions as of today, and on both days the temperature outside has been below 60 degrees F. I've been cleaning off the sawdust after each use, and the saw's compression is actually slightly higher now that the saw's been exercised for the first time in decades, probably because the rings got loosened up a tad.