Post by greg on May 30, 2017 19:32:41 GMT -5
Since this post is a bit lengthy...I will put my inquiry here at the top. You may at your pleasure read further to get the synopsis of how I arrived here at House of Homelite.
As a child, my father used (and still has) a Homelite Xl123. This was the model with the big XL engine (58cc?) stuffed into the somewhat smaller chasis like the Super EZ. I liked this saw...so needing a chainsaw for work, figured I check to see if I could find one of those. To my surprise...I can't not find an X123 ANYWHERE. It's like...they don't exist. Do they? So, just so happened I found on Craigslist a Super EZ Auto for $20. (Didn't want to spend a lot for a work saw). And what a deal that was! I have that saw put away, not using it, runs, everything is pristine...like showroom. Factory paint and all. A friend gave me a Poulan 2150 - cute, but, I'm not trimming shrubs at work. So I went about trying to find another Homelite Super EZ auto for a good deal price, scuff marks preferred since it's going to be a working saw. I bought two more. One saw is cleaner than the other, both needed to be re-plumed fuel + oil lines...only 1 of those saws require me to rebuild the carb.
So...I have had all these saws apart, going threw them....cleaning them up...etc. Very familiar with them. Now...besides these 3 saw not coming with falling spikes (which I added) or a hand guard (NOS), a new air filter for UT10403A,...etc....they are EXACTLY the same. I can not find differences among them. Except a very minute one I will indicate below. So I want to know why they have different model numbers, and the significance of such model numbers to distinguish what they mean. If one saw had a different bar (all have powertip sprockets), or clutch (all have S type)...or muffler... or whatever, I understand...but they don't.
UT10556
Serial: 290890183 - My research tells me this is a 1979 production. Features a WALBRO HDC carb, January 1979 dated. 21-146 stamped on top. This saw required carb diaphragm rebuild kit. It is in great shape and is my standby. Has a DJ8J plug in it...factory spec is DJ6J - unsure if last owner put the hotter plug in or if the factory started running hotter plugs.
UT10537
Serial: 290650282 - Another 1979 production. Exactly the same as above, Walbro 21-146 dated December 1979. This saw is factory clean. Noted difference from the other two: Spark plug wire has white lettering on it that appears to read PRESTON. Other two saws are plane black. Has a Champion DJ7J plug in it, I assume previous owner may have put that in as factory plug was the DJ6J...or did Homelite start to run a hotter plug?
UT10403A
Serial: 290050205 - Another 1979 production. This is my working saw. Noted difference: Carb is marked HOMELITE. Side is stamped HDC and dated December 1979. The top is stamped, perhaps a Homelite item number, 21-109. As I write this I looked this up...and the carb looks identical to the WALBRO 21-146, however, it appears that this carb is for a Homelite 150. I can't find anything online that says this carb is fitment for a Super EZ auto, however, the SEZ being 40.9cc...and the Homelite 150 being 43cc motors...I can tell you that it does run. And runs well. However...this saw, as with that others, I had removed the muffler, cleaned the exhaust ports and scraped all carbon out of muffler...still idles "softly" as opposed to the other two saws. The other two saws have a distinctive "pop" when idling...and sound louder. This saw doesn't seem to sound as loud. I have been a bit curious as to this. But it surely doesn't lack power.
Another noted difference: This saw has, or still has, a small gold plate sticker under the hand guard, sprocket side, just above the two screws that mount the hand guard. It is marked with a number "28". Other saws do not have this sticker...may have fallen off...but I am curious to know what the number 28 means.
All these saws have solid state modules. If memory serves me correct, I think UT1043A has the original blue colored one. I do know that one saw of the 3 has a module in it that is not factory blue, but rather, tan or a brown color. I was wondering if aftermarket modules differed to the point to which spark advance was changed, making 2 of the saws have a louder idle. I didn't take saws apart tonight to verify what modules are in them.
Looking at other UT model numbers for SEZ saws, I see a variety. What does the letter A mean at the end of the number? What does a B stand for? I see various UT numbers, and UT numbers ending with no letter, or an A, or a B. What did it mean?
ABOUT ME: This is my first post and glad to have joined the forum. I have done extensive research this past year, including contacting Homelite (which have no information), and online searching to find answers to a puzzling question. Let me give you all a short synapses of me. I am a hands down (older) Homelite saw guy. They built saws when chainsaw were chainsaws. I think we all know that. In my line of work, I regularly require using a chainsaw. It came to the point at which carrying my own saw with my equipment because necessary. Generally, I am provided with a pair of Stihl "Professional Grade" MS261 chainsaws. I understand there are die-hard Stihl fanatics out there, and those who believe they are the best. Or, at least, a hair over their competition of Husky. Regardless...I have an Echo that would cut circles around either brand saws.
Sometimes the state would not have a chainsaw on hand when needed. This is one reason I needed to start carrying a saw. The second reason, is, although common knowledge tells you...if you don't have to use your own personal tool at your own wear/tear/expense, don't. Last year...I had some heavy duty chainsawing. Beat the snot out of the MS261s....running them daily, nearly 8 hours straight. Even halfway in water. A state worker (state uses 50:1 mix gas) screwed up one day...and didn't add oil to the gas and I was running the saw fullbore on straight gas. Figured this since it wasn't running quite right. Nonetheless, ran another tank. Figured the Stihl saw was DONE. But...fired right back up next day and ran fine. So, all I can say about Stihl's are that they can take abuse. However - even for a "professional series" saw...their performance was less than impressive. I personally filed and sharpened chains daily...I believe these saws were 51cc...with those nonadjustable self tuning carbs...Well...they suck. They have no torque, one saw brand new out of the box wouldn't idle and had no idle adjustment. I've later tried out an older model, the 031AV...better but my Homelite ate Maple like balsa wood while it struggled and bound the chain in the wood easily...my Homelite never bound up and I took the rakers down fairly well. The 40.9cc Super EZ auto pulled serious chain without a hiccup, and weighs less than the Stihl. The owner of the Stihl more or less just kept quiet...as he LOVES them...and I have always said that I tried to become a fan, but, an old American Muscle saw is my preference. Pretty much if a saw doesn't have safety features like a kickback chainbrake and has a "muffler" with nothing inside it and runs on 32:1 mix or heavier...that's a saw, and it isn't going to be made of plastic either. I started carrying my own saw to work because the Stihls under performed so badly, that, I find them to be more dangerous as I'm fighting a saw...and getting mad/frustrated...towards the end I started taking those $600 saws and throwing them. Even let one fall off a bridge because it wouldn't idle and making the final cut to drop a tree right on the edge of a bridge...stalled...and let it go down. Plastic doesn't hold up so well.
As a child, my father used (and still has) a Homelite Xl123. This was the model with the big XL engine (58cc?) stuffed into the somewhat smaller chasis like the Super EZ. I liked this saw...so needing a chainsaw for work, figured I check to see if I could find one of those. To my surprise...I can't not find an X123 ANYWHERE. It's like...they don't exist. Do they? So, just so happened I found on Craigslist a Super EZ Auto for $20. (Didn't want to spend a lot for a work saw). And what a deal that was! I have that saw put away, not using it, runs, everything is pristine...like showroom. Factory paint and all. A friend gave me a Poulan 2150 - cute, but, I'm not trimming shrubs at work. So I went about trying to find another Homelite Super EZ auto for a good deal price, scuff marks preferred since it's going to be a working saw. I bought two more. One saw is cleaner than the other, both needed to be re-plumed fuel + oil lines...only 1 of those saws require me to rebuild the carb.
So...I have had all these saws apart, going threw them....cleaning them up...etc. Very familiar with them. Now...besides these 3 saw not coming with falling spikes (which I added) or a hand guard (NOS), a new air filter for UT10403A,...etc....they are EXACTLY the same. I can not find differences among them. Except a very minute one I will indicate below. So I want to know why they have different model numbers, and the significance of such model numbers to distinguish what they mean. If one saw had a different bar (all have powertip sprockets), or clutch (all have S type)...or muffler... or whatever, I understand...but they don't.
UT10556
Serial: 290890183 - My research tells me this is a 1979 production. Features a WALBRO HDC carb, January 1979 dated. 21-146 stamped on top. This saw required carb diaphragm rebuild kit. It is in great shape and is my standby. Has a DJ8J plug in it...factory spec is DJ6J - unsure if last owner put the hotter plug in or if the factory started running hotter plugs.
UT10537
Serial: 290650282 - Another 1979 production. Exactly the same as above, Walbro 21-146 dated December 1979. This saw is factory clean. Noted difference from the other two: Spark plug wire has white lettering on it that appears to read PRESTON. Other two saws are plane black. Has a Champion DJ7J plug in it, I assume previous owner may have put that in as factory plug was the DJ6J...or did Homelite start to run a hotter plug?
UT10403A
Serial: 290050205 - Another 1979 production. This is my working saw. Noted difference: Carb is marked HOMELITE. Side is stamped HDC and dated December 1979. The top is stamped, perhaps a Homelite item number, 21-109. As I write this I looked this up...and the carb looks identical to the WALBRO 21-146, however, it appears that this carb is for a Homelite 150. I can't find anything online that says this carb is fitment for a Super EZ auto, however, the SEZ being 40.9cc...and the Homelite 150 being 43cc motors...I can tell you that it does run. And runs well. However...this saw, as with that others, I had removed the muffler, cleaned the exhaust ports and scraped all carbon out of muffler...still idles "softly" as opposed to the other two saws. The other two saws have a distinctive "pop" when idling...and sound louder. This saw doesn't seem to sound as loud. I have been a bit curious as to this. But it surely doesn't lack power.
Another noted difference: This saw has, or still has, a small gold plate sticker under the hand guard, sprocket side, just above the two screws that mount the hand guard. It is marked with a number "28". Other saws do not have this sticker...may have fallen off...but I am curious to know what the number 28 means.
All these saws have solid state modules. If memory serves me correct, I think UT1043A has the original blue colored one. I do know that one saw of the 3 has a module in it that is not factory blue, but rather, tan or a brown color. I was wondering if aftermarket modules differed to the point to which spark advance was changed, making 2 of the saws have a louder idle. I didn't take saws apart tonight to verify what modules are in them.
Looking at other UT model numbers for SEZ saws, I see a variety. What does the letter A mean at the end of the number? What does a B stand for? I see various UT numbers, and UT numbers ending with no letter, or an A, or a B. What did it mean?
ABOUT ME: This is my first post and glad to have joined the forum. I have done extensive research this past year, including contacting Homelite (which have no information), and online searching to find answers to a puzzling question. Let me give you all a short synapses of me. I am a hands down (older) Homelite saw guy. They built saws when chainsaw were chainsaws. I think we all know that. In my line of work, I regularly require using a chainsaw. It came to the point at which carrying my own saw with my equipment because necessary. Generally, I am provided with a pair of Stihl "Professional Grade" MS261 chainsaws. I understand there are die-hard Stihl fanatics out there, and those who believe they are the best. Or, at least, a hair over their competition of Husky. Regardless...I have an Echo that would cut circles around either brand saws.
Sometimes the state would not have a chainsaw on hand when needed. This is one reason I needed to start carrying a saw. The second reason, is, although common knowledge tells you...if you don't have to use your own personal tool at your own wear/tear/expense, don't. Last year...I had some heavy duty chainsawing. Beat the snot out of the MS261s....running them daily, nearly 8 hours straight. Even halfway in water. A state worker (state uses 50:1 mix gas) screwed up one day...and didn't add oil to the gas and I was running the saw fullbore on straight gas. Figured this since it wasn't running quite right. Nonetheless, ran another tank. Figured the Stihl saw was DONE. But...fired right back up next day and ran fine. So, all I can say about Stihl's are that they can take abuse. However - even for a "professional series" saw...their performance was less than impressive. I personally filed and sharpened chains daily...I believe these saws were 51cc...with those nonadjustable self tuning carbs...Well...they suck. They have no torque, one saw brand new out of the box wouldn't idle and had no idle adjustment. I've later tried out an older model, the 031AV...better but my Homelite ate Maple like balsa wood while it struggled and bound the chain in the wood easily...my Homelite never bound up and I took the rakers down fairly well. The 40.9cc Super EZ auto pulled serious chain without a hiccup, and weighs less than the Stihl. The owner of the Stihl more or less just kept quiet...as he LOVES them...and I have always said that I tried to become a fan, but, an old American Muscle saw is my preference. Pretty much if a saw doesn't have safety features like a kickback chainbrake and has a "muffler" with nothing inside it and runs on 32:1 mix or heavier...that's a saw, and it isn't going to be made of plastic either. I started carrying my own saw to work because the Stihls under performed so badly, that, I find them to be more dangerous as I'm fighting a saw...and getting mad/frustrated...towards the end I started taking those $600 saws and throwing them. Even let one fall off a bridge because it wouldn't idle and making the final cut to drop a tree right on the edge of a bridge...stalled...and let it go down. Plastic doesn't hold up so well.
