The Poulan Model 306A chain saw was a portable, gas-engined machine for cutting wood outdoors. This chain saw, with its yellow-green and black color scheme, was introduced in 1970 by Beaird-Poulan of Shreveport, Louisiana, and remained in production through 1980, when the model was discontinued. It weighed 12.75 pounds and was designed to be operated by one person. Poulan was a division of Emerson Electric when this saw was made but subsequently became a Husqvarna subsidiary.
Engine Specs
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This saw's engine was a 3.6-cubic-inch (59-cubic-centimeter), single-cylinder, two-cycle unit that ran at up to 6,500 revolutions per minute on a mixture of gasoline and oil from the built-in 18-fluid-ounce fuel tank. The engine was made of die-cast magnesium and aluminum parts. The engine had a 1.79-inch bore and 1.44-inch stroke, as well as a reed-type intake valve.
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Electronic Ignition
This Poulan saw featured a breakerless, solid-state electronic ignition that fired a Champion CJ8 spark plug with a gap set at 0.025 inch. It used a spark-arresting muffler, Tillotson carburetor and flocked wire-screen air filter, along with a rewinding manual pull starter.
Fuel Needs
The saw's manual called for a gas-oil mix of 16:1, or 8 ounces of two-cycle oil per gallon of regular-grade gasoline. But users could run it on a 32:1 mix, or 4 ounces of oil per gallon of gas, when using Poulan-brand two-cycle engine oil. The gas-oil mix lubricated the crankshaft's caged-needle-roller and ball bearings and the chrome-plated cylinder walls.
Bar and Chain
Chain saw buyers had a choice of sprocket-nosed guide bars for this model ranging in length from 16 inches to 24 inches. The chisel-type chains for this saw had a 3/8 inch spacing between the teeth. Poulan offered a choice of manual or automatic chain oiling from an on-board chain-oil tank. Owners could use special bar-and-chain oil or SAE30W oil to lubricate the chain. The saw had a built-in automatic sharpener that accomplished 80 percent of the needed chain sharpening.