Ken Shelton gives a great answer to this problem.
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1641
My notes to add to this are:
1. If you have rebuilt your carb, then follow Ken's directions, since you should have removed and cleaned out the carb adjusting screws/orifices. Otherwise . . .
2. Before changing the carburetor HI/LO settings, increase the idle slightly, as that may be your only problem. To do this , turn in (clockwise) the third carburetor adjusting screw that is not marked HI or LO.
3. Be careful not to damage the needle valves which are the carburetor adjusting screws. Try backing them out 1/2 turn first, then turn them back in as far as they go without too much resistance, then stop. They will probably give some slight resistance as you go back in past the original position they were in.
3. From this point, I only backed them out only 1 full turn from being screwed in, and followed Ken's directions from there, but I backed each screw out slowly as my first adjustment, then back in.
4. Initially, my fuel ine was split, so the chainsaw would run and then stop. It would be hard to start. After I replaaced the fuel line and cleaned the air filter, the saw worked great for a little while, then it started to give me pre-ignition while I was pull starting it. However, the timing is fixed and is not adjustable on many poulan models.
PHIL MCNAMEE
July 2009