Just thought i'd let you know i do the same thing, i check my local and not so local pawn shops and small engine shops regulary, I just got a poulan 3500 3.7ci chain saw with a 20 inch bar and two chains for next to nonthing, ( under $35.00) the shop owner took it in and found it to have a rattle when he shook it, He told me it was blown up and would need rebuilt but said it had good compression, Didn't make a lot of sense so i checked it out there and bought it. i brought it home and listened real close to it and it sounded like the noise came from the muffler, i pulled the muffler off and it has two long screws from the outside holding it and one short one inside the muffler. the short one inside had came lose and was floating around making all the noise. I put it back togeather and it started right up and is a real strong runner, it's also a 60 cc enging but now i don't want to convert it because it is so strong. the only kink is it does have the magneto mounted to the case instead of the enging. I know i can make a mount for the mag but the saw is almost cherry anyway so i think i'll keep it to cut with. I have found a few cases like that and for awhile i was loseing them because i was telling the owners what was wrong with them. i have been a mechanic most of my life then went self employed as a gunsmith and i set up my own machine shop so i can make or do most anything i want. I just quit telling the pawn shop owners what was wrong with the engines.



Airplanes are like jello... there's always room for one more......