Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): chain saw repair, fuel air mixture, crankshaft seal

Question
mike you have been a lot of help to me on the chainsaw repair questions that i have ask you.bought the carburator kit but the dam thing still will not start.i thought that maybe the gas iam using might be the problem,so i'm going to use gas that i know will work.by the way can i give it a shot of ether which we use on cars to get them started.figure if it starts then i know that the carbutator needs looking at again.i don't even have more then 5 hours on the saw.maybe those poulan saw aren't so good.well i'll keep trying something.hate to go to a shop and spend money just to use it for a few hours.thanks for your help anyway.
                                    phil

Answer
Hi Phil,

I forget all the things we talked about.  so, in general, you need 3 things for an engine to run.  Fuel, timed spark and compression.  Any 2 stroke engine relies on an air tight seal in the crankcase to draw the fuel/air mixture into the cylinder.  Any crankshaft seal leaks, will cause a no start or lean condition.  Also, check the fuel flow from the tank and the in-tank filter.  Rarely but sometimes, a carb can't be made to work and has to be replaced.  

Good Luck & keep me posted.
Michael