Echo Chainsaw?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: deeter16317
Well, another twist...came across an older Stihl 021 (or 024?) that needs rebuilt. The price is right...free. So I may rebuild it (about $50 from what I can tell) and buy a slightly bigger (new) saw than I initially anticipated.

One way or the other, I'll be buying a new saw!


I picked up a nice 024 Super a couple months ago for $40.00. The previous owner who owned it since new said he couldn't get it to start. It had been running OK but wouldn't start.

I took it home, cleaned it up, cleaned the spark plug, adjusted the carb as per instructions on the saw and fired it right up.

Compression was pretty much at factory spec and the saw had it's original white painted bar which was also in great shape. The chain was shot but that's nothing. Imagine! Forty bucks for an excellent Stihl!

I didn't keep it. I gave it to a friend who had his saw stolen.

Reason the saw wouldn't start??? Improperly adjusted carb.
 
I suspect the compression is low, it gets gas and has good spark...it just won't fire.

Still, its worth rebuilding to have two saws...
 
Give a Redmax GZ7000 or G5300 a try, nice saws, their trimmers are excellent (Zenoah engines)
smile.gif
 
RED MAX makes GREAT PRODUCTS!!!! but no name recognition amongst home owners, probably a hard sale here
 
Well, the Stihl is pretty much dead (read: not worth rebuilding)...its an old 015, with low compression (75#s). It has a bad wrist pin, that can be viewed from the intake "hole" in the head...you can watch the pin move inside the piston more than 1/8", and I can't believe that didn't cause a vibration/knock.

So I'm back to buying a new saw! I looked at HD at the Huskavarna's...forgot to look when I was at the Echo's when I was at Lowe's.
 
Originally Posted By: deeter16317
Well, the Stihl is pretty much dead (read: not worth rebuilding)...its an old 015, with low compression (75#s). It has a bad wrist pin, that can be viewed from the intake "hole" in the head...you can watch the pin move inside the piston more than 1/8", and I can't believe that didn't cause a vibration/knock.

So I'm back to buying a new saw! I looked at HD at the Huskavarna's...forgot to look when I was at the Echo's when I was at Lowe's.


Small Huskys are Poulan. You can get the same saw for a few bucks less if you buy other than the Husky brand. Pesonally, I'd take an Echo any day over any other manufacturer's small saw.
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus


Small Huskys are Poulan. You can get the same saw for a few bucks less if you buy other than the Husky brand. Pesonally, I'd take an Echo any day over any other manufacturer's small saw.

husqvarna current models...235, 235e and 240e are poulan/american made, all others are husky/sweden
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
For your purposes, it would be more than sufficient.

There will be fan-boys out there who will tell you to buy Stihl or Husqvarna in preference to Echo for whatever reasons. However, I have had extensive exposure to Stihl, Husky, Jonsereds, Echo and a few of the lesser brands. My most recent chainsaw acquisition is an Echo CS346 which I needed for light cutting jobs, clearing brush and limbing. I am thoroughly impressed with that saw. I'm not saying it's better than the other leading brands however, it's certainly not inferior to them either. Echo saws are right up there with the best of them.

If I were you, I'd probably go with something a bit larger for bucking big wood. Especially large diameter hard woods like 14 or more inches across. Probably in the 50cc range. Another tip... a smaller saw with a sharp chain will cut wood faster than a bigger saw with a dull chain. Happiness is a properly sharpened chain.


What makes Stihl saws superior is there bar, and chain. other than that they all hold up very well when they get tlc.
 
Originally Posted By: 660mag

What makes Stihl saws superior is there bar, and chain. other than that they all hold up very well when they get tlc.


That might hold true in their more commercial stuff.

My father has already replace the bar on his year old Stihl...we aren't sure what happened. The tip actually split. He bought an Oregon bar and new chain, and its actually performing better than before (meaning the bar might have had issues since new).

And on the other hand, he's never replaced the bar on his 028 Super.

Not knocking Stihl, they have different grades of equipment just like everyone else...and I'm not too sure his saw (an MS180, if I'm not mistaken) is a homeowner grade, and not really meant for someone cutting firewood (wrong saw for the application).
 
Could have been the bar being bad from the start. I've not seen one yet. That ms180 and ms 170 use very thin gauge drive links, and most of the split ones I've seen have been from running the chain too tight, no or wrong oil, or wrong chain. Never the less the 180 and 170 are there lightest duty saws stihl makes, and wont hold up to hard use. The pro rule on chain/sprocket/bars is 8 chains will ware out 2 sprockets and one bar.
 
Originally Posted By: 660mag
Could have been the bar being bad from the start. I've not seen one yet. That ms180 and ms 170 use very thin gauge drive links, and most of the split ones I've seen have been from running the chain too tight, no or wrong oil, or wrong chain. Never the less the 180 and 170 are there lightest duty saws stihl makes, and wont hold up to hard use. The pro rule on chain/sprocket/bars is 8 chains will ware out 2 sprockets and one bar.




It was the OE chain and he uses good oil...he's very particular with his Stihls.

I'm thinking bad bar from new...
 
Last edited:
"stihl has a superior bar and chain" what? echo uses oregon bar/chain wich is excellent! small saws use a small chain and echo does use a "safety" chain, very common as well...........
 
Stihl chain will stay sharp 2 times as long in the same wood. The cutter tooth on stihl chain is much harder than oregon chain. Oregon chain is not as hard to sharpen in the field on the other hand. And I don't think it's bad chain. Stihl is just much better. Stihl is also better at delivering oil to the rivets of the chain via the bar and drivelink design. Another thing that makes stihl better is that the oiler is run by the clutch drum, and echos run off the crank shaft directly. So an echo pumps oil as long as the engine is running, and the stihl only puts out oil when the chain is moving, so they use less oil. When it comes to the engine, imo, stihl still takes the cake. Echos only have one piston ring currently, and stihls got two. That makes for better heat transfer to the cylinder, and to top it off stihl owns zama. For a customer that means 2x the price should the carb ever need to be replaced on an echo cause echos sometimes use zama carbs. I repair echos too, but stihl gets my vote.
 
Originally Posted By: 660mag
Stihl chain will stay sharp 2 times as long in the same wood. The cutter tooth on stihl chain is much harder than oregon chain. Oregon chain is not as hard to sharpen in the field on the other hand. And I don't think it's bad chain. Stihl is just much better. Stihl is also better at delivering oil to the rivets of the chain via the bar and drivelink design. Another thing that makes stihl better is that the oiler is run by the clutch drum, and echos run off the crank shaft directly. So an echo pumps oil as long as the engine is running, and the stihl only puts out oil when the chain is moving, so they use less oil. When it comes to the engine, imo, stihl still takes the cake. Echos only have one piston ring currently, and stihls got two. That makes for better heat transfer to the cylinder, and to top it off stihl owns zama. For a customer that means 2x the price should the carb ever need to be replaced on an echo cause echos sometimes use zama carbs. I repair echos too, but stihl gets my vote.



Hmmm...maybe reconsider my choice of saw? That's a lot of info to digest...what Stihl would you recommend, probably in the 14" bar range and definitely in the more commercial models (not the homeowner versions)?? The MS261 seems to have good reviews, not sure of cost though...
 
The only pro saw by stihl you can get with a 14" bar is a top handle. Those are made for in tree cutting, so you would most likely want to go with a 16 or even 18 inch bar. What is the most/least you want to spend?
 
I was hoping to stay below the $350 range...and a 16-inch bar would be fine bad. I cut would with my father, so we still have his 028 Super to use for bigger stuff.
 
I think maybe the MS290 w/ a 16"bar @359.00 would foot the bill nicely. It's not a "Homeowner" saw, and they have some good deals. If you bye a case you get a free chain, and if you get a 6pac of ultra oil stihl doubles your warranty. We quit selling echo saws where I work. That MS261 is over 500 bucks.

As far as the chain goes RS is the fastest cutting they make.
 
personally i wouldnt go for a stihl w the quick chain adjust or whatever they call it, sounds nice but in the real world it would be like a fine tooth ratchet vs a coarse....
 
Originally Posted By: kcfx4
personally i wouldnt go for a stihl w the quick chain adjust or whatever they call it, sounds nice but in the real world it would be like a fine tooth ratchet vs a coarse....


I cant stand that feature. Give me the hardware.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Ausfahrt
Has anyone added aftermarket exhaust to a chainsaw?
2
Replies
26
Views
3K
oil pan 4
T
Chainsaws Echo vs. Husqvarna
2 3
Replies
42
Views
12K
jeepman3071
M
Echo CS-4010 Chainsaw
Replies
11
Views
4K
aba4430
K
Would you try to rebuild a 1970's Pioneer Chainsaw ??
Replies
11
Views
1K
Lubener
S
Old Craftsman Chainsaw
Replies
6
Views
1K
Lubener
Back
Top