Echo chainsaws

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The Echo dealer near me has the CS400 with carrying case, oil, and a 'free' hat for $299.00. I've had my eye on this model for a while. It's the same price at HD without the case, oil etc. The sales guy pointed out I could get the CS450 for $389.00 but without the 'freebies'. I don't really have a need for the bigger saw but it might be nice to have the extra power. Does anybody have any experience with the Echo chainsaws? I have an Echo trimmer and blower and have gotten good service from them. The Echo saws also have a 5 year warranty.
 
I've had an Echo chainsaw for about 8 years, couldn't be happier with it. My brother has a trimmer and it's also been trouble free. Echo products are commercially rated, so if you're just using them around the house they could easily last for several decades.
 
I have had an Echo saw for 25 years and it has been flawless. I do winterize it and change the air filters, etc. I also wipe it down and take care of it. I also use nothing but echo oil. It has seen action on my farm and at my lake house.

As a side note, at the time of purchase I upgraded the bar and chain from a 16 inch to a 20 inch. I have never regretted that decision.
 
Years and years ago, I was an Echo dealer. Sold saws, trimmers, and blowers. I was and still am an expert on 4 cycle engines, but never did get the knack of 2 cycles very well. I sold Echo because they seemed to never need any repairs. I remember not ever having a warranty with one I sold. Sold 3 trimmers to the state road dept. They said they never had any other brand stand up so well, with so few problems.
 
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Echo products have dropped in quality over the last few years. Ask if the carburetor is made of plastic or metal. Often it has been down graded to plastic and they can't take the heat. You can't necessarily judge the new stuff by how the older models are holding up. I don't know of any chainsaw that is built as well as they were 15 years ago. Take a good look at it before you buy.
 
40-ish cc is a good combo of weight and power. Go bigger (45cc+) if you cut a lot of wood or for daily use, but for occasional use the lighter saw in 18" bar is probably fine.

You can "cheat" power out of a saw by going to a 2" shorter bar, not hard to swap back and forth either, so if you do find a job needs more grunt, that's always an option when the time comes.

Around here if you need Heavy Duty we go with Husqvarna or Johnsred in 45cc or larger. But that's a daily use saw which most people don't need.
 
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I've had great results with echo products.
In the late 90's early 2000's my local Home Depot used to sell reconditioned ope at a reduced price with full warranty. On different occasions, I bought a trimmer, hedge trimmers then a handheld blower and a chainsaw. I wore the trimmer flat out. It was still running when i bought its replacement due to a broken throttle cable. The $80 coil pack failed on the handheld blower that I paid $159 for and removed it from the game. The saw and hedge trimmers still work today.
I picked up and old orange echo chainsaw at an estate sale once and it fired right up and ran better than my newer one till it slipped off a ladder when pruning some branches. I would fix it but I'm not sure if I can find parts.
 
I've got a small top-handled Echo chainsaw I mail-ordered about 6+ yrs ago. It's got an ton of power for a little saw, starts easily and would idle all day if you let it. I don't take the best care of it either, leaving fuel in it, etc. Starts every time I need it.
 
The local landscape crew uses Echo saws. He loves them.

I have 2 Husky saws a 345 and 346XP (the hot rod Husky saw) and I've got to admit the quality is not that great. They perform wonderfully, but I've had my issues with both of them.

I won't purchase saws with plastic crankcases. Make sure to look carefully at the lower crankcase. If it's plastic, might be better to spend a bit more.
 
I have a CS400; my first chain saw purchase so I have nothing to compare it against.

I've had it about 1.5 years. Starts on the 3rd pull every time; probably used it 50 hours?

Haven't done anything to it.

PM boraticus; he has a lot of experience with echo saws.
 
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I worked for my uncle's tree service down in Florida in 99 or 2000.
He had a couple large Stihl saws for cutting down large trees. He also had 3 or 4 smaller Echo saws, 16" bars I believe, that we used for trim saws. We trimmed palm trees on golf courses quite a bit and the Echos saw a lot of hours doing this.
They ran flawlessly and held up quite well to pretty heavy commercial use.
I own a couple Stihl saws myself, but I would have no issue owning or recommending an Echo saw.
 
For the price, CS400 over the 450. I have a 450, great saw, no complaints. IMHO if you are going to pay for for a 450, you might as well spend a little more and get a 5XX series. Bit of step up from 4XX to 5XX series saws.
 
I had a total brain pffart a few posts up. My top handled chainsaw is a Tanaka, not an Echo.. My leaf blower is an Echo and is awesome.
 
This Echo CS-510 (49 cc) isn't as glamorous as a Husky or Stihl but it has been 100% trouble free for 12 years. I removed the baffles out of the muffler and the spark arresting screen and it really brought this saw to life. I cut about 10 cords of wood every year with it.



I say go for it.
 
Why o why are you using so long bars?
The saw gets more difficult to work with and looses Power!
It is also safer to use a shorter bar.
I have 13 inch bars on my saws( 50- 55cc Jonsereds) and i do cut a full timber truck
load every year...
A 13 inch sword easily Cuts a 2 foot Three in a safe manner
and with your back still alive unlike trying to bend with a long bar. I have found that long bars are only good when you cant get around the trees.
 
Originally Posted By: ac_tc
Why o why are you using so long bars?
The saw gets more difficult to work with and looses Power!
It is also safer to use a shorter bar.
I have 13 inch bars on my saws( 50- 55cc Jonsereds) and i do cut a full timber truck
load every year...
A 13 inch sword easily Cuts a 2 foot Three in a safe manner
and with your back still alive unlike trying to bend with a long bar. I have found that long bars are only good when you cant get around the trees.


A 20" bar is what came with the saw when it was new and I prefer not to bend over as far when I'm limming a tree.
 
Most sell those cases they get with the saw because they are big and take up way more room than just storing the saw on a shelf with something to cover it if you feel the need .

I worked for Stihl for many years but nothing wrong with Echo and yes I do own a CS590 Timberwolf .
 
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Try to negotiate for the echo bag instead of hard case. I'm able to store a spare chain loop, tools, sharpening kit, quart of bar lube, a can of trufuel, and spare gloves. Enough all together to at least cover me for a few hours in woods. Didn't like the hardcase at all.

Biggest thing with the echo's is that they are so lean from the factory that they have so much torque left on the table. Make the dealer set it up right or do it yourself. A tach like a dealer would have makes it easy. Dealer would have the tool to remove plastic limiter caps, or a small drywall screw works also. That will be your issue with a HD saw for sure but might be an issue with the dealer too If they don't prep it right. That's the case for a lot of saws is the dealers not tuning them before sending them out. Good dealers will tune them on a tach, then in wood. Don't expect HD to do it.

I own an echo cs-600p (the 2nd gen with the rubber coated aluminum handle) and after removing the limiters on the carb screws and richening up the saw on a tach, it is a beast. With a sharp semi chisel that isn't a low kickback variant, it'll walk right through even orange oasiage or black locust. Have ran it alongside several XP model husky saws, dolmar saws, and a tuned stihl ms660; and it runs right with the best of them. Non ethanol gas was hit and miss on anything over 87 octane, so I pretty much stick with trufuel unless I'm cutting with buddies that have home brews of non-oxygenated race fuel mixed down to wround 96-97 octane and amsoil sabre. With good gas, I can usually run 2-3 hard hours on a quart of trufuel.

I've ran several top handle echo's and loved them just like the rear handle smaller echos. Have also ran several prosumer stihl and husky that the echo's cut circles around even running chain loops made from the same bulk.

Want to get a lot of power out of a small saw, hit up mastermind on arboristsite. An easier and cheaper option is a simple muffler mod with a retune. That will wake up most saws.
 
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