New Saw

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,568
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SW Pa
Well I did it after a lot of looking, I almost went and bought a new Husky, but opted for a new ECHO 400 with an 18 inch bar,, so far Im not real impressed, the husky would run rings around this and you cant push it other wise the chain binds and theres just not enough motor to pull it through,, but being a new saw, there is some brake in time needed. I hope it improves, but like the man say,,, Ya spends your money and takes your chances. I dont need another boat anchor laying around here
 

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,568
3,329
113
SW Pa
Thats why I got it I have heard so many good things about the echo,, I guess we shall see
 

85Hokie

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Thats why I got it I have heard so many good things about the echo,, I guess we shall see
YO BRO .......should have bought a ..........S T E E L , pickin on ya brother!:D:)
 

Tooljunkie

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L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
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No offence, Bud but thats a drink mixer by some peoples standards. I personally would never go less than 50 cc's.
That being said,tune up the chain, couple strokes off the rakers and you will have to hold it up instead of pushing it down.two stroke break in is about 2 seconds after you squeeze th throttle.
 
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geoff

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b2410 tractor, FM90 topper,RS1200 cultivator,bearcat 4 inch chipper,b1610.
Jul 7, 2017
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essex uk.
Echo saws do take a couple of tanks of fuel to bed in well, and seem to like a minute to warm up from cold too when newish.
The chain binding could be chain tension, oiler adjustment, (if yours has it), check the oiler is working as it should.
Echo saws are good machines, some of the smaller models are not the fastest in their capacity range, but normally are reliable and well made.
I am a pro climber /cutter, and have for the last few years bought only echo saws, without issues,but they all improved with use from new.
I would get yours back to the shop if it is not running right, and chain choice and sharpening will have an influence on the smaller saws.
 

sdk1968

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Oct 19, 2016
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YO BRO .......should have bought a ..........S T E E L , pickin on ya brother!:D:)

we always had homelites or a generic brand... cause we were too poor for anything else..

once my friends talked me into a Stihl.... ive never looked back. they are worth every penny you pay for them.


oh & they are ORANGE like our Kubota's :)
 

tractor2017

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7030
Jul 18, 2017
11
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0
Ontario
I have a husky 266 that i bought in 1980 and it still runs as new. I have an outside boiler and use this saw on my home made processor ,and if anyone has a outside boiler you know how much wood they use.
 

skeets

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Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,568
3,329
113
SW Pa
You have pictures of your wood processor ?

Well I have heard a lot of good about these small saws, yeah I cant do the big saws any more to old fat and lazy I guess,,lol. Never thought about the rakes Ill check them out with the gauge, and maybe touch up the chippers too, maybe not. I did grease the snot out of the roller tip, it was dry as a bone and felt a bit gritty feels a lot better this morning.
It starts ok but the idle dayum I dont know if its going to stall out or not, sounds like an old big block with a cam,,lol revs slow not like the husky, but then maybe I am comparing apples to oranges too.
I know I have to pick up a couple of chains cause I seem to find stuff, you know nails, bullets, staples, wire you know stuff, even found an old Bear Razor head that had been grown over.
OK Im done whining now, and off to the nursing home to see mom, it's hard to believe the old gal is going to be 97 next month,
 

eipo

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L4060
Dec 1, 2015
693
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28
MI
If you feel like tinkering...

Open up the exhaust by about 50% and run 40:1. If you can separate the muffler, gut it as well.
 

Tooljunkie

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L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
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I worked in a place that sold echo 20-25 years ago,same supplier turned us on to optimol. Sold lots, use it myself for many years.

Synthetic 2 cycle oil mixed at 100:1.dont like using it on really hot days though. Great in the frosty months.
 

bearskinner

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BX25D, snowblower, PHD, Grapple, Snow blade, land Plane
Sep 1, 2014
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In some things size does matter. Going from 35CC's to 59, and 20 years newer, made all the difference in the world.
 

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skeets

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Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,568
3,329
113
SW Pa
Well I gave it a fair shot, and the echo went back to the dealer, they were nice enough about it when I explained what it would and would not do. They asked if I wanted to try another saw, I said no thank you this one was enough, but they could refund my money,,, Which they did easy peasy,, A good dealer I think, I try to keep my money close to home I figure I spend it here somebody else is making a buck and some body local is getting a job, so I'll have to look at one of them Stealer saws :rolleyes:
 

pendoreille

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B2620, fel, RB1560, Piranha Tooth Bar
Jan 2, 2015
476
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18
Newport, WA
Oh Skeets, such a wise man. You won't look back. I have 20 some years on a stihl cutting 10 cord + per year hoping for the last few years it would crap out so I could get a newer one. Still waiting for it to crap out, maybe this year. Oh yes and it seems I am the one crapping out.
 
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Lil Foot

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Oh yes and it seems I am the one crapping out.
Hey, maybe that's the problem; my chainsaw gets heavier every year!
 

maclean

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BX25D
Jun 25, 2014
242
3
0
Lowell, Or
Northern Tool had some refurbished huskys on sale for $240...40cc saw...my last one was a 32cc Echo...melted some of the plastic bits getting it hot...lasted 10 years... pretty good for abusing a homeowner saw on a ranch.
 

RonBoyBX25D

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Aug 1, 2015
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You might not want to give Echo another shot, but if you do go to the CS 500, it is much closer to the Husky of Stihl pro line. I had a 490 that someone needed more than me...I replaced with a Husky 550xp. This is a great saw and really does a nice job for a fairly light but powerful saw. Only have a few tanks through it so expect it to get even better as it breaks in. Good luck with your next saw.
 

lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,214
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Mid, South, USA
John Deere used to sell saws. Most were echo's but green. Worth looking at.

When I moved out where I am, I needed a saw. I was saving pennies every week for a new Stihl. The more I saved, the more the price went up. My brother was working for a dump and they found a brand new Homelite 14" saw that was going through the trash. And I mean brand new. He asked me if I needed it and of course I did...didn't have one and desperately needed one at that time. I pulled the spark plug out and had a look down the hole, shiny piston, no carbon at all. Yeah I took it.

Absolutely nothing wrong with it-never had fuel in it before then. That was 12 years ago, and I still use it to this day. But I don't just use it and put it up-gotta keep them maintained. It cuts usually 2 cord a year and I found myself giving most of it away to neighbors friends family etc. But that's ok. I use it for trimming trees out on the back of the land as they never seem to not dump a limb or two a year. For a homeowner, I don't see a need in going out to spend $300+ on a commercial saw when the old "junk" homelite will work for most homeowners at less than half that price. Do you get what you pay for? Yes. But in my opinion, when a homeowner's Stihl saw sits all year and then the carb gets plugged, the owner's still cussing it the same as the Homelite-the difference is the owner's gonna cuss a Stihl more because he's upset about paying more than he needed to in order to do the same job.