ECHO 361WES and 390ESX quick review

[Khriss]

I remember chrome plating peeling on my old bikes cylinders, never thought it a good idea  😕 K

[Khriss]

(  Never seen iron plating but sounds better idea - high graphite content?) 

[Piston Skirt]

10 minutes ago, Khriss said:

(  Never seen iron plating but sounds better idea - high graphite content?) 

Echo is using it for decades - most likely you’ve seen it, just not from inside

[coppice cutter]

I worked a lot on TZ Yamahas in the 70's when they were using actual chrome on the barrels.

 

The platings they were using from the 80's on were different (i.e. not chrome!) and rightly so, chrome was a very imperfect means to an end.

 

Thus the terminology is a puzzle, especially as it would appear going by what you say that it isn't actually chrome anyway.

 

Looks increasingly like it something to sound good on the marketing blurb.

[Khriss]

1 minute ago, Piston Skirt said:

Echo is using it for decades - most likely you’ve seen it, just not from inside

As have never had to strip an Echo - it obvs works ☺️ K

[Piston Skirt]

1 minute ago, coppice cutter said:

I worked a lot on TZ Yamahas in the 70's when they were using actual chrome on the barrels.

 

The platings they were using from the 80's on were different (i.e. not chrome!) and rightly so, chrome was a very imperfect means to an end.

 

Thus the terminology is a puzzle, especially as it would appear going by what you say that it isn't actually chrome anyway.

 

Looks increasingly like it something to sound good on the marketing blurb.

Well, the material IS mainly chrome yet obviously not the same as it was for some manufacturers. The coating is porous hence no need for honing to aid the better oil film properties.

Other manufacturer ancient failures obviously have nothing to do with Yamabiko’s quality and technology as the latter one release nearly 3 million engines every year with either type of plating and none of the problems arise.

Even the iron plating that previously was used for 360/361 wasn’t problematic, was it?