Makita EA4300 / Dolmar 420 air filter replacement

[Echo]

Hi everyone

Am just wondering if there is such a thing as a nylon type air filter

to be got for a Makita EA-4300, I think the Dolmar PS-421 is the same saw.

They both seem to come only with a flocked type.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited March 16, 2019 by Echo

[Stere]

Mine has a nylon mesh one from new.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Air-Filter-DOLMAR-350-420-Bis-Bj-11-2009-195173211/942811248

 

I thought flocked were better?

 

 

 

[Echo]

8 hours ago, Stere said:

Mine has a nylon mesh one from new.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Air-Filter-DOLMAR-350-420-Bis-Bj-11-2009-195173211/942811248

 

I thought flocked were better?

 

 

 

Thanks Stere

Is your saw a dolmar, 420 or 421 or makita ea4300, as far as I understand the dolmar 420 and 421 are not the same filter, the makita listed ea4300 filter is different looking than the one you linked to, confusing me.

[Stere]

Sorry  one in previous post above was not the right one (an older type) my saws both have  this:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=nq6OXIn7H6HrxgPZz7roAw&q=195173050&oq=195173050&gs_l=psy-ab.3...2030.4988..5269...0.0..0.60.110.2......0....1..gws-wiz.0Z75FUd-lYM

 

I have 2 of theese saws, an ea4300 and dolmar 420SC (EU name for 421) both from germany  they are the same saws both came with nylon filters the same design.

 

See the diagram shows both types:

 

http://download.dolmar.com/manuals/19932.pdf

 

Didn't realize there was even flocked filters?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Stere

[Echo]

On 17/03/2019 at 20:49, Stere said:

Sorry  one in previous post above was not the right one (an older type) my saws both have  this:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=nq6OXIn7H6HrxgPZz7roAw&q=195173050&oq=195173050&gs_l=psy-ab.3...2030.4988..5269...0.0..0.60.110.2......0....1..gws-wiz.0Z75FUd-lYM

 

I have 2 of theese saws, an ea4300 and dolmar 420SC (EU name for 421) both from germany  they are the same saws both came with nylon filters the same design.

 

See the diagram shows both types:

 

http://download.dolmar.com/manuals/19932.pdf

 

Didn't realize there was even flocked filters?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Stere, just seeing this, I will have a look at your link, and yes, they come with flocked filters in my part of the world, I would like a nylon one for damp wet days, as am sure the flocked ones will start to hold moisture, and hold back air.

How do you find the saws, I ask because I believe they come with the 91 vxl oregon cahin, the same chain that is currently on my Echo CS 352, which I have a problem with, I never used this chain before, but my findings are that it cuts extremely well doing straight cuts, but if I angle to the side, like in felling, it becomes very rough, too sore on the saw, this was in ash, it is a little better on softer wood, but I would not use it to fell trees where cutting at an angle to direct the tree is required, it cuts great if your going straight, it plunge cuts without hesitation too, but at an angle its a disaster, and I have seen this online too, where a Dolmar dealer struggles exactly as I mention using a PS421 and this vxl chain.

Bottom line, there is no point in me buying a 4300 and then have to change  everything over to .325 just to make it cut, and in the process probably put more pressure on the engine than with the thinner vxl chain.

I can't see it being my fault this vxl chain has difficulty cutting at an angle such as 45 downwards, Saw Troll also mentioned people having difficulty with it, and going back to its predecessor where it can be found, and the Dolmar dealer also struggled with it.

May be you could advise what chain you use, and what you find it suitable for.

 

Thank you kindly

Edited March 22, 2019 by Echo

[Stere]

They came  with a .325  and .50 gauge bar 15"

 

Using this combo atm:

 

https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product/150txlbk095-oregon-speed-cut-bar-15-325-050-64-drive-links/

 

https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product/95txl-oregon-lo-pro-325-050/

 

But saw came with dolmar brand chain & bar

 

Seems to work fine, sharpening has to be got just right for the diagonal gob cuts or removing butresses (basically cutting against the grain) especially in hardwoods like beech otherwise saw bogs down

 

Saws are good apart from the poor design of the chain tensioner nub which sits in the bar which could be beefier ive knacked/worn/bent a few so had  to order some new ones.

 

Also replaced a "oil worm" that wore out maybe coz I use veg oil.

 

 

I think  the 15"  low pro bar suits the saw.

 

Wouldn't fit a larger bar.

 

 

 

 

 

[woodwizzard]

I don't find the makita/dolmar nylon filters to be much good, they let a lot of fine dust through. Their flock ones offer better filtration.

[Echo]

4 hours ago, woodwizzard said:

I don't find the makita/dolmar nylon filters to be much good, they let a lot of fine dust through. Their flock ones offer better filtration.

Good to know.

My Shindaiwa 490 new, let small particles through the nylon air filter, I was very disapointed.

And began to investigate, there was a round hole about an inch in diameter, leading into the bottom of the airbox, I cut a flap of a nylonish material from a kitchen scrubber product, sat it over the hole, it never moved as it was cut to fit the space and could not slide lef right back forth, and that totally eliminated the dust particle problem, I also put vaseline around the bottom collar of the air filter where it sat down on the carb, could cut for days if needed without cleaning the filter because nothing got to it.

 

Then the Echo CS-501sx

It got even more dust in the carb box, but not the carb, the dust was getting into the carb box

through the hole in the casing that allows access to the idle screw, so again, a piece of the kitchen / pot scrubber material trebled as it had to stand on its edge against the side wall of the saw casing did the trick, the airbox remained very clean and of course kept the filter clean too, the biggest culprit with this saw was it came with the filter not properly seated on the shoulder that stands up from the carb, so putting on the airbox cover flattened it, all that was wrong was the O ring that sits on the shoulder that sticks up vertically from the carb, was dry and the plastic filter stiuck on it, and did not slide down over the ring as it should, again, vasleline solved that.

 

Now, my little Echo CS 352, hard to believe, dam all gets in to the airbx, I ran Two liters through it, which is a lot of cutting for its a small saw, just saying, its all about design, if you can stop the particles before they get to the airfilter, the air filter stays clean for a very long time,  and those small particles don't make it near the filter.

 

I will say however, the mesh on the Shindaiwa 490 was not as fine as that on any of my other saws,  and thus would let larger particles through if not pre-filtered like I did, may be the EA 4300 has a similar sized mesh.

[Echo]

On 22/03/2019 at 09:57, Stere said:

They came  with a .325  and .50 gauge bar 15"

 

Using this combo atm:

 

https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product/150txlbk095-oregon-speed-cut-bar-15-325-050-64-drive-links/

 

https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/product/95txl-oregon-lo-pro-325-050/

 

But saw came with dolmar brand chain & bar

 

Seems to work fine, sharpening has to be got just right for the diagonal gob cuts or removing butresses (basically cutting against the grain) especially in hardwoods like beech otherwise saw bogs down

 

Saws are good apart from the poor design of the chain tensioner nub which sits in the bar which could be beefier ive knacked/worn/bent a few so had  to order some new ones.

 

Also replaced a "oil worm" that wore out maybe coz I use veg oil.

 

 

I think  the 15"  low pro bar suits the saw.

 

Wouldn't fit a larger bar.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Stere

These 4300 saws seem to only come with the 3/8 lo pro bar and chain here, so that would mean a new clutch drum in .325, and a new bar and chain, this would put the saw too close to the price of a bigger saw that would already be .325. 

Regarding sharpening, the chain was new, so it should have been sharpened at the correct angles and each cutter be of the same length, I took the chain to the dealer just to eliminate any such issues and got it sharpened, its exactly the same in how it is difficult to impossible to cut a felling notch, especially with the 34cc Echo 352, the 4300 Makita would probably make a better effort, but am not convinced its the way to go.

 

The vxl  is a cracker of a chain in other ways, it plunge cuts no problem, cuts very well in normal situations, and holds an edge very well too, but it is almost impossible to do transverse cuts with it, way too sore on the saw.