New saw 45-50cc - which one?

[doobin]

10 hours ago, Moose McAlpine said:

 

How do you like the 440? I was tempted but now with the 550 i have no need for one.

 

 

I've used one and really like the 241s. I'm not a Stihl fan by any means but i like the 241. My mate has a well-used one and it's a lovely little machine. Shame you didn't like it. I very nearly bought one, but once i had my 550 i felt no need for a smaller backhandle.

 

Also, all my saws are Husky, so i can interchange bars. That puts me off buying Stihls now.

I loved the 241 and was pretty much Stihl like a stick of rock at the time. But both saws I bought just weren’t reliable. 

[Khriss]

15 hours ago, Moose McAlpine said:

 

Figured as much.

 

The problem is.. you can never have too many..

You  do have too many  😉 K

[Moose McAlpine]

Just now, Khriss said:

You  do have too many  😉 K

 

No, you are wrong. 🤨

[Khriss]

52 minutes ago, Moose McAlpine said:

 

No, you are wrong. 🤨

I have six in my shed and can't even find them ! Kx

[doobin]

On 06/01/2021 at 18:18, doobin said:

As a follow up to this- I'm really starting to like the Echo. Despite the extra vibes, the awkward chain changing, despite the way the MS241 is more ergonomic in every way, for some reason after four months of having both on the shelf the Echo is the one I reach for every time. It just rips with a picco chain. Raw power- does the job and makes me smile.

 

Sold the MS241 for £350 yesterday and don't thnk I'll miss it.

Well, to update this.

 

I am done with this Echo. It's just crap.

 

Anti vibe is a joke, a Stihl from the nineties is better.

The chain tensioner in the side cover is really starting to bug me.

The fuel caps are not locking, I lost an oil cap somehow.

The captive bar nuts are useless. Both springs just deformed and popped out when tightening. They'd have been better off just accepting that Stihl had the patent and having loose nuts.

It feels nasty to hold.

The felling lines are so vague as to be nonexistent.

Parts take weeks to get. My dealer carries every single Stihl spare on the shelf. Chainbrake band for the Echo? Four weeks.

Even when warm it's taking three or four pulls to start. As it's main job is to sit in the digger and be started when I fell a tree and again once I've dragged the tree to the fire, this was getting annoying.

Seems to be down on power from when it was new. Plenty of compression and filter is clean- maybe carb. I know I could probably just adjust the carb, but...

 

The final straw was when the steel plate between the bar and the oiler/saw body just splintered the bottom bit off when running. Blunted the chain and just say there hanging out the bottom the rest of the day waiting to slice me.

 

I was so fed up with it that I ordered a new MS261. No idea when I will see that, but I borrowed my old MS241 back to see me over on this job. It really hit home how much more ergonomic it is. Felling lines you can see. Locking caps. A starter handle that pulls over effortlessly without jerking my hand. INBOARD CHAIN TENSIONER!! (no idea why that's such a bugbear for me but I can't stand outboard clutches or tensioners). Starts first time. Running a little rough (not been used for months) so gave it a thirty second rev up, the MTronic did it's thing and she started to fourstoke nicely at the top end. The handles are so much more comfortable to hold. A single captive bar nut that works perfectly. I really noticed the slightly less weight. Single touch kill switch that auto resets. Sounds silly but it's the little things that really make the difference.

 

So I had a ring around and found what must be the last MS241 in stock at a my local tractor place, they are sending it down from another depot. It's come full circle-like a beaten wife, I'm back to an MS241 and will alternate between this and the coming MS261 depending upon the job in hand. I did appreciate the extra power the Echo had, but it wasn't a good enough trade off and the weight was between a 241 and 261 anyhow. So I shall have both.

 

My updated advice is- don't bother with the Echo CS501SX. It's a throwback to the early 2000s.

Edited March 29, 2022 by doobin

[Stubby]

4 minutes ago, doobin said:

Well, to update this.

 

I am done with this Echo. It's just crap.

 

Anti vibe is a joke, a Stihl from the nineties is better.

The chain tensioner in the side cover is really starting to bug me.

The fuel caps are not locking, I lost an oil cap somehow.

The captive bar nuts are useless. Both springs just deformed and popped out when tightening. They'd have been better off just accepting that Stihl had the patent and having loose nuts.

It feels nasty to hold.

The felling lines are so vague as to be nonexistent.

Parts take weeks to get. My dealer carries every single Stihl spare on the shelf. Chainbrake band for the Echo? Four weeks.

Even when warm it's taking three or four pulls to start. As it's main job is to sit in the digger and be started when I fell a tree and again once I've dragged the tree to the fire, this was getting annoying.

Seems to be down on power from when it was new. Plenty of compression and filter is clean- maybe carb. I know I could probably just adjust the carb, but...

 

I was so fed up with it that I ordered a new MS261. No idea when I will see that, but I borrowed my old MS241 back to see me over on this job. It really hit home how much more ergonomic it is. Felling lines you can see. Locking caps. A starter handle that pulls over effortlessly without jerking my hand. INBOARD CHAIN TENSIONER!! (no idea why that's such a bugbear for me but I can't stand outboard clutches or tensioners). Starts first time. Running a little rough (not been used for months) so gave it a thirty second rev up, the MTronic did it's thing and she started to fourstoke nicely at the top end. The handles are so much more comfortable to hold. A single captive bar nut that works perfectly. I really noticed the slightly less weight. Single touch kill switch that auto resets. Sounds silly but it's the little things that really make the difference.

 

So I had a ring around and found what must be the last MS241 in stock at a my local tractor place, they are sending it down from another depot. So like a beaten wife, I'm back to an MS241 and will alternate between this and the coming MS261 depending upon the job in hand. I did appreciate the extra power the Echo had, but it wasn't a good enough trade off and the weight was between a 241 and 261 anyhow. So I shall have both.

 

My updated advice is- don't bother with the Echo CS501SX. It's a throwback to the early 2000s.

That's like government U turn 😁

[Conor Wright]

Funny this popped up, I had to put a new recoil spring in the 501 last night and after waiting 2 weeks for the part I started it and noticed that the anti vibe rubbers were on the way out, again. However apart from poorer anti vibe and the broken spring mine has been faultless. If it's a full day's cutting ill pick up the 261 for the extra power but I still like my echo! 

Never been hard started and once warm its one pull every time.

Parts availability is what will resign mine to the shelf. Some dayit will break and I'll be in a hurry for a saw and just replace it, probably with a stihl.

[Stere]

Should try the makita EA4300  but as its being discontinued parts might be an issue....

 

Theres also that new echo

Edited March 29, 2022 by Stere

[neiln]

I picked up a 4300 off Amazon of all places for a stunning price least summer. I paid £269.51 delivered with the 15" bar.  It's only for home firewood use but I love it! It's a ripper!  Haven't decatted it yet so more to come too.

 

I understand parts/support is always slow on dolmakita and the discontinuation of petrol saws won't help, but it was a stunning price so I bought it, and haven't regretted it.

[Dan Maynard]

Fastfix are having a sale on, EA4300 at £295 and EA5000 at £460. Really tempted, it's so much less money than a 261.  Slightly down on power, 2.8kW vs the 3.0kW of the 261 but can fit an exhaust from the previous model to get rid of cat.

 

Then again my old 261 keeps on going and it's been a good saw.

 

But at least I know not to buy an Echo.