Echo

Autotune will adjust the amount of fuel to the saw, this makes up for any small inconsistencies such as 40:1, there are plenty of people who prefer this as opposed to the 50:1.

Feel fee to give us the facts.

Cant see the relevance.

Where I worked of did not work is irrelevant to climate change.

Here is another problem with the current system, lots of commercial wind farms went up, and so did the price of electricity, why, because the big boys in the game for decades were loosing out, wind mills were producing and being paid for doing so, and the old establishment were selling less units, so they upped the price. Government stood by and let private companies gain too much control ever the necessities of life, like water and electric, these items should be supplied at not much more than cost to people, and the small amount of profit left over would be there to pay for other things, like hospitals and schools, its all about money, and that is the real problem.

Just reading some of the posts, climate control has nothing to do with the education or health system, they have been funded all along, this carbon tax is supposed to help the climate, not hospitals or schools, so why bring them into it. The whole approach to climate change needs to be more widespread, old ways need to change, old technology that is not efficient needs to be replaced and made affordable for all. There is already progress regarding transport, electric cars, hybrid cars etc, the money they collect on carbon tax should be given to people when they purchase such a vehicle, same with people who put in solar and wind, the carbon tax would make a change by feeding it into such projects. But it has to be fair, there needs to be a fair tax that every one can contribute to, for example there is no point in giving a car manufacturer the carbon tax, it helps them make more money, while the very people who paid that tax would loose out.

Seems daft to me to let Governments rip us off, and under the guise it is for our own good. And good on you if you can cut back, not many people I know can do so because they are already scrimping along.

Not sure I get that, my main reason for AT or MT would be fuel issues with mixes, the cat I just don't like as it adds heat to the equation, that kind of heat is not good for the saws, did you remove yours for power gain or reliability, either way thats why I don't like the idea of the cat.

There is talk of carbon tax being applied to every household in Ireland, again its not going to stop the warming issue, and its unfair, because without a doubt the biggest polluters are the industrialists, factories, manufacturing plants etc, they should be made pay their share. And what about the huge impact of disposable products, they are without a doubt the biggest problem of all, smart phones, a new model every turn about, same with tablets, same with all media devices, they are not made to last, so what happens, another new product is produced when the older one prematurely fails, basically designed to have a shot life cycle, the make it today make it again tomorrow generates huge revenue for the wealthy, but it also takes up huge amounts of energy and resources. There is a chainsaw forum on here, I read all the time about saws having problems, and not lasting too long, so everyone just keeps on buying a new one, again short lived products that take up more energy and resources. I have saws 40 years old and they still work, but that creates a problem, the manufacturers don't like this because they cant sell us a new product as long as the old one works, so what did they do about that, the short lived saw was invented. Things need to change badly, but who is going to make the right changes.

Hi Mr. Squirrel I agree, global warming is real, and it needs to be tackled. What I don't agree with is my understanding of the current approach. We currently pay carbon tax on coal, and oil, but this does not stop us burning it, so in effect it is a useless in regard to helping the global warming problem, but it is very useful to the powers that be who take that money out of our pocket. Some say the tax is to make us cut back on our use of such fuels, but I honestly do not know anyone who drives around burning fuel just for the fun of it, nor do I know anyone who lights a coal fire for fun, its for heat, so these two uses of fossil fuel are not likely to be cut back on due to any amount of tax.

Hi billpierce I wanted to avoid tampering with a new saw, like removing the cat, then I want to give the saw to my son, he may not be as careful as me when it comes to mixing, that was the main reason I was thinking of going for AT or MT. My local dealer does not stock the newest version of the Stihl, that leaves only the Husqvarna 550 mk2, which is not out too long, so not many comments on it. I could of got another Echo, and have asked the dealer for a price, he was to call me, no call, so what does that tell a man.

I bet there wont be near as many replies now I made an official post about such,, here you all go.

Hi Mark, I completely agree with all you said there, my post seems to have got derailed somewhat, into the emissions cat thing, I even started a new post over in the talk about anything forum regarding global warming, where am sure emissions pollution the laws pertaining to such etc will be better talked about.

Are business such as manufacturers paying a carbon tax, did anyone ever hear of such. We all hear of carbon taxes, so who is actually paying them, are individuals paying this tax while big business corporations and industrialists are not.

We pay a carbon tax, but for what. I think its the wrong approach, carbon tax can only work if it stops us producing, but how can we achieve this. For ordinary people, the school run, the run to work, the shopping run, are all necessary, a carbon tax wont stop us doing these necessary tasks. Take the shopping scenario, the trucks that haul the food to the stores need to do this, there is no way for us to get food without it being hauled to the shops first, so why tax us for something that we can not do without, who gains here, the collector of the tax, the tax its self does not prevent this lory polluting, or global warming, so why do we pay it. Would it not be better to let us keep our money, and invest that money in a more environmental means of transport.

Does anyone want to talk about this Global warming thing. I seem to have started a debate about emissions in another post where all I wanted to know was peoples opinions on two saws, an AT and an MT model that lead to a remove cat debate that lead to an emissions and testing our saws derail. In short, is global warming real, who cares, are the current clampdowns working, or is it all a money making racket.

Hi outonalimb Totally agree

Hi Stubby, yes, thats a sensible approach, and many will go down that road if and when the time comes. You know if I had ignored those who mentioned cats and their removal I might have been better off, hindsight would be a fine thing, I give up now, the future of cats emissions etc needs a separate post.

Nice choice of words Mark Bolam I posted regarding two saws am interested in, people commented on other saws with cats fitted, this is where the removing cats which leads to higher emissions debate started, which is a real issue, not what you call it. There would be no problem implementing any such regulations if and when they come, a simple cert that we would have to submit when we would tender for work would go a long way to ensuring we would have to get the emissions test to get the cert to get the work.

And I agree with you, but no angst here, I would like to think it was unlikely there would be an emissions test for small equipment like saws, but they are clamping down on all of this, am not against modifying our saws, just not sure we will treated any differently than an other polluter. When you buy your saw its registered, so there is one stumbling block removed, the fact you have it in your hand is hard to deny, and if there is an emissions cert required, well your up the creek then, will it happen is the niggling question. Right now none of this will stop anyone buying a saw, me included, so I will keep my ears tuned for remarks regarding the two saws I am interested in.

No Stere Summer plans have changed, so looking into a slightly bigger saw

I agree, the emissions laws are certainly for the manufacturers, but does that mean we don't have to stick to them, and indeed, who is going to catch you for modifying / removing the cat, personally I just find it better to air on the safe side, who knows, whats coming, may be an emissions test every year, now that would rake in some money.

@carlos No there is definitely no cat in the 501sx, you can take off the deflector and spark screen and see right into the cylinder. They must be a well designed engine, because others have to use the likes of a Cat, or Strato technology, even Autotune , Mtronic and now fuel injection, if this newer tech is to control emissions and echo can do it without any such tech, then they are on top of their game. Edit, there is also a small tube behind the spark screen that you can pull out then you can see the cylinder outlet.

Hi carlos, thank you for commenting, yes, the 501sx is a fine saw, I have had two of them, they completed their tasks well, power to weight ratio on them is very good. The reason I wanted to try an AT or MT saw was so my son could also use it, we live at very different altitudes, and I would feel better knowing he did not need to screw around with the carb, and for what its worth parts availability should be better if needed, as they are a more popular brand.

There are emission laws in the EU, the manufacturers need to comply with them, I would not like to be the one taken to court to explain why I thought these laws governing emissions were of no importance to the point I decided to change them for myself.