Echo

Whats the nearest pro saw to the 346 Husqvarna currently make, was the Jonsered 2153 it's red cousin, I regrettably sold mine just because I got the same price I paid for it when I completed the job, bad mistake.

Nice size of saw, good choice in bar length too, I avoid every inch of bar I can. My 50cc has a 16, my 34cc a 14, my previous 50cc had a 15 and an 18, just so I could cut bushes close to the ground without bending. Though that saw never seemed to loose anything power ways with the longer bar, it ran cool no matter how long a day it had. I hope you get a good return on your investment, thats the Husqvarna bar made by Husqvarna you have there, they are supposed to be a good bar.

There are a lot of variables. I put more oil in the mix at one time, left the carb as it was, just to see how it would effect the saw, it ran cooler, even without adjustments. It seems to me that some engines cope with different mixtures and take it in their stride, some are more susceptible to such. There is a lot we do not know in regard to how effective any Two Stroke engine design is at lubricating the lower end and the cylinder below the rings, all we can do is monitor any given situation and adjust as best we see.

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.

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.

I agree, did not get around to testing today though. The little I tested before, oil brought down the temperature, as did running on the rich side. Am told the oil carries the heat away out the exhaust, I had saws that I was unhappy with, they were running hot in my estimation, so I played about with different amounts of oil in the mix, and altered fueling, and could always lower the temperature, have them four-stroking, nice plug condition, and no failures, I like to do what I can to make things last, give me an old 650 rpm lister any day, that stuff is older than me and still going on just about every continent, well until the scrap men get their eyes on it. These new oils are something am getting used to, they really do work in a completely different way.

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

So the extra oil added to the petrol, does not somehow go through the carburettor, because if it does, it has got to have ousted the same amount of petrol in doing so, as said, constants at work, same amount of air sucked in, and same amount of drag through the carb, thus the same volume of fuel mixed with oil get sucked in, except now there is less fuel and more oil passing by the needles. Yes, plug fouling is also a result of too much oil, as is ring sticking and carbon build up, its a fine line, but if in doubt I would add a little extra oil than go the other way. The new oils though do seem to be better at their job. I have ran Two liters through a small Echo CS 352, the fuel can was clean, that fuel was finished this evening, I put my finger into the fuel can and rubbed around the top of the can, was delighted to find an ever so slight oily film all over the inside of the can, this came from shaking the fuel before fills, just a couple of swishes, amazing stuff, the plug in the saw is in great shape, that was 50:1, I now have a mix of 40:1 ready for tomorrow, so will be able to see how this changes the tune of the saw, same petrol, same oil, just different ratio. To me there is a fine line, and there is basically three options, #Use 50:1 or whatever the manufacturer specifies and tune correctly #Use 50:1 and tune richer to aid lubrication, cooling, and run slightly slower #Use more oil in your mix and tune to your four-stroking Option Three is the one I like, but One and Two are also good options, and based on our needs and our experiences we each have to choose for ourself.

Adding more oil to a given amount of petrol, and not adjusting the carb to compensate, means the engine sees less petrol, and a little more oil, its the petrol that fuels the engine and it must be brought back up to the correct level or the engine will run leaner, because the air to fuel / petrol ratio has been changed.

More lube is a good thing, but as stated by others, it does change your Mix ratio, which you should bring back into line, as that bit of extra oil does lean the saw and that is not good, if your on 50:1, and want to use 40:1, make your saw rich by turning out the High screw, a little, just enough to ensure it is four-stroking a tad too much, then add you newly Mixed 40:1, the saw should still be four-stroking, if not you still need to give it a bit more fuel, may be even on the Low screw too, depending on whether or not the saw is bogging down when going from idle to full throttle, if its not bogging down then give it more juice on the High until the engine four- strokes, it probably wont take much if your saw was tuned right for milling to start with, but it should be addressed. Its better to foul a plug if your adjustment is too rich or you are running too much oil than to fly the saw, a plug is a lot cheaper, looking at your plug if your not sure of your tune is a good thing, it will soot up in no time if you are running too rich, when you think your tune is spot on, check the plug after a tank, that plug will tell you what you need to do. You should not need much adjusting of the H, and may be none on the Low going from 50:1 to 40:1 unless you were running too lean to start with, otherwise you will need just a little to get her four-stroking again. Not suggesting anyone do this, but I doubled the 50:1 dose just to show someone what is possible, I still had less smoke than people I see using their saws every day, almost undetectable, but the saw was tuned to run it, more fuel added as mentioned above, no that was an extreme example just to demonstrate that normal amounts of oil and proper carb adjustment is achievable and definitely advisable.

No electronic controlled carb on a Dolmar or Makita as of yet anyway. I agree, this new stuff does not seem to be sticking the course like the older saws did. But the MT AT is well buried in epoxy to keep us from deciphering it. I think the vibrations of the saw will knock these electronic control units out through time, which will certainly happen way before 20 years, or 40 odd in case of my old 041 Stihl. The Dolmar / Makita don't have that kind of electronics, so should be repairable for a lot longer. After-market parts are also available for them too, has anyone seen an AT or MT after-market part, even if someone did manage to decipher them they would end up in court, and because of the nature of such electronics would after-market copies hold out, even a solenoid, lots to consider in that sense. And now they have started down that road, am quite sure they will ensure last years parts wont be worth a monkey on a newer saw, thats how they keep turning us over and emptying out pockets, all in the interest of bringing us the best possible saw of course, and saving the environment.

Build quality would be my concern until proven otherwise, it cuts great though, but no greater than a 462, so why pay the premium for almost identical results.

Not so much shit about it, same happened when some ingenious folks took the engine out of a Makita con saw and put it in a chain saw, it too ran at about 10k when in wood, of course harder woods pulled it a little where softer ones not so much, lets hope some one did not copy someones homework, that Makita was fuel injected too, hmmm. But I think that if this 10k thing was the case it is not so anymore, at least not in any online video I have seen comaring the 500i and the 572, the Stihl seems a tad faster, but no one used the same chains and that there is all it would take to make the difference I see. Durabillity of the Stihl would concern me until proven otherwise, the Husqvarna problems were mainly hot starts and heat resulting in top end trouble, Stihl had more lower end trouble, so I would take the 572 for me, even the 462 is supposed to cut with the 500i so why pay more money for fuel injection when the MT has been doing a rather good job.

A 261 is not much heavier than the 241, but has way more power, I commented on your other thread, but reading what you are cutting, 365 Husky or 7900 Makita would make more sense. Just in case you do not know, the 7900 saw can be turned into a 73 or 64cc saw by changing the cylinder and piston, makes any potential rebuild easy to do as you have a choice of three cylinder piston combinations, only saying. I do however think the 365 is a calmer saw, and may be more suited to your experience and certainly will do your job too. Have you looked at the 555 rancher, would be big enough too, it has autotune unlike the 365 or 7900. How about a Makita 6100, they are a power house, stay cool too under pressure. Lots of options, good luck in choosing.

Can't go wrong at that price for that power, I liked mine when I had it, but not enough big stuff to keep her going so she found a new home.

Here is a link to a sponsor, showing the Dolmar 420 saws, Dolmar are german, bought by Makita, very reliable saws, the larger 50cc is very well regarded, you will get the same saw as a Dolmar or Makita, just different colours here, in the US both brand names are now Red.

Hi JC1234 Some more information would help those in the know give some advise, such as the average size of wood you intend to cut, how quickly you want to cut it, and any other important information, for example did you get a half acre of trees on a huge slope, wouldn't want to be holding a huge saw on that kind of ground. How much experience do you have with sawing, in the post refereed to just above people brought up a good point concerning the temperament and usability of some saws especially in the hands of people who do not have a lot of experience. Once you know your limits, and the size of wood your going to tackle and how quickly you wish to get through it, there are many brands that are worth investing in. I've had Husky, Jonsered, Stihl, Makita and Echo, they all make saws that differ slightly and this makes a saw from one brand may be more suitable than than what brand A has to offer. My next saw is going to be a smallish Makita EA4300, a saw I did not consider until I bought a small Echo with a narrow bar and chain, and was pleasantly surprised at how this thin setup sliced through wood. You can't go wrong with Makita / Dolmar or Echo, they are simple saws with a carb, no electronic fuel management system, like Husqvarna and Stihl have, if I were cutting wood to make a living I would probably chose a saw with an electronic fuel management system as it would pay for its self in a short time, unlike the firewood cutter who needs to keep cost down as his returns are no where near the same as for those getting paid to knock trees. These electronically managed saws also eliminate problems with going from low to high altitude as they adjust the fuel input to suit, they are also in most cases more fuel efficient too which matters when you use enough of the stuff especially in larger saws. Second hand saws, if you can get one that was not abused are a good bet too, am sure there are members on here who have such items, new ones too, and hopefully you will get some offers. Support is another factor, you need a good saw shop where you can get parts if needed, and work carried out when its time, no saw is worth a bean if you have no support or parts availability, thats why it pays to buy off a reputable dealer, more so if you don't intend or can't fix your own saws. If money is a factor, and it is for most, Makita / Dolmar and Echo are a good saw. I like the new Husky saws too, they have the 545 mk 2 and its more lively big brother the 550xp, though some think these are not the best for cutting firewood, they are all over the Internet doing exactly that, I would agree they are not the saw for everybody, but depending on your situation they will certainly fly through the smaller wood with excellent results. Either way, hope you get sorted

Most likely used for jig-ing the bar to machine to spec.

Find a piece of round steel slightly bigger than the hole, cut a disc off it same width as bar or slightly less, squeeze it in with a G clamp, or do the same with a piece of plastic bar, you get it in the engineering shops for making bushings. If you have the original piece, clean well and stick back in with some of this new fangled epoxy or gorilla glue which expands, and clean up bar.

Thats the thing, how much of it will the OP ever get, a 79cc saw is no fun cutting up what most people get for firewood, I would look at hiring a big saw for when I had enough of the heavy stuff piled up for a day or Two 's cutting and get a saw that would be more suited to what ever it is I cut most. But yes, a big saw is a must if the OP has a lot of big wood, but he needs to be weary, thats a huge jump in power to keep under control. I like the 7900, had one when I needed it, sold on now.

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.

Exactly, good saw but probably too heavy for the OP 's work, he is coming off a ms 180, and the 7900 can drink some fuel too, a firewood cutter may not appreciate that kind of thirst.

Nothing wrong with a 550 for cutting firewood, there is a lot of short fast cuts involved there too, lots of branches, and if your cutting them into logs you will also find the quick acceleration and cutting speed an advantage, people are correct in that its not a saw for burying in thick wood all day long, not made for it, but its 50cc like the OP asked for, its a brand name with lots of part outlets, it will cope with prolonged use, though as said, its snappy so you need to know how to use it. For standing in the one spot cutting logs all day, I would agree, a larger saw would be better, your only lifting it up and sitting it back down on a log, say once every 12 to 20 seconds depending on thickness of wood, this type of activity will not be very tiring so a bit more weight wont be as noticeable as it would dragging the same saw through the wood on rough ground and trying to limb with it. Makita 50cc or even larger would be a good firewood saw, Dolmar Echo and many other brands too, but I would not wish to carry a 365 or 372 for firewood, unless it was mostly big wood. I cut firewood with a Jonsered 2153, and had a 372 for the small amount of real heavy stuff involved, the 2153 was just as highly strung as the 550 though no rev boost, and I liked it for cutting branches into logs, and cutting just about all of the tree into logs, always avoided starting the 372 because the 50cc saw had plenty of grunt, right enough I used a low pro 3/8 chain, which took the stress of the saw in the heavy cuts. Its good that the topic of the 550 's high chain speed and it firey nature came up, as it is a real consideration that needs to be considered by the OP, there are other saws better mannered for his task, personal preference will play a part too, some like lively, some like steady. Nearly everyone around me use the 550 or the 261 for cutting firewood, not real large trees here anymore, and unless one has heavy machinery to lift and transport such then then the bigger trees need to come cheap or be avoided for the ordinary firewood cutter, there is only so much you can spend before its cheaper to buy oil coal or gas. Most of the wood a fire wood cutter gets is small, or too large to bother with, so its mostly small straggly stuff, big difference in this and cutting in forest where most trees are similar in size, and thus a 550 would struggle if being burred all day, where it certainly would not be burred with the kind of stuff most of us get for free, or a small fee, we all know there is more calorific value in smaller wood than in the same wood in larger format, I gladly let the greedy have the thick end of things, and let them sledge away all day, carrying splitting using more fuel and burning out themselves and their equipment.

@Brooklandsbob I sent you a pm with a link to the new 550xp mk 2, not sure if I could post it here so did not want to take a chance.

Double post, see below