Echo 280e Trouble shoot

[StihlZ]

I'd firstly like to introduce myself, I live in Oregon and work as a machinist, I cut two to three cords of wood per year plus whatever we burn in hunting camp (which can be a LOT). I always just ran my saw and kept it fed and well maintained. I discovered this site after looking for more power out of my ms 310. I quickly discovered that it is in fact a pig in comparison to a pro saw. Turns out my brother in law had an 036 and 044 that needed homes. I sold the 310 and now have five saws that followed me home. So after some lurking and nurturing my new addiction to hand held two stroke fun I have a question the search results did not answer. I have an Echo 280e that will run but spits fuel out the carb throat the entire time. It came with no air cleaner so that will be fixed before going into service as a quad/truck saw. I ave not done a compression or pressure/vac test as I got it to fire and run. The carb settings that got me running are suspect though. Low screw turned to the seat and high one and a quarter out just to the point of not smoking clouds. My guess is that the carb needs rebuilt or replaced when combined with spitting fuel and the all the way in low needle. Saw rebuild kits for $8 on fleabay, haven't checked complete carb prices but I'm not daunted by a rebuild. Am I tracking the right problem here? And reed valves are new to me as far as tuning and performance, how do I know if they are good or not? This seems like it'd be a good limbing/brush saw if it ran well. Right now though it spools up pretty slowly, at the point I wouldn't want to clear anymore than a few branches with it. Thanks in advance, this site is great!
Just because it's not a thread without pics [emoji6]


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[Grande Dog]

Howdy,
More than likely you have a woodchip, or something holding the reed valve open. Could possibly be the muffler spark arrestor screen is plugged. There is also a rubber boot that sits over the adjustment screws that needs to be in place, or it can suck debris in. If you're careful, you should be able to get the reed block (behind carb) out and clean it without wrecking the gaskets.
Regards
Gregg

 

[StihlZ]

Seems like a very likely scenario as I know it'd been run with no air filter for who knows how long and I discovered that a previous owner had drilled a number of holes in the air cleaner cover. I put a piece of stainless screen behind the holes and whittled a sponge into shape for a makeshift filter for the time being. I'll have to check that reed valve tomorrow since work is about to rear it's annoying head. It was making a new to me sound when I was working on getting it started, sort of a high pitched whistle/fart noise I guess. Hopefully that is a symptom of a reed with something stuck in it? Thanks for the pointer and I will update as I get this sorted.


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[sundance]

I can't help with the problems. Have a CS-290EVL which is about 40 years old, still runs pretty well. Real handy for light cutting. Once you get it sorted out I think you'll like it.

 

[StihlZ]

I think so too, I like compactness of it and it seems to has some reasonable power even as it runs now. Just wish it had the chain brake, those don't seem easy to find. Probably gonna be next week before I get another crack at mine though, camping over the weekend and some turkeys to butcher.


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[StihlZ]

Pretty sure I found the culprit, it was a wood chip lodged right at the bottom of the reed. I will reassemble and check for function but I have a follow up question now. In the profile pic is the reed supposed to sit off the block like that or should it be flat? Just curious as reeds are new to me.

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[Grande Dog]

Howdy,
All the ones I've seen have had a gap but, smaller than what you have. I always just flipped them over.
Regards
Gregg

 

[StihlZ]

I think I will as it still needs the screws turned way in to run. Not sure just what is going on but I may have to vac/pressure test it


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