Echo CS-400 Chainsaw Muffler Mods

[zogger]

I got mine about 4 years ago and it was a decent runner but felt underpowered. I didn't want to void my warranty so I lived with it.

I finally took the plunge last week and drilled out the cat and pulled the limiter caps. Man, oh man what a difference that makes!

Now I just need to throw decent loop of chain on there instead of that crappy 91VG it came with. Why did I wait so long?

Just on general principles, I would think stock, run around ten tanks, if it hasn't broken and need warranty repairs by then, mod it. Ten tanks on a new saw should be enough to seat the rings and give ya an idea on how it runs.

Now I would make sure the H is as far rich as possible with the limiters first.

 

[RedFir Down]

I am unable to see the slides can anyone send them to me thanks

I used a 3/4" hole saw to eliminate the cat. Be sure to clean up any remaining CAT material after you drill it out. (Go slow at first, the bit will try to walk around a little)



Next open the outlet on the muffler.



Then trim the deflector. I cut out the "flat" portion on the left side and cut the rounded part back a little too.



Also make sure you rinse out all the shavings and filings before you reinstall the muffler. (Degreaser and hot water works well for me)

 

[Philbert]

Thanks for the pics.

Philbert

 

[handsplit!]

I modified the muffler on my Echo CS-400 Chainsaw, mostly based on recent recommendations provided by many individuals posting in other threads on this forum.

However, I thought it might be interesting to quantify the airflow differences of the mods using a Superflow SF-110 flowbench. You can see how the various pieces of the muffler contribute to the airflow results, as well as a direct before/after comparison. The attachments tell the story.

I have a powerpoint file of all these attachements if anyone wants a copy.

Enjoy! Comments welcomed/appreciated.

-erik

I would! Thanks

 

[rmotoman]

I would! Thanks

Since this thread is 5 years old I'm not sure team fast is still around. There sure were some great pics and info lost.

The cs400 responds very well to pulling the caps and a muffler mod.

 

[genestar]

I still run mine.
Used it this weekend for light pruning work.
I used it last Oct. on my elk hunt to cut up enough aspen for 11 nights worth of bonfires.
Iron wood, mesquite, salt cedar.....it does it all without complaints.
I have two larger saws that have their strong points, but the CS400 is still super easy to start and light weight.
If it died on the next job, I'd buy another one.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[Brushpile]

I reckon the old CS400 is a pretty decent saw.
The trunk was fell by the power company. They left the rest for me to play with.
30+". Wasn't sure how it would do. Did just fine.

 

[handsplit!]

I reckon the old CS400 is a pretty decent saw.
The trunk was fell by the power company. They left the rest for me to play with.
30+". Wasn't sure how it would do. Did just fine.
View attachment 437092 View attachment 437093

Im really happy with the CS-400. Wanting a bit more tho. Really like the CS-590!! Just cut into some 32" diameter popular. No problem! Next theres a 30" oak and 55' long shagbark hickory im workimg on. Ill try and post some photos.

 

[Team FAST]

I am still around!

I will attach images of my slides from 2010. Enjoy!

Slide 1

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 2

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 3

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 4

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 5

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 6

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 7

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 8

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 9

 

[Team FAST]

Slide 10

 

[Team FAST]

And finally, Slide 11

Looking back at this, it's really not rocket science. I just wanted to provide some flow data to provide a little science to back up the "art" of muffler modding. The flow numbers align well with the actual performance improvements of the saw. Many folks have done this type mod over the years and provided me with similar feedback.

Glad everyone still finds this useful!

 

[Ira Mcclurkin]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and find it very interesting. Are there any recommendations for modifying the Echo cs680 chainsaw?