Echo 2511t problems

[cndfirewood]

I have had an echo 2511t for about 2 years now. Found one at a pawn shop and fell in love. Its the first top handled saw I've owned and I use it daily.
However, I find myself constantly working on it. It tends to overheat after about an hour, so now I have 2. But when one is down for repairs, I have to constantly give it breaks so that it doesn't randomly smoke. It also has a constant flow of vapor coming out of the vent.
Another issue is the oil system randomly stops getting oil to the bar. The only way I have fixed that is to disassemble the saw, clean EVERYTHING, and that gets very annoying as I still don't know what causes it to start happening.
Does anyone have advice on these issues or a recommendation for a saw as lightweight as the 2511??

 

[Timber MacFallen]

I have had an echo 2511t for about 2 years now. Found one at a pawn shop and fell in love. Its the first top handled saw I've owned and I use it daily.
However, I find myself constantly working on it. It tends to overheat after about an hour, so now I have 2. But when one is down for repairs, I have to constantly give it breaks so that it doesn't randomly smoke. It also has a constant flow of vapor coming out of the vent.
Another issue is the oil system randomly stops getting oil to the bar. The only way I have fixed that is to disassemble the saw, clean EVERYTHING, and that gets very annoying as I still don't know what causes it to start happening.
Does anyone have advice on these issues or a recommendation for a saw as lightweight as the 2511??

How do you know it's overheating- what are the symptoms?

Assuming you're running a 40:1 to 50:1 mix and you don't have any airflow blockages (or air leaks) there shouldn't be any overheating or smoking- regardless of how much you use it. The only exception is if you're overloading the engine somehow.

What size bar and chain are you running on it? The 2511t is the smallest top handle in North America and is intended for light duty tree work when climbing.

As for the oiling for the bar- you've confirmed that there's no blockages on the bar itself and the oil filter screen is ok inside the tank?

Echo saws are simple and reliable and very well made. They shouldn't have issues unless there's an issue with an air leak/blockage or pushing the saw too hard for too long.

 

[cndfirewood]

How do you know it's overheating- what are the symptoms?

Assuming you're running a 40:1 to 50:1 mix and you don't have any airflow blockages (or air leaks) there shouldn't be any overheating or smoking- regardless of how much you use it. The only exception is if you're overloading the engine somehow.

What size bar and chain are you running on it? The 2511t is the smallest top handle in North America and is intended for light duty tree work when climbing.

As for the oiling for the bar- you've confirmed that there's no blockages on the bar itself and the oil filter screen is ok inside the tank?

Echo saws are simple and reliable and very well made. They shouldn't have issues unless there's an issue with an air leak/blockage or pushing the saw too hard for too long.

Symptoms are random smoke and I start to see a very small "leak" out of the vent, and at the time that starts happening, the saw refuses to idle and the chain expands, causing it to tighten until I let it cool down for a couple minutes. Porting the muffler helped some, but not much.

Not sure what to consider overloading it, however I do use that saw for much more than light duty. I
use it about 90% of the time. On oak, mesquite, pecan, and sometimes cedar and others. I only pull out my bigger saws when absolutely necessary.

Running a 12" Oregon chain and bar

With the oil problem, I have checked everything I could think of. Surely something got clogged and I unclogged it when I cleaned it. It's just weird to me that anytime it's happened, I haven't been able to catch where or what was clogged. I just clean everything and it's fixed for a while.

 

[Timber MacFallen]

Symptoms are random smoke and I start to see a very small "leak" out of the vent, and at the time that starts happening, the saw refuses to idle and the chain expands, causing it to tighten until I let it cool down for a couple minutes. Porting the muffler helped some, but not much.

Not sure what to consider overloading it, however I do use that saw for much more than light duty. I
use it about 90% of the time. On oak, mesquite, pecan, and sometimes cedar and others. I only pull out my bigger saws when absolutely necessary.

Running a 12" Oregon chain and bar

With the oil problem, I have checked everything I could think of. Surely something got clogged and I unclogged it when I cleaned it. It's just weird to me that anytime it's happened, I haven't been able to catch where or what was clogged. I just clean everything and it's fixed for a while.

Sounds like you're overworking it and using it outside the design intent. It's a climbing saw for handling stuff say 10" or smaller as you're working your way up/down the tree. It's only 25cc.

If you're working on the ground just get a proper rear handle saw in the 35-42cc range that's under 10 pounds.

If you're cutting something big and working it hard at least let it idle for 30 seconds between cuts.

Out of curiosity, what type of fuel mix do you use?

 

[huskihl]

Chainsaws are cooled by air from the recoil fan and by the fuel. If you’re overheating, odds are you are tuned way too lean

 

[telecasterfool]

Do both of your 2511t's have the same problems?

 

[Timber MacFallen]

Chainsaws are cooled by air from the recoil fan and by the fuel. If you’re overheating, odds are you are tuned way too lean

It's a good point. The line of questioning suggested to me that he hadn't broken off the factory limiters and messed with settings, but I guess the previous owner might have done so.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Chainsaws are cooled by air from the recoil fan and by the fuel. If you’re overheating, odds are you are tuned way too lean

Or working it at way way to low of an RPM.

 

[Lightning Performance]

It's a good point. The line of questioning suggested to me that he hadn't broken off the factory limiters and messed with settings, but I guess the previous owner might have done so.

What is your top RPM tuned hot dry revs?

You must have some idea if the thing wasn't checked with a tachometer.
Less is more here.

 

[cndfirewood]

Do both of your 2511t's have the same problems?

Actually, yes and no. The original one that I bought at the pawn shop rarely has the issues. The one I bought new constantly has the problems!

 

[OM617YOTA]

Would check depth gauges too, make sure they're not too low.

 

[cndfirewood]

Sounds like you're overworking it and using it outside the design intent. It's a climbing saw for handling stuff say 10" or smaller as you're working your way up/down the tree. It's only 25cc.

If you're working on the ground just get a proper rear handle saw in the 35-42cc range that's under 10 pounds.

If you're cutting something big and working it hard at least let it idle for 30 seconds between cuts.

Out of curiosity, what type of fuel mix do you use?

I agree that I'm definitely using it outside it's intent. But I absolutely love the top handle design for anything off the ground. What more heavy duty, almost as lightweight saw would you recommend, either for giving this one a break, or to use more often than this one.
And I use 50:1 echo mix. Should I try 40:1?

 

[Timber MacFallen]

I agree that I'm definitely using it outside it's intent. But I absolutely love the top handle design for anything off the ground. What more heavy duty, almost as lightweight saw would you recommend, either for giving this one a break, or to use more often than this one.
And I use 50:1 echo mix. Should I try 40:1?

Going to a 40:1 mix won't make it run cooler, but it may help the long-term lifespan. I only asked in case you were running something way off like 25:1 which is going to make it run hotter unless you compensate for it with your jetting.

If you have to have a top handle and want to cut bigger stuff I'd look at the Echo CS-355T (8 pounds). If you don't mind a lightweight rear handle saw I'd look at the Echo CS-361P (only 8.4 pounds). It's the rear handle version of the CS-355T.

 

[telecasterfool]

The fact that one of the saws has the issue, and the other has it only occasionally suggests to me that one is running leaner, and getting hot. You admit you are running the saws hard. Since you are running them hard, without knowing what you know, and how you handle your saws, my advice is
1. learn how to tune the saw correctly. Run them slightly rich, since you are working them hard.
2. make sure the chain is always sharp. don't cut dirty wood or touch the chain to any dirt. Dull chain=dead saw
3. clean saws after any significant use. Bar oil holes get plugged, and a dirty saw will get hot

good luck!

 

[cookies]

Make sure all of the cylinder fins are clean and clear of crap or even a oil coating, same for the flywheel. If any baffles, air diverters or covers are missing or altered this will change the intended air flow direction and volume. once warmed up the engine should burble from excess fuel at max rpm until the chain touches wood then the engine should clean up and run perfect. It really sounds like the saw is just over the edge adjusted lean.

 

[cndfirewood]

Thank you everyone for the advice! I have ported the muffler, cleaned everything thoroughly (again), and retuned the carb. As well as allowing it to idle more often. Running way better so far. I also put a Stihl 201 on my future purchase list!

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

How is your chain sharpening abilities?

90% of problems I see with chainsaws (outside of poor fuel or bad mix) is dull chains or improperly adjusted depth gauges.

 

[Tobystihl]

Change the oil pickup filter for a Stihl one!

 

[cndfirewood]

Change the oil pickup filter for a Stihl one!

Which exact one?

 

[Pjohnson]

There is an air shutter on the carb for winter operation, per the manual having it closed in summer will cause it to overheat. I also find the cooling holes on the starter rope cover are pretty small and plug easily.