Echo 355T Repair Quirk

[Wood Doctor]

I worked on an Echo 355T saw last year for a friend and it ran fine. He brought it in yesterday and asked me to repair the pull cord. It seemed OK to pull without removing the outer panel cover for inspection, but I decided to remove the cover and inspect it. Here's what I ran into: the threads on all four screws that hold the panel to the case are completely stripped. Any attempt to remove them with a wrench is impossible, yet the cover is holding tight to the case, and I can't even pry it off or knock any of the screws loose. The screws spin CW and CCW but will not allow removal and I cannot pry them up with any tool that I have.

I have never run into this before, and as it stands, I cannot service this saw in my shop. Any future repairs to the pull cord, flywheel, ignition module, etc. are virtually impossible for me to do. Looks like it might have been done using a torque wrench set way too high and that's my immediate conclusion. There is plenty of evidence that some other mechanic worked on this saw since I last did. I do not even own a torque wrench and never use a power wrench of any kind. Do you also think that is likely what happened? Any suggestions on how I can proceed to remove this cover? TIA.

 

[esean]

How about using a screw extractor? If the holes are reamed out try slightly larger screws to reassemble.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Seems like the holes are not really reamed out. There is some tension when turning both directions and I cannot pry the screws out either. That's what makes this event so strange. I don't see how a damaged screw extractor would work here.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Time to consult the service manual me thinks.

 

[Syflan]

Possibly drill the heads off, pop the cover, grab the stubs with lock pliers and pull?

 

[river of smoak]

any evidence of loctite ? a bit of heat maybe would help

 

[Chevboy0167]

I bet they have brass inserts into the plastic like Stihl and others use. Somebody cranked on the bolts or cross threaded and stripped the plastic around the inserts so they just spin. But yes, most times will not come out of the plastic.

Try to drill or cut the heads off if ya can. Went through this ordeal with them 2 TS420 demos saws I had across my bench.

Bought new inserts from the bay and used some JB Weld plastic bonder around the new inserts when put back into the plastic case.....



https://www.ebay.com/itm/3342171908...yJnGwnMn7UFT1mRfIzeRDanC9w|tkp:Bk9SR97miNa5Yg

 

[Wood Doctor]

I guess the other question I have to ask the forum is, "Why would any mechanic use a torque driver or his own strength to continue to strip four chainsaw cover screws, one right after the other?"

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

They do have a splined brass insert, which is probably now spinning but won't allow the screws to remove.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Yup. Had two of these last year, same issue. I wound up stripping the cases of all usable parts and trashing them. Extremely poor design with those inserts…sad. The inserts stripped…in the plastic. the screws didn’t strip.
I did manage to salvage the recoil units, however but can’t remember exactly how

all I could do was tell the tree service owner to tell his guys not to over torque those screws next time.

oh, don’t forget to pull the little oil tank vents…

 

[scottr]

Edwin pictures of this panel to case area sure would help .
Scott

 

[coffeebrk]

Rear inserts. Looks like they are very slightly recessed.

 

[coffeebrk]

Starter pic. Looks daunting to remove screws. Starter cover may have to be sacrificed and replaced

 

[Breckinridge Elkins]

Oh man you were the last to touch it, that means it's your fault. I battle this every day.

 

[AlotL1keVegas]

The echos have brass inserts for the recoil cover screws. Atleast my cs360t does.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Rear inserts. Looks like they are very slightly recessed.

Edwin pictures of this panel to case area sure would help .
Scott

There is really nothing to show. The screws look good and simply spin either direction like a top. They don't move up or down in either case. This saw will be joining my boneyard as soon as the coil and/or pull cord gives up. It has hundreds of hours on it. I hate to show the owner what happened, but it really is no longer worth fooling with. Thanks guys,

 

[cscltd]

Husqvarna 235, 240 used the idea for the top cylinder cover- covers would not stay on as insert spun and actually came out of block, but no oversized insert to put in that I could find. Jb weld would work as a bandaid to hold insert in.
I wonder if Stihls method of just using screw into plastic housing like on a ms194-200 starter being cheaper idea actually better- at least you can oversize screw once or twice?

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

It's crazy but I accidentally put a stihl screw in my echo 330t and broke the screw head off ! With out stripping the cover insert . Idk what kind of hamfisted Gorilla spun those inserts but they missed their calling as a road block.

 

[Chevboy0167]

Wood Doctor...... as a last ditch effort, try to get a pic or small small small screwdriver under the head of offending bolts. Get a 40 watt soldering iron and put tip on bolt heads, heating them up, and pry up. Idea is to pop the insert out of the case.... hopefully....

This will leave a gaping hole, but you might be able to try new inserts, smoother them in that JB Weld plastic bonder then jamb them in the holes and pray they hold. Let dry for 2-3 days.

Some money and time be involved, but it just may work iffin ya get the old ones out!

https://www.jbweld.com/product/plastic-bonder-syringe

 

[huskihl]

Pry the cover out while spinning the screws. Once the cover is off fill the case holes and re-drill for longer self threading screws