Echo CS-400 probs

[cciaffone]

I have a fairly new (summer 2008) ECHO CS-400. It has
only limbed one downed pine, and ran not so well
at that.

But now, although it starts great, give it some gas and smoke
and black globs blow out from underneath, maybe about
where the chain is driven and/or oiled??

I am guessing it's a gonner, but have no idea what might
have broken nor why.

chuck

 

[trouba]

Take it back to the dealer Echo has a 5 year consumer warranty.

 

[mountainlake]

Is the chain brake off? Steve

 

[lawnmowertech37]

Take it back to the dealer Echo has a 5 year consumer warranty.

+ 1 you do nothing to it let the experts handle it where in NC are you ?

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Chain brake on?
Chain too tight?
Does the chain move easily by hand?

When you say it didnt work all that well when it was new, can you eleaborate?

If in doubt, use the warranty, take it back to the dealer and tell them you want them to give it a once over..

Any time a saw is smoking under the bar cover, that is bar oil BURNING off of something, be it the clutch, housing...whatever. This means that there is heat, and heat shouldnt build, the cltuch should engage, spool up the chain, with no real heat formation.

 

[lawnmowertech37]

i agree with red could be friction somewhere in the system causing it to overheat have who you got it from check it from point a to point b to see if there is a issue somewhere

 

[Octane]

Did you perhaps forget to put bar oil in it? It could also be that you have the chain set too tight.
Either way, I say take it to a dealer and let them look at it. Whether you bought it from a dealer or from The Home Depot, it has a 5 year warranty.

 

[cciaffone]

To answer some q's:

1. It never ran well in that after warm up it would
often stall when given gas.

2. Chain oil is/was full.

3. Chain had just a bit of slack. About right when
compared with my aged Poulan Pro (which I shall go
back to using after this dismal experience with echo).

4.On the occaision it smoked etc, never really got to
use it long enough to get it hot. Started smoking and the
black globs within seconds.

5. I'll try the local Echo-authorized repair place but they
have a really bad rep here.

6. Oh yes, here is durham nc

 

[Poley4]

The only thing you didn't answer was: Is the chain brake on and does the chain roll freely on the bar?

 

[lawnmowertech37]

To answer some q's:

1. It never ran well in that after warm up it would
often stall when given gas.

2. Chain oil is/was full.

3. Chain had just a bit of slack. About right when
compared with my aged Poulan Pro (which I shall go
back to using after this dismal experience with echo).

4.On the occaision it smoked etc, never really got to
use it long enough to get it hot. Started smoking and the
black globs within seconds.

5. I'll try the local Echo-authorized repair place but they
have a really bad rep here.

6. Oh yes, here is durham nc

if they have a bad rep i would take it down the road a ways to raliegh or garner there is actually a dealer in garner that is echo certified where i got some of my mac parts from back in janurary if you want i can get his phone number for you it may take me a while to do that opps i forgot he is on ebay he did leave feedback on my ebay name cmsmallengines also maybe someone in chapel hill or hillsborough can help out you being in durham how are the bulls doing ? you know where falls lake is ? how is the fishing there ?

 

[RED-85-Z51]

To answer some q's:

1. It never ran well in that after warm up it would
often stall when given gas.

2. Chain oil is/was full.

3. Chain had just a bit of slack. About right when
compared with my aged Poulan Pro (which I shall go
back to using after this dismal experience with echo).

4.On the occaision it smoked etc, never really got to
use it long enough to get it hot. Started smoking and the
black globs within seconds.

5. I'll try the local Echo-authorized repair place but they
have a really bad rep here.

6. Oh yes, here is durham nc

Dismal?

Sounds like the saw had a problem from the get go, was it setup at a dealer, or was it a HomeDepot purchase that you setup? If it was a dealer setup saw, you should have taken it back at the first sign of a problem, and allowed them an opportunity to repair it or replace it.

Continuing to use a saw that you know isnt working right isnt good.

We have a couple saws come back every year, usually it's people that have put the chain on backwards, fried the clutch with the brake on, straight gassed it, only had 2 total this whole season that had legitamate warranty problems.

One was an Echo hand held Power Blower. The hub that secures the fan failed, the flywheel came loose as a result. Echo had a new hub, hardware and flywheel on our counter that afternoon, and the customer picked it up the following morning, no charge at all, and our apoligies.

The other was an Echo SRM-210 trimmer. The customer brought it back 2 weeks after purchasing it, said the recoil wouldnt engage. I found sand all behind the recoil, it has wedged the starter pawl over.. I cleaned it out, worked great. Came back a week later, same problem, once again, full of sand. But now it wouldnt rev up. I pulled the carb down, and it had dirt in it.

So I blew it out, replaced the fuel filter, air filter, etc...worked like new.

Came back a month later, wouldnt rev up.

Echo said to put on a new Carb, new recoil assembly with pawls. Did it...so far, it seems to have worked.

I put the carb off that trimmer on the trimmer we use at the shop and it has had a good 5 hours put on it and works flawlessly...so I dont know.

 

[mountainlake]

Dismal?

Sounds like the saw had a problem from the get go, was it setup at a dealer, or was it a HomeDepot purchase that you setup? If it was a dealer setup saw, you should have taken it back at the first sign of a problem, and allowed them an opportunity to repair it or replace it.

Continuing to use a saw that you know isnt working right isnt good.

We have a couple saws come back every year, usually it's people that have put the chain on backwards, fried the clutch with the brake on, straight gassed it, only had 2 total this whole season that had legitamate warranty problems.

One was an Echo hand held Power Blower. The hub that secures the fan failed, the flywheel came loose as a result. Echo had a new hub, hardware and flywheel on our counter that afternoon, and the customer picked it up the following morning, no charge at all, and our apoligies.

The other was an Echo SRM-210 trimmer. The customer brought it back 2 weeks after purchasing it, said the recoil wouldnt engage. I found sand all behind the recoil, it has wedged the starter pawl over.. I cleaned it out, worked great. Came back a week later, same problem, once again, full of sand. But now it wouldnt rev up. I pulled the carb down, and it had dirt in it.

So I blew it out, replaced the fuel filter, air filter, etc...worked like new.

Came back a month later, wouldnt rev up.

Echo said to put on a new Carb, new recoil assembly with pawls. Did it...so far, it seems to have worked.

I put the carb off that trimmer on the trimmer we use at the shop and it has had a good 5 hours put on it and works flawlessly...so I dont know.

Maybe tell him not to throw it down in the sand. Steve

 

[67 Mustang]

I've got an almost new CS-400 just purchased off Ebay. Pulled chain cover off after using it the first time to clean and check underneath. When I put it back on and tightened slightly, I noticed that the chain got so tight that it was hard to turn by hand. After checking I noticed that the cover was not seated properly at the rear and was forcing the chain against the guide in front and rubbing against it. That would of course cause the chain to rub the guide it you were running it and heat up...chain and guide. Loosed bar nuts and reseated cover. If you look down from the top of the bar cover at the rear you can see whether it is seated properly or being slightly held off.
BTW - I live near Burlington, NC.

Steve

 

[Javelin]

How do you like the 400?

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I've got an almost new CS-400 just purchased off Ebay. Pulled chain cover off after using it the first time to clean and check underneath. When I put it back on and tightened slightly, I noticed that the chain got so tight that it was hard to turn by hand. After checking I noticed that the cover was not seated properly at the rear and was forcing the chain against the guide in front and rubbing against it. That would of course cause the chain to rub the guide it you were running it and heat up...chain and guide. Loosed bar nuts and reseated cover. If you look down from the top of the bar cover at the rear you can see whether it is seated properly or being slightly held off.
BTW - I live near Burlington, NC.

Steve

You'd be surprised how many Saws come in with those tabs busted off...people dont pay any attention to that stuff at all. I see alot of people that opt for rim drive clutches, and dont bother to put the chain on the rim...it makes a mess and of course they blame the saw.

People also seem to like to use ratchets and sockets to put the bar nuts on...

Alot of people complained when echo came out with their side bar tensioner system. It is simple, inexpensive, and it works fine....if the bar nuts are loose. People stripped gears all the time from not loosening the bar nuts..of course it was the saws fault too.

Then you have your people that run the things without bar oil, and complain that it isnt oiling..And the people that are too cheap to run bar oil, so they run motor oil, and complain about the mess...again, always the saws fault.

 

[Javelin]

so tru with many brands! I especially love the used motor oil for bar oil! It is great on those bars!

 

[67 Mustang]

How do you like the 400?

Really like the CS-400 so far. Haven't had it very long and haven't had a chance to use it much. It is light. Starts easily. Revs well. Cuts well. IMO and in my experience, does what a small 40cc saw should do. Very happy with everything about it so far...and the price. It's my first echo.

Very grateful for the folks on AS like Red who give Echo equal time and fair consideration in their responses. I need that expertise. It's helping me to do a better job looking after my own equipment. I've learned a great deal on AS in a short time about saw maintenance. I've been running them for over 40 years and not afraid to admit I can learn from the experience of others.

Thanks to all the AS members who use fairness and patience in their thread responses.


Steve

 

[Chris J.]

Well said, Steve :agree2: .

 

[RED-85-Z51]

so tru with many brands! I especially love the used motor oil for bar oil! It is great on those bars!

We have a customer with a 440, he brought it in wanting a new bar and chain, new spur, etc...total overhaul.

So I did it all for him, and he comes back 2 days later angry that his chain was sticking...

The bottom of the bar at the kerf was bare metal, and blue..the tip was bare metal and black at the edges. The chain was silvery with bent cutting teeth, and dirt was packed under the bar cover.

The spur was salvagable..But the bar and chain were SOL.

He wanted new parts, for free. I asked him what he was using the saw for..he told me it was not important. I asked if he was stumping with it...he denied that claim.

It had no bar oil in it, and the bar was notched after the sprocket...

Finally he admitted he was stumping with it, and that he had been running it dry on oil because the dirt and oil was making a mess under the cover...

Guy is a real Genius...I mean, a real freakin Einstein.

We kicked in a free chain, but he had to replace the bar...Kept him as a customer at least, but told him this was the end of the freebies. He said that he used that method a dozen times with the old bar and chain and it never gave gim any problems....:monkey:

Sure...

 

[volks-man]

Finally he admitted he was stumping with it, and that he had been running it dry on oil because the dirt and oil was making a mess under the cover...

Guy is a real Genius...I mean, a real freakin Einstein.

We kicked in a free chain, but he had to replace the bar...Kept him as a customer at least, but told him this was the end of the freebies. He said that he used that method a dozen times with the old bar and chain and it never gave gim any problems....:monkey:

Sure...

come on red, you know the old bar and chain was on an ms361, therefore it had no problems!