Husqvarna 550xp vs echo cs490

[rburg]

Thanks for the video. It looks cold there for sure.

 

[BGE541]

To the normal consumer that price difference and warrenty is making the echo look pretty good

 

[Sam_choq]

haha yep but for normal consumer i think the best place to buy a saw no think about the make ,
it's where the dealer have more knowledge about what he sell

 

[bikemike]

25cent rebuilt 550xp and 25cent rebuilt 490 with 502 head , no mod same chain-bar-sprocket-gaz oil motul800
It's was -25 degres this morning

550 is 10sec faster for cookies .
If you look at the advantage you can take a coffe brake in cut with the 490
If i ship me some where with only one saw and no acces , i will choose the echo
But for turn around and play choose 550xp

Frozen wood is tough to cut. Not like summer time

 

[Sam_choq]

yes and i have a good knowledge about this sometime here its -30 degrees one day next day 0 degrees make big difference in cut

 

[bikemike]

yes and i have a good knowledge about this sometime here its -30 degrees one day next day 0 degrees make big difference in cut

Yeah I se a taste of what you deal with in Minnesota this weekend is all 10 below actual temp

 

[mountainlake]

No sign of 4 stroking on the Echo, set way lean and boggy, stock with the clogged up muff? That's how they cut with no work done to them. Steve

 

[Sam_choq]

No sign of 4 stroking on the Echo, set way lean and boggy, stock with the clogged up muff? That's how they cut with no work done to them. Steve

Have you try the 490?

 

[noshow74]

No sign of 4 stroking on the Echo, set way lean and boggy, stock with the clogged up muff? That's how they cut with no work done to them. Steve

You can tune that echo and the 550 will still stomp it. I own a 550 I know how they cut. Not bashing echo as I own a couple and really like them. Still thinking of grabbing a 490 to mess around with but my 550 will still be king.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[Jet47]

Thanks for the video.
I own a 550xp and am not surprised at the outcome.
From what I hear, Echo makes a very reliable product. But I can attest that Husqvarna does as well, they also do the job quicker.
Sam_choq if you haven't already, cut a tree or two with a 562xp or Jonsered 2260.

 

[mountainlake]

Have you try the 490?

Yes I own a 500p and 490, not as much snort as the older 510, 520 or 530 saws which I'd run against any 50cc saw when both are muff modded. I agree the new 50cc Echos are down on power but not as bad as your vid as I've seen vids of them cutting right with a 261 Stihl. and other good saws. Steve

 

[Sam_choq]

Yes I own a 500p and 490, not as much snort as the older 510, 520 or 530 saws which I'd run against any 50cc saw when both are muff modded. I agree the new 50cc Echos are down on power but not as bad as your vid as I've seen vids of them cutting right with a 261 Stihl. and other good saws. Steve

Have you make video of your 500 or 490 in hard wood ?

 

[009L]

Tag

 

[Wow]

I switched mine over to 3/8 18 inch bar it comes with .325 it had a 20 inch bar on it and it cut fine I cut mostly 14 inch and larger hardwood and just wanted my bar and pitch the same with my other saws it's very quiet stock and plugged up once I pulled the limiters and the tube in the muffler and cut the deflector back and retuned it really woke up I use this saw the most after my neighbor tried it he bought one need to weigh it but its light for a 50cc that I've used.

I called my dealer and plan to buy a Echo 490. I already own a 590 with a 24 inch bar. Because I have a new 3/8 drive bar and chain taken off the 590 my question is will the 590 bar fit the 490 saw? Thanks in advance.

 

[mountainlake]

Wow The best thing you could do to a CS490 is a good muff modd, even more than just pulling the tube out, tune it good and put on a 3/8 lp setup off a Cs400, then you wont want to put it down .. I think a regular 3/8 7 tooth is too much chain for a 490 unless you have it ported. My CS500p after being broke in good with a good muff modd is pulling real good and I'd run it against any muff modded 50cc saw, it might not win BUT it will be real close one way or another. Quite a few vids on youtube with the Echo 50 cc running right with the best 50cc Stihl and Husky saws. Steve

 

[Wow]

Wow The best thing you could do to a CS490 is a good muff modd, even more than just pulling the tube out, tune it good and put on a 3/8 lp setup off a Cs400, then you wont want to put it down .. I think a regular 3/8 7 tooth is too much chain for a 490 unless you have it ported. My CS500p after being broke in good with a good muff modd is pulling real good and I'd run it against any muff modded 50cc saw, it might not win BUT it will be real close one way or another. Quite a few vids on youtube with the Echo 50 cc running right with the best 50cc Stihl and Husky saws. Steve

Thanks. Had no idea a Echo 400 ran 3/8 chain. Not a fan of. .325. I may try a Rim drive already on hand. Does the 400 have a 7 tooth spur or a rim?

 

[stubnail67]

Pretty sure the cs 400 is 3/8s Lo pro.....I would like to know what rim will fit 490... my 490 has a .325 Nk bar and chain and its not bad... i bet it would really cut with the lopro.... some one has done this set up think he had to have the rim made special.... James miller i think.....my cs 400 is a spur 3/8s lo pro...490 is a rim on mine the 590 spur full 3/8s

 

[James Miller]

I use a Stihl rim modded by Homelite410. It was $12 with shipping. There is no 3/8lp rim for the echo small spline setup that I could find.

 

[Wow]

View attachment 640864 I use a Stihl rim modded by Homelite410. It was $12 with shipping. There is no 3/8lp rim for the echo small spline setup that I could find.

Maybe an Echo part that fits another model Echo would fit the 490?

 

[Colt Marlington]

This is quite an old thread. But.... I read through the whole thing.

Been contemplating my overabundance of saws in the 42 to 50cc category. And after reading all this, nothing has changed. It all comes down to what I have that feels best in my hands and what I can sell and come out farthest ahead financially. They'll all cut and get there eventually, and faster than my most used 35cc saw.

I had the 490 that I bought a year ago from a pawn shop that had a half dozen new in the box and were dying to sell one when I walked in the door. They practically forced it on me, and I didn't have a good 50cc saw at the time. I used this saw half a dozen or so times. Probably filled it six or seven times also. Mild muffler mod and pulled the caps to fatten it a bit. Sounded good and it cut good enough. And pulled the 20" chain that came on it adequately. Not a speed demon but torquey enough to bury the bar if you let it work at it's own pace.
Then bought the used 421 at another pawn shop. Then the 491s at another.
And then the beautiful 545.
After buying the 545, I sold the 490 for a small profit.

I really love the look of the 545 and the idea of the new looking semi-pro Husky. But the angled bar doesn't feel right to me. And I don't want to scratch it. And the saw feels long in my hands. Also came with a 20" 3/8 b&c that I'd want to change if I kept it. But seems like a waste of money when someone else would be happy with it like it is.
And the 491 has the handlebar angle that fits me better and the 18" .325 b&c that I prefer(for balance), along with an extra brand new chain.

And there's not as much profit in selling the Shindaiwa that nobody's ever heard of. Same goes for the Dolmar 421. So I practically have to keep them.
Plus I can mod and abuse them without any guilt.
So in this case, the red Echo, and the Dolmar, are the saws of choice for me.

Might try and make an aluminum handlebar for the 491s. Cause I'm cheap like that. Or just buy one maybe. I really do think this would improve the saw a lot, even if just in my mind.
Muffler mod for sure. Because I like the way it sounds.
Some blue or black paint here or there might increase it's status.
And maybe an SS center cap sticker trimmed on one edge.

If someone wants to race, I'll just have to grab a bigger saw.