Makita EA4300 Review

[redhawk23]

I’m on my third Dolmar 421/Makita EA4300. The first had leaking seals and Makita redesigned the saw and discontinued the bearings. While hunting for the bearings/seals for it I bought another, it now also has leaking seals. Both saws had coils that went bad. Makita replaced the first saw and I just started using it, it’s the 3rd. I had thought about selling it but I need a backup and didn’t want to buy another saw.

Other than the bearing seals and coil problems the only bars available for it are junk, today the nose on my 6th Woodland Pro bar broke and I bought it in February 2023 and it didn’t get much use as this is my backup saw. I don’t like LP chains either.

It’s a consumer grade saw in almost every way except the magnesium. It’s a good saw if you don’t use it much??

I bought a Husqvarna 543xp and like it better so far. Better bars, rim sprocket, lighter, equal or more power, regular chain. I have a couple minor issues with it; vibrates more and air filter cover vibrates loose. I also don’t like the sprocket behind the clutch. It’s made in Japan and it’s available with the Japanese company’s name on it as well.

I posted this only because I was on Amazon reviewing it there and thought this was a equally appropriate place to share my thoughts and experiences with the saws.

 

[Franny K]

There is no chain catcher and the clutch cover is plastic I guess that could be enough to make it home owner grade. I have spent effort before on your threads about bars and sprockets. In the Dolmar line up it had only 3 digits ps421 maybe not 4 digits like the 50cc and up. ie ps6100

 

[Brushwacker]

I thought they were supposed to be great saws
Tried snagging one up on eBay for a good while but always got outbid. Musta been God looking out for me. ☺

 

[HillyJohn]

Sorry that you have had problems with the bearings, bad luck to have problems with two saws. These saws were sold by Makita as farmer saws, which I think is a fair description. My EA4300 is a much nicer saw to use and maintain than the Stihl MS250 it replaced; in the UK it was cheaper too. The Plastic clutch cover with its thick chain catcher is still available and is not expensive. Sure the 543XP and MS241 are better made, as they should be costing twice the price.
This saw runs 0.050" 0.325 narrow kerf chain very smoothly. The .325 spur sprockets are easily available, or you can convert to rim drive with the clutch drum from the EA 5105 series or EA6100. The bars should be no problem, they are the same as current 40-50 cc Husqvarna.

 

[holeycow]

Not at all what I think of my ps420...

They are not in any way, shape or form a homeowner saw. That's ridiculous. High end farmer saw maybe. With better antivibe, better air filter design (the 420's is a little better than the 421's I believe), best spring-assist starter on the market, and a few other things. My 5105 has a couple of features inferior to the 420, like the antivibe (which is still really good) and the air filter setup (which is still good). I guess the "chaincatcher" is pretty cheesey, I give you that. However, I threw a chain once and it did it's job with barely a mark. Got lucky I guess. After that, I put a piece of tubing over the catcher part to beef it up a bit.

I guess my 262xp could be considered a home-owner saw based on the plastic clutch cover

Imo, the ps420 is a lot closer to a pro saw than an echo 590, which isn't a pro saw either.

That all being said, I may be having a coil issue on the 420 after several bars and lots of chains. It needs a new drive, so I haven't gotten to the bottom of it all yet. Probably fuel lines and filter too. Being a german saw, it appears that will be a finigally job. Nice saws, those german ones..until you have to work on them..

I'm kinda itching to get that 420 back in the rotation again, fwiw. I love the little thing. Smooth as glass, powerful for it's size, not overweight for it's size, really. A little wide in the body, but still handles nice. Snappy throttle response with mid and some top (moreso than the cs590 that everyone raves about, which is a tractor with a ****** air filter setup, mediocre antivibe, cumbersome handling, and no thrill factor whatsoever. But it runs and cuts nicely).

Anyway, I'm sorry for your 4300 troubles. Perhaps it isn't quite what the 420 is, Idk.

 

[redhawk23]

Considering the problems I’ve been having and the list of features that are not professional how can the Dollmar 421/Makita 4300 be anything but a consumer saw? I suspect the rave reviews are coming from homeowners not from frequent to professional users. As a professional chainsaw user I won’t be buying another one after this one bites it in 2 years.

As Franny K said the 3 digit Dolmar saws aren’t professional. I believe it.

 

[Hulsty]

I love mine, great saw but not professional use, no coil issues but I do have a spare coil for it. Also not the saws fault you put crap bars on it and LP chain. If its a problem buy better bars and/or rim sprocket for it, I run 0.325 on a Oregon Micro lite bar.

 

[redhawk23]

As I said, the rave reviews are from non-professional users. It was my mistake to think it could hold up like one.

High quality bars are not available for the saw, I have posted on that topic before, i have searched high and low and emailed. I’m not sure what gymnastics I’d have to do to get a quality bar mounted on it.

The bar you mentioned looks like any other consumer quality bar. I’m sure someone will chime in on the grade and quality of the bar you mentioned.

I did just order a bar with Makita’s name on it, I hope it can’t be worse than the Woodland Pros. Someone will probably say who actually makes the Makita.

I have all sorts of spare parts, chains, filters, a parts saw if anyone wants it, I’d put the money toward a Husqvarna.

I love mine, great saw but not professional use, no coil issues but I do have a spare coil for it. Also not the saws fault you put crap bars on it and LP chain. If its a problem buy better bars and/or rim sprocket for it, I run 0.325 on a Oregon Micro lite bar.

 

[brent denny]

As far as bars go, look up “57dl tsumura bar” on eBay. I believe the seller is”archerplus. I’ve had three lopro bars for my 421. A total branded one which wore out super quick (also seemed to chip badly), an Oregon pro 91 that was decent, and now this tsumura which has more time on it than the other two combined and still shows virtually no wear. Yes it’s laminated but the steel seems much harder. Was running Stihl ps chain exclusively but recently switched to archer full chisel because of price. It’s nowhere near as good out of the box but after the first filing and adjusting the rakers it’s nearly as good. Not sure what to say about your seal problems. If I had to guess mine has somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 tanks of fuel through it. I’ll be sad when it dies and I can’t get parts anymore. I wish echo would import the 4310sx over here but I don’t see that happening.

 

[John Lyngdal]

I really like my EA4300 and have had zero issues with it. I only use it as a limbing saw, but it stands head and shoulders above the Stihl clam shell saws it replaced. Any of my 346XP saws will easily out cut it, I just have a soft spot for it.

 

[redhawk23]

As far as bars go, look up “57dl tsumura bar” on eBay. I believe the seller is”archerplus. I’ve had three lopro bars for my 421. A total branded one which wore out super quick (also seemed to chip badly), an Oregon pro 91 that was decent, and now this tsumura which has more time on it than the other two combined and still shows virtually no wear. Yes it’s laminated but the steel seems much harder. Was running Stihl ps chain exclusively but recently switched to archer full chisel because of price. It’s nowhere near as good out of the box but after the first filing and adjusting the rakers it’s nearly as good. Not sure what to say about your seal problems. If I had to guess mine has somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 tanks of fuel through it. I’ll be sad when it dies and I can’t get parts anymore. I wish echo would import the 4310sx over here but I don’t see that happening.

Is there a reason the tsmura bar is only on eBay? There may be a cannon that fits it as well.