OK, lots of opinions and mud slinging, but little if any usable/accurate information found in all that nonsense.
In any case, we posted early on that we have tested just about every peice of Echo power equipment, including most of their new line of chainsaws, and we had ONE problem, yes, that's one problem, no fuel filter installed on the end of a fuel line.
Pretty good percentage, since my neighbor bought an MS250 and didn't have it a week before it had to go in the shop. Would NOT start. Turns out it was a combination of him not being able to figure out the On/Off/Choke switch, but it still went back. Then had to take it back again for more repairs, a couple of fasteners fell off the side cover. All minor stuff, but still it went back twice so far in less than a year. That's a 100 percent failure rate, compared to a 10 percent failure rate, in case anyones keeping score?
In addition, I ran his MS250. I have no idea how big the engine is, but it cuts no faster than the Echo CS-360T, and my Husky 55 is WAY faster, as we ran all three of them recently when I helped him take down a couple of small trees on his property. Very un-impressive, seemed similiar is size, weight and power as our Echo CS-510.
Anyhow, we have a very good connection with Echo, depot level service facility, where a good friend of mine works. He sees EVERYTHING, and commented that Echo plans on loosing a small percentage of their engines due to extremely "lean" settings. They are committed to pleasing the EPA, first and foremost. They also keep their engine tolerances to the closest in the industry, and use the best materials and technology available.
They are pretty much phasing out the reed valve engines, which happened to be the ones we weren't overly impressed with. I still have one 3450, at least I think that's what the number on it is? It's loaned out to my dad, for occassion trimming of a fence post or two. It's TURD compared to the CS-360T. So don't get the notion that I'm loving all of their saw line-up.
In any case, here's my down and dirty opinion on the saws we have obtained and tested:
CS-301 (top handle) SLOW, UNDERPOWERED, Got rid of them
CS-3450 (top handle) NOT MUCH BETTER
CS-360T (top handle) EXCELLENT
CS-440 OK with 18" bar, Good with a 16" bar
CS-510 VERY GOOD with 18" bar, KILLER with 16" bar
like having a CS-440 on steroids
CS-670 Decent saw, pretty much maxxed out with a 20" bar
but rated clear to 24". About 60 percent as fast as
a Husky 268XPS
CS-800 Not overly impressive anyplace, does NOT use the
automotive type air cleaner, and you have to
remove a rubber plug to access the mixture screws
"hoaky for a "Proffessional" series saw
I would also add, that none of their saws oil only when cutting, which we consider an excellent feature for "professional" rated saws. Who want to see a puddle of oil under a saw when it sits idling for a few minutes while you drive in wedges, etc? That not only wastes oil, it's putting it into the environment for no reason.
At some point we plan on obtaining/testing the CS-370 and CS-400, as soon as we slip in on an E-Bay auction where one of the Power Sellers doesn't "boost" his own auction in time!......Cliff
In any case, we posted early on that we have tested just about every peice of Echo power equipment, including most of their new line of chainsaws, and we had ONE problem, yes, that's one problem, no fuel filter installed on the end of a fuel line.
Pretty good percentage, since my neighbor bought an MS250 and didn't have it a week before it had to go in the shop. Would NOT start. Turns out it was a combination of him not being able to figure out the On/Off/Choke switch, but it still went back. Then had to take it back again for more repairs, a couple of fasteners fell off the side cover. All minor stuff, but still it went back twice so far in less than a year. That's a 100 percent failure rate, compared to a 10 percent failure rate, in case anyones keeping score?
In addition, I ran his MS250. I have no idea how big the engine is, but it cuts no faster than the Echo CS-360T, and my Husky 55 is WAY faster, as we ran all three of them recently when I helped him take down a couple of small trees on his property. Very un-impressive, seemed similiar is size, weight and power as our Echo CS-510.
Anyhow, we have a very good connection with Echo, depot level service facility, where a good friend of mine works. He sees EVERYTHING, and commented that Echo plans on loosing a small percentage of their engines due to extremely "lean" settings. They are committed to pleasing the EPA, first and foremost. They also keep their engine tolerances to the closest in the industry, and use the best materials and technology available.
They are pretty much phasing out the reed valve engines, which happened to be the ones we weren't overly impressed with. I still have one 3450, at least I think that's what the number on it is? It's loaned out to my dad, for occassion trimming of a fence post or two. It's TURD compared to the CS-360T. So don't get the notion that I'm loving all of their saw line-up.
In any case, here's my down and dirty opinion on the saws we have obtained and tested:
CS-301 (top handle) SLOW, UNDERPOWERED, Got rid of them
CS-3450 (top handle) NOT MUCH BETTER
CS-360T (top handle) EXCELLENT
CS-440 OK with 18" bar, Good with a 16" bar
CS-510 VERY GOOD with 18" bar, KILLER with 16" bar
like having a CS-440 on steroids
CS-670 Decent saw, pretty much maxxed out with a 20" bar
but rated clear to 24". About 60 percent as fast as
a Husky 268XPS
CS-800 Not overly impressive anyplace, does NOT use the
automotive type air cleaner, and you have to
remove a rubber plug to access the mixture screws
"hoaky for a "Proffessional" series saw
I would also add, that none of their saws oil only when cutting, which we consider an excellent feature for "professional" rated saws. Who want to see a puddle of oil under a saw when it sits idling for a few minutes while you drive in wedges, etc? That not only wastes oil, it's putting it into the environment for no reason.
At some point we plan on obtaining/testing the CS-370 and CS-400, as soon as we slip in on an E-Bay auction where one of the Power Sellers doesn't "boost" his own auction in time!......Cliff
