Mastermind Meets The Echo CS-355T

[esean]

Try the Stihl PS (yellow) or PS3 (green) full chisel chain. I think others have noted that PS3 is just as fast as PS. I haven't compared them directly. I'm running PS3 on a CS-361P (rear handled version of 355t). Bore cuts just fine.

 

[eye.heart.trees]

Try the Stihl PS (yellow) or PS3 (green) full chisel chain. I think others have noted that PS3 is just as fast as PS. I haven't compared them directly. I'm running PS3 on a CS-361P (rear handled version of 355t). Bore cuts just fine.

Is one more-aggressive than the other? Are they compatible w/ my:
0.050" bar, and
6-toothed, 3/8LP sprocket
?

If so, will just head-over to Ace Hardware instead of going on ebay for Oregon VXL (am using only safety chains, well I grind the rakers pretty aggressively so probably not so 'safe' but - correct if wrong please - a "pro" chain isn't just going to have far less-aggressive rakers, it's also got "hookier" teeth, right?), is there any 'comparison' between VXL and ps/ps3? Guess I'm curious where they land "in Oregon-land" since that's all I'm familiar with (on-paper, haven't even ordered a VXL chain yet, everything's PX series or Echo's version of it, wanna get 'real' chains for 12/14/16/18 so am happy/eager to try more than one type!

 

[eye.heart.trees]

355t got VERRRY hot yesterday, I'd had ~4hrs of break-in on it (have a tach on it counting hours-used) so took it on a 2nd job, felling & chunking a ~17', dead Live Oak stump/spar. The 355t was great for felling (had my 16" on it - fried the white paint off the rim of that nearly-new bar, must've run low on bar-oil at some point) but once I'd felled it & was chunking it on-ground I had to keep swapping-over to my rear-handle... kept opening my 355's L jet, upping its idle, because it was working just fine but it'd keep stalling-out when I let off full-throttle (ie insttead of going to idle it'd fall on its face, I'd pull the cord gently and it'd hop back) Was scared of this but some reading today does point to different carb-settings in different circumstances, if I'm just repeatedly burying a 16" that's built for on/off climb-cutting, makes sense it'd overheat and at that point a mL of fuel no longer has same "bang" so you're running lean if you don't adjust carb (sheeeet....I only opened up L, because I kept stalling-out after hard cuts, never opened up H....hope I didn't cause much damage..will be bringing him back to the shop this week for tune-up and my dealer's "assessment"/OK'ing of what I've done to /want-to-do to the unit! On that note-
Anyone got thoughts on removal of that air-restricter plate, bolted between the air-filter & the carb's throat? Can't imagine it's *anything* but worthwhile, just wanted someone/anyone's opinions on this!!


(PS- putting "debris guard screens" on flywheel-side-casing doesn't "choke out" the saw by any stretch, does it? Was stoked to see Echo makes them for 355t/2511t/etc, though it's not as-fine as the aluminum window screening I usually epoxy-into the inner-facing of my flywheel-cover, am def doing the window-screen but like the other one on-top-of it all, but made me worry I could start causing unacceptable air-intake-potential! I know this practice sounds like overkill but after a loooong rebuild due to debris mangling a flywheel&ignittion, I like keeping large particles out entirely!!!!)

 

[eye.heart.trees]

Oh I'll most-definitely be slathering red Permatex on the muffler-side of the clutch-cover-casing, as heat-shield against that muffler.... Also going to put its stock 14" setup back onto it, was really unsure whether to keep it 14 or 16", maybe once I'm off these safety-chains it'll feel right w/ the 16" again but for now I feel I'm less-likely to over-heat it w/ a 14" (hell I should've kept it 14" for its first weeks, I'd swapped it to 16" the day I bought it in fact the 14" setup is hardly touched so that'll be fun for its first cuts )

 

[esean]

Yes Stihl PS and PS3 are 3/8 low profile 0.050 (Stihl calls that 'Picco'). They have the same cutters, all Stihl chain ending in a 3 also has small safety bumpers which seem to have little to no effect on speed. You'll need 52 link for the 14" Echo bar - it might take some searching to find pre-made loops. The consensus is that PS/PS3 is the fastest 3/8 lp chain out there. Seems to stay sharp well too. Certainly faster than VXL, and less chatter.

 

[eye.heart.trees]

Yes Stihl PS and PS3 are 3/8 low profile 0.050 (Stihl calls that 'Picco'). They have the same cutters, all Stihl chain ending in a 3 also has small safety bumpers which seem to have little to no effect on speed. You'll need 52 link for the 14" Echo bar - it might take some searching to find pre-made loops. The consensus is that PS/PS3 is the fastest 3/8 lp chain out there. Seems to stay sharp well too. Certainly faster than VXL, and less chatter.

"Less chatter", could you expand on that?
So the PS > PS3, since only difference is PS3 has lil safety bumpers, but otherwise they'd take same sharpening-file, fit on same sprocket/bar/etc?

"Certainly faster than the VXL"
This has been pretty confusing for me-- is it a liability thing, the reason you can go buy off-shelf 540xp/355t/etc and get Oregon/oregon-type safety chains? The chain on my 355's 14" does seem a bit different than what I'm used to (the teeth, their profile & size) but haven't used that chain much yet.... With how integral chain is to a well-performing saw, it blows my mind that Echo&Husq are "leaving performance on the table" sticking to the old 0.05 / 3/8LP safety setups, on these lil powerheads the bar&chain have a way bigger relative impact on cutting compared to a >60cc+ saw, my 25cc will be noticeably slower just pushing a 16" over a 12".

What about 0.043" gauge chain on 0.05" bars? (or is that already inclusive in "use PS/PS3"? Will go googling them now -- tomorrow I'm picking-up a part for my 355 and'll be @the shop and just planning to ask his opinion for most-aggressive since I know he won't have Stihl there, am having so much trouble swallowing the concept that Stihl - the motor company - is out-doing the whole bar&chain industry, I mean Oregon actually makes gear(blowers, pole-saws) and it's surprisingly high-quality stuff for what it is- is the VXL their best 12-->16" offering? I was only mentioning it since, on my Oregon-chains-list, it looks to be the only "yellow label" (non-safety) chain they make that'd fit my saws, so 1 choice for a non-safety top-handle chain from Oregon....sounds wrong!

 

[Franny K]

The reduced kick back bumper drive links are not bothersome for many until depth gauge lowering time.

Stihl is more courageous in the 0.050 small 3/8 stuff. The nose sprocket of 9 tooth vs 7 of others for an example.

You can still get 91vx even if not a current product. I believe h35 in husky. Basically px less the bumper drive Link. Similarly pxl is vxl with bumper dl.

You throw out a lot of stuff to respond to, much discussed prior. If you can get the paper Stihl catalog about half an inch thick.

 

[stubnail67]

355t got VERRRY hot yesterday, I'd had ~4hrs of break-in on it (have a tach on it counting hours-used) so took it on a 2nd job, felling & chunking a ~17', dead Live Oak stump/spar. The 355t was great for felling (had my 16" on it - fried the white paint off the rim of that nearly-new bar, must've run low on bar-oil at some point) but once I'd felled it & was chunking it on-ground I had to keep swapping-over to my rear-handle... kept opening my 355's L jet, upping its idle, because it was working just fine but it'd keep stalling-out when I let off full-throttle (ie insttead of going to idle it'd fall on its face, I'd pull the cord gently and it'd hop back) Was scared of this but some reading today does point to different carb-settings in different circumstances, if I'm just repeatedly burying a 16" that's built for on/off climb-cutting, makes sense it'd overheat and at that point a mL of fuel no longer has same "bang" so you're running lean if you don't adjust carb (sheeeet....I only opened up L, because I kept stalling-out after hard cuts, never opened up H....hope I didn't cause much damage..will be bringing him back to the shop this week for tune-up and my dealer's "assessment"/OK'ing of what I've done to /want-to-do to the unit! On that note-
Anyone got thoughts on removal of that air-restricter plate, bolted between the air-filter & the carb's throat? Can't imagine it's *anything* but worthwhile, just wanted someone/anyone's opinions on this!!


(PS- putting "debris guard screens" on flywheel-side-casing doesn't "choke out" the saw by any stretch, does it? Was stoked to see Echo makes them for 355t/2511t/etc, though it's not as-fine as the aluminum window screening I usually epoxy-into the inner-facing of my flywheel-cover, am def doing the window-screen but like the other one on-top-of it all, but made me worry I could start causing unacceptable air-intake-potential! I know this practice sounds like overkill but after a loooong rebuild due to debris mangling a flywheel&ignittion, I like keeping large particles out entirely!!!!)

When i got mine i removed the limiters and fattened it up as much as i could on the high and still run proper.. the low i went by how the throttle response was.... i also ran it rich 40/1 for a few tanks with red armor all i use now.... after it broke in i leaned it to where i could make hard cuts without to much issue....you should check your piston and make sure its good just for your own peace of mind.....In my experience echos take awhile to loosen up ... If you run them hard i would run it rich for a little while ...I tune mine in wood by ear and pay attention to how the saw acts...let us know how it goes....

 

[stubnail67]

The reduced kick back bumper drive links are not bothersome for many until depth gauge lowering time.

Stihl is more courageous in the 0.050 small 3/8 stuff. The nose sprocket of 9 tooth vs 7 of others for an example.

You can still get 91vx even if not a current product. I believe h35 in husky. Basically px less the bumper drive Link. Similarly pxl is vxl with bumper dl.

You throw out a lot of stuff to respond to, much discussed prior. If you can get the paper Stihl catalog about half an inch thick.

Loved the 91vx better then the vxl for sure.