Echo CS330t--rebuild or not?

[a. palmer jr.]

are you sure that the dolmar is more powerful? looks to me like it's nothing but a german version of the echo 3400, with reed valve induction. those were good saws but the newer piston ported 330/360's are a lot more powerful. if you think your echo isn't performing you may need to tune it. check the video referenced earlier in this thread and you will see a 330 and a 360 outperforming a stihl 020t. check out some of bikemike's vids too.

I don't know about the stats on paper but believe me, I've ran both and it's not that close, the Dolmar runs better, more power and more rpm. The Dolmar is a 3410 and the Echo is a 330T. The Dolmar just seems like a bigger saw and is older whereas the Echo has a very small amount of run time, maybe it's not broke in yet.

 

[heyduke]

I don't know about the stats on paper but believe me, I've ran both and it's not that close, the Dolmar runs better, more power and more rpm. The Dolmar is a 3410 and the Echo is a 330T. The Dolmar just seems like a bigger saw and is older whereas the Echo has a very small amount of run time, maybe it's not broke in yet.

i haven't run the dolmar, but you can see from the parts list that it is the same saw as the echo 3400. that's a design that is more than twenty years old and has been rebadged by other companies besides dolmar. i can't find any performance data on the dolmar site but i doubt that it will spin faster than 10k. the reed valve is it's limitation. i've had a few of the 3400's and used them in the tree. they are a reliable saw with a wide power band and inexpensive too. if you live in a wet environment, like norcal, in the winter they have trouble on rainy days. the felt air filter gets glogged.

again, i haven't run this particular saw, so i may be wrong. it would be great if you could make a comparison cutting cookies with the 330 vs the 3410. you can see my comparison with the stihl 020 the link is on page one of this thread. both the 330 and 360 cut faster than the 020t (the model that is the same as the 200t but with a better carb). all three saws were fitted with new chains, off the same roll for the test. as bikemike has said, the echos come from the factory tuned for the epa (and probably sea level.) i live at 6300 ft. so i don't have the luxury of running any saw with factory tuning.

 

[bikemike]

I don't know about the stats on paper but believe me, I've ran both and it's not that close, the Dolmar runs better, more power and more rpm. The Dolmar is a 3410 and the Echo is a 330T. The Dolmar just seems like a bigger saw and is older whereas the Echo has a very small amount of run time, maybe it's not broke in yet.

IL break it in for you. They are slow to break inn

 

[a. palmer jr.]

i haven't run the dolmar, but you can see from the parts list that it is the same saw as the echo 3400. that's a design that is more than twenty years old and has been rebadged by other companies besides dolmar. i can't find any performance data on the dolmar site but i doubt that it will spin faster than 10k. the reed valve is it's limitation. i've had a few of the 3400's and used them in the tree. they are a reliable saw with a wide power band and inexpensive too. if you live in a wet environment, like norcal, in the winter they have trouble on rainy days. the felt air filter gets glogged.

again, i haven't run this particular saw, so i may be wrong. it would be great if you could make a comparison cutting cookies with the 330 vs the 3410. you can see my comparison with the stihl 020 the link is on page one of this thread. both the 330 and 360 cut faster than the 020t (the model that is the same as the 200t but with a better carb). all three saws were fitted with new chains, off the same roll for the test. as bikemike has said, the echos come from the factory tuned for the epa (and probably sea level.) i live at 6300 ft. so i don't have the luxury of running any saw with factory tuning.

I probably won't be selling either saw so they'll be around for a test later on. It's kinda cold here right now and don't think I have any wood that's not already cut up. I'm thinking I might try a test this Spring when I'll probably have some wood to cut. I was just going on the feel of the two saws while cutting, it just seemed that the Dolmar was a more powerful saw. I think I might prefer the Echo however because it is easier to use. To me these kind of saws shouldn't be judged on power alone but how they handle in the brush.

 

[bikemike]

I agree to se a vid of your top handle saws cutting cookies

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I agree to se a vid of your top handle saws cutting cookies

I'm more wondering how they do compared to my Super 25DA, it's a top handle also, I also have a Super 2 which I don't think would keep up but cost much less.
I forgot to mention I also recently acquired a McCulloch top handle and I've run it a bit but couldn't compare it because of it's safety chain..

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Sounds like I'm gonna hafta learn how to make videos. Never made one except for a short one of my cat..

 

[heyduke]

... it just seemed that the Dolmar was a more powerful saw. I think I might prefer the Echo however because it is easier to use. To me these kind of saws shouldn't be judged on power alone but how they handle in the brush.

"look and feel" have a lot to do with how guys think of a saw, color too... the stihls have "tude." the dolmar probably has a broad power band. the echos have as much character as vanilla ice cream.

 

[bikemike]

the echo in frozen maple. -5 out

 

[bikemike]

I like vanillabean ice cream

 

[a. palmer jr.]

You know, I've never tried cutting wood that size with my top handles but it seems that one runs better than mine. On wood that size I would use something other than a top handle. On thing about these Echo saws I think they would benefit from a muffler mod. I received my Echo without a muffler and bought one from a different model and it didn't have all the stuff in the muffler that the stock one has.
I notice the video is of a 360, maybe they're a bit bigger than my 330.

 

[bikemike]

You know, I've never tried cutting wood that size with my top handles but it seems that one runs better than mine. On wood that size I would use something other than a top handle. On thing about these Echo saws I think they would benefit from a muffler mod. I received my Echo without a muffler and bought one from a different model and it didn't have all the stuff in the muffler that the stock one has.
I notice the video is of a 360, maybe they're a bit bigger than my 330.

Well that's still not big wood for that saw. I've buried the bar many times. It is sporting a 14 on it

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Well that's still not big wood for that saw. I've buried the bar many times. It is sporting a 14 on it

It's not that. I just feel more comfortable using something like a 346 for stuff other than trimming.

 

[heyduke]

It's not that. I just feel more comfortable using something like a 346 for stuff other than trimming.

my 330 actually was the strongest of the three saws, 330, 360 and 020, that i tested, the echos had 12 inch bars, my preference, the 020 a 14 inch bar. i use the 12 inch bar up to about 8 inch diameter, then switch to a 70cc or bigger saw. don't underestimate your 330. i'm interested in the muffler you used. where did it come from? maybe it is the cause of your low power. i have one 360 that is absolutely stock from the factory. it runs great and keeps up with my muffler/intake modded saws.

 

[heyduke]

I like vanillabean ice cream

and you like echos, so i guess i called it right!

 

[Macman125]

My little 360t is a screamer after a muff mod and tune. I have used it on many jobs that definitely required a bigger saw and it still pulled it's weight.

 

[bikemike]

Ok something a Lil bit smaller for you

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I looked up my records of purchases and it looks like my muffler came from a 271T. It was the same size as the 330T and fit without modifications but it looked less restrictive than a 330 muffler that I looked at at my Echo dealer. The reason I bought the 271 muffler was because it was about 1/4 the price of a new muffler.

 

[bikemike]

I had thought about checking out the echo 360Wes exhaust looks different and only seen European's reviews on the saws. They might not have the epa us US of A folks have.

 

[bikemike]

I looked up my records of purchases and it looks like my muffler came from a 271T. It was the same size as the 330T and fit without modifications but it looked less restrictive than a 330 muffler that I looked at at my Echo dealer. The reason I bought the 271 muffler was because it was about 1/4 the price of a new muffler.

Take good pics inside and out for us before you install it