just want a saw that starts and latest efco rebranding?

[archibaldtuttle]

every couple of years I get the itch for a new saw. I used to cut firewood with an Olympk 254. Best saw I ever owned. Then when I stopped I let it sit, storage got flooded and I never could get it to start again.

So I've had a parade of cheap and unsatisfactory saws since then. and when I build up enough fallen trees and felling projects I get the thought of breaking down and buying another saw. And I tune in here and find that Efco's are available affordably relabled as ____________________ fill-in-the-blank, e.g. John Deere, Cub Cadet, etc. But I'm always a half a year too late and that marketing relationship has atrophied and I can't get them anymore.

So, I'm wondering since the Cub Cadet verison of Efco's is no longer available whether there is another branded version of the efco saws available cost effectively at the moment.

I'm partial to Efco because of the price-point performance I experienced with its forerunner saws and that seems to have been duplicated for folks on this site, but ALL I REALLY WANT IS A SAW THAT STARTS!.

I currently have a Jon Sereds 535 that I got for nothing because they couldn't get it to start reliably. I drilled a hole in cowling around the carb so I could spray starting fluid conveniently and for a while that was a sure bet. Now it is 50/50.

One of the things that drives me crazy about most of the new says is you can't leave the trigger locked for starting. They are meant to be started at idle. Or in the case of this Jon Sered, if you pull the trigger the choke goes off so you can't effectively have the throttle open and choke closed.

I supposed I could tear that apart and modify it.

I'm used to holding a saw with trigger fully pulled with one hand and pulling the start cord with the other. Is this over or am I just plagued with saws that have designed around this approach?

I've got a partner demo saw that is pretty damn reliable. Use infrequently always starts. Maybe I should look at Partner or rebranded partner. Also have Husky 345 lightly used on offer. I've had saws in the 40s and 50s. It is nice to be able to mount a 20" bar but given my current usage I don't mind a little bit of power limitation as long as it starts.

Power to weight and all that stuff is great but my light and powerful jon sered don't cut so well when the engine ain't running.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[w8ye]

Better try the new one out and see if you like how it starts?

 

[archibaldtuttle]

Better try the new one out and see if you like how it starts?

I didn't see any complaining about starting for the Cub Cadet version of the Efco's from a year back, but given the changes in approach to starting, i.e. start at idle, automatic choke, etc. I've seen in some brands, there is no reason to believe that Efco might not follow these (disappointing) trends.

Maybe I should just break down and figure out if I can get the parts to rebuild my old Olympk 254. ONly thing that ever went wrong with that in 20 years was the electronic ignition. Now obviously that affects starting (and running). But it is discrete, easy to replace and not too bloody expensive. The carb was just bombproof and the thing would start hot, cold, inbetween, etc.

And didn't seem to have this problem where if you guessed wrong it would flood and you'd never get it started without pulling the plug or going away for a couple hours.

That is the kind of saw I'm hoping for. Other performance attributes considered, but starting is the primary bugbear.

thanks,

brian

 

[w8ye]

On the newer saws, when you pull the choke out, it also sets the fast idle. If you touch the throttle with the choke off, the fast idle is released.

For a hot start, pull the choke out and push it back in. Don't touch the throttle. When the saw starts, use the throttle.

 

[nmurph]

I think all new saws have a part throttle setting that is engaged when the choke is set. But to me, you starting method is questionable. With every saw I own the starting method is as follows: set the choke and pull it until it pops, no extra throttle is necessary. When it pops, take the choke off and pull until it starts. Even with old saws this works. With new saws, when the saw is taken off of choke, whether by pushing the choke lever off as with Efco, Husky or others that have seperate choke controls, or by moving the master control up as with Stihls, the saws are still set to start with a fast idle. I don't find it necessary to add extra throttle. It sounds like your L screw on your carb might need to be backed out just a hair??
BTW, starting fluid in a two stroke motor is not a good idea. It will strip the oil layer deposited by the fuel mix. It is much better to get a small squirt bottle with a little mix to prime a saw. I have to do this with my Mac 125 everytime it is cranked for the first time of the day. Otherwise, you will pull until lunch time to get the carb to prime and fire it off.

 

[Officer's Match]

My EfcoDeere CS62 has proven to be very easy to start hot or cold. I got it cheap and thought what the heck, and frankly have been nothing but impressed by it. Cold, lock trigger, engage choke, 2 or 3 pulls ('til first pop), choke off, rips on next pull every time. Hot, just give her a yank and she's running (decomp makes it a little easier to pull, obviously).

Jonsergreen CS62^

 

[mikefunaro]

every couple of years I get the itch for a new saw. I used to cut firewood with an Olympk 254. Best saw I ever owned. Then when I stopped I let it sit, storage got flooded and I never could get it to start again.

So I've had a parade of cheap and unsatisfactory saws since then. and when I build up enough fallen trees and felling projects I get the thought of breaking down and buying another saw. And I tune in here and find that Efco's are available affordably relabled as ____________________ fill-in-the-blank, e.g. John Deere, Cub Cadet, etc. But I'm always a half a year too late and that marketing relationship has atrophied and I can't get them anymore.

So, I'm wondering since the Cub Cadet verison of Efco's is no longer available whether there is another branded version of the efco saws available cost effectively at the moment.

I'm partial to Efco because of the price-point performance I experienced with its forerunner saws and that seems to have been duplicated for folks on this site, but ALL I REALLY WANT IS A SAW THAT STARTS!.

I currently have a Jon Sereds 535 that I got for nothing because they couldn't get it to start reliably. I drilled a hole in cowling around the carb so I could spray starting fluid conveniently and for a while that was a sure bet. Now it is 50/50.

One of the things that drives me crazy about most of the new says is you can't leave the trigger locked for starting. They are meant to be started at idle. Or in the case of this Jon Sered, if you pull the trigger the choke goes off so you can't effectively have the throttle open and choke closed.

I supposed I could tear that apart and modify it.

I'm used to holding a saw with trigger fully pulled with one hand and pulling the start cord with the other. Is this over or am I just plagued with saws that have designed around this approach?

I've got a partner demo saw that is pretty damn reliable. Use infrequently always starts. Maybe I should look at Partner or rebranded partner. Also have Husky 345 lightly used on offer. I've had saws in the 40s and 50s. It is nice to be able to mount a 20" bar but given my current usage I don't mind a little bit of power limitation as long as it starts.

Power to weight and all that stuff is great but my light and powerful jon sered don't cut so well when the engine ain't running.

Thanks,

Brian

Do you normally idle your saws out of gas? That's the biggest thing. Either idle them out of gas, or invest in AV Gas, SEF 94 fuel, 50 FUEL, or some ethanol free fuel with stabilizer.

Regarding the starting...
-I find that most saws don't actually like to run on choke at all, unlike my echo weedeater and redmax blower. Those units will generally fire on choke and even run a bit, much like a four stroke engine, and then you slowly move the choke control to run, and the engine continues running.

With all my saws, it's choke until you get a false start, and then move to run. Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered and Dolmar saws all have a high idle for starting, after you come off of choke.

If you take a modern husky, with the red/blue lever control setup, and pull the choke out, and then push it back in, you're in the high idle position. If, without doing anything else, you press the throttle lever, you can hear a click, and you have just disengaged the high idle back to regular idle.

The others behave similarly. Stihl has that half choke/high idle setting.

 

[mikefunaro]

I think all new saws have a part throttle setting that is engaged when the choke is set. But to me, you starting method is questionable. With every saw I own the starting method is as follows: set the choke and pull it until it pops, no extra throttle is necessary. When it pops, take the choke off and pull until it starts. Even with old saws this works. With new saws, when the saw is taken off of choke, whether by pushing the choke lever off as with Efco, Husky or others that have seperate choke controls, or by moving the master control up as with Stihls, the saws are still set to start with a fast idle. I don't find it necessary to add extra throttle. It sounds like your L screw on your carb might need to be backed out just a hair??
BTW, starting fluid in a two stroke motor is not a good idea. It will strip the oil layer deposited by the fuel mix. It is much better to get a small squirt bottle with a little mix to prime a saw. I have to do this with my Mac 125 everytime it is cranked for the first time of the day. Otherwise, you will pull until lunch time to get the carb to prime and fire it off.

+1 Sorry for repeating, I didn't read this before I posted my response...

 

[Steveo_supremo]

One of the things that drives me crazy about most of the new says is you can't leave the trigger locked for starting. They are meant to be started at idle.

That is just not true! As far as I know, all modern saws have a high idle or "throttle lock". On a Stihl You squeeze the trigger, set it to "full choke" and then just bump it up to "half choke" which isn't a choke setting at all just a high idle, it will remain on high idle until the first time You hit the trigger. On a Husqvarna or Jonsered You just pull the choke out and push it back in, it will remain on high idle until the first time You hit the trigger. Choke on 'til it pops, choke off with high idle on 'til it starts. No guesswork involved and all my saws start within 5 pulls from cold when using that method.

 

[archibaldtuttle]

what ever happened to trigger locks

Thanks for all the thoughts. I generally don't use starting fluid but got this saw for nothing as hard starter, so I figured didn't have anything to lose and the starting fluids all have oil in them at least purporting to be OK for 2 stroke.

But all I would like is a saw where you can lock the trigger or hold the trigger all the way. This set the choke sets high idle then turn the choke off but don't touch the trigger because you'll deset the high idle is driving me crazy.

I diddled the low and high speed setting against running, but not starting. I think I figured which was which by whether they affected the idle or the run.

Is high idle a different jet, or just a slight advance of the throttle linkage?

Can't I just get a saw that starts at full throttle anymore. If not, when did this disappear so I know how far into the time machine I have to go back.

thanks,

brian

 

[mikefunaro]

I think they moved away from saws starting at full throttle b/c that's not particularly healthy for the saw, nor is it safe. Go get some of the thick rubber bands from lobsters claws or whatever, disconnect the linkage, slide them over, and then use them as you please...

 

[Philbert]

Back to your original question, Efco branded Efco saws are currently being sold at Menards home center stores in the Midwest
Menards - Dedicated to Service & Quality™
and via mail order from Baileys
Bailey's - Chainsaws > Efco Chainsaws

Philbert

 

[jus2fat]

Velcro strip another option to lock throttle...and quick pull will release.

I think you should just rebuild the old saw..!!! Seems that's your "drift"...
You would have what you're used to and like...and would be happy again!!! :msp_thumbup:
And it shouldn't be too very expensive either..??

J2F

 

[8433jeff]

I didn't see any complaining about starting for the Cub Cadet version of the Efco's from a year back, but given the changes in approach to starting, i.e. start at idle, automatic choke, etc. I've seen in some brands, there is no reason to believe that Efco might not follow these (disappointing) trends.

Maybe I should just break down and figure out if I can get the parts to rebuild my old Olympk 254. ONly thing that ever went wrong with that in 20 years was the electronic ignition. Now obviously that affects starting (and running). But it is discrete, easy to replace and not too bloody expensive. The carb was just bombproof and the thing would start hot, cold, inbetween, etc.

And didn't seem to have this problem where if you guessed wrong it would flood and you'd never get it started without pulling the plug or going away for a couple hours.

That is the kind of saw I'm hoping for. Other performance attributes considered, but starting is the primary bugbear.

thanks,

brian

You have to find a used one, the coil NLA from Efco. Starting a saw with your finger on the trigger and one hand on the starter rope is long gone, thank those who cut themselves and their lawyers. The newest Efcos are easy to start and run and are Efcos, use the dealer locator at Emak.com or Efco.com.

Whats to guess about starting a saw?

 

[8433jeff]

Thanks for all the thoughts. I generally don't use starting fluid but got this saw for nothing as hard starter, so I figured didn't have anything to lose and the starting fluids all have oil in them at least purporting to be OK for 2 stroke.

But all I would like is a saw where you can lock the trigger or hold the trigger all the way. This set the choke sets high idle then turn the choke off but don't touch the trigger because you'll deset the high idle is driving me crazy.

I diddled the low and high speed setting against running, but not starting. I think I figured which was which by whether they affected the idle or the run.

Is high idle a different jet, or just a slight advance of the throttle linkage?

Can't I just get a saw that starts at full throttle anymore. If not, when did this disappear so I know how far into the time machine I have to go back.

thanks,

brian

Low side on any two stroke is always closest to the cylinder. High side is a different jet. Properly tuned, a two stroke runs well and is easy to start. Your 254 did not start at full throttle. And when you pressed the trigger, it returned to idle, least the way it came from the factory it did.

 

[archibaldtuttle]

Low side on any two stroke is always closest to the cylinder. High side is a different jet. Properly tuned, a two stroke runs well and is easy to start. Your 254 did not start at full throttle. And when you pressed the trigger, it returned to idle, least the way it came from the factory it did.

Knew high side was a different jet, I was asking about "high idle" so-called. Since insofar as I knew the low jet is the idle jet . . . I'm assuming high idle set by choke is just some kind of very modest throttle advance, but maybe not?

My 254 started with the trigger locked. Maybe the lock was not full throttle but it was up there somewhere. I wouldn't have called it high idle.

But I used to start that and other saws when i was in a tree by holding the throttle closed with the hand holding the saw and pulling with the other hand. I never had a problem. The last couple saws I've had that use this 'high idle' approach I've had nothing but problems.

Maybe it is adjustment, but when you can't get the thing started in the first place it is hard to adjust. I guess I could just keep turning an eight of a turn (assuming on the screw closest to the cylinder, I didn't have that relationship pegged before so thanks,). Sounds like suggestion is to open an 1/8th of a turn on the screw until I can get it to start?

thanks

brian

 

[8433jeff]

Turn both screws in until they lightly seat. Turn both out a turn and start from there. Some times I turn the idle screw in a ways. High idle as you call it is no more than holding the throttle open somehow, just like your 254. Adjust the low side so it snaps off idle, no hesitation, adjust your idle, should run and snap off idle without hesitation or flooding, adjust the high side so it four strokes out of the cut and cleans out in it. In your test cuts, lift the saw off the cut, and it should four stroke right away, then clean up right away. Maybe you'll need to kit the carb, again, not a big job once you have the parts. I have several Olys, and two Efcos, and a bunch of the Poulans, from the magnesium one to the Wild Thing, some other one of's (for now), and thats how they are set.

 

[archibaldtuttle]

To Recap

I'm going to throw a carb kit at the 535 and retune the mixture screws, and I can check out the high idle setup while I'm doing it and see if I want to enable manual override but I went to a site linked for carb its on this thread and they have a list of manufacturers as long as your arm, but Jonsered is not one of them . . .

On my old 254 that has been sitting, the electronic ignition is actually working but the whole thing got flooded and I have to tear it down and clean up the cylinder I think. One post here said that if I go through all that and the ignition goes, I can't get it from Ole-mac anymore. Is there a crossover to an aftermarket or manufacturer's part that would replace the olmpik part. Anybody have a pointer to a good parts list because I'm surely going to need to figure out which carb and rebuild that as well.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[w8ye]

Get a carb kit for the number on the brand of carb and not for the number of the saw

 

[Philbert]

Was at a retailer today and saw that some Efcos were 'Made in Italy', and that some were 'Designed in Italy' but 'Made in China'.

Philbert