Anyone on here tossed the leaky air filter on an Echo CS590 Timber Wolf and replaced it with a Red Beard oiled foam air cleaner besides me? I also modded the exhaust deflector (removed the restrictor plate but kept the spark arrestor intact). I've read many comments about the stock air filter leaking fines so I replaced it. Besides, the Red Beard oiled foam air cleaner will flow more air and more air is always good.
Red Beard air foam air cleaner...
- Thread starter Sidecarflip
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Colonel428
ArboristSite Operative
Yeah, I'm interested in some feedback as well.
I put one on my 590 about 6 months ago along with gutting the muffler and giving the carb a slight tune, no complaints here other than the air filter cover is a little fiddly to put back on with the new filter.
It is a pretty tight fit to secure the plastic overcover on. I used the sandwich bag method to get the oiled foam saturated with filter oil as well and I used the Bel-Ray filter oil as well. If you do use it, wear latex gloves when handling the oiled filter as the Bel-Ray filter oil is nasty stuff to get off your hands and a tiny bit goes a long way. I never touched the carb settings as the saws run pretty rich from the factory and so far, so good.
Far as the muf goes, I removed the spot welded on secondary diffuser (which was a job because like I said, it was spot welded to the main diffuser baffle so I used a Dremel carefully on the spot welds until they let go and then I used some emery cloth to remove the remaining weld on the upper diffuser so it would mount flat on the muff. So far, so good and I also reinstalled the spark arrestor.
I run Red Armor 50-1 canned fuel and so far, no carbon buildup on the screen or in the exhaust port..
I probably will, at some point replace the 590 carb with a larger one but that is in the future. (I have it, as well as the 5 degree offset crank key and the ignition module but it runs fine as it is. and until the snow flies here, I really don't have the fiddle time.
So far it's been flawless with the Echo 20" greaseable roller nose bar and skip tooth Oregon chipper chain and it sure was a lot less expensive than a comparable Stihl.
IntegrityCarpentry
ArboristSite Operative
Put one on my 620. I ordered it after orings wouldn’t stop the fines. Instructions on fitting it were poor. I have my own way of installing it but just make sure it’s on tight. You can install it without it fully sealing or cover not going on fully. Some designs of the saw I feel let more dust into air filter area. The red beard is a huge improvement but I think diameter should be a bit smaller so the cover can fit better. Foam fits tight against cover so it doesn’t get as much airflow as it could. Would have been nice if echo just made a higher level filter setup to begin with
I believe he makes them on a 3D printer and I agree, they should be a bit smaller in both height and diameter. That would make installing them a bit easier.
They do fit but it takes some fiddling to get the Echo overcover on. The OEM filter does allow fines to get in the carb intake even with the aftermarket 'O' rings installed. I happened to have them (Orings) here in the shop so I didn't purchase them. I keep a large assortment of them on hand.
They do fit but it takes some fiddling to get the Echo overcover on. The OEM filter does allow fines to get in the carb intake even with the aftermarket 'O' rings installed. I happened to have them (Orings) here in the shop so I didn't purchase them. I keep a large assortment of them on hand.
FYI, I wrote a rather long email message to Echo's product research team in Lake Zurich about the stock air filter issues but have not heard back from them as if yet. I suggested they change the configuration of the stock air cleaner or make the fixing hole smaller or just can the stock filter and go to a pleated paper or oiled foam over unit. Will see what becomes of that.
One oring around the carb throat and a smidge of grease on the threads of the retaining rod and the filter "issue" is no more.
I don't like flock filters. I haven't checked, but does echo offer a fine mesh filter for these things?
I don't like flock filters. I haven't checked, but does echo offer a fine mesh filter for these things?
No, they don't to the best of my knowledge, only the 'flocked' plastic rimmed one. The issue is actually the loose fit of the through hole in the filter itself, it's a very loose fit on the fixing stud that secures it to the oval plastic tube which is part of the over cover that engages the carb itself.
What I did was I went in my 'O' ring assortment and found an O ring that fit the recess on the back of the filter and also provided a tight fit on the fixing stud itself. That works for me at least, plus the larger 'O' ring on the plastic oval tube.
Like I said previously, I messaged Echo about the filter issue but as of now I have not heard back.
The one thing I don't care for with the Red Beard filter setup besides the extremely tight fit is the filter oil tends to migrate down and oil everything under the cover. Pretty messy and hard to remove from the nooks and crannies in the carb cover. I believe next time I'll use the K&N filter oil instead. I have plenty of that on hand. As a rule, I use the K&N filter oil on all my foam air filters or filter overcovers.
Any proper foam air filter oil should work. As long as the filter is squeezed out well and allowed to sit for a while before installation, it will not migrate out of the foam to any great degree.
I have no interest whatsoever in using foam filters in chainsaws. The cs590 flocked filter gets dirty very quickly and it would be a pita for me to bother with foam.
I have no interest whatsoever in using foam filters in chainsaws. The cs590 flocked filter gets dirty very quickly and it would be a pita for me to bother with foam.
I’ve got the red beard filter on my 600P. While not perfect, it’s much better than the stock filter.
How so?
It flows and filters air at least as good as the stock one, haven’t noticed any fines getting through. I will say I’m not cutting any really dry wood at the moment however. Cleaning is easy although dealing with filter oil can be a bit of a mess. Fits well enough under the cover. Like I said not perfect but I feel it’s an improvement over the stock filter. Just my opinion of course.
Far as I'm concerned your opinion is valuable.... thanks.
I use Maxima FFT oil on my filters and squeeze all the excess out of them, the only extra oil I see is where the filter presses against the cover and mounting area.
IntegrityCarpentry
ArboristSite Operative
Same for me, not sure what oil I use
The Bel-Ray was recommended to me by Red Beard but it's extremely messy.
Same for me and I use Belray on everything with foam filter. Never messy or any run off.
No clue what he has going on. Must pour it on and not ringing it out good.
