Screwed up new saw...help please

[Alan R]

What an intro to the forum. At least you may get a chuckle out of this.
After much deliberation, I bought a new Echo CS400 for light to moderate use at home. Read the manual, got the recommended fuel and lube, filled it up and tried it out (with frequent checks of the chain tightness). Started fine, ran fine, life was good. Made about a half dozen cuts, then the wife walks up and wants to know if I can cut a slab off the end of an old tree that's been down for years. Of course, I couldn't refuse. The tree diameter is about the same as my 18" bar, but I figure if I just go slow and let the saw do the work, no problem. Wrong. The bar buried itself pretty quickly, but then the smoking began, so I slowed down more and pulled back often to attempt to keep things from getting too hot. The smoke got heavier, but I was almost through, so I finished the cut, then turned off the saw to let it cool. Didn't think much about it until the next time I tried to use the saw. Bound up tight, chain wouldn't budge. Yes, I felt like an idiot. Took off the bar and chain. Tried lubing and working to loosen up the chain, but gave up and bought one from Home Depot. All they had was a "Powercare" brand B72 which listed the CS400 on the package. Went home, made sure the starwheel on the nose of the bar spun freely, put on the new chain. Doesn't seem to fit very well around the tip of the bar (links stick out a bit). Fired up the saw, but the chain won't spin unless it is extremely loose. What did I screw up? Did I fry the clutch? Is it the bar? Is the new chain no good? I would rather be embarassed here than at the dealer, so go ahead and unload on me if you want, but please tell me what is most likely wrong with the saw. Thanks.

 

[Junior]

What did it smell like, the smoke?

 

[teatersroad]

do you know that you can adjust the tension of the chain? Your post does not seem to imply that. What is extemely loose? if you are adjusting, hold bar tip up as you adjust, take out sag + 1/4 turn.

 

[bigredd]

Check the clutch sprocket and bar nose sprocket to see if they spin freely. Oil the nose sprocket and spin it with compressed air if clogged. If the clutch sprocket is jambed, then try turning over the saw without the chain to see if the engine is locked up.

 

[dswensen]

Possibly the chain brake?

when you took off the bar and chain, did you have trouble getting the cover off? Is it possible you ran it with chain brake on?

Also, the new chain on the new bar is troublesome. If it isn't engaging the spocket tip poperly and you are having throuble running it, I'd say the bar and chain aren't matched properly in regards to chain pitch.

 

[Junior]

I gotta ask, was the chain brake on or off when you started the cut? You can be honest, more than 1 person has done this...

 

[Alan R]

Like burning wood.

do you know that you can adjust the tension of the chain? Your post does not seem to imply that. What is extemely loose? if you are adjusting, hold bar tip up as you adjust, take out sag + 1/4 turn.

What did it smell like, the smoke?

Like burning wood (wood smoke).

 

[Alan R]

Like burning wood.

What did it smell like, the smoke?

Like burning wood (wood smoke).

 

[lone wolf]

Like burning wood (wood smoke).

Is the chain dull as hell ?

 

[kr5258]

Sounds like a pitch mis-match. That B72 is a 3/8" pitch, low profile. Check your bar for stamped number information, should have pitch, gauge, and drive link count. Compare the new chain to the old one, lay them on top of each other to make sure they match up.

 

[Dok]

It sounds like half the cut went well but when the bar was buried he might have inadvertently hit the chain brake.

When you say you took the old chain off and tried to loosen it up, do you mean the links are bound up when the chain is off the saw?

Dok

 

[Junior]

Is the oiler working, or turned down? Fouled bar tip from lack of lube?

 

[Alan R]

Sorry about the mismatched repies...

First off, thanks for all the quick replies. To answer a few questions: yes the brake was off; yes I know about tensioning the chain and did so according to the manual; yes I made sure the wheel at the end of the bar spun freely and also the clutch; it was a brand new chain when I began (about 10 minutes of use); yes, the links on the original chain were bound up; no I didn't hit the chain brake while making the last cut before shutting off the saw; oiler seems to be putting out fine now (can't say if it was clogged during the final cut, since I cleaed things up when replacing the chain). I will definitely check the pitch of the chain, since I couldn't find this info on the chart at Home Depot when I went there for the replacement. I really hope it is just the chain and that seems the most likely. Will post back when I find out more. Thanks again everyone.

 

[teatersroad]

Is the chain dull as hell ?

yup, did you hit the dirt? I ruled out chain brake because he said that he had the bar off and back on, and it's a real bugger to get it off and back on with the chain brake engaged. Still, could be chain brake. sprocket engagement, chain tension. Now is the time (being a noob) to be diligent with your 2-stroke mix. As we had to wonder about straight gassing here a little.

 

[Guido Salvage]

Where in Central Virginia are you? I am in Richmond but will be heading to Charlottesville in the morning. If you are close by, respond here or send me a PM off this forum by clicking on my name to the left and I can help you out. I would agree that you have the wrong pitch chain if it does not fit the sprocket. We will get it figured out for you.

 

[teatersroad]

First off, thanks for all the quick replies. To answer a few questions: yes the brake was off; yes I know about tensioning the chain and did so according to the manual; yes I made sure the wheel at the end of the bar spun freely and also the clutch; it was a brand new chain when I began (about 10 minutes of use); yes, the links on the original chain were bound up; no I didn't hit the chain brake while making the last cut before shutting off the saw. I will definitely check the pitch of the chain, since I couldn't find this info on the chart at Home Depot when I went there for the replacement. I really hope it is just the chain and that seems the most likely. Will post back when I find out more. Thanks again everyone.

cheers, folks gotta ask.

 

[les-or-more]

First off, thanks for all the quick replies. To answer a few questions: yes the brake was off; yes I know about tensioning the chain and did so according to the manual; yes I made sure the wheel at the end of the bar spun freely and also the clutch; it was a brand new chain when I began (about 10 minutes of use); yes, the links on the original chain were bound up; no I didn't hit the chain brake while making the last cut before shutting off the saw; oiler seems to be putting out fine now (can't say if it was clogged during the final cut, since I cleaed things up when replacing the chain). I will definitely check the pitch of the chain, since I couldn't find this info on the chart at Home Depot when I went there for the replacement. I really hope it is just the chain and that seems the most likely. Will post back when I find out more. Thanks again everyone.

Is the new chain the correct gauge?

 

[Alan R]

Wrong chain...

Just checked the new chain vs the original chain. New chain is larger. Hoping that's why it won't spin smoothly on the original bar. BTW, the package the new chain came in does not list the pitch anywhere, only "B72 Drive Links". The CS400 is listed under "Fits the following models", but I suppose that must be with a bar other than the standard equipment Echo 18" bar. Will have to make another trip to HD and see if they have the correct chain. Hopefully, that's all I need.

 

[Warroad50]

When buying chain three things to know for proper size pitch, gauge and the driver count.

 

[GASoline71]

I would find a saw shop or an Echo dealer and stay out of HD...

Gary