SOLO KleinMotoren Comes Thru!

[max2cam]

On the "winter milling" thread I reported that the muffler on my "refurbished" Solo 690 had come lose and had cracked a muffler flange.

Altho a "refurb" (actually demo) saw, this beast came with a 2-year like-new-saw warranty. Since there is no Solo dealer around here and the warranty is still in effect, I emailed the U.S. Solo distributor directly in Virginia and told them what I would need to put the saw back in first-class running condition (muffler, gasket, and spark screen).

That email went out last Thursday. On Monday morning the BBT rolled in and the parts were delivered to my door without charge. Of course I will do the repair work myself, but that's okay because I do all my own repair work on all my equipment anyway.

I must compliment the Solo distributor people in Viriginia as they treated me very well and delivered the parts right up to my rural doorstep.

Needless to say, I would NOT hesitate to buy another Solo as it is a good German-made quality chainsaw and if you can replace the parts yourself Solo seems to stand behind that warranty and deliver the parts without question.

 

[TonyM]

Yet another reason to like my 651. Way to go Solo.

 

[heviarti]

before solo was contracting out for their large saws, what was their largest saw? 611? I want one of those.

 

[ozflea]

Sorry they come bigger than the 611

The 611 Solo is a Twin and the model i chose to beat the Solo works Twin a few years back now but i still have that saw.

http://www.users.bigpond.com/ozflea/saws.html

They make bigger than it i think from memory 125cc in the old Solo Rex

Bob.

 

[heviarti]

no, this is a newer one, just before they switched to electrolux for their two biggest saws.. this was their biggest model, when they still manufactured their own big saws.. about two or three years ago.. but yes, i would kill the president of paraguay with a fork for a 611 twin...

I keep telling my employer that Solo makes a good product, equal to or better than stihl, but he keeps saying "you can't get parts" or "they're too expensive" I really want to get him to try a Solo. I think that's perhaps the only modern saw I might run instead of one of my Macs.

 

[klickitatsacket]

I worked for a solo dealer for a brief time. The thing that totally impresses me is that the 2 year warrenty is a comercial warrenty!!!!!! Stihl and Husqvarna only 90 days at best. I am wanting to pick up the Solo line for our shop but am waiting for two things; First is for the distributors to get settled (it's been up and down here in the North West) and second is for that former employer to fold. NowI wish him no ill after cheating me out of a pay check but I hear he is on his last legs ( not that a lack of a pay check was any clue). I played with the 695 and was very pleased with the quality. And did I mention the 2 year warrenty?

 

[heviarti]

I think the saw i'm interested in is a 690 or a 603. I keep telling him the solo is the aristocrat's saw, and he forgets the 633 was cheaper than a stihl 020T...

 

[Saw Man]

Solo's largest saw was the 603 which was discontinued some time ago.
100cc built on the 690 chassis design.
690 actually outcut it on bars up to 28".
New Solo 694 is getting some very positive rave reviews.

 

[heviarti]

but the 694 is electrolux built, and is not a solo product. One of the reasons I would want a solo is due to the fact they build their own saw, and are not limited by some of the design idiocy that pervades large companies.

how is parts availability for the 690 and 603?

 

[max2cam]

how is parts availability for the 690 and 603?

That's just what I wondered when I emailed for the replacement parts for my 690 since it seems to be a discontinued model.

Would they have to be ordered from Germany?

But no, they had them in Virginia and they got here REALLY FAST with no fiddling around!

 

[max2cam]

The 611 Solo is a Twin and the model i chose to beat the Solo works Twin a few years back now but i still have that saw.

http://www.users.bigpond.com/ozflea/saws.html

They make bigger than it i think from memory 125cc in the old Solo Rex

Bob.

Nice website.

I didn't know there was a Solo "Twin." Very cool chainsaw and I could see twin-cylinder chainsaw collecting along with the Echo twin.

Were there yet other doubles?

 

[max2cam]

Yet another reason to like my 651. Way to go Solo.

There is a SOLO 651 and a 651SP. What is the difference between them? Anyone know?

I have a urge for either the SOLO 662 or the 667. One is classed as "semi-industrial" and the other "industrial" but I'm not sure what that difference amounts to either.

 

[TonyM]

The 651 is a more powerful (rated 4.0 Hp) and better constructed saw than the 651SP (rated 3.5 Hp). I've had both apart, and internally the only difference I saw was in the piston. There may be some difference in the ignition as well. The 651 has a replaceable aluminum chain catcher, a magnesium (or aluminum) clutch cover, and a rim sprocket. The 651SP has a plastic clutch cover with a built in plastic chain catcher, and a spur sprocket. The 651SP has a black top cover, and the straight 651 has a red top cover. Both are open quad transfer port design, and both can be modified to run very well.

 

[dneiger]

The Solo 694 Is built by Dolmar, same as the Dolmar PS9010.

 

[ozflea]

Solo Chainsaws definately a good product.

It's been many years since i sold and serviced Solo products out here in Australia i've worked on most of the old metal monsters and seen the introduction of their plastic bodied saws where just about the only metal bit is the motor plus bar and chain, and like all non believers thought plastic was not the way to go. Boy did i have that wrong as i was supplied with a plastic 640 i might be wrong here with the model number but it was 54cc, well it got chucked around and i mean thrown around to see how the plastic handled the impact of abuse, well fellas it really amazed me it kept on bouncing back for more, for one thing it taught me was to trust this german product and not doubt german engineering they make great saws big or small.

Solo earned my repect not that i ever doubted them.

Bob Cornwell.........Australia

 

[Saw Man]

694 is a Dolmar PS9010 as Dave wrote.

Solo's uses all red cylinder colors with black trim to desiginate Pro models. Black covers mean semi pro-farm saws.

651 orginally had closed transfer port cylinders w/ Power Flo pistons, and floating rim.
651 SP (semi pro) had open port cylinder w/ standard piston, and spur sprocket.

667 (67cc) & 670 (70cc) built on same chassis, same saw except cylinder/piston.

Probably can help most out with parts as I still have connections with Solo.
Have been thru all the plants and R & D in Germany. but still haven't tour Newport News facility.
Neat, orderly, well designed products that do well in Europe. Sadly, the USA guys don't rank with their competitors in knowledge, and especaily desire to grow.

 

[Saw Man]

Solo is 694 is built by Dolmar as Dave wrote.

Solo uses all red color to show a Pro model, and a black cylinder cover for semi pro.

Orginal 651 had 4 transfer closed port w/ power flow piston, and floating rim.
651 SP (semi pro) had a open transfer port w/standard cylinder, and spur.

667 & 670 are built on same chassis only difference was displacement & cylinder pistion design like the 651/651SP.

Have been thru all the German plants, and their R & D, but haven't toured the Newport News, VA. facility.

Products are well thought out, of good sound construction, doing well in Europe.
But sadly, the US boys don't have the desire to grow, nor do they exhibit the agressive desire to make Solo a real player.

Cut with a Twin, and did have one with new parts to rebuild it. Left it at a distributor who accidently threw it out when Spring cleaning years ago.

 

[heviarti]

I keep telling my employer Solo is a good product, and now his argument is "I don't see any dealers"

so, how do those twins run? reliable? PITA?

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Below is a pic of the Solo 651P that I bought from ClearH20Scott. The saw was modded by Ken Dunn. Saw Man stated that this model had closed ports. In the pic open transfers are shown. Did Ken take a closed port and make it open. Reading the original thread it would seem that the saw had open ports to start with. The saw has the "red' top cover.


Original thread:

Here's Some photo's of Scott's 651 Solo. This Is the open loop version. I know everyone is going to saw that open loop versions are going to be slower but thats not what i've found. if you put the same port timing figures in that you put in theclosed loop models they eill run just as fast. Usually the open loop versions have 102 degrees duration on the transfers and 132-134 on the intake while the closed loop versions have 114-116 degrees and 140-145 on the intake. thats why the closed loop models run better stock. anyway, here are the cutting figures in a 8 by 8 cant using a 325 chisel square filed chain on a 18 inch bar

 

[max2cam]

One thing I'm not crazy about on this SOLO 690 are the muffler fasteners. They are some kind of Torx(?) screw that you can also use the skrench on. I'm replacing them with bolts on the two bottom muffler mounts and Allen-type hex screws for the two manifold fasteners. Then I'll put good star washers under them and use lots of Locktite and check them frequently.

Waiting for a longer hex wrench so I can put this Beast back together.

The 690 has become my favorite chainsaw because it is the most satisfying to run and it sounds cool like a dirtbike.

Kinda wish I had a SOLO 651 and a SOLO 662 or 667 to keep it company.....