Haven't really ran it since I did some modifications to it, been using my 028 Stihl instead but yesterday I gave it a pretty hard run in seasoned maple logs.
Did a couple full bar ripping cuts and it ran just peachy plus with the modified muffler (I removed the top baffle but kept the spark arrestor screen intact, it pulled the full bar (20") with no issue at all and I wasn't babying it one bit. Has the OEM 'Timber Bear' roller nose (greaseable nose) bar on it and 325 full tooth chipper chain. Has a nice deep throaty sound to it as well. Kind of sounds like my Stihl 075 when it idles. I did replace the stock 'flocked' air cleaner with a Nick Stoekel velocity stack and oiled foam air cleaner but I left the limiter caps in place and I'm running 40-1 Tru-Fuel for break in and will go to 50-1 Red Armor after a couple tanks. It '4 strokes' just a tad bit but I suspect once I go to 50-1 that will vanish.
Has all kinds of power but the exhaust note with the top baffle removed is wonderful and because it's cold here, I did run the pre heat slide in the winter position.
Been sitting in the shop a couple months unused but it fired on the second pull, no issue and warm started on the first pull as well and yes, I drop started it because the handle stirrup is too small to get my boot in.
I do like the rubber deflector on the backside of the cover however, especially when ripping saw logs as it totally deflects the stringy chips and the don't get packed up in the cover, unlike my Stihl's do.
Did a number of full bar cross cuts in seasoned oak (dry) saw logs as well as ripping and it flat wailed through that as well and I didn't have to adjust the new chain at all, must be that cheap Menards bar oil I'm using...lol Hard to beat a new loop on a new saw I realize, but it ran well the whole time and what I found somewhat amazing was a warm start only required a half heated pull to awaken the saw and it settled right down to a nice idle too.
It is a tad heavy with the Echo 20" bar installed, compared to my ancient 028 with 325 full chipper and Stihl 20" bar, but it's doable.
Couple items I'm not fond of and that is the plastic side cover that covers the clutch, chain and bar. It's kind of chintzy looking and I may rectify that in the future and the kill switch is really clunky, just an 'on-off' chrome plated toggle switch. I much prefer the Stihl 'one lever does all' design and the switch is in an odd spot as well
Compression release works well, as well and starting procedure was, comp release pushed in and drop pull until it popped and then off with the choke and 2 pulls and it was idling smoothly. I let it warm up for a minute or so to stabilize (it is a new saw after all) before I 'put it to the wood'
I did not install the 5 degree crank key yet and I may not as it runs and cuts quite well as it is.
Back in the shop presently. I need to remove the side cover and blow that out and grease the roller nose bar and put it back on the shelf until next time but, overall, I'm impressed with it.
Did a couple full bar ripping cuts and it ran just peachy plus with the modified muffler (I removed the top baffle but kept the spark arrestor screen intact, it pulled the full bar (20") with no issue at all and I wasn't babying it one bit. Has the OEM 'Timber Bear' roller nose (greaseable nose) bar on it and 325 full tooth chipper chain. Has a nice deep throaty sound to it as well. Kind of sounds like my Stihl 075 when it idles. I did replace the stock 'flocked' air cleaner with a Nick Stoekel velocity stack and oiled foam air cleaner but I left the limiter caps in place and I'm running 40-1 Tru-Fuel for break in and will go to 50-1 Red Armor after a couple tanks. It '4 strokes' just a tad bit but I suspect once I go to 50-1 that will vanish.
Has all kinds of power but the exhaust note with the top baffle removed is wonderful and because it's cold here, I did run the pre heat slide in the winter position.
Been sitting in the shop a couple months unused but it fired on the second pull, no issue and warm started on the first pull as well and yes, I drop started it because the handle stirrup is too small to get my boot in.
I do like the rubber deflector on the backside of the cover however, especially when ripping saw logs as it totally deflects the stringy chips and the don't get packed up in the cover, unlike my Stihl's do.
Did a number of full bar cross cuts in seasoned oak (dry) saw logs as well as ripping and it flat wailed through that as well and I didn't have to adjust the new chain at all, must be that cheap Menards bar oil I'm using...lol Hard to beat a new loop on a new saw I realize, but it ran well the whole time and what I found somewhat amazing was a warm start only required a half heated pull to awaken the saw and it settled right down to a nice idle too.
It is a tad heavy with the Echo 20" bar installed, compared to my ancient 028 with 325 full chipper and Stihl 20" bar, but it's doable.
Couple items I'm not fond of and that is the plastic side cover that covers the clutch, chain and bar. It's kind of chintzy looking and I may rectify that in the future and the kill switch is really clunky, just an 'on-off' chrome plated toggle switch. I much prefer the Stihl 'one lever does all' design and the switch is in an odd spot as well
Compression release works well, as well and starting procedure was, comp release pushed in and drop pull until it popped and then off with the choke and 2 pulls and it was idling smoothly. I let it warm up for a minute or so to stabilize (it is a new saw after all) before I 'put it to the wood'
I did not install the 5 degree crank key yet and I may not as it runs and cuts quite well as it is.
Back in the shop presently. I need to remove the side cover and blow that out and grease the roller nose bar and put it back on the shelf until next time but, overall, I'm impressed with it.
