Echo Chainsaws?

[bikerbeans]

I bought a 24 " Echo in 1987. The saw was used on construction and demo sites for a half dozen years. To say it was abused was an understatement, but it always ran. After it sat unused for a year I gave it to my best friend. The saw was still running but needed a bar and chain. He is still dropping trees and cutting firewood with this Echo. The engine has not been rebuilt.

BB

[snowwolfe]

Owned several Stihls, still own a big one with a 25 inch bar. Then I bought an Echo 490, then a smaller Echo, then another. The next saw I buy will be an Echo Timber Wolf.
I'll never buy a Stihl again. I only use nonethanol fuel and the Echos start first or second pull after sitting for months. A 8 year old could pull start the 490. The Stihls usually require a squirt of starting fluid.

[tankgunner59]

According to what I have found they have been around since 1961. Never owned one but I have family members of my parents who wouldn't own anything else.

[osteodoc08]

I’ve owned Echo, Stihl and Husky. They’ve all ran well
And cut well. I’d not hesitate to buy another echo. Get rid of the limiter caps and tune the carb correctly. Use non ethanol gas and she will last for years and years.

[blackthorn]

Retired in 2004and moved to Kamloops. Bought 1.8 acer property and a small Echo pruning saw. The idea was to just cut wood to feed the stove in my 30x40 foot shop. And then the pine beetles hit! Killed all the big yellow pine on our place 30+ trees, some of them well over the length of my poor little saw blade. Had to cut from both sides and often also had to roll the log to finish. I began to cut those trees up and about half way through, Gail said you really need a bigger saw, so I went back and bought a bigger Echo with a longer bar. At the time I bought my first Echo, the dealer told me Echo does not make a cheap rendition of their products and all are commercial grade tools. May be different now, I don't know. I still have both saws and both still start well and run well too. My son just bought a new Stihl, and he really likes it, so if I were to buy another saw, I would research Stihl but likely just get another Echo.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I am a big fan of Stihl.
But I will say that I've only heard good things about Echo. If I were to ever find myself wanting to change brands, I would likely look hard at the Echo.

With my 20 year old Stihl saw (MS360 Pro) that I bought new, and the 30+ year old Stihl saw (024) I bought used (owner thought is was wore out), cutting 3 to 5 cords a year to heat the house, I will say the following:

>I have never had to have a shop repair them, never rebuild them myself. I did do a carb cleaning and adjustment on the 024 a few years after I got it, that fixed it's sluggishness that the seller thought it was wore out.

>I always use non-Oxy gas.

>after I'm done cutting and put the saw into storage (even for a week), I always drain the gas tank and run the saw to empty the carb.

Those last two things, I believe is why I never need to clean the carb, like many other saw owners that I know, seem to need to do annually.

[popper]

Years ago Echo advertised they used needle bearings and had bearings on both sides of the crank - most H.D. stuff just uses one (thrust side) that are junk. my trimmer has a different type carb, barrel throttle vs a plate. Never tore a Mac apart but they are no more.

[Ozark mike]

Funny i own a johndeere 90v which is made by kiorits which is the name echo used to go by its old enough that it has points but is the easiest starting saw i own couldn't tell you about the newer stuff except quality has gone down across the board

[Conditor22]

Whatever saw you buy, {this applies to ALL gas powdered tools}

Add StaBil https://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22214...2070455&sr=8-2

to ALL gas that you buy that way the tools are always protected sitting unused for a week-month-year
$9 for 32 oz, STA-BIL Storage is a 1 ounce to 2.5-gallon treat rate.

STA-BIL Storage Fuel Stabilizer keeps fuel fresh for up to 24 months and provides quick and easy starts after storage. It removes water to prevent corrosion and cleanses carburetors and fuel injectors. This product protects engines from gum, varnish, rust, and corrosion and prolongs the life of any engine. Eliminate the need to drain the fuel of your 2 or 4 cycle engine by treating the fuel with STA-BIL before storing.

[cp1969]

I don't use fuel additives of any sort and have never had a problem with anything that had straight gas in it (no alcohol). My old Briggs powered roto tiller sat for over ten years with gas in it and started right up. Even I was surprised at that but it has the carburetor which uses the fuel tank as the float bowl.

In 2001, a June storm broke one of our pecan trees, 16' above ground level. At the time, all I had was a Poulan Micro XXV 14" saw (still have it). A tree company wanted $750 just to get the tree on the ground, so I bought a Husky 55 with 16" bar (still have it, too) and cut it down and into smoking wood myself. The base of this tree was 106" circumference and a 16" bar isn't ideal for that, it worked. It was a difficult felling because the top of the tree was still connected to the trunk at the 16' level. It was very hard for me to tell which way the stress went and at times I had both saws stuck in the tree and had to axe one out so I could free the other. Both bars got bent. People lined up to get the pecan wood but I don't recall anybody bringing back any smoked meat.

The Husky 55 impressed me. It cost me $350, so I saved $400 minimum, but it's cut a lot more since then and still runs like new. All I've done is the usual things--spark plug, air filter, fuel filter, bars and chains. Right now I'm waiting on cool weather to retrieve a big Black Locust log out of a ravine. I don't mind doing it but don't want to sweat like I did with the Pecan tree. It'll have to be cut in at least four pieces and pulled up one at a time.

[buckwheatpaul]

The little craftsman chain saw I've had for about 20 years needs to be worked on again to get it going, the poor little thing just doesn't get run often enough and seems like I have to go through this when I need it. I live on a bigger place in the woods now than when I bought it, and it's just a matter of time until I really need one, so it's really time to upgrade anyway.

The guy who works on small engines around here, who I have no reason to doubt, but just wanted to look into it, recommended the Echo line and the local Orscheln's in town carries them. The biggest one they have is about $400, which isn't really a problem, I'd prefer to spend a little more and get more saw than I really need rather than not enough.

Can anybody comment on these with regards to reliability and performance? Parts availability, etc.?

I have always been a Stihl man....however my commercial 18" bit the dust while under load and was totaled.....to get the closest Stihl it was going to cost $1,200.00 and came with a one year warranty.....or 2 if you used their gas......Echo 18" has a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty and I have been working the snot out of it....I live on a ranch and a chainsaws are a way of life. Like you I bought on the recommendation of my repair man .... boy was he right.....news flash....the comparable Stihl is not as good as my old one....so at 68 years of age I bought the 18" for $325.00 and it is easy to start and does a great job.....hope this helps.....Paul

[Wayne Smith]

Right now I'm waiting on cool weather to retrieve a big Black Locust log out of a ravine. I don't mind doing it but don't want to sweat like I did with the Pecan tree. It'll have to be cut in at least four pieces and pulled up one at a time.

Have you ever worked with one of those? When dry hard enough to bend nails. You will probably need two guys, one simply to sharpen chains!

[Petrol & Powder]

It has been stated repeatedly on this thread and many other threads but, one more time - Use NON-ETHANOL fuel !

Someone mentioned STA-BIL fuel stabilizer and I still use that for long term storage when I don't drain the tank and run the carb dry. It does work. However, non-ethanol gas will solve about 98% of your fuel system problems.

Gas with ethanol is the curse of all small engines. Ethanol is bad enough in vehicles but it's really bad in the world of small engines. Yes, if you run the engine dry and store the equipment without fuel, your problems will be somewhat reduced. But seriously? Do you do that every time and do you get all of the fuel out? In terms of reliability and durability - use of non-ethanol fuel is like the difference between night and day.

Anyone that has used a chain saw for even a little bit of work knows that it is the chain that does the work. Sharp teeth and the correct profile will get the job done. Of course, the engine has to start and run but once you get over that hurdle; it really comes down to the chain.
For an "All Purpose" chain I prefer the semi-chisel design. A full chisel will cut faster when sharp and, in clean conditions, will stay sharp. However for utility work where clean and dry aren't always possible, the semi-chisel is my choice.
The "safety" chains with the fully rounded teeth that come on most consumer grade saws sold in big box retail stores are useless. Even a semi-chisel chain will out work them and a full chisel will cut circles around them.

I made an open top wooden box that neatly holds a 1 gallon gas can with a spout (pre-nanny state type), A plastic 1 quart bottle of bar oil (which is re-filled from a larger jug at home), the multi-tool for the saw, several spare chains and a bottle of oil for the fuel mix.

Reading this thread, I see some clear preference for Echo/Stihl/Husqvarna equipment. I think those are all solid choices.

I've seen many people (including family members) buy the cheapest saw they could find. They would go through 3-4 saws for one of mine and during that time they had nothing but trouble. Spend a little more up front, get enough engine for the length of bar you are using, get a good chain and at least 1 spare.

A little bit of planning on the front end will save you a LOT of aggravation on the back end.

[William Yanda]

Since the local guy will probably work on it eventually, why not take his advice? The price difference would not be worth even the remote possibility of "I told you when you asked".

[Petrol & Powder]

Since the local guy will probably work on it eventually, why not take his advice? The price difference would not be worth even the remote possibility of "I told you when you asked".

That's good advice if the "local guy" is honest. If I was a dishonest mechanic, I would recommend the brand that breaks the most. More repairs means more money in my pocket.

[richhodg66]

Since the local guy will probably work on it eventually, why not take his advice? The price difference would not be worth even the remote possibility of "I told you when you asked".

The guy has been very square and honest in all dealings I've had with him. He's relatively new to this, just the past couple of years, but so far has given me no reason to doubt him.

Besides that, all the feedback here seem to agree with him. Pay day is about a week away and I can do a lot of the clearing without it, so I'll wait until then, but I'm gonna go with his advice.

[dkf]

I have a couple Echo chainsaws and other Echo gas equipment. They have always been reliable saws for me. THey have always had a good cylinder lining, keep a reasonable amount of oil mixed in the gas and they just last.

[jimlj]

I can't recommend a brand, I have an el cheap Pullen from wally world. Works fine for the one or two times a year I use it. I always put Stabil in my gas cans, so the lawn mower, weed eater and chain saw get it in the fuel each time I fill the tank. I never wonder if I added it at the end of the season.

I would recommend re-thinking the biggest one available. I had to replace a router a few years ago and bought the biggest Dewalt I could find. I found it's too heavy for 90% of the work I do. I ended up buying a 1 HP router that will do 99% of what I need it for. The 3 1/4 HP Dewalt is permanently mounted in the router table and gets very little use. Just remember you have to lift the biggest saw they have every time you use it.

[Jsm180]

I have 2 Stihl saws, ms170 and ms290, no complaints. The only maintenance they need is blade sharpening. When my 40 yr old homelight blew up I asked my friends in AK what they used and the stihl was high on the list. We have had several hurricanes through here the last few years and I notice most of the tree trimmers use Stihl also.

All my 2 cycles and generators run on avgas only, it never goes stale and there is always at least 30 gal in the airplane.

[georgerkahn]

I have three Mantis tillers, all of which use Echo motors. I will NOT start/run one for, say, maybe three years -- and, when pulled out for use, they all seem to start/run as if they were last used "yesterday". The BIG disclaimer is, however, that I use NOTHING other than store-bought pre-mix (e.g., Stihl 50:1 Moto-Mix; Tru-Fuel 40:1 or Tru-Fuel 50:1; or similar) in all air-cooled 2-cycle devices! This "fuel tip" is one not, imho and experience, to be ignored!
I also have fourteen chainsaws, all of Stihl manufacture, which includes one powering a Lewis Winch, and one which is a Stihl Pole Saw. I used the Pole Saw yesterday, and after ~20 "wasted" rope pulls, I removed the spark plug, dropped in a 1/2-capful of Moto-Mix in the cylinder -- and after putting the 'plug back in it started on second pull and I was able to do quite a bit of trimming. (A 'woodsman's' starting trick !)
I used to buy and mix my own fuel, adding Sta-bil -- but, have learned by experience, the commercial pre-mix is surely worth its expense! If I was back to regular/often use, then I'd ($$$) mix my own; but, one trip to repair shop for carburetor clean runs about $75.00 here -- so, a lot of pre-mix may be purchased and in addition to convenience and time not lost by in-shop time...
If you're into "large" saws, I'd reckon Stihl or Husquvarna would be the way I'd go. But, for medium and light-weight, I'd see nothing wrong with Echo. One last thought, though, is if I were a few years younger than my present 72 -- I'd diffidently be looking at the new breed of Lithium battery-powered saws -- I've seen and been impressed by both Oregon and Stihls. One friend has a Stihl plus one spare battery -- and he purports he can cut wood indefinitely with one battery in charger with other in saw.... worth a thought?
geo