Echo CS-590 Timberwolf porting?

[rsmraider]

Hello Everyone,

I purchased an Echo 590 last year in September. I use it mainly for firewood and have not been cutting often until last month; I used it to clear out a large area around our camp. I have been running it a little bit rich since after I received it. I had to take it apart and clear out lot of carbon after it quit and would not start again 2 weeks ago. The piston was covered with carbon and there was some inside the top end. After I cleaned the carbon I put it back together and it was running good.

These are the only modifications I have done to the chainsaw so far. I have slightly enlarged the exhaust port to match the exhaust gasket and muffler opening using locksmith files. I was careful not to go too close to the inner cylinder edge so I do not mess with the timing. I did a muffler mild muffler mod with a couple of little holes bypassing the baffle. I have also removed the inner plate on the exhaust guide.

I have been wanting to port this chainsaw but I am new to porting. I read Echo CS 590,600,620 port/mod and a couple of more forums that have good information about porting. The squish is 0.35 after the base gasket delete for this chainsaw. I do not know if I will be messing with the squish and if I do it will have to be with only files. I do not have equipment to shave off any of the metal nor will I be getting any. The shipping for everything is crazy to Rural Alaska.

I do not have a good way to check the timing. I tried printing a degree wheel and taping it to cardboard but it is giving me a different numbers. They within 2-5* every time I try to check when the exhaust or intake opens but I don't know if I should trust it. There are imperfections inside the transfers which I still need to remove. I noticed that the cylinder was scored on the intake side after I took it apart again. It is not bad but my fingernail is able to catch on the area. I do not have any way to hone the area at the moment.

Would widening the intake and exhaust port be okay without messing with the port timings?

 

[Poleman]

Widening the intake and exhaust can be done, just make sure not to go past the width of the piston skirts. Leave a margin so port will seal. Be sure to bevel/sand the port edges when done as to not leave any rough edges that would fall the piston.
Also clean up your cylinder at the same time since there is something going on on your intake side. I’m wondering how you cleaned the residue off the internals.....May have nicked something and caused a rough spot. Double check everything. Is what you feel a groove or transfer?? You can clean the transfer off or smooth the cylinder up by hand or a drill with an arbor with sand paper(320-400). What does the piston damage look like. It most likely will sand out or smooth up.
Just smooth transfers of any imperfections. The Echos I’ve been in we’re all very clean and the best cylinders I’ve seen.
Deleat the base gasket but use a proper sealant and let it cure properly. Dirks, 1184, Motoseal, Yamabond are some. Most of the Hi temp silicones don’t work as they are not compatible with fuel. Choose wisely.
You can drill a larger hole for a muffler mod just not that it will have a very distinct loud pop but will help.

 

[TreeLife]

Nice to see you post again @Poleman

 

[Czed]

Hello Everyone,

I purchased an Echo 590 last year in September. I use it mainly for firewood and have not been cutting often until last month; I used it to clear out a large area around our camp. I have been running it a little bit rich since after I received it. I had to take it apart and clear out lot of carbon after it quit and would not start again 2 weeks ago. The piston was covered with carbon and there was some inside the top end. After I cleaned the carbon I put it back together and it was running good.

These are the only modifications I have done to the chainsaw so far. I have slightly enlarged the exhaust port to match the exhaust gasket and muffler opening using locksmith files. I was careful not to go too close to the inner cylinder edge so I do not mess with the timing. I did a muffler mild muffler mod with a couple of little holes bypassing the baffle. I have also removed the inner plate on the exhaust guide.

I have been wanting to port this chainsaw but I am new to porting. I read Echo CS 590,600,620 port/mod and a couple of more forums that have good information about porting. The squish is 0.35 after the base gasket delete for this chainsaw. I do not know if I will be messing with the squish and if I do it will have to be with only files. I do not have equipment to shave off any of the metal nor will I be getting any. The shipping for everything is crazy to Rural Alaska.

I do not have a good way to check the timing. I tried printing a degree wheel and taping it to cardboard but it is giving me a different numbers. They within 2-5* every time I try to check when the exhaust or intake opens but I don't know if I should trust it. There are imperfections inside the transfers which I still need to remove. I noticed that the cylinder was scored on the intake side after I took it apart again. It is not bad but my fingernail is able to catch on the area. I do not have any way to hone the area at the moment.

Would widening the intake and exhaust port be okay without messing with the port timings?

I ran my echo 590 hard for over 4 year's
Before i took it apart and opened up the intake and exhaust.
It was in near perfect shape
Very little carbon.
That was two year's ago still running great.
I don't know what mix you're using
But something's causing excessive damage.
My over 15 saws are 40/1 never an issue
With carbon buildup.
You'll know if you mod those mufflers too much.
It will be unbearable to run.
I just cut out the deflector like yours
And cut a small hole in the tube.
I would clean that cylinder very well
Before putting it back on.
I use emory cloth on a mandrel
With a cordless drill.

 

[Termitebuffet]

I ran my echo 590 hard for over 4 year's
Before i took it apart and opened up the intake and exhaust.
It was in near perfect shape
Very little carbon.
That was two year's ago still running great.
I don't know what mix you're using
But something's causing excessive damage.
My over 15 saws are 40/1 never an issue
With carbon buildup.
You'll know if you mod those mufflers too much.
It will be unbearable to run.
I just cut out the deflector like yours
And cut a small hole in the tube.
I would clean that cylinder very well
Before putting it back on.
I use emory cloth on a mandrel
With a cordless drill.

GUT IT ....I LIKE 'EM LOUDER. ..

Sawhawgz, ruining the internet since 2012...

 

[TreeLife]

I actually want to play with a ported 620p...

 

[rsmraider]

Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the piston other than the carbon build up. I cleaned the piston with one of those old kitchen green scrubbers and WD-40. I did not use anything inside cylinder beside paper towels and WD-40. I have to admit that I was not the only one to mix the fuel this summer. So I do not know if one of my relatives tried mixing the gas with a lower ratio of oil to gas while they used it most of this summer. When I mix the fuel I use Stihl 2.5 gallon-6.4 oz oil with 2 gallons of gas which should make the ration 40:1 if I am not mistaken. I told them to use those to mix the gas but I do not know if they listened to me. I had a 10 year old MS 290 that I did not have any trouble with running this mix before I sold it.

The cylinder (pictured in 1st post) has 2 lines around the middle of the intake possibly from carbon damage? I do not know what it is from but there is a groove on the wall that I am able to catch with my finger nail. It is not bad below the intake but from the intake I am able to catch my fingernail to the top of where the transfers end.

There are bumps inside the transfers that I am going to remove when I receive my new dremel tool. I used to have one but it was borrowed and broken. I ordered one with a flexible shaft so I should be able to work inside this small cylinder (compared to other engines I worked on) hopefully. It should include some stuff to polish everything also. I have some Hondabond that I will put on when I am going to put this back together.

 

[huskyboy]

Not to turn this into a oil thread lol, but I would reccomend changing your brand of mix oil to echo powerblend. Cheaper than stihl oil too I believe. Experiment with the different brand oils... see what one works best for you. Lots of good ones out there. I would advise staying with the 40:1 or 32:1 ratio. I would also take into consideration not lending saws out to your relatives as well honestly.

 

[rsmraider]

I purchased that oil with a Stihl 251 that I purchased also around the time I bought this one (to extend the warranty another year) and have not run out of it yet. I have a couple more bottles left. The family members use the same camp and they were clearing the trees while I was busy with work. They used both of my saws to make it easier to see wild animals near the camp. We got a lot of moose and some bears around that area. To be honest I do not like the way they build the new versions of Stihls. The 251 did not have a way to adjust the bar oil and seems to be running with too little bit. I go through more chains with the 251 compared to the 590.

Edit:
My father was not happy with the big saw and wanted me to get a smaller one for him to use. Him and other family members who share the same camp with me were cut the trees when I am busy with work and unable to go to our camp. I showed them how to mix the gas but I am not sure if they listened and possibly mixed too much oil with the gas. There is a big area around the camp that we cut to make it safer incase a bear comes around. There was a brown bear that came to the camp when we were not there, seen the tracks around the camp.

 

[usmcbuckwild]

I ported a 590 last week. Widened the intake and cleaned up the casting imperfections, widened the exhaust and raised it a touch (about the thickness of a dime) did a conservative muffler mod very similiar to yours and bumped the timing a little. To bump the timing remove the flywheel, grab a Sharpie marker and mark the portion of the key that is exposed and then remove the woodruff key (they are SUPER tight in the crank, a little wd-40 and gentle taps with a hammer and punch) the you will file approx 0.015 inch off of one side of the key (less than 1/2 thickness of a dime). Don’t file the entire key, file just the portion you marked. Then you will re-install the key with the filed portion on the right side if you are looking at the crank. Then drop the flywheel back on, twist the flywheel COUNTER-CLOCKWISE so it rests against the new timing setting. Grab a 1/2” or 13mm deep well socket, drop it over the crank and while maintaining the counter-clockwide pressure give it a sharp tap. This will seat the flywheel and help keep it from moving while you install the flywheel retaining nut.

Any questions, shoot me a PM.

Your cylinder looks ok to me, the damage appears to be from carbon. As previously stated, use some sand paper on the cylinder to smooth it out.

Does the scratch coincide with the ring gap? Is the scratch in the cylinder in the same location as where the rings are when the piston is in the cylinder?

 

[drf256]

@Red97 did one in the Christmas thread. Should be some good info there.

 

[drf256]

http://opeforum.com/threads/someone-getting-an-echo-cs-590-for-x-mas.4110/

 

[rsmraider]

I got my rotary tool I removed all casting defects and smoothed the scored area with a polishing pad. Does not seem to be lining up with where ring gap is when I check. The groove is no longer noticeable when I try and run my fingernail on it. I enlarged the exhaust and polished it but left the intake alone. I still would like to smooth the exhaust port and bevel with fine grit sand paper but I am done messing with it for now. I do not have any at the moment but a friend has some very fine sand paper that he is willing to give me. I just put it back together without adding any Hondabond 4 to the base of the jug to test how it is running. Compression test at about 52 feet above sea level.

I ran it for couple of minutes then tuned the low and a bit of the high by ear. Seems to be running okay but it has gotten annoyingly loud at full throttle.

 

[Cut4fun]

I only went this far on a muffer mod and is to loud for me if you were cutting all day without hearing protection. Glad I didnt go ahead and remove the tube etc.

It came to lean from the factory stock and the stops wouldnt allow me to richen it up enough if I recall right. So removed them.

 

[Czed]

GUT IT ....I LIKE 'EM LOUDER. ..

Sawhawgz, ruining the internet since 2012...

You're old and deef

 

[Termitebuffet]

You're old and deef

HUH.???? WHAT ????

Sawhawgz, ruining the internet since 2012...

 

[Sty57]

HUH.???? WHAT ????

Sawhawgz, ruining the internet since 2012...

What?

 

[Termitebuffet]

Eggactly

What?

Sawhawgz, ruining the internet since 2012...

 

[dahmer]

@Red97 did one in the Christmas thread. Should be some good info there.

I now own that @Red97 ported 590. A bit loud when sitting there on idle, pull the throttle and “it’s clobbering time.” That thing turns into the Hulk, except it’s orange, not green. Very impressive saw.

 

[Battle Cross 2]

I now own that @Red97 ported 590. A bit loud when sitting there on idle, pull the throttle and “it’s clobbering time.” That thing turns into the Hulk, except it’s orange, not green. Very impressive saw.

That saw was loud. We ran it beside my Del ported saw and the sound difference was very noticeable.