Makita 7300 or Echo 620

[Greenerpastures]

So far identified issues:
- clutch assy needs replacing, as in weights and drum, clutch drum needle bearing shot
- oil pump not oiling, oil leakage coming from under the clutch, oil volume screw head broken off
- lots of chain slap rash
- muffler boogered and poorly fixed
- third top muffler bolt broken in cylinder thread
- cylinder cover and chain brake flag have heat damage, molten plastic
- cylinder AV mount broken
- the outside of the saw was thoughroughly cleaned for the pictures, underneath any and all covers everything is infested with molten rubber that vulcanized itself to the saws surfaces

Tested and deemed good:
- engine starts, idles and blips good
- piston and piston ring look good
- nothing appears to be bent like it was the case with my PS-7310

She requires attention, I'll replace everything I need to restore her.

Hi Wilhelm, thats a long enough list of needs.
The oil pump would be my first fix.
Regarding the top muffler bolt broken in, if you get someone good with
a welder, even a mig, but tig would be easier to handle, to weld / build up
the broken bolt, to a length where you could either catch it with vice grips
or weld a nut on it, either way to turn it out, very slowly, uses wd-40 to cool
and lubricate it, back and forth ever so slightly untill it moves, even then keep
turning it slowly out, a small rotation at a time.
OR, use a spring to pull the top off the muffler into position,
you will need to find something to catch it on the cylinder through,
but as a last resort I mention it, it should come out with the welding,
just cool it after every few dabs of weld, dry, clean, and weld again.

You mention heat damage, is this from the muffler do you think.

Pictures can be so deceiving, I do not know how many tractors I've
gone to see that looked ok in pictures, there should be a punishment
for this, it is in essence false advertising.

I will be thinking of you Wilhalm, Regards, john

 

[Wilhelm]

Hi Wilhelm, thats a long enough list of needs.
The oil pump would be my first fix.
Regarding the top muffler bolt broken in, if you get someone good with
a welder, even a mig, but tig would be easier to handle, to weld / build up
the broken bolt, to a length where you could either catch it with vice grips
or weld a nut on it, either way to turn it out, very slowly, uses wd-40 to cool
and lubricate it, back and forth ever so slightly untill it moves, even then keep
turning it slowly out, a small rotation at a time.
OR, use a spring to pull the top off the muffler into position,
you will need to find something to catch it on the cylinder through,
but as a last resort I mention it, it should come out with the welding,
just cool it after every few dabs of weld, dry, clean, and weld again.

You mention heat damage, is this from the muffler do you think.

Pictures can be so deceiving, I do not know how many tractors I've
gone to see that looked ok in pictures, there should be a punishment
for this, it is in essence false advertising.

I will be thinking of you Wilhalm, Regards, john

Yes, the cylinder cover and chain brake flag heat damage was due to the muffler being banged against the logs while cutting.
That caused the front half to deform and pry open the crimp on the muffler's top allowing exhaust gases to blow directly at the cylinder cover.
Once the cylinder cover had a hole molten into it the exhaust gases also burned one into the brake flag.

It is unclear to me why/how the screw got snapped!
The screw is protruding out of the cylinder, I hope I'll be able to get it out without causing damage to the cylinder.

 

[Greenerpastures]

I would imagine taking the screw from the cylinder will
be a small enough task.
The oil volume screw will probably be loose in the housing
so should move easily too, how anyone would break it is another
thing, but its only a small fix, as is the broken muffler sctew, time
and pleny of water to keep the cylinder cool as you weld the part
that is stick out a little will work wonders, wd-40, and small rotations.
Make a small stell plate to bolt over the exhaust port, that way you
will be double sure nothing gets in, no need for thick steel, even a cutout from
a biscuit tin would do, stress it like a slight convex, so the screws hand tight
will pull it against the aluminium exhaust port, you have the muffler for a
template,.
Make a shield also out of biscuit tin in the shape and size to wrap around
the cylinder at the area you are welding the broken muffler bolt, tie it on
with wire, its better to take time before sparks start flying to protect all you can.
Wrap plug lead in many wraps of tin foil, or remove.
You will probably have the engine out, or all the pannels off the saw in any even
if you are to clean her, and get into the oil pump, so this will protect the plastics.

Dont put too much tinfoil on her at this time of year, someone might shove
her in an oven thinking she is a goose.

Best wishes, john

 

[Wood Doctor]

Quick question. How do you walk away from an Echo CS-670?
This saw is built like a tank. I made a simple adapter for the Stihl bar. It works very well.

 

[Greenerpastures]

Quick question. How do you walk away from an Echo CS-670?
View attachment 96119 This saw is built like a tank. I made a simple adapter for the Stihl bar. It works very well.

Hi Wood Doctor
That would be too much saw for what I wanted.
Other thing was, I emailed the echo dealer, asked for a quote,
he never got back to me, despite me buying a CS 501 a month earlier.
I phoned him today, asked about red armor, he did not know what it was,
then he found out, he said red armor was for shindaiwa's, and echo powerblend
was for echo's, and thats why I don't have an Echo 620 today.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Some dealers aren't up on things. I haven't bought a saw from a dealer in ten years. The only bad saw I ever bought from a non-dealer is a Husky 350 that simply refuses to run under any circumstances. I'm saving it for parts.

Oh, and BTW, I have a vintage Echo CS-500 that runs like a champ. Yes, it's old, but it refuses to die:

I like this saw. Always starts and always runs.

 

[Greenerpastures]

I like the Shindaiwa too, I have a 490, cut all day with her in the yard, ran as cool as could be,
piston like new, plug nice coffee colour, its a new saw, only had three days on it before this.
It makes a wonderful growl, and is super easy to start, hard enough to pull,
but starts easy every time, two pulls with choke, and one without, was two until I
richened her up, she idles the same from start to finish, well pleased with it.

I expect my CS 501 to do better when I choose an oil to mix to use in her.

Hope you have many more years from yours.

Regards, john