Echo SRM-2620T String Trimmer Review

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May 30, 2022
Messages
1,233
Location
Torrance, CA
Bought this a year or so back, before supplies dried up, and you couldn't get a gas tool like this in California. At the same time, I bought a Honda VersAttach power unit and string trimmer attachment. I tried to love the Honda, but as a trimmer, it has compromises. It's heavy for one thing, and the string feed head is hard to work with. Anyway, I broke out the Echo for the first time today, and I'm now smitten! What took me so long?

Being two-stroke, I was expecting a stinky and somewhat temperamental machine, but this thing is none of that. I'm particularly impressed with the low and steady idle. Noise wise, it's just as quiet as my four-stroke Honda and Makita blower units. Bought a jug of TrueFuel 40:1 fuel, and the machine drank it down without complaint. The balance is excellent, as is the cutting performance. I bought the high torque version for reasons that escape me at the moment, which spins slower, but all good.

The Honda is getting an edger attachment, so it will be dedicated to trimming along concrete edges. The right tool for the job, right?

Screenshot 2025-03-23 144323.webp
 
as far as stinky it usually has to do with the 2 stroke oil.. some are more pungent than others.
 
Echo has the best in the industry trimmers and blowers. Their 25.4 engine has became their #1 engine in the line to be used on almost all of their products.

Echo red armour is in my opinion the best oil for OPE, but I will caution you it does indeed smell bad. I am not sure what oil tru fuel is mixed with. While you are in CA, try to stick with VP Racing fuel in the can. It is better than trufuel.
 
Just make sure to use the engine at wide open throttle. The high torque gear box gives the user a ton more engine RPM for very thick grass and weeds. The high torque mufflers will tend to clog more, and operaters choose to run them at half thottle.
 
Just make sure to use the engine at wide open throttle. The high torque gear box gives the user a ton more engine RPM for very thick grass and weeds. The high torque mufflers will tend to clog more, and operaters choose to run them at half thottle.
The Honda VersaAttach manual recommends running full throttle, but I didn't see a similar recommendation for the Echo. I know that these devices need some rpm to drive their cooling fan, but from a cutting standpoint, for my use case, it's not needed.

I've read good things about Echo Red Armour. Maybe next time. They sell a premix, but it's a fair bit more money than TrueFuel.
 
Bought this a year or so back, before supplies dried up, and you couldn't get a gas tool like this in California. At the same time, I bought a Honda VersAttach power unit and string trimmer attachment. I tried to love the Honda, but as a trimmer, it has compromises. It's heavy for one thing, and the string feed head is hard to work with. Anyway, I broke out the Echo for the first time today, and I'm now smitten! What took me so long?

Being two-stroke, I was expecting a stinky and somewhat temperamental machine, but this thing is none of that. I'm particularly impressed with the low and steady idle. Noise wise, it's just as quiet as my four-stroke Honda and Makita blower units. Bought a jug of TrueFuel 40:1 fuel, and the machine drank it down without complaint. The balance is excellent, as is the cutting performance. I bought the high torque version for reasons that escape me at the moment, which spins slower, but all good.

The Honda is getting an edger attachment, so it will be dedicated to trimming along concrete edges. The right tool for the job, right?

View attachment 269643
I have the same trimmer, very happy with it, plenty of power.
 
I've got the PAS version of that trimmer. It's superb. Gobs of power, smooth and pleasant. Mine's not quiet though.

I listen to books via earbuds while doing yard work, so noise is not much of a factor
 
Have the same 2620T trimmer purchased last July. Use Echo power blend gold oil with 90 octane non ethanol boat gas mixed at about 45/1 . Don't notice any bad order from the exhaust. Still have my Echo SRM 230 trimmer purchased in 2009 still running strong with that fuel mix.
 
The Honda VersaAttach manual recommends running full throttle, but I didn't see a similar recommendation for the Echo. I know that these devices need some rpm to drive their cooling fan, but from a cutting standpoint, for my use case, it's not needed.

I've read good things about Echo Red Armour. Maybe next time. They sell a premix, but it's a fair bit more money than TrueFuel.
So I get the not wanting to run full throttle. When I run a blade, I often don't need to as well. Keep in mind without full throttle your catalytic muffler may plug up. Nothing a propane stove cant fix!
 
I bought a couple of those and ended up giving them to my neighbors. I hate the "high torque" as they call it feature. I have a few of the regular Echo SRM-2620 models and they are great. They get .095 or .105 line in them. I've been wanting to pick up a SRM- 3020 to try out and would probably keep .135 line in it for the couple times a year when some heavy stuff needs to be knocked down. I go through about 3 gallons a week of 2 stroke mix and use non ethanol 90 octane gas with Amsoil Saber mixed at 100:1.
 
I bought a couple of those and ended up giving them to my neighbors. I hate the "high torque" as they call it feature. I have a few of the regular Echo SRM-2620 models and they are great. They get .095 or .105 line in them. I've been wanting to pick up a SRM- 3020 to try out and would probably keep .135 line in it for the couple times a year when some heavy stuff needs to be knocked down. I go through about 3 gallons a week of 2 stroke mix and use non ethanol 90 octane gas with Amsoil Saber mixed at 100:1.
The standard non torque model already has a gear reduction, so the Torque model is overkill and makes the cutting head not spin fast enough. I have like 3 of these trimmers that are used commercially, and imo they're the best thing echo has ever made. They used to make higher hp trimmers, but those bigger trimmers were really heavy. This 2620 has the same power as the older srm280 and weighs as much as the srm210. After a couple year using them daily, the clutch wears out and you need to put a new one on, but other than that no issues.
 
Not sure why I went high torque model, but I do know it cuts great. Spins plenty fast. The difference is only 20% anyway
 
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Not sure I went high torque model, but I do know it cuts great. Spins plenty fast. The difference is only 20% anyway
If it has the T then it's the torque model which is 2:1 gear reduction. The standard model is 1.62:1, they used to be 1:1 ratio and imo that was too much strain for the people like me who remove the guard and let extra line out.
 
40:1 mix ratio is too much. I've been using STIHL ULTRA full synthetic for several years now. It burns real clean and keeps the engine running very clean. I run it 50:1 and measure it exactly my arranging the service station pump to shut off at exactly 2.501 gallons. If the price of premium gasoline is $4.599 per gallon, take your calculator and multiply the volume of the gas can by the price per gallon. For example, a 2.5 gallon container would be 2.5 times $4.60 = $11.50. You tell the cashier you want $11.50 on whichever pump number you choose. I always buy the highest octane they have.
 
I am not sure what oil tru fuel is mixed with. While you are in CA, try to stick with VP Racing fuel in the can. It is better than trufuel.

Trufuel uses VP Racing two stroke oil. The cans are identical as well as the plant and date codes stamped on the bottom, so I’m inclined to think that trufuel and VP racing fuel are made in the same factory, although I think I remember the octane being different on the two cans with VP racing being maybe 93 octane and trufuel being maybe 90 octane. (Memory is a little foggy)
 
40:1 mix ratio is too much. I've been using STIHL ULTRA full synthetic for several years now. It burns real clean and keeps the engine running very clean. I run it 50:1 and measure it exactly my arranging the service station pump to shut off at exactly 2.501 gallons. If the price of premium gasoline is $4.599 per gallon, take your calculator and multiply the volume of the gas can by the price per gallon. For example, a 2.5 gallon container would be 2.5 times $4.60 = $11.50. You tell the cashier you want $11.50 on whichever pump number you choose. I always buy the highest octane they have.

1.) Stihl Ultra Full Synthetic is JASO FB rated and no longer relevant. It is a very poor oil at a very expensive price, designed for their 4 mix engines. If you run modern 2 cycle equipment with this inferior oil, then do an engine teardown, the internals will be very "dry". Sure it smells clean and does not smoke, but it does carbon up the rings and ports quite a bit as a result of lacking the modern detergents found in FD L-EGD oils.

2.) Echo trimmer engines and blower engines are built very well and can absolutely run quality JASO FD / ISO L-EGD at 50:1 mix ratios all day long and acheive a very long lifespan. 50:1 is primarily for emissions, and not for engine life. Running 40:1 is not too much, and in most cases extends the engine life. 32:1 will yield even better.

3.) 2 Cycle engine should really be run on ethanol free fuel. Buying the highest octane does not always correlate to being ethanol free. In my area, E0 is only found at 90 Octane, and if you select 93 Octane, it will be E10. Ethanol free 90 octane is the superior choice for 2 cycles that have not been modded.
 
1.) Stihl Ultra Full Synthetic is JASO FB rated and no longer relevant. It is a very poor oil at a very expensive price, designed for their 4 mix engines. If you run modern 2 cycle equipment with this inferior oil, then do an engine teardown, the internals will be very "dry". Sure it smells clean and does not smoke, but it does carbon up the rings and ports quite a bit as a result of lacking the modern detergents found in FD L-EGD oils.

2.) Echo trimmer engines and blower engines are built very well and can absolutely run quality JASO FD / ISO L-EGD at 50:1 mix ratios all day long and acheive a very long lifespan. 50:1 is primarily for emissions, and not for engine life. Running 40:1 is not too much, and in most cases extends the engine life. 32:1 will yield even better.

3.) 2 Cycle engine should really be run on ethanol free fuel. Buying the highest octane does not always correlate to being ethanol free. In my area, E0 is only found at 90 Octane, and if you select 93 Octane, it will be E10. Ethanol free 90 octane is the superior choice for 2 cycles that have not been modded.
I guess I should've read your post 10 minutes ago before I ordered another 6-pack from Ebay. 😁
 
Just make sure to use the engine at wide open throttle. The high torque gear box gives the user a ton more engine RPM for very thick grass and weeds. The high torque mufflers will tend to clog more, and operaters choose to run them at half thottle.
I've got an Echo PAS266 which I believe is an older version of yours. I've had it for well over 7-8 years and I've never had any carbon buildup as I run it wide open all the time. Only problem I've had starting it was the plug well tits up, changed that and I'm good to go. Same with my Echo hedge trimmer, chain saw and wheeled trimmer.
I have a paddle, string trimmer, brush blade as well as a hedge trimmer attachment so it's well used.
Unfortunately there's no corn free fuel here so I'm stuck with using it and I've always used Echo oil in at at 50:1. Not a mark on the piston or cylinder.
 
I've got an Echo PAS266 which I believe is an older version of yours. I've had it for well over 7-8 years and I've never had any carbon buildup as I run it wide open all the time. Only problem I've had starting it was the plug well tits up, changed that and I'm good to go. Same with my Echo hedge trimmer, chain saw and wheeled trimmer.
I have a paddle, string trimmer, brush blade as well as a hedge trimmer attachment so it's well used.
Unfortunately there's no corn free fuel here so I'm stuck with using it and I've always used Echo oil in at at 50:1. Not a mark on the piston or cylinder.
I agree. I haven't had issues with it clogging on the latest models. That was more of an issue with the older grey colored echos. The newer versions have a homey comb in the muffler for a catalytic converting. This dude won't put enough hours to clogg the muffler anyways
 
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