New chainsaw with catalytic converter

[Cujet]

Sort of a direct comparison as I have 2 nearly identical saws. A 45cc and a 50cc Husqvarna.

The 50cc has a cat, and has significantly less power than the 45cc saw. A solid guess would be that the cat brings power down from the 50cc to 35-40cc range.

Guess which one I strongly prefer? Yup, you guessed it, the one with power. I'm going to swap the mufflers and see what happens, but from the chainsaw forums, I already know deleting the cat muffler helps immensely.

Today, we have the wonderful option to purchase a capable electric saw if the zero emissions experience is important.

 

[fozzdesy2001]

Originally Posted by Cujet
Sort of a direct comparison as I have 2 nearly identical saws. A 45cc and a 50cc Husqvarna.

The 50cc has a cat, and has significantly less power than the 45cc saw. A solid guess would be that the cat brings power down from the 50cc to 35-40cc range.

Guess which one I strongly prefer? Yup, you guessed it, the one with power. I'm going to swap the mufflers and see what happens, but from the chainsaw forums, I already know deleting the cat muffler helps immensely.

Today, we have the wonderful option to purchase a capable electric saw if the zero emissions experience is important.



You might be right about reduced power, I noticed this new Hitachi seems to have less torque than the older and now dead 46cc it replaced. Maybe after a few tanks of mix things will get better. I would love to find a muffler without a cat just to see what running catless is like I do know I won't be spending $90 just to gut the cat and still have an OE muffler if things don't work out. Then again in a few years it might not matter.












i

 

[4WD]

Yeah … got a 16" electric recently and like using it for milder jobs
Keeps wear & tear off the Stihl too

 

[jeepman3071]

Small engines and emissions restrictions have always been a tough battle. It's hard to bring the emissions down without making them super complicated (EFI, cats, computers) or run poorly (very lean, no power, incorrect mixture and surging) and also keep them at a decent price point.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

My Echo CS370 has the catalytic in the muffler. I was gonna drill it out and readjust the carb screws, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. It runs great on Amsoil Saber at 50:1. Next batch I may mix just a little richer.

L8R,
Matt

 

[Fatboymoe]

My new Makita EA5000 chainsaw had a converter. I ordered the non-cat muffler online and swapped it out. I also removed the carb. limiters and tuned it with a tach. Runs really good now and much cooler. I use Klotz Super Techniplate at 40-1 in all my 2 stroke equipment except my new Echo PB 2620 hand blower. It gets Echo RedArmor oil at 50-1.

 

[Clayslayer]

I like my teeney weeney little Stihl MS170. One of my buddies says it'd look good on a keychain. Or buy another and make a pair of earrings for his wife. Ugh. I don't cut much with it. First few ATV rides on the trails clearing deadfall are the most of it. Bit of firewood here and there. I haven't even worn the paint off the bar yet. Amsoil Saber 50:1 FTW, use the same in my Stihl weed eater (FS40). Do I need a chainsaw?! No. But I have one. Because America darn it.

 

[bubbatime]

I have a couple nice saws. Bought a $30 something dollar electric one from Horror Freight tools and it's a beast. I've used it around the house for a couple hours cleaning up the yard and cutting firewood for the fire pit. It's fun to use, works good. Is quiet so I don't disturb the neighbors. It's definitely a solid buy. The Oregon bar and chain cost almost the entire amount I payed for the thing, it's almost as if the electric chainsaw was free.

 

[bubbatime]

I have a couple nice saws. Bought a $30 something dollar electric one from Horror Freight tools and it's a beast. I've used it around the house for a couple hours cleaning up the yard and cutting firewood for the fire pit. It's fun to use, works good. Is quiet so I don't disturb the neighbors. It's definitely a solid buy. The Oregon bar and chain cost almost the entire amount I payed for the thing, it's almost as if the electric chainsaw was free. The high quality bar and chain are like $25-30 by themselves...

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by bubbatime
I have a couple nice saws. Bought a $30 something dollar electric one from Horror Freight tools and it's a beast. I've used it around the house for a couple hours cleaning up the yard and cutting firewood for the fire pit. It's fun to use, works good. Is quiet so I don't disturb the neighbors. It's definitely a solid buy. The Oregon bar and chain cost almost the entire amount I payed for the thing, it's almost as if the electric chainsaw was free. The high quality bar and chain are like $25-30 by themselves...

 

[JTK]

My ~12yr/old Husqvarna string trimmer came with a catalytic muffler on it. I know it was mentioned above, but I think the emissions compliance is only rated for a matter of hours before the catalyst is spent in them. I guess it's enough for the manufacturers to show they're doing something. These little carbureted beasts spew so much unburned fuel, there's no way you'd get a catalyst to last on them. As relatively old as it is, it still runs like a top. Snappy throttle response and it will idle slow, smooth and quiet all day long if you let it.

I'm with the above in terms of electric chain saws. Even though I've got two 2-strokers, I use my corded greenworks for any yard work I can reach with a cord.

 

[4WD]

What brand do you guys like for blades ? … got some Burr Oak that's tough on them

 

[HonorAndHonesty]

I have an echo blower with a cat that is almost 10 years old. I seem to remember it was emissions certified for 50 hours, its probably getting close to that number.

I have always run the recommended 50:1 mix and at some point I had to adjust the carb a tad, but other then that it's been flawless. I like it because I've used it to blow out the garage and the exhaust isnt bad.

I run non ethanol fuel in it usually.

 

[bchannell]

First, on the cat exhaust, I have a couple Echo chainsaws which came with cats in the exhaust. I removed them along with the carb screw limiters and retuned them. The difference was pretty significant and they now cut like monsters.
On the mix ratio, they call for 50:1. I've read almost everything written on websites about using different mix ratios, some say more oil is good, some say less oil is good, blah, blah, blah.
Well, I've always used what was recommended in the manuals. I think that 50:1 is just fine. I've run it in several saws, trimmers, tillers, etc and NEVER, not even one time in over 40 years had a 2 cycle have an oil related problem. That's from recommended 32:1 lawnboys, 16:1 lombard saws, and newer Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo saws with 50:1. I just think the new oil is better and 50:1 is fine.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

Originally Posted by 5AcresAndAFool
I have an echo blower with a cat that is almost 10 years old. I seem to remember it was emissions certified for 50 hours, its probably getting close to that number.

I have always run the recommended 50:1 mix and at some point I had to adjust the carb a tad, but other then that it's been flawless. I like it because I've used it to blow out the garage and the exhaust isnt bad.

I run non ethanol fuel in it usually.


My Wife got me a Hitachi RB24EAP gas blower for Christmas. It's actually rated at 300 hours. Just filled it up with Amsoil Saber mixed at around 45:1 with ethanol free fuel.

L8R,
Matt

 

[The motor guy]

300hrs is the emission compliance period. Typically you can get a few thousand hours out of these things..

 

[FordFETruck]

Those cat converters in small engines mufflers will tolerate a lot of abuse. In 2009 I bought an Echo weedeater and I always ran it anywhere from 32:1 to 40:1, conventional and synthetic oil. I ran the absolute tar out of the thing until I sold it last year. Every 2 years or so I'd pop the muffler off to check the cylinder, piston and any buildup in the port. The converter in the muffler was always spotless. It should be, it glows red hot almost immediately. However it made the run very hot and I burnt the skin off of my arm a couple of times the engine got so hot. Ran like new when I sold it. I bought a new SRM 266 and gutted the cat out of the muffler, opened up the deflector on the muffler, tuned the carb and it runs 50% cooler than the old one and has a lot more torque and starts easier than when it did stock. I wish I'd have just kept the old one and done that to it now. I estimate I had close to 300 hours on it. Never had a seconds worth of an issue out of that thing, sad I let it go now lol.

 

[D1dad]

Originally Posted by 4WD
What brand do you guys like for blades ? … got some Burr Oak that's tough on them

Stihl yellow dot is my preference. It's a non safety chain and is offered in all sizes. We used to run them for hrs and days when I worked for a tree service yrs ago and unless you got into dirty wood, or didn't know how to run a saw and hit the ground they just took a couple swipes with a file every once in awhile. Oregon makes an ok chain but they tend to be a little softer but smoother. Here in Ohio We run into ironwood and locust and Those things are just downright brutal on blades, hardest wood you'll ever cut. The stuff burns like coal in a wood burner if you can wait 18 months for it to season.