'Easy start' chainsaws from various mfg's

With all due respect, I do not think that is correct- I went all through this when I bought my saw this last spring. Again, it is all in the part numbers. And of course, I am talking about current manufactured saws only as I have no idea of whatever may have been offered in the past. But to the best of my knowledge, Easy 2 Start is a very specific system that uses two springs and two sprags and basically disconnects the recoil start mechanism from the engine itself. Put another way, when pulling the recoil rope, it does NOT actually cause the engine to turn, it winds up a spring to store energy until there is enough tension in the spring to actually turn the engine; at that point the second sprag locks and the turning of the engine is totally isolated from the recoil starter (and the user).

This chart explains it all: http://www.stihlusa.com/WebContent/CMSFileLibrary/downloads/Chain-Saw-Comparison-Chart.pdf

The saw you used, and MS 250, does not have Easy 2 Start. Neither does an MS 251. But an MS 251 C-BE absolutely does have Easy 2 Start. All of them do have Elastostart though, at least the currently made models.

Brian

Edited to add: With all due respect. Not trying to start a pi$$ing contest here nor am I going to argue with anyone about this. I am merely seeking the facts, and also trying to present them as well as I can do so.

 

I dont like all theese bull........... like easy starts , heated handles , trio brakes , quick brakes and what a f........ call them .

 

I like good saws like pro series from husqvarna , stihl , dolmar

 

Probably true enough- real men use misery whips, dull hatchets and fingernail clippers to lay in a 1,000 year wood supply with a broken left arm on a Sunday afternoon.....



At any rate, it looks like only Stihl makes this specific version of a starting assist (Easy 2 Start). They do not offer it in any saw version above 55 cc in displacement (model MS 291 C-BEQ, which has virtually all of the newest, baddest features / detriments available). If / when they do offer a 60 / 70 cc saw with this feature, I would be sorely tempted to try one on although the value (read: what you get for the cost) is not great.

All of that said, I do like my Echo 590 but find it a bit clunky to start. Hey Echo- copy Stihl's Easy 2 Start function (with a new, catchy name of course, maybe 'happy pulling' or some such similar), offer it up for $500 or less and I promise to buy one.

Brian

 

All I can do is go by Stihl's own nomenclature; if they are altering what a very specific phrase means, then certainly, all bets are off. If by 'electronic ignition' one means that it is done with electricity, then certainly Model T's with their wooden box 'exciters' were most certainly 'electronic ignition' but that is not how I would state it.

Of course you are free to post / type whatever you want but when you refer to an MS 250 C-BE as an MS 250, it will always generate confusion because an MS 250 does NOT come with Easy 2 Start but a 251 C-BE does, while Stihl also makes a MS 251 without an Easy 2 Start feature, which is called.... an MS 251 with no following letters.

In any event, I am the OP, and I was looking for a comparison of the Stihl 'wind-up' system as it compared to other manufactures. This year, I broke away from buying the big box store special of the day and actually bought a name- brand, gas fueled OPE: specifically and Echo trimmer, as opposed to what I would usually buy, which would be something like a Homelite Featherlight. I actually found the Featherlight to be a fine trimmer but is too short and does not have enough angle to suit me (I am 6'2") and was sick of bending over to trim. I was very happy with the Echo and while it did not represent the best value IMO, it is a nice, rugged trimmer that I can use while standing up on my hind legs. The next breakout was buying a Stihl chainsaw: a 211 C-BE that I really, really like a lot. But having five fairly large maples cut down this year (more to follow), it was a bit of a strain on the saw and me to whittle through these trunks and I could really use a bigger saw. Ended up with an Echo 590 simply because I believe it was the best value saw, by far, available in that size class, and I was not willing to spend $1,000 or so for an equivalent Stihl. Now the Echo is a fine tool IMO, and will serve me just great for the foreseeable future and I am happy with it but it can be a bit.... cranky to start. Not miserable or horrible, just far more demanding than, say ,the Stihl. And I firmly believe that machinery should serve man, not the other way around..... ever. So I was considering a different saw, possibly something in-between the Echo and an equivalent Stihl in price / performance (again, read: value). Jonsered came to mind and I was wondering about that company's version of "Easy Start".

So back to the Echo and possibly re- fitting it with a decompression valve that works a bit better.

I still would not pay, say, $1,000 for any Stihl (or any other brand) saw as I do not believe I can ever get the value from the tool cutting firewood for myself. Then again, as I am big on 'nice' machinery that functions well, I would absolutely consider a 60 / 70 cc Echo with a Stihl- type, spring and sprag type starter for, say, $550 or so.

Brian

 

While it is hard to tell where the piston is on the stroke, its far from a gimmick.

My parents bought a new stihl ms211cbe last fall. Without the easy start, she might not be able to pull it over. With the easy 2start it's scary how easy it is to get running.

I used it last winter, and again this past weekend. Slick little saw, and it cuts very well even through decent sized oak.

An acquaintance has an easy start stihl. He had to lock it up as his very small kids are starting it and they thought it was funny. That's scary....

 

I have no idea where to find it today but I recently saw a video of a little girl, perhaps 7 years old, starting a Dolmar with one of their easy start systems. Don't recall what Dolmar calls theirs. It was all that kid could do to wind it up but when she got to the end of the pull stroke the darned thing started every time.

 

I can not understand why is so important if the saw have easy start

 

I looked up decomp for Cs-590 - they want $40-$50 for it. YAWZER! Echo A014000040
I buy Husky valves in lots of 5 for $2 each. The ads read Husky, Stihl, Dolmar, Makita, Partner....not Echo
Pull your valve and get mm and pitch...maybe ads forget Echo and Husky might fit. 1omm x 1.0 pitch

 

99% fit 1.o pitch is a common for the most saws , but i not put my hand to fire

 

My 73 yr old wood burning mom that cares for my 73 yr old dad with ALS could explain it for you.

 

Thanks for the vid, that is pretty cool. Seems like a great idea to me. hmmmmmmmm