Chinese Carb to Fit Echo CS-590?

[WI_Hedgehog]

I like when someone asks about something, we offer pro advice on what to look for and get told "I just want to put a carburetor on it" without any other diagnosis.
And then I get it. And fix it.

Given that @Paul Bunions didn't initially take the time to figure out which way to turn the mixture screws or to check the plug gap it seems his expertice level level was "low," and given the resistance to following sound advice on diagnosing the problem (and learning) it appears it will stay that way. (not knocking him on "cheap and easy," just an observation)

There is really no reason not to do a carb transplant every year, unless you can't find a Chinese knockoff.

Even with cheap $12 carbs this seems excessive. Cheap carbs tend to not work well something like 50% of the time (although general Chinese quality seems to consistently be getting better) and last around five years, while OEM generally last the life of the saw. Something else is going on with his saws.

 

[Cliff R]

I have been working on small power equipment nearly 50 years. Just closed that part of my shop and retired couple of years ago, but still doing some "cash & carry" local work here and there.

Couple of things that I REFUSE to get involved with are Chinese P/C's and replacement carburetors. If and when they are available use OEM and save yourself the aggrevation of dealing with sub-standard components.

Folks go that direction simply to save money, but you really aren't saving anything. The failure rate for aftermarket carburetors here is 100 percent. Most don't work right out of the box. Even when they did we'd get a couple months out of them then they would fail. I'd add here that many didn't even work well and never performed like OEM even if they got the equipment back in service.

I found this out early on messing around with cheap replacement parts. Carburetors top the list for items that get repaired or replaced on chainsaws, string trimmers, and other seasonal equipment. This simply happens due to the reformulated fuels many folks put in them and they fail to drain them after done for the season and leave the fuel in them for many months. That NEVER goes well.

Anyhow, in any and all cases obtain a genuine OEM carburetor kit and rebuild the original. If you are doing certain types of carburetors you may also need to obtain a gauge to measure the metering diaphram height as the are specific to certain carburetors and must be set to exact specifications.

Back on topic the Walbro HDA 268 carburetor is an excellent unit. 99 times out of 100 it will only need a genuine kit installed. Once in a while you'll get one that needs a new main nozzle/check valve assembly. I keep a few of those on hand here. The replacement nozzles are grooved so you don't have to worry about alignment but you still have to keep the depth at the factory specs so protrution into the main bore and alignment with the fuel supply hole is where it should be. They really aren't fussy and I've never once seen the need to replace one as they are very well made and easily last the life of the saw with maybe a few cleanings and kits installed along the way.

I'd add here that IF you decide to replace an HDA 268 on a CS-590 or 600P the larger HDA-316 for the CS-620's is a direct replacement. They are about $80-90 new last time I bought one.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I was getting ready to start a post about the Dukes carburetor. I have a 590 used I just acquired. I’m getting ready to open the muffler up and it appears that JB welding the carb may not be the best thing to do long-term.

So, as far as the Dukes 620 car, this is legit and works well?

Surprisingly this is the only thread I can find when searching the site on the subject.

I was talking with Chris about the afm 620 carb on FB after posting to you. Asking if he has ever had anyone complain of issues with one. None to date.

He told me I could start a thread and ask to see if anyone has before. But I believe Chris's word and think he would know first hand being the seller. I have been buying stuff from him for many years now.

Just wanted to make sure my feedback was right. Because I refer folks to this carb for a work around for other saw models carbs are NLA for.

OEM carb $94 https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...-600sx-a021004150?_pos=3&_sid=95b06c8e1&_ss=r

AFM carb $35 but sold out. https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...-620pw-a021004150?_pos=9&_sid=95b06c8e1&_ss=r

AFM carb but sold out too. https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...a-591-a021001661?_pos=10&_sid=95b06c8e1&_ss=r

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Saw Salvage/Traverse Creek is local to me. Chris treats me well. I am running his 590/620 carb in two of my Echo 620's. No issues.....they tune well. The carb also has no anti-lean hi speed jet like the factory carb does. IMO Chris has a winner here.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

@Cliff R has a good point, I often hear of how OEM carbs are tuned from the factory, aftermarket from China require tuning and it's often difficult to keep them tuned. DISCLAIMER: Of the STIHL, Homelite, and Craftsman/MTD saws I own, none has had a carb issue, so the OEM MTD carbs are the only Chinese saw carbs I have hands-on experience with.

Well, there was a McCullough straight-shaft trimmer manufactured in the late years, and that [Chinese] carb died and stayed dead even with a rebuild kit, so there's that. I loved that trimmer (powerful and awesome sounding) but sh!t-canned it when I got a STIHL as at the time I deemed it too much effing around to continue sinking money into, especially since they declared bankruptcy and went out of business. Nowadays with the knowledge gained from this forum I'd attempt a better diagnosis and rebuild.

 

[bsmith717]

I was talking with Chris about the afm 620 carb on FB after posting to you. Asking if he has ever had anyone complain of issues with one. None to date.

He told me I could start a thread and ask to see if anyone has before. But I believe Chris's word and think he would know first hand being the seller. I have been buying stuff from him for many years now.

Just wanted to make sure my feedback was right. Because I refer folks to this carb for a work around for other saw models carbs are NLA for.

OEM carb $94 https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...-600sx-a021004150?_pos=3&_sid=95b06c8e1&_ss=r

AFM carb $35 but sold out. https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...-620pw-a021004150?_pos=9&_sid=95b06c8e1&_ss=r

AFM carb but sold out too. https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...a-591-a021001661?_pos=10&_sid=95b06c8e1&_ss=r

(I don’t know how I mangled the previous posts above..)

I reckon Chris is the proprietor of Travers Creek/SawSakvage/Dukes?

I just splurged on what appears to be the entire tune up kit with the 620 clone carb.

https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...cs-590-cs-600p-cs-620p?variant=43961845645530

The prices are pretty wild they offer, then they took more off when I checked out. Super psyched to get the carry and tear into the muffler tomorrow.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

(I don’t know how I mangled the previous posts above..)

I reckon Chris is the proprietor of Travers Creek/SawSakvage/Dukes?

I just splurged on what appears to be the entire tune up kit with the 620 clone carb.

https://www.sawsalvage.co/products/...cs-590-cs-600p-cs-620p?variant=43961845645530

The prices are pretty wild they offer, then they took more off when I checked out. Super psyched to get the carry and tear into the muffler tomorrow.

Is the carb in the kit the same carb he sells by itself that is out of stock? Did you ask him - Chris? I never noticed that kit stuff before.

 

[Sidecarflip]

I have been working on small power equipment nearly 50 years. Just closed that part of my shop and retired couple of years ago, but still doing some "cash & carry" local work here and there.

Couple of things that I REFUSE to get involved with are Chinese P/C's and replacement carburetors. If and when they are available use OEM and save yourself the aggrevation of dealing with sub-standard components.

Folks go that direction simply to save money, but you really aren't saving anything. The failure rate for aftermarket carburetors here is 100 percent. Most don't work right out of the box. Even when they did we'd get a couple months out of them then they would fail. I'd add here that many didn't even work well and never performed like OEM even if they got the equipment back in service.

I found this out early on messing around with cheap replacement parts. Carburetors top the list for items that get repaired or replaced on chainsaws, string trimmers, and other seasonal equipment. This simply happens due to the reformulated fuels many folks put in them and they fail to drain them after done for the season and leave the fuel in them for many months. That NEVER goes well.

Anyhow, in any and all cases obtain a genuine OEM carburetor kit and rebuild the original. If you are doing certain types of carburetors you may also need to obtain a gauge to measure the metering diaphram height as the are specific to certain carburetors and must be set to exact specifications.

Back on topic the Walbro HDA 268 carburetor is an excellent unit. 99 times out of 100 it will only need a genuine kit installed. Once in a while you'll get one that needs a new main nozzle/check valve assembly. I keep a few of those on hand here. The replacement nozzles are grooved so you don't have to worry about alignment but you still have to keep the depth at the factory specs so protrution into the main bore and alignment with the fuel supply hole is where it should be. They really aren't fussy and I've never once seen the need to replace one as they are very well made and easily last the life of the saw with maybe a few cleanings and kits installed along the way.

I'd add here that IF you decide to replace an HDA 268 on a CS-590 or 600P the larger HDA-316 for the CS-620's is a direct replacement. They are about $80-90 new last time I bought one.

I agree 110%. At 74, I learned a long time ago that a penny saved is usually a dollar lost.

One nice thing is, working part time for an Echo dealer (that sells Kubota tractors and I have a pair of large Kubota's that I farm with), I get my replacement parts at dealer cost, not that OEM carbs are that expensive anyway because they aren't.

I quit being 'frugal' as in cheap, long ago. Not worth it so I don't.

 

[bsmith717]

Well it appears I’m going to be finding out in a few days. They have the

Is the carb in the kit the same carb he sells by itself that is out of stock? Did you ask him - Chris? I never noticed that kit stuff before.

From the sites description I didn’t feel it’s necessary to speak with anyone.

But about the anti lean jet nozzle that is a different question. If that is the case I will just purchase the OE nozzle from Walboro.

 

[bsmith717]

I agree 110%. At 74, I learned a long time ago that a penny saved is usually a dollar lost.

One nice thing is, working part time for an Echo dealer (that sells Kubota tractors and I have a pair of large Kubota's that I farm with), I get my replacement parts at dealer cost, not that OEM carbs are that expensive anyway because they aren't.

I quit being 'frugal' as in cheap, long ago. Not worth it so I don't.

I am of this mind with 98% of things.

I’m fortunate enough for this to be a hobby for me and I also keep my equipment cleaner and better maintained then most.

I have yet to feel regret because of any of the off shore purchases I’ve made thus far.

In the case of my Stihl 021 it not only saved me over $100 for the carb but it also allowed me to tune it properly as the OE unit at $130 didn’t even have adjustment screws.

 

[Sidecarflip]

I purchased my last Stihl product a long time ago. Presently I purchase only Echo power products. Not to say that any Stihl power products I purchase weren't reliable because they are and have been, I'd say my 45+ year old 028 attests to that fact as well as my Stihl FS66 brush trimmer and both items are my 'go to' Stihl products when I require them but, Echo power products are more reasonably priced today and being inherently frugal, that is what I purchase. Far as 'China' made power products, I tend to not be interested in them anyway. On a lark, I purchased a Neo-Tek chain saw some time back and candidly it was a turd both in the way it performed and build quality and I gave it away to an acquaintance with no remorse at all. That totally cured me from buying any China made power product.

No clone saws here and no clone parts either.

 

[Sidecarflip]

I’m fortunate enough for this to be a hobby for me and I also keep my equipment cleaner and better maintained then most.

I do as well. I'm somewhat anal about running and maintaining clean and serviced equipment and that includes not only my tractors but all the implements I own and some are quite expensive as well. None of my owned chainsaws or my brush cutter or my lawn equipment is ever cruddy. Not happening here. I may not 'simonize' my tractors and implements or saws but they are always clean and greased and maintained.

I live by the motto... 'It never breaks in the barn but always breaks when you need it'.

You would never believe how many pictures I've seen of filthy, cruddy tractors on various websites. I'd be ashamed of posting pictures like that for everyone to see. Besides, who really wants to work on a cruddy, filthy tractor in the first place.

You'd be amazed at how cruddy and filthy a lot of tractors that come into the dealership I work at part time are. I usually get the job of pressure washing them so the tech's can actually work on them without getting filthy and yes, the customers get charged for that chore too. They get billed at $105 bucks an hour for me to clean their cruddy crap. Wish I got that 105 actually...lol

 

[bsmith717]

I do as well. I'm somewhat anal about running and maintaining clean and serviced equipment and that includes not only my tractors but all the implements I own and some are quite expensive as well. None of my owned chainsaws or my brush cutter or my lawn equipment is ever cruddy. Not happening here. I may not 'simonize' my tractors and implements or saws but they are always clean and greased and maintained.

I live by the motto... 'It never breaks in the barn but always breaks when you need it'.

You would never believe how many pictures I've seen of filthy, cruddy tractors on various websites. I'd be ashamed of posting pictures like that for everyone to see. Besides, who really wants to work on a cruddy, filthy tractor in the first place.

You'd be amazed at how cruddy and filthy a lot of tractors that come into the dealership I work at part time are. I usually get the job of pressure washing them so the tech's can actually work on them without getting filthy and yes, the customers get charged for that chore too. They get billed at $105 bucks an hour for me to clean their cruddy crap. Wish I got that 105 actually...lol

my Chinese purchases are limited to a few carb/ignition/tuneup kits. I purchased a Wemers “62cc’ a few months back as a YouTuber I like has shown they are really not bad. I think they are a clone of the neo tech models or, a clone of a clone. It’s still on the box but again, at less than the cost of an untune-able stihl carburetor I just couldn’t help myself.

I charge people to detail their equipment when I service it for them too. Dirty saws never run as good as a clean happy saw!

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Well it appears I’m going to be finding out in a few days. They have the


From the sites description I didn’t feel it’s necessary to speak with anyone.

But about the anti lean jet nozzle that is a different question. If that is the case I will just purchase the OE nozzle from Walboro.

I ask later yesterday when got time. Since I was curious myself . He said same carbs.

 

[bsmith717]

I ask later yesterday when got time. Since I was curious myself . He said same carbs.

Excellent. Thank you.