Echo CS 501P vs Stihl MS 260

[leeave96]

I have an old Stihl MS 260 with a 16 inch bar and am considering an Echo CS 501P with 16” bar.

Both are 50cc saws, both have decompression for startup. I’ve had great luck with both Stihl and Echo in Chainsaws and string trimmers.

Stihl MS 260 is no longer available, I think I bought one of the last ones new years ago. The Echo appears to be very lightweight which I appreciate in my older days.

How does the Echo compare with the Stihl? Firewood and fence row maintenance only.

Any sage advice is much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

You can still buy the Brazil made MS260 and have shipped right to your door by a outstanding member here. Plane shipping is close to 200 so say 400 pho but it is 600 total after that is added to price shipped PHO. His thread is in the classifieds here. @Robin Wood

The 501 and 260 are about the same PHO dry weights. Never ran both back to back to know anymore.

 

[Paratrooper76]

Not apples to apples, but I compared my CS 590 to my MS 261 CM and the Stihl was the easy winner in power-to-weight and ergos for me. I live at 7600’ and altitude makes a big difference. I also appreciate not having to adjust the carb on the Echo, albeit a simple task. Just one less thing for me to have to do between fueling, sharpening, oiling, etc.

I loved the CS 590 and it fell, bucked, and limbed over a hundred trees. Sadly I traded it in on a CS 620P.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

Not apples to apples, but I compared my CS 590 to my MS 261 CM and the Stihl was the easy winner in power-to-weight and ergos for me. I live at 7600’ and altitude makes a big difference. I also appreciate not having to adjust the carb on the Echo, albeit a simple task. Just one less thing for me to have to do between fueling, sharpening, oiling, etc.

I loved the CS 590 and it fell, bucked, and limbed over a hundred trees. Sadly I traded it in on a CS 620P.

Why do you not have to adjust the carb on the Echo ?

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Why do you not have to adjust the carb on the Echo ?

I think he meant the Mtronic Stihl.

 

[esean]

You might be able to find an Echo CS-4910 on sale since they're supposedly being replaced by the 4920. Home Depot had them $100 off not long ago, but not right now. I picked one up last summer for just over $300. Same saw as 501P but with a few minor downgrades (synthetic handle, no captive bar nuts, and I think different bar and chain.) For the use you describe the savings over a 501P may be worth it. Muffler mod is super easy on these saws too.

 

[thompsoncustom]

If you already have the ms260 I think nothing will be gained by going to the Echo CS 501P. I would take the money you would spend on the new echo and have the 260 ported.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

What’s actually wrong with your 260 to make you consider changing to a new saw?

The 260 is a decent little saw that is very user friendly to work on!

 

[irhunter]

+1 for keeping the current MS260 as your forever 50 cc saw.

Maybe, spend that saw money on something quite a bit lighter, or quite a bit more powerful???

MS260 + MS200 or MS180
MS260 + MS400 or 034S

Roy

 

[ihookem]

I dont have the MS260, I have the Stihl 026 and an Echo 501P. I really like both saws. The 026 has a lot of low end torque. The 501P seems to do best with a higher RPM. The only thing I dont like about the 501 is it came with a 20" bar , and sometimes the chain falls off the 501p.. It might be just coincedence but it happened a few times when it was new but has not since. The bar on the 501 will not last as long as the Stihl.. The truth is , I have Stihl 441 that I never use anymore cause the wood I get is not 40" anymore. I have a Stihl 034 Stihl 026 , Echo 501 and a 620P.. There was no need to get the 2 Echos 2 yrs. ago. I bought them cause I knew inflation was going to send the price up and I was right. The 620P is a bigger saw than it's pay scale . The 501 is so much easier to use . I would guess the 026 and 501P are about as close to kissing cousins as you can get.

 

[bwalker]

I dont have the MS260, I have the Stihl 026 and an Echo 501P. I really like both saws. The 026 has a lot of low end torque. The 501P seems to do best with a higher RPM. The only thing I dont like about the 501 is it came with a 20" bar , and sometimes the chain falls off the 501p.. It might be just coincedence but it happened a few times when it was new but has not since. The bar on the 501 will not last as long as the Stihl.. The truth is , I have Stihl 441 that I never use anymore cause the wood I get is not 40" anymore. I have a Stihl 034 Stihl 026 , Echo 501 and a 620P.. There was no need to get the 2 Echos 2 yrs. ago. I bought them cause I knew inflation was going to send the price up and I was right. The 620P is a bigger saw than it's pay scale . The 501 is so much easier to use . I would guess the 026 and 501P are about as close to kissing cousins as you can get.

I have seen guys make comments like this in the past about low end grunt. Are you guys cutting wood at anything less than full throttle?
The ms260 has a high exhaust port and to much intake port BTW and has very little stump power. Especially in stock form with the choked up muffler and crappy fixed jet carb.
The 346xp will smoke a 260 or an Echo.

 

[ihookem]

It does not take much to stop my 501p. It needs higher rpm's.. My Stihl 026 keeps going and does not stop nearly as easy. I I have heard the 346 is the best of them, however, they are rare now days. I can have a new Echo 501 in an hour if I want , brand new . I really dont know why they stopped making the 346xp..

 

[irhunter]

I really dont know why they stopped making the 346xp..

I imagine it is as simple as they think they will make mo' money selling their two current mag-case 50 cc saws (545 and 550XP).

It is interesting that Sthil sells Mtronic and non-Mtronic versions of 50 cc pro saws while Husky is selling only Autotune 50 cc pro saws.

Husky is calling both the 545 and 550XP "Pro Saws."

Just a different view of how to make $$$.

Roy

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Husky always done that. They sold the 346 right along with same crankcase saw 353 just with different topend. OE and then NE ones.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Then again the Gen1 550 545 then the markII gen2 they did it again.

 

[REJ2]

It does not take much to stop my 501p. It needs higher rpm's.. My Stihl 026 keeps going and does not stop nearly as easy. I I have heard the 346 is the best of them, however, they are rare now days. I can have a new Echo 501 in an hour if I want , brand new . I really dont know why they stopped making the 346xp..

I bought a new 346xp in 2010, trimmed limiter caps, drained dealers fuel, added true fuel, retuned a little richer, drained and ran dry, replaced the silver clutch cover with a new orange 353 cover, cased and shelved. It has never touched wood. Still using the Echo cs530 i bought in 2009 for my 50cc needs. Ive thought of selling it but cant bring myself to it.

 

[bwalker]

It does not take much to stop my 501p. It needs higher rpm's.. My Stihl 026 keeps going and does not stop nearly as easy. I I have heard the 346 is the best of them, however, they are rare now days. I can have a new Echo 501 in an hour if I want , brand new . I really dont know why they stopped making the 346xp..

Emmissions killed the 346xp.

 

[mountainlake]

It does not take much to stop my 501p. It needs higher rpm's.. My Stihl 026 keeps going and does not stop nearly as easy. I I have heard the 346 is the best of them, however, they are rare now days. I can have a new Echo 501 in an hour if I want , brand new . I really dont know why they stopped making the 346xp..

Most likely that 501 is tuned lean, tuned right they have better grunt than Stihl or Husky, they need a muff modd due to the epa. Steve

 

[ihookem]

That may be true that it's tuned lean. However, it does 4 stroke, but not that much The H is out all the way and that likely tells me something.. As for Bwalker saying the EPA killed the 346 might be true . SHould have just Pulled a Volkswagon and fudged the emission numbers. . These older saws use so little gas that it is silly to even put an emission on it... The same people that tell us we need emissions on a 4 hp. chainsaw are the same ones that flew out to Jackson Hole , stayed in the best of the best hotels with security just to tell us they are not going to raise or lower the rates.... Likely 200,000 gal. of jet fuel used when they could have stayed home and told us what we already knew ... I digress.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Pull the dang epa stops if far as you can go on it. Get full tune then. Not what they want you to have to be safe.

The 590 was like that and horrible lean.


490 pulled for fill adjustments in pic. Pluck the dang things out.