Opinions on a Dolmar Saw

[w8ye]

I had ordered a Echo part a while back and it came in today. The local Echo dealer is also a Dolmar dealer. I was looking at all the new saws. Besides all the Echo's, he had a Dolmar 6400, two 5105 easy starts, a 420 and a 360.

I was feeling of the 420. it sure has a nice feel for a smaller saw. The 360 and the 420 are in the same frame.

The 5105's were the first ones I've seen other than the 5105 I've had for a while that I bought at a different dealer. I had been thinking that mine was an "Easy Start" but it pulls over as hard as my Stihl 066 with no decompression. If you can ever get my 5105 past TDC, it will start though. Sort of unusual? I found out today that my saw is not a Easy Start. The Easy Start's pull over real easy. I was really surprised. The "Easy Starts" have a big spring between the starter pulley and the flywheel.

 

[JimmyT]

I had ordered a Echo part a while back and it came in today. The local Echo dealer is also a Dolmar dealer. I was looking at all the new saws. Besides all the Echo's, he had a Dolmar 6400, two 5105 easy starts, a 420 and a 360.

I was feeling of the 420. it sure has a nice feel for a smaller saw. The 360 and the 420 are in the same frame.

The 5105's were the first ones I've seen other than the 5105 I've had for a while that I bought at a different dealer. I had been thinking that mine was an "Easy Start" but it pulls over as hard as my Stihl 066 with no decompression. If you can ever get my 5105 past TDC, it will start though. Sort of unusual? I found out today that my saw is not a Easy Start. The Easy Start's pull over real easy. I was really surprised. The "Easy Starts" have a big spring between the starter pulley and the flywheel.

w8ye, If your 5105 doesn't have a one inch square white label beside the pull handle that says easy start then you have the golden boy,the 14,500 rpm version and has the same engine as the 5100.

 

[jimdad07]

The 9000 is on my list... And at an auction this weekend...

That is a wicked saw, just check the length of the impulse line when you get it and make sure all the case screws are nice and tight. I love my 9010 and would happily put it up against any ms660 out there that is stock. It is a very well built saw, very solid parts with a heavier crankshaft and all that good stuff. Hope you win it at the auction.

 

[Jere39]

Ps-510

I'm a land owner, not a professional. I am not at all confused by the distinction. I cut maybe 10-12 cords of firewood a year and clean up a dozen or so storm blow downs per year. I bought a PS 510 with an 18" bar a year ago to replace a 25+ year old Pioneer/Partner. I am very happy with my Dolmar. Starts easily, cuts smoothly, makes fast work of the oak I primarily cut. I have a great local dealer who helped me size this one vs the 460 and probably accurately slotted me in this one vs the 5105. I took it to the mountains and cut alongside buddies with Stihl MS 250 and 290 as well as the Husqy 455. I was impressed as were they. Nothing scientific, just a couple quys cutting firewood. I should check back in 5, 10, and 20 years to confirm my impression stays the same.

 

[Hedgerow]

That is a wicked saw, just check the length of the impulse line when you get it and make sure all the case screws are nice and tight. I love my 9010 and would happily put it up against any ms660 out there that is stock. It is a very well built saw, very solid parts with a heavier crankshaft and all that good stuff. Hope you win it at the auction.

Hope so... Very few around here know about dolmar's... When I was cutting up a big ash tree from the tornado this last spring, a fellow came over and said "holy crap that thing cuts"!!! Dolmar??? Is that European???:msp_wink:

 

[JimmyT]

Jere39, sounds like you matched the saw to the job--good choice.

 

[JimmyT]

Hedgerow, have you ever noticed that the Dolmar Boys are more laidback and peaceful group of guys?

 

[w8ye]

w8ye, If your 5105 doesn't have a one inch square white label beside the pull handle that says easy start then you have the golden boy,the 14,500 rpm version and has the same engine as the 5100.

Here's a picture of my 5105 before I put the 5100 muffler on it . There's no sticker and it is a bugger to pull over. When I bought it, the dealer sat in a chair and cranked it up by just barely pulling it over one stroke at a time and it was cold. It fired after the forth pull with the choke on and after the 3nd pull with the choke off it was running. I set it on the ground with my foot through the handle and yank the devil out of it. It starts as soon as my other saws.

 

[JimmyT]

w8ye, I bet the compression is between 190 and 200 lbs. That 14,500 version is definitely a keeper.

 

[166]

Here's a picture of my 5105 before I put the 5100 muffler on it . There's no sticker and it is a bugger to pull over. When I bought it, the dealer sat in a chair and cranked it up by just barely pulling it over one stroke at a time and it was cold. It fired after the forth pull with the choke on and after the 3nd pull with the choke off it was running. I set it on the ground with my foot through the handle and yank the devil out of it. It starts as soon as my other saws.

The PS-5105 in the picture is a Easy Start model. Some made it through without the sticker on the recoil.

 

[w8ye]

How do you tell the difference?

Mine sure pulls many times harder than those new ones at the dealer that say easy start on them.

 

[166]

The 9000 is on my list... And at an auction this weekend...

That is a wicked saw, just check the length of the impulse line when you get it and make sure all the case screws are nice and tight. I love my 9010 and would happily put it up against any ms660 out there that is stock. It is a very well built saw, very solid parts with a heavier crankshaft and all that good stuff. Hope you win it at the auction.

Don't expect a PS-9010 performance in a PS-9000. They look identical on the outside but are different on the inside.

 

[166]

How do you tell the difference?

Mine sure pulls many times harder than those new ones at the dealer that say easy start on them.

They have different recoil housings. Your saw is a Easy Start. The Easy Starts still have a solid pull but you don't need a fast pull.

 

[JimmyT]

166, Does the 14,500 version have the 5100 recoil housing or would you have to know the serial number sequence?

 

[166]

166, Does the 14,500 version have the 5100 recoil housing or would you have to know the serial number sequence?

PS-5105 Gen I have the same recoil as a PS-5100s.

PS-5105 Gen II has a different recoil, flywheel, coil, & crankshaft.

 

[JimmyT]

w8ye, I have the 5105 Gen 2 version, but would like to have the Gen 1 version. I miss my 5100.

 

[JimmyT]

w8ye, I think I spotted the slight difference in the intake grid on the recoil housing.

 

[JimmyT]

w8ye, I'm going to try to get a better photo of a 5100 tomorrow and do the comparison.

 

[w8ye]

First thing tomorrow, I'm pulling my recoil housing and looking to see which pulley it has and I'm looking to see if it has the red, gray, or black coil?

 

[JimmyT]

First thing tomorrow, I'm pulling my recoil housing and looking to see which pulley it has and I'm looking to see if it has the red, gray, or black coil?

If you have the 14,500 version the coil should be gray if I'm reading the IPL correctly.