Thanks for Watching! Find a link to all of my "Must Have", Favorite Tools HERE!! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_9ERPFPBNGQ924P8NS63B
You are absolutely the best small engine mechanic on TH-cam you don't mess around and waste someone's time you get right to it and we really appreciate that....THANKS
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. For 15 years I lived in Pleasanton, CA which is east of San Francisco. Maybe we were neighbors. In any event, it is for sure that certain models fail in predictable ways. I love this channel. She does a great job. @@chrisz9213
Honestly battery units other weed eaters which I mtd on because so easy get parts. Look at specs on battery blower vs a hand held gas you noticed the battery kick but. Chainsaw unless go big battery way better I 90% stack per cut.
Speaking of Echo coils, My ES-250 shred-n-vac was showing signs of a bad coil (6 years old). Sometimes, it had spark other times it didn't. About drove me NUTS! While working on it to replace the coil, I discovered it had a pressure switch on the flywheel cover! The cover is wrather flimsy and wasn't making contact with the pressure switch arm all the time. Heated the pressure switch contact arm with a lighter and bent it down just a little. Problem solved!!!! I wonder how many of these units have this problem? Probably driving people crazy everywhere.... I used one of your coil videos to work on my blower/ vac, and I can't thank you enough!
I bought a Husky BT125 Backpack blower years ago and it never failed me but over the years it started losing power so I decided to change the plug, fuel lines and filter, clean the aresstor screen and rebuild the carburetor. When I went to our local small engine shop they told me only the carburetor was available and at a very hefty price which I declined to buy. To this day I still haven't found a carb kit which is all it needs run. Great machine but manufactures that don't supply parts for future repairs really get my goat!!
There’s worse for typical homeowner machines. I made my daddy an Echo believer after buying him the Shindaiwa version of that Echo during fleet week sale at the local small engine shop. Replaced one of those PITA MTD blowers from about 10 yrs ago that has the fuel tank on top with the lines coming out the bottom that dumps fuel all over when the fuel lines get old. He bought an Echo trimmer after seeing how much better they are. I also did the flat tube upgrade on that Shindaiwa, it’s well worth it
I tried to go with a Stihl vacuum but the local dealer didn't do enough to get me one before I needed it last season, and another big local dealer didn't want to wait on me in person on a Saturday morning, so I have the Husqvarna vacuum now from Lowes. First thing i did was tune it, and it's been great, and I'm able to drop start it just like a chainsaw. It's fine sucking leaves out of corners and along bed edges, and good for quick blowing after a mowing. Nice not having to get the BRG600 Magnum out all the time. Local Stihl dealers lost out this time because of their poor customer service.
Bre, You did it again!! My Stihl blower just started to lose power and using your link to a video 2 years old I was able to clean the spark arrester and restore power to like new Thanks!!
television repair used to be the same way. what? yes, we'd get models of tv's in our shop ( I was a benchman for our local shop) and we'd go stright to the issue. Zenith was one of the big ones. This profession here probably moreso, with clogs and burned up stuff. :) Nice work Chica.
I’m biased but the echo blowers and trimmers r the best, imo. Saws can go either way, I use them both (cs310 -cs400/ms271 ) and I like them. Also have an old homelite but I like the feel of the echo and stihl more.
I purchased the flat nozzle for my 2520 and I wasn’t impressed. It’s in the shed and I put the round tube back on. I wish they made a cone shaped nozzle like my old Hitachi has. The cone is superior at getting wet leaves moving.
I owned a echo blower for 1 season, had the carburetor replaced under warranty ( 1 piece carburetor) I used non ethanol, gas and quality 2 stroke oil and less than a month after the carburetor replacement I started having problems again!!! I was told it was the carburetor again and it would not be replaced under warranty this time!! So I threw it in the trash and bought a STIHL and has been running fine now for 6 years!!!
I've had a Stihl BG85 for more than 20 years and it still works great. Aside from normal maintenance and cleaning and always using Stihl oil, I've never had a problem with it. They are great units.
I’m still using my older Hitachi RB24EAP handheld blower. It still fires up one the first or second pull and all I’ve had to do to it so far was adjust the carb. It has the hidden adjustment like Echos have. Built with a full crank engine and not abused, just used a good bit. The only issue that may pop up is whenever the purge bulb decides to crack. Hitachi thought it would be a good idea to make it part of the air filter box, not mounted on the carb like every other engine made. But at 24cc, 8.6lbs, and putting out 441 CFM, I’m keeping it until it dies for good. Then I’ll probably go with Echo.
I have the same Hitachi blower purchased used at a yard sale 15 years ago for $40. Best handheld I’ve ever owned. Only repair has been fuel lines and the primer bulb. I also have an Echo 2520 and it seems to blow a larger volume of air than the Hitachi but the Hitachi has the cone tip which really concentrates the air stream for wet leaves.
I love my Tanaka trb24eap blower. I thought I was going to have to trash it after I changed the purge bulb, lines, sparkplug, and carburetor, and it still didn't work. Turns out it was the on/off switch that needed to be replaced. I bought an Echo PB2520 as a backup before some of the parts to fix the Tanaka were shipped. The Echo is nice, but I still prefer the Tanaka. Too bad it's discontinued. I guess I'll just buy more parts for it to hopefully make it last longer.
I have a Stihl blower which would bog down when I opened the throttle. I thought I had carb problems. Turns out the exhaust was plugged up with crud. It now runs great.
Also remember to replace the air cleaner filter regularly or the blower can loose power when the air cleaner filter gets dirty. I have both the Still BG 86 and the Echo 2520 both are great blowers as i use them commercially on my landscape route everyday. Thanks Bree and Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Those little carburetors on most of the tools appear to be elevation sensitive. Factory tuned will be as good as your correlation to whatever the factory elevation is to yours. I bought an inexpensive trimmer, pretty sure it's an MTD with whomever brand stamp. It never did run right....until I watched Steve's Small Engine Saloon show the proper technique. I bought a set of the goofy, proprietary tipped screwdrivers (cheap set) from the jungle store site, did the adjustment, it runs very well. I do my own repair and maintenance on my stuff, though I have way more experience with my contractor power tools than small engines, so channels like yours are high value. Thanks.
Echo says their carbs are set at the factory for sea level to 1,100' of elevation. If you operate at or above 1,100' the factory setting will be too rich, that is why they offer the free adjustment within 30days. My elevation is 1,010' and my Echo's run well but would likely run a little better if leaned out a touch. I will be picking up a cheap set of carb tools like you did
I have had the Husqvarna blower, hedge trimmer and chain saw for more than 15 years. I have replaced the fuel line on the blower once in that time but not the other machines. It was easy fix with no other issues. The blower gets the most use but the others do not sit unused. Being they are in Minnesota, they only get non-ethanol premium fuel. In all they have performed flawlessly.
Contracting for 43 years and we NEVER bothered with hand held blowers which we felt were just domestic tools. We used Shindaiwa 65cc BACKPACK blowers (Not the latest rather heavy ones)and at the moment we have two at almost 20 years old still working (admittedly with regular maintenance|) I some time watch local authority guys trying to clear public pathways with hand held machines and I often wince and feel like lending them a proper blower. You comparison video is useful with the understanding that the contractors whom I know would never look after a machine long enough to last much more than a season. Take care.
I've had my echo blower now for going on 12 years now and I haven't had one issue with it and I use mine year round for blowing light snow as well best unit along with my echo weed trimmer have had no issues with either one.
I have the Stihl Combi system and one of the attachments I have is the blower. It is simply fantastic. It has 3 fans in it and 497 cfm, and retails at around USD150. The guy in the shop said I'd never use a broom again. I use it for all sorts of things on top of the usual leaf blowing- blowing out gutters, blowing off sanding dust prior to painting, blowing out my garages and commercial buildings, anything where I need strong air pressure. I chuckle to myself when I see people using those anaemic ones. A great accessory.
Yep Stihl has the best fuel lines . I buy it from my local Mom and Pop Mower shop that is a Stihl dealer . I try to put the Stihl fuel line in everything I work on . I took care of that spark arrestor screen in my Stihl blower , it will never plug up again 💥
Having been a dealer for all three of these brands, Echo, Stihl, and Husqvarna, I have to agree with your apparent love for the Echo products. I found Echo to be more reliable overall, easier to work on if needed, easier to get warranties taken care of if needed, and generally longer lasting products. I also was a dealer for Shindaiwa which now is owned by Echo. Started in the power equipment business in the early 60's when these "foreign" products were not available. We had to put up with the likes of Homelite, McCullough, Remington, Pioneer, etc. It sure was a nice change when the foreigners came to town.
I bought a Poulan blower. Just a cheap one in 2010, and so far all I had to do is replace the fuel lines, fuel filter, air filter, carburetor, and spark plug. Starts on the 3rd pull when cold, 1st when warm. I changed out everything at the same time. Runs great, and does a good job for a small cheap blower.
Six years on Stihl BG56, year round use, grass, leaves, snow, etc. no issues, never in for service, auto on after shutdown. Easy to start, have owned others, won't be going back.
After using a cheap Weed eater blower for over 15 years, I bought a new Stihl BG 50. Bought from a local dealer. The warranty is longer when bought with Stihl mix oil. The weed eater cost me 100 dollars. Still running, the only things I bought besides gas, a spark plug and primer bulb.
Quality is what you pay for. If you want cheap go for it. I just had a Troy Bilt 4 cycle in that quit and would not start. Owner replaced the spark plug, no go. As soon as he handed it to me I pulled the rope. No compression. Scoped the cylinder and saw a crack all the wat across the top of the piston. Took the head off and the piston came out in pieces. It's in the junk pile. Another owner brought in his PB 2100 in. Smokes like a steam engine. Haven't looked into it yet. Anyway, great comparison.
It would be great to have a database of small engine equipment. Like this, letting us know what are the common issues. For instance, knowing it's a good idea to change out the fuel line before the factory one disintegrates.
OMG, I was thinking the same thing based on my very recent Muryama 85-t repair AND a repair last year on a Honda pressure washer engine. The engines surged a lot but run OK when the choke was part-way on (but not all the way on or off... sort of in the middle). In both cases the problem went away when I cut the stretched-out inch (or so) of the fuel line that goes into the carb. That allowed a tight fit w/o any minuscule air leaks. That condition typically gets diagnosed as a carburetor problem, such as a dirty carb. In both cases, I cleaned the carburetor, re-installed it, still had the problem so I know it was the gas lines. BTW: gas lines on some of the older equipment turns to gel inside due to the alcohol in our gas. Some gas seeps thru so it starts, but it won't run for long. It tends to affect the portion of the fuel line in-or-near the gas tank.
Had PB210 I found at the dump. Cleaned up replaced plug fresh gas. Used it for 4 years before the coil died. Didn't want to spend the money to fix it. Great machine.
Bought a 125B in 2009 and have never had any issue with it. Just replaced the spark plug, air filter and fuel filter as general maintenance. Starts super easy and works great. Plenty of power. Very good blower.
Still running a 2012 model year Echo PB-250LN blower. Cant even begin to count the gallons of fuel ive run through it. Only problem was a failed ignition coil which was covered under the 5 year warranty. Great handheld blower!
Another great video of the good the bad and the ugly of the blowers. Where I live I have 2 stihl dealers very close to me. One of my old co-workers opened up his own stihl dealership and even if I have to drive a little further I buy my stuff from him. I buy a bunch of general replacement parts from him also. I use the local shops for all the stuff in between. They actually asked where I purchased my stuff because they know that I didn't buy the items from them. They now offer me a discount on the parts I get from them. They know that I will always buy most of the stuff from my friend of over 30 years. Plus if I ever run into something all I have to do is call him and usually he knows what all I have checked before calling, and he just says this is what usually causes this or that and bingo it's up and running in no time. The flattened out tip on the blower tube makes a huge difference in the performance of the blower. The price of the echo seems much lower than for the stihl. I had purchased a shredder/blower kit that came with the flater tip. My friend said that on the cheaper stihl leaf blowers if the persons not happy that he will heat the end and flatten it out and 99% of the time that makes the customer happy. Please keep making videos on new stuff and fixing the used.
Great video. I have a four stroke Makita that I found in the trash over 10 years ago. I cleaned the carburetor. It’s been running ever since the only thing I have done is change the primer bulb I use it and my neighbors use it starts up every time, the deal is they have to use my gas. It’s still running strong.
Had issues bout two year ago, first new spring three pulls and stuffed second spring same so got board with that idea, another new spring and filled that area with an epoxy, so was a delete and had worked fine ever since
Had a husqvarna blower once. Ran for one season before it needed choke to run. Hard to start too. It wasnt cheap and not worth half that much. I did like the flat nozzle tho. I Kept that part to use on my Makita blower.
I owned a poulan pro blower vac , that after a couple years became hard to start . I always used stabil in the fuel and got tired of it not running , and bought an Echo blower which is great .
Love the honest review! I am in lawn care and use BR 800 magnum backpack blowers on my customers lawns. Really like them and since I started using them 2 years ago (after my Ryobi backpack blower failed and the new one I bought failed within 3 months) none of the Stihl 800s have failed (Keeping my fingers crosses). With that said, I have tried Ryobi and Stihl string trimmers as well and they have all failed. I do realize that the Ryobi is not a commercial trimmer or blower, but those had served me really well prior to going into lawn care when I used them daily. With that being said, I decided to try a Husqvarna 525L string trimmer and after 3 years of using them, that is all I use. I have 3 of them for me and my crew. I ended up needing to buy a hedge trimmer since so many of my clients wanted that service, so I bought a Stihl HS45. Literally, after the first tank of gas, I started having problems with the carb. I could adjust it for the next tank of gas and it would run fine, but after the next fill up, I would have to adjust the carb again. I got fed up and bought a Husqvarna 522HD60S. The guys on my crew love it. Bought it about 8 months ago and have used it many times. The last hedge trimming we did one of the guys asked me what I was doing to keep it so sharp and running so well. (I service all of my own equipment.) I told him that I hadn't done anything to it other then clean the blades between use since we bought it. Long story short, I really LOVE my Husqvarna equipment. It is a bit expensive, but I don't have problems with it. I haven't tried any of the small blowers you commented on since I still use my Ryobi 40V hand held blower for quick efficient (hand held) blowing when we do hedges and it works really well. The only issue with them is that the batteries aren't really designed for professional lawn care in that they don't last long enough, but with a well charged 4 amp hour battery, I can use it at my home not have to put on a backpack blower. For hand held blowers for a home owner, I think the Ryobi 40V blower is the best way to go as long as you have either 4 amp or 6 amp hour batteries to use. I can blow everything on my 1 acre property with one 4 amp hour battery. The power from it is great and is generally as good as a gas powered blower just a bit slower. On the contrary, it would not be good for a professional since the batteries cost so much, and you don't get the air flow (CFMs) or the air speed that a backpack blower can provide. Thanks for the great videos! I really enjoy watching them and learning a bit along the way!
Here is how I know you really work on these. My Stihl 56C (5 years old) had the bolts come loose 3 weeks ago. I thought I was buying a new blower. I did take the time to dismantle the blower out of curiosity and found that one bolts was backed out and jamming the pull start. I did reassemble it with some blue loctite and hopefully that is fixed for good. Unfortunately, when it jammed I messed up the pull assist spring and had to replace it as well. If that has any more issues I will get the non-assist setup for it. Thanks for your great videos!!
Awesome tips. I have the bg56, and I replaced the fuel line and filter in the tank but didn't clean the carby. It wouldn't start, but it still doesn't. Cheers
I keep buying Husqvarna 2-stroke stuff because they have always run perfectly out of the box and continue to run perfectly until I get a new one and donate my old one to a friend or family member. The 125 is an excellent blower, the 128LD is an excellent trimmer w/ nothing "LD" about it...on my third set & set #1 & #2 are still out there being used after hundreds of hours.
Learning a lot from your videos. You already saved me with your spark arrestor burn off trick. Thought my trimmer had a MAJOR problem because it was bogging bad. Burned off the screen and just like new. (I was mixing too much oil in my gas.) Thank you!
I have a Craftsman 4cycle blower that with regular maintenance has lasted me 16 years and I use it once a week during summer twice a week . Thanks for your small engine help .
I just purchased the stihl BR450. As far as air power goes, I don’t know about the rest but stihl rates there air power in NEWTONS as well as CFM. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
Hi Chickanic Yeah, those bolts on the Stihl behind the flywheel working themselves out is common, and I had one that was the impellor fan bolts. Dollop of Loctite 👍 I had a new leaf blower and I had to replace the fuel pipes after 2 years as they had rotted out. It had spent most of it's time collecting dust. The reason they may sound boggy from new, is because they are tuned rich for the running in period. On many machines that the customer states "they're relatively new and run badly now", I ask how many fuel tanks has the machine gone trough since you bought it, and it's generally over 5 tank fulls used. In the manual (which nobody reads) it states "after 4 tanks of fuel, get your engine retuned". After leaning the mixture they runs beautifully 🥰 But then it's having the right carb tuning tool. I have a set for doing carb tunes as the cheaper machines have strange shaped ones mixture ends like "Pac man, D , Double D, Splined, etc" which makes it awkward to tune them, so people throw them away when all it needs is a tune😥
I an left handed and my still hand held is constantly gets stuck on pants leg and must hold further away. The unit doesn’t feel comfortable in my right hand. I see the echo unit may be what I need for a lefty. Going to check it out. Thanks for the comparison.
I own a Husqvarna 125B and the reason I bought it was it had more blowing power than the others. It ran good for a few years then It "seized" on me. Took it to a dealer and he diagnosed it like you said the bolt came loose in back of the fly wheel. Repairs were done and all bolts were lock tite. I use my blower 12 months a year. From leaves, grass to clearing of the snow in walkway, car. Too bad for this video being seen today as my repairs happened in July of this year. Great videos and honesty.
I got the $300 Stihl and love it. Could have bought it used for 50% less than new but who knows what someone did to it. Its got noce vibration damping and a throttle lock.
I have the Echo PB 2520 & 2620. I like the extra bit of handle on the bottom on the 2620 & miss it when I am using the 2520. They say there are harness attachment points, but I can't find harnesses anywhere!
I have a husqvarna 125B it starts great and runs great too. I like how it isn’t to heavy. I like Husqvarna dirt bikes and even my gasoline powered RC cars have Zenoah engines which are owned by Husqvarna and they run great!
Bought a bg56; dealer said it starts easier than a bg55. Tickler bulb, choke and eight pulls later it starts, from new. Glad I Didn't get the bg55, may have been 10- 15 pulls🤣 Ed c
in 2000 I was a stihl guy.... I got tired of paying the stihl tax and replacing parts all I have left is a couple fs 86 weed wackers I spent time with husky.... seemed expensive to repair and definitely not designed for repair last summer I got an Echo backpack blower forget the model number.. the big one what a surprise... truthfully I wanted the 5 year warranty this thing is as comfortable as the br 600 it replaced I'm a homeowner with 3 acres to blow did I mention ... FAST
I've got that Husqvarna and I've always found I need to fiddle with the choke for cold starting. I also did need to adjust for that bogging down issue. Other than that, pretty good!
I have a pair of Stihl BG86 that I use for smaller residential lawns and they just keep chugging along until the air filter get clogged the a quick change out, and they're back up and running, On all my Stihl equipment I have never had a spark arrestor issue. I guess it is because I use quality non ethanol fuel. I think I have enough bottles of Stihl HP Ultra to last me a lifetime !
I have the BG55 never had a problem. I love it. I also have a Stihl 028AV, a 017 and 251 powersaw. I had a problem starting my 028 saw this year. Took me a while to find out the diaphragm spring was too weak to pump gas. Never had this happen before. Thank you Bre for all of your information. I am 75 years old and still learning. Also, I still use Ethanol gas in all of my equipment, 87Oct. I do use Stihl oil.
Was just getting ready to pitch one of my stihl 56c because it locked up. We use it almost daily so guessing one or more of the bolts backed out behind the flywheel. Thanks
I've got a Stihl SH86 hand held vacuum/shredder for ages and she starts, runs, sucks and blows great, thanks for the absolutely great videos and keep up the great work and absolutely great videos my friend
Good one! I have an Echo, and the only issue I've had with it in the two leaf seasons I've used it is that the end tube blows off. No amount of twisting and wedging keeps it on. Looks like I may need to run a screw or two into it to hold.
The problem with the stihl easy start system is that people treat it like a standard recoil chainsaw. Specially, when it doesn't start the first time repeatedly yanking on the cord instead of a steady pull and letting it recoil fully. There are three different readings, Blowing Force (N),Max Air Speed ,Air Throughput (m³/h). That's probably why all three blowers appear to work the same, even though their maximum air volumes are different. They probably all have a similar blowing force that comes out the nozzle.
I have made this comment in more than one of her vids. Nothing wrong with the spring, it's straight up user error and not limited to just Stihl. The Husqvarna's will snap the end off the assist spring rather than wad it up but will still wad one up sometimes. Do agree with her on the ECHO one though. Other than ropes the only time ever mess with one is because it's flat worn out and won't work anymore.
I think you could cure the Stihl issues with a new regular starter assembly and put lock tight on those bolts behind the fly wheel. The husky sound like the best one out of the box. I wonder if you can buy different fuel lines to replace husky's. If they aren't shaped specially for that blower, then a regular fuel line from another brand might fix the issue. Great video. 😎👍
Thanks for the honest review. We have the Stihl BG 56 C-E. It's probably 10 years old by now. It works well for cleaning off the mowers, driveway, and porch. It also works well on light powdery snow. As far as blowing leaves across the yard. It works, but not efficiently. Our on/off switch is a spring-loaded rocker type that returns back to the on position. As far as the spring assist goes, we have not had any issues yet, but I will use the repair method I saw in your previous video when it does fail. I don't think ours has a spark arrester screen. I was checking the Stihl trimmer screens and looks at the blower and did not see one.
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Thanks for Watching! Find a link to all of my "Must Have", Favorite Tools HERE!! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_9ERPFPBNGQ924P8NS63B
So much for OEM parts being the best.
You are absolutely the best small engine mechanic on TH-cam you don't mess around and waste someone's time you get right to it and we really appreciate that....THANKS
Another all killer, no filler video. Kudos! I love these comparison videos. It give us consumers food for thought.
I work for a City in California and have replaced 5 on off switches on the Husqvarna 125
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. For 15 years I lived in Pleasanton, CA which is east of San Francisco. Maybe we were neighbors. In any event, it is for sure that certain models fail in predictable ways. I love this channel. She does a great job. @@chrisz9213
Honesty, just pure HONESTY.
I'm still using my "Shin-Daiwa" EB-240 over 40 yrs old lolJust did a major tune -up on it!
I'm Team Echo for sure!! Blowers, saws, weedeaters, all much easier to work on, which is not very often!!
Best machines money can buy
Too bad they don't make a BIG timber falling saw😢
@@hime273 Is this due to some EPA BS, like the reason we can't get Toyota Hi-lux diesel trucks?
I own an Echo SRM 230 weed whacker. This is by far the best weed whacker I’ve ever owned and used!
Honestly battery units other weed eaters which I mtd on because so easy get parts. Look at specs on battery blower vs a hand held gas you noticed the battery kick but. Chainsaw unless go big battery way better I 90% stack per cut.
Speaking of Echo coils, My ES-250 shred-n-vac was showing signs of a bad coil (6 years old). Sometimes, it had spark other times it didn't. About drove me NUTS! While working on it to replace the coil, I discovered it had a pressure switch on the flywheel cover! The cover is wrather flimsy and wasn't making contact with the pressure switch arm all the time. Heated the pressure switch contact arm with a lighter and bent it down just a little. Problem solved!!!! I wonder how many of these units have this problem? Probably driving people crazy everywhere.... I used one of your coil videos to work on my blower/ vac, and I can't thank you enough!
I bought a Husky BT125 Backpack blower years ago and it never failed me but over the years it started losing power so I decided to change the plug, fuel lines and filter, clean the aresstor screen and rebuild the carburetor. When I went to our local small engine shop they told me only the carburetor was available and at a very hefty price which I declined to buy. To this day I still haven't found a carb kit which is all it needs run. Great machine but manufactures that don't supply parts for future repairs really get my goat!!
There’s worse for typical homeowner machines. I made my daddy an Echo believer after buying him the Shindaiwa version of that Echo during fleet week sale at the local small engine shop. Replaced one of those PITA MTD blowers from about 10 yrs ago that has the fuel tank on top with the lines coming out the bottom that dumps fuel all over when the fuel lines get old. He bought an Echo trimmer after seeing how much better they are. I also did the flat tube upgrade on that Shindaiwa, it’s well worth it
I tried to go with a Stihl vacuum but the local dealer didn't do enough to get me one before I needed it last season, and another big local dealer didn't want to wait on me in person on a Saturday morning, so I have the Husqvarna vacuum now from Lowes. First thing i did was tune it, and it's been great, and I'm able to drop start it just like a chainsaw. It's fine sucking leaves out of corners and along bed edges, and good for quick blowing after a mowing. Nice not having to get the BRG600 Magnum out all the time. Local Stihl dealers lost out this time because of their poor customer service.
I truly appreciate your videos. I have saved a ton of money and at 70 years old, I need every penny of it! Lol
Bre, You did it again!! My Stihl blower just started to lose power and using your link to a video 2 years old I was able to clean the spark arrester and restore power to like new Thanks!!
Glad I could help!
television repair used to be the same way. what? yes, we'd get models of tv's in our shop ( I was a benchman for our local shop) and we'd go stright to the issue. Zenith was one of the big ones. This profession here probably moreso, with clogs and burned up stuff. :) Nice work Chica.
I miss the tubes. Still have an old tube radio. Works great but will be heartbroken when the next tube goes bad.
old old estate auctions. I get tubes.@@brianhillis3701
I’m biased but the echo blowers and trimmers r the best, imo. Saws can go either way, I use them both (cs310 -cs400/ms271 ) and I like them. Also have an old homelite but I like the feel of the echo and stihl more.
I'm a Stihl man and I had my bg 56 converted back to a regular pull start so much better
Might get a bog standard one then, to cut our the heartache. It's cheaper too
I just ordered the 2620 flared tube for my 2520. I always wondered if that would work. Thank you for that excellent tip!
I purchased the flat nozzle for my 2520 and I wasn’t impressed. It’s in the shed and I put the round tube back on. I wish they made a cone shaped nozzle like my old Hitachi has. The cone is superior at getting wet leaves moving.
Dain I got a old shindawia blower I mean over 10 yrs still runs good but bought a new battery it’s heck of blower
I owned a echo blower for 1 season, had the carburetor replaced under warranty ( 1 piece carburetor) I used non ethanol, gas and quality 2 stroke oil and less than a month after the carburetor replacement I started having problems again!!! I was told it was the carburetor again and it would not be replaced under warranty this time!! So I threw it in the trash and bought a STIHL and has been running fine now for 6 years!!!
I've had a Stihl BG85 for more than 20 years and it still works great. Aside from normal maintenance and cleaning and always using Stihl oil, I've never had a problem with it. They are great units.
Same, but even longer than 20 years. I did replace the carburetor a couple years ago… parts can be an issue on over 20 year old equipment.
What stihl oil do you run? Bc I stay away from that stuff all forms like the plague
The full synthetic stuff mixed with ethanol free 89 octane
@@billthepainter5106 okay gotcha... imma still run my belray... but the ethanol free Gas is really good..good luck and merry Christmas
I’m still using my older Hitachi RB24EAP handheld blower. It still fires up one the first or second pull and all I’ve had to do to it so far was adjust the carb. It has the hidden adjustment like Echos have. Built with a full crank engine and not abused, just used a good bit. The only issue that may pop up is whenever the purge bulb decides to crack. Hitachi thought it would be a good idea to make it part of the air filter box, not mounted on the carb like every other engine made. But at 24cc, 8.6lbs, and putting out 441 CFM, I’m keeping it until it dies for good. Then I’ll probably go with Echo.
I have the same Hitachi blower purchased used at a yard sale 15 years ago for $40. Best handheld I’ve ever owned. Only repair has been fuel lines and the primer bulb. I also have an Echo 2520 and it seems to blow a larger volume of air than the Hitachi but the Hitachi has the cone tip which really concentrates the air stream for wet leaves.
I love my Tanaka trb24eap blower. I thought I was going to have to trash it after I changed the purge bulb, lines, sparkplug, and carburetor, and it still didn't work. Turns out it was the on/off switch that needed to be replaced.
I bought an Echo PB2520 as a backup before some of the parts to fix the Tanaka were shipped. The Echo is nice, but I still prefer the Tanaka. Too bad it's discontinued. I guess I'll just buy more parts for it to hopefully make it last longer.
I have the Stihl, same model, have had it for YEARS! and it has been a champ with no issues.
I have a Stihl blower which would bog down when I opened the throttle. I thought I had carb problems. Turns out the exhaust was plugged up with crud. It now runs great.
Also remember to replace the air cleaner filter regularly or the blower can loose power when the air cleaner filter gets dirty. I have both the Still BG 86 and the Echo 2520 both are great blowers as i use them commercially on my landscape route everyday. Thanks Bree and Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Yea, Found That Out With My Riding Mower!
Those little carburetors on most of the tools appear to be elevation sensitive. Factory tuned will be as good as your correlation to whatever the factory elevation is to yours. I bought an inexpensive trimmer, pretty sure it's an MTD with whomever brand stamp. It never did run right....until I watched Steve's Small Engine Saloon show the proper technique. I bought a set of the goofy, proprietary tipped screwdrivers (cheap set) from the jungle store site, did the adjustment, it runs very well. I do my own repair and maintenance on my stuff, though I have way more experience with my contractor power tools than small engines, so channels like yours are high value. Thanks.
Echo says their carbs are set at the factory for sea level to 1,100' of elevation. If you operate at or above 1,100' the factory setting will be too rich, that is why they offer the free adjustment within 30days. My elevation is 1,010' and my Echo's run well but would likely run a little better if leaned out a touch. I will be picking up a cheap set of carb tools like you did
I paid the extra coin for the 2620, mainly because engine longevity is important to me, and I use my blower very regularly.
I have had the Husqvarna blower, hedge trimmer and chain saw for more than 15 years. I have replaced the fuel line on the blower once in that time but not the other machines. It was easy fix with no other issues. The blower gets the most use but the others do not sit unused. Being they are in Minnesota, they only get non-ethanol premium fuel. In all they have performed flawlessly.
Contracting for 43 years and we NEVER bothered with hand held blowers which we felt were just domestic tools. We used Shindaiwa 65cc BACKPACK blowers (Not the latest rather heavy ones)and at the moment we have two at almost 20 years old still working (admittedly with regular maintenance|) I some time watch local authority guys trying to clear public pathways with hand held machines and I often wince and feel like lending them a proper blower.
You comparison video is useful with the understanding that the contractors whom I know would never look after a machine long enough to last much more than a season. Take care.
I bought an Echo PB-1000 brand new decades ago. Still runs great! Had to replace a couple gas tanks and spark plugs now and again.
I've had my echo blower now for going on 12 years now and I haven't had one issue with it and I use mine year round for blowing light snow as well best unit along with my echo weed trimmer have had no issues with either one.
Thanks, you inspired me to fix my 5 year old Stihl BG56C, it died the other day. Fortunately all it needed was a new spark plug and a little tuning.
I have the Stihl Combi system and one of the attachments I have is the blower. It is simply fantastic. It has 3 fans in it and 497 cfm, and retails at around USD150. The guy in the shop said I'd never use a broom again. I use it for all sorts of things on top of the usual leaf blowing- blowing out gutters, blowing off sanding dust prior to painting, blowing out my garages and commercial buildings, anything where I need strong air pressure. I chuckle to myself when I see people using those anaemic ones. A great accessory.
Brooms reminded me.... Battery or plug-in Electric air blowers are awesome for indoor cleaning, even for cars. Outdoor use, not so much.
Thanks for the comparison!
Yep Stihl has the best fuel lines . I buy it from my local Mom and Pop Mower shop that is a Stihl dealer . I try to put the Stihl fuel line in everything I work on . I took care of that spark arrestor screen in my Stihl blower , it will never plug up again 💥
Having been a dealer for all three of these brands, Echo, Stihl, and Husqvarna, I have to agree with your apparent love for the Echo products. I found Echo to be more reliable overall, easier to work on if needed, easier to get warranties taken care of if needed, and generally longer lasting products. I also was a dealer for Shindaiwa which now is owned by Echo. Started in the power equipment business in the early 60's when these "foreign" products were not available. We had to put up with the likes of Homelite, McCullough, Remington, Pioneer, etc. It sure was a nice change when the foreigners came to town.
When l was very young The Remington was the Rolls-Royce of Chainsaws, no one had even heard of Stihl. As for McColluch 🤬
Homelite was good back when they were owned by JD. After they were sold off to AYP parts became unavailable.
I bought a Poulan blower. Just a cheap one in 2010, and so far all I had to do is replace the fuel lines, fuel filter, air filter, carburetor, and spark plug. Starts on the 3rd pull when cold, 1st when warm. I changed out everything at the same time. Runs great, and does a good job for a small cheap blower.
Six years on Stihl BG56, year round use, grass, leaves, snow, etc. no issues, never in for service, auto on after shutdown. Easy to start, have owned others, won't be going back.
After using a cheap Weed eater blower for over 15 years, I bought a new Stihl BG 50. Bought from a local dealer. The warranty is longer when bought with Stihl mix oil. The weed eater cost me 100 dollars. Still running, the only things I bought besides gas, a spark plug and primer bulb.
Thank you, good information.
Quality is what you pay for. If you want cheap go for it. I just had a Troy Bilt 4 cycle in that quit and would not start. Owner replaced the spark plug, no go. As soon as he handed it to me I pulled the rope. No compression. Scoped the cylinder and saw a crack all the wat across the top of the piston. Took the head off and the piston came out in pieces. It's in the junk pile. Another owner brought in his PB 2100 in. Smokes like a steam engine. Haven't looked into it yet. Anyway, great comparison.
It would be great to have a database of small engine equipment. Like this, letting us know what are the common issues. For instance, knowing it's a good idea to change out the fuel line before the factory one disintegrates.
OMG, I was thinking the same thing based on my very recent Muryama 85-t repair AND a repair last year on a Honda pressure washer engine. The engines surged a lot but run OK when the choke was part-way on (but not all the way on or off... sort of in the middle). In both cases the problem went away when I cut the stretched-out inch (or so) of the fuel line that goes into the carb. That allowed a tight fit w/o any minuscule air leaks. That condition typically gets diagnosed as a carburetor problem, such as a dirty carb. In both cases, I cleaned the carburetor, re-installed it, still had the problem so I know it was the gas lines. BTW: gas lines on some of the older equipment turns to gel inside due to the alcohol in our gas. Some gas seeps thru so it starts, but it won't run for long. It tends to affect the portion of the fuel line in-or-near the gas tank.
Agree 1000 percent
Two words, "chickanic"
We used to call them forums... and with thier demise came the end of knowledge
Thanks Chickanic. I have both the Stijl and Husqvarna blowers and I will keep a lookout for the issues you pointed out 👍
Had PB210 I found at the dump. Cleaned up replaced plug fresh gas. Used it for 4 years before the coil died. Didn't want to spend the money to fix it. Great machine.
Bought a 125B in 2009 and have never had any issue with it. Just replaced the spark plug, air filter and fuel filter as general maintenance. Starts super easy and works great. Plenty of power. Very good blower.
Still running a 2012 model year Echo PB-250LN blower. Cant even begin to count the gallons of fuel ive run through it. Only problem was a failed ignition coil which was covered under the 5 year warranty. Great handheld blower!
Another great video of the good the bad and the ugly of the blowers. Where I live I have 2 stihl dealers very close to me. One of my old co-workers opened up his own stihl dealership and even if I have to drive a little further I buy my stuff from him. I buy a bunch of general replacement parts from him also. I use the local shops for all the stuff in between. They actually asked where I purchased my stuff because they know that I didn't buy the items from them. They now offer me a discount on the parts I get from them. They know that I will always buy most of the stuff from my friend of over 30 years. Plus if I ever run into something all I have to do is call him and usually he knows what all I have checked before calling, and he just says this is what usually causes this or that and bingo it's up and running in no time. The flattened out tip on the blower tube makes a huge difference in the performance of the blower. The price of the echo seems much lower than for the stihl. I had purchased a shredder/blower kit that came with the flater tip. My friend said that on the cheaper stihl leaf blowers if the persons not happy that he will heat the end and flatten it out and 99% of the time that makes the customer happy. Please keep making videos on new stuff and fixing the used.
Great video. I have a four stroke Makita that I found in the trash over 10 years ago. I cleaned the carburetor. It’s been running ever since the only thing I have done is change the primer bulb I use it and my neighbors use it starts up every time, the deal is they have to use my gas. It’s still running strong.
Have 56c stihl love it had it for 11 years of hard use still going strong. Mine doesn't have the easy start.
Good afternoon from across the pond... That easy start on the Stihl is a pain in the rear end... Hope all is good
Hey Mick! Hope all is well! A very Merry Christmas to ya'll!
Had issues bout two year ago, first new spring three pulls and stuffed second spring same so got board with that idea, another new spring and filled that area with an epoxy, so was a delete and had worked fine ever since
@@johngibson3837 good idea
Great video! Really helps on making decision. Thank you!
Had a husqvarna blower once. Ran for one season before it needed choke to run. Hard to start too. It wasnt cheap and not worth half that much. I did like the flat nozzle tho. I Kept that part to use on my Makita blower.
I'm a Husqvarna hugger but you make echo sound pretty good.
I owned a poulan pro blower vac , that after a couple years became hard to start . I always used stabil in the fuel and got tired of it not running , and bought an Echo blower which is great .
Love the honest review! I am in lawn care and use BR 800 magnum backpack blowers on my customers lawns. Really like them and since I started using them 2 years ago (after my Ryobi backpack blower failed and the new one I bought failed within 3 months) none of the Stihl 800s have failed (Keeping my fingers crosses). With that said, I have tried Ryobi and Stihl string trimmers as well and they have all failed. I do realize that the Ryobi is not a commercial trimmer or blower, but those had served me really well prior to going into lawn care when I used them daily. With that being said, I decided to try a Husqvarna 525L string trimmer and after 3 years of using them, that is all I use. I have 3 of them for me and my crew. I ended up needing to buy a hedge trimmer since so many of my clients wanted that service, so I bought a Stihl HS45. Literally, after the first tank of gas, I started having problems with the carb. I could adjust it for the next tank of gas and it would run fine, but after the next fill up, I would have to adjust the carb again. I got fed up and bought a Husqvarna 522HD60S. The guys on my crew love it. Bought it about 8 months ago and have used it many times. The last hedge trimming we did one of the guys asked me what I was doing to keep it so sharp and running so well. (I service all of my own equipment.) I told him that I hadn't done anything to it other then clean the blades between use since we bought it. Long story short, I really LOVE my Husqvarna equipment. It is a bit expensive, but I don't have problems with it. I haven't tried any of the small blowers you commented on since I still use my Ryobi 40V hand held blower for quick efficient (hand held) blowing when we do hedges and it works really well. The only issue with them is that the batteries aren't really designed for professional lawn care in that they don't last long enough, but with a well charged 4 amp hour battery, I can use it at my home not have to put on a backpack blower. For hand held blowers for a home owner, I think the Ryobi 40V blower is the best way to go as long as you have either 4 amp or 6 amp hour batteries to use. I can blow everything on my 1 acre property with one 4 amp hour battery. The power from it is great and is generally as good as a gas powered blower just a bit slower. On the contrary, it would not be good for a professional since the batteries cost so much, and you don't get the air flow (CFMs) or the air speed that a backpack blower can provide. Thanks for the great videos! I really enjoy watching them and learning a bit along the way!
Here is how I know you really work on these. My Stihl 56C (5 years old) had the bolts come loose 3 weeks ago. I thought I was buying a new blower. I did take the time to dismantle the blower out of curiosity and found that one bolts was backed out and jamming the pull start. I did reassemble it with some blue loctite and hopefully that is fixed for good. Unfortunately, when it jammed I messed up the pull assist spring and had to replace it as well. If that has any more issues I will get the non-assist setup for it. Thanks for your great videos!!
Yeah 100% on the 125b. Got given one for free from a neighbour. $20 odd bucks on amazon for a new fuel line and plunger good to go
Awesome tips.
I have the bg56, and I replaced the fuel line and filter in the tank but didn't clean the carby.
It wouldn't start, but it still doesn't.
Cheers
I keep buying Husqvarna 2-stroke stuff because they have always run perfectly out of the box and continue to run perfectly until I get a new one and donate my old one to a friend or family member. The 125 is an excellent blower, the 128LD is an excellent trimmer w/ nothing "LD" about it...on my third set & set #1 & #2 are still out there being used after hundreds of hours.
I would love to see a video like this about backpack blowers
Learning a lot from your videos. You already saved me with your spark arrestor burn off trick. Thought my trimmer had a MAJOR problem because it was bogging bad. Burned off the screen and just like new. (I was mixing too much oil in my gas.) Thank you!
I have a Craftsman 4cycle blower that with regular maintenance has lasted me 16 years and I use it once a week during summer twice a week . Thanks for your small engine help .
Very informative video. Great information from a person that knows what they’re talking about.
You're always good for a thumbs up. Hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. Kisses from an Australian (Summer) Christmas xx
I just purchased the stihl BR450. As far as air power goes, I don’t know about the rest but stihl rates there air power in NEWTONS as well as CFM. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
Hi Chickanic
Yeah, those bolts on the Stihl behind the flywheel working themselves out is common, and I had one that was the impellor fan bolts. Dollop of Loctite 👍
I had a new leaf blower and I had to replace the fuel pipes after 2 years as they had rotted out. It had spent most of it's time collecting dust.
The reason they may sound boggy from new, is because they are tuned rich for the running in period.
On many machines that the customer states "they're relatively new and run badly now", I ask how many fuel tanks has the machine gone trough since you bought it, and it's generally over 5 tank fulls used. In the manual (which nobody reads) it states "after 4 tanks of fuel, get your engine retuned".
After leaning the mixture they runs beautifully 🥰
But then it's having the right carb tuning tool.
I have a set for doing carb tunes as the cheaper machines have strange shaped ones mixture ends like "Pac man, D , Double D, Splined, etc" which makes it awkward to tune them, so people throw them away when all it needs is a tune😥
Efco all the way for me had a handheld blower from them for 10 years only had to clean the carb.
Stihl spark arrestor screen is solved with ice pick or small long shank Phillips screwdriver and poke away !
I just bought the Husqvarna 125B a couple months ago. Thanks for the tips.
I an left handed and my still hand held is constantly gets stuck on pants leg and must hold further away. The unit doesn’t feel comfortable in my right hand. I see the echo unit may be what I need for a lefty. Going to check it out. Thanks for the comparison.
I own a Husqvarna 125B and the reason I bought it was it had more blowing power than the others. It ran good for a few years then It "seized" on me. Took it to a dealer and he diagnosed it like you said the bolt came loose in back of the fly wheel. Repairs were done and all bolts were lock tite. I use my blower 12 months a year. From leaves, grass to clearing of the snow in walkway, car. Too bad for this video being seen today as my repairs happened in July of this year. Great videos and honesty.
I got the $300 Stihl and love it. Could have bought it used for 50% less than new but who knows what someone did to it. Its got noce vibration damping and a throttle lock.
I have the Echo PB 2520 & 2620. I like the extra bit of handle on the bottom on the 2620 & miss it when I am using the 2520.
They say there are harness attachment points, but I can't find harnesses anywhere!
I have the Husqvarna 125B, and yes I had to replace the fuel lines. I don't recall it being an especially difficult job, but I'm pretty handy. YMMV.
I'm just here to say that I love my echo pb-770T she's still running very strong after all these years 😎
Best blower ever made.
I just had to fix my dad's 125 b for that fuel line issue last weekend
So I have ran both the echo and stihl blowers. And there is definitely a difference
Another GREAT video from the Queen of small equipment repair.........................................................Fort Worth,Tx
I have a husqvarna 125B it starts great and runs great too. I like how it isn’t to heavy. I like Husqvarna dirt bikes and even my gasoline powered RC cars have Zenoah engines which are owned by Husqvarna and they run great!
Great review and side by side by side comparison.
Merry Christmas to you and your family little miss.
Bought a bg56; dealer said it starts easier than a bg55. Tickler bulb, choke and eight pulls later it starts, from new. Glad I Didn't get the bg55, may have been 10- 15 pulls🤣
Ed c
in 2000 I was a stihl guy....
I got tired of paying the stihl tax and replacing parts
all I have left is a couple fs 86 weed wackers
I spent time with husky.... seemed expensive to repair and definitely not designed for repair
last summer I got an Echo backpack blower forget the model number.. the big one
what a surprise... truthfully I wanted the 5 year warranty
this thing is as comfortable as the br 600 it replaced
I'm a homeowner with 3 acres to blow
did I mention ... FAST
I've got that Husqvarna and I've always found I need to fiddle with the choke for cold starting. I also did need to adjust for that bogging down issue. Other than that, pretty good!
I have a pair of Stihl BG86 that I use for smaller residential lawns and they just keep chugging along until the air filter get clogged the a quick change out, and they're back up and running, On all my Stihl equipment I have never had a spark arrestor issue. I guess it is because I use quality non ethanol fuel. I think I have enough bottles of Stihl HP Ultra to last me a lifetime !
I have the BG55 never had a problem. I love it. I also have a Stihl 028AV, a 017 and 251 powersaw. I had a problem starting my 028 saw this year. Took me a while to find out the diaphragm spring was too weak to pump gas. Never had this happen before. Thank you Bre for all of your information. I am 75 years old and still learning. Also, I still use Ethanol gas in all of my equipment, 87Oct. I do use Stihl oil.
Please do a video on the Echo PB580t (common problems, etc.) Thank you and Happy Holidays.
Was just getting ready to pitch one of my stihl 56c because it locked up. We use it almost daily so guessing one or more of the bolts backed out behind the flywheel. Thanks
I've got a Stihl SH86 hand held vacuum/shredder for ages and she starts, runs, sucks and blows great, thanks for the absolutely great videos and keep up the great work and absolutely great videos my friend
Love watching you when you have them shorts on FOXY MACANIK
Thanks for the advice.
Nice to see you back up and running chick hope the storm wasn't to bad. Love the vids
Good one! I have an Echo, and the only issue I've had with it in the two leaf seasons I've used it is that the end tube blows off. No amount of twisting and wedging keeps it on. Looks like I may need to run a screw or two into it to hold.
Duct tape! Works for Red Green, and it works for me! 👍
Hm. I've never had that problem.
Thanks beautiful.
Thank you
Was just trying to decide if I wanted to upgrade my 225 to the 2620. I guess 2520 is my thought now!
The problem with the stihl easy start system is that people treat it like a standard recoil chainsaw. Specially, when it doesn't start the first time repeatedly yanking on the cord instead of a steady pull and letting it recoil fully. There are three different readings, Blowing Force (N),Max Air Speed ,Air Throughput (m³/h). That's probably why all three blowers appear to work the same, even though their maximum air volumes are different. They probably all have a similar blowing force that comes out the nozzle.
I have made this comment in more than one of her vids. Nothing wrong with the spring, it's straight up user error and not limited to just Stihl. The Husqvarna's will snap the end off the assist spring rather than wad it up but will still wad one up sometimes.
Do agree with her on the ECHO one though. Other than ropes the only time ever mess with one is because it's flat worn out and won't work anymore.
I think you could cure the Stihl issues with a new regular starter assembly and put lock tight on those bolts behind the fly wheel.
The husky sound like the best one out of the box. I wonder if you can buy different fuel lines to replace husky's. If they aren't shaped specially for that blower, then a regular fuel line from another brand might fix the issue.
Great video. 😎👍
Thanks for the honest review. We have the Stihl BG 56 C-E. It's probably 10 years old by now. It works well for cleaning off the mowers, driveway, and porch. It also works well on light powdery snow. As far as blowing leaves across the yard. It works, but not efficiently. Our on/off switch is a spring-loaded rocker type that returns back to the on position. As far as the spring assist goes, we have not had any issues yet, but I will use the repair method I saw in your previous video when it does fail. I don't think ours has a spark arrester screen. I was checking the Stihl trimmer screens and looks at the blower and did not see one.
My Echo BG 50 has been kicking as for years.
thanks Bre i have a husqvarna 125b it has served me well over the yrs
I had two old Shindaiwa handheld blowers that were made in Japan that were awesome. I did end up selling them to upgrade to a Stihl BR550 and a BR430.
I wouldn't call Stihl an "upgrade".
@@MUUKOW3 the upgrade was going to a backpack blower. I paid $15 each not running and fixed them both up and they run like new.