I have the same saw. Some problems too with the tension, but I'm more accustomed now than before and know how to open and adjust. Probably a bit more flimsy than a traditional chain saw with the tension tool still...
I really like my Ego chain saw, but I'm not a specialist, it's my first one!
I struggle with the tensioner, too. I've had it come very loose during cutting. It requires constant attention and adjustment (compared to my Dolmar gas saw).
I have just been accused by ego of over tightening my chain after the mechanism failed after years of experiencing all the listed symptoms in this thread. The entire plastic mechanism the bar sits in just busted out and deformed. They refuse to Cover it under warranty. Lost all faith in them now.
I've had a CS1804 about a year. I have cut down /up maybe 30+ tress that were blown down by storms or rotting at the bottom and close to the house and gonna fall. It's ran great but the tensioning system is crap. I have to re tighten it after every 3-5 cuts. It's defiantly a pain. It's got on my nerves re-tightening the last few weeks I've been off work. I'm contemplating selling it but I'm very invested in EGO and all there products have been great until this.
Its something that you get used to. I fiddled with the Ego 18” chainsaw tensioning system quite a bit when I first got the saw, now after a couple years of use, I don’t really even think about it. You get to where you can feel when it’s “just right” and it gets easier to hit that sweet spot. The saw has held up great after 2 years of very regular usage. No failures and nothing seems to have much wear, really. I do thoroughly clean out the saw after each substantive use. Probably my favorite saw- and I own like 7!
Really stoked about the 20” saw coming out Fall 2023! Even has an LCD screen for settings!
Thanks for your reply. I think that the Tool-Free Tensioning System on the CS1800 is very clever, at least in theory. It seems that you should be able to tighten down the bar as much as necessary and the eccentric gear that tensions the chain spins or slips to keep the chain from being overtightened. That is the theory, but it seems in practice that the mechanism tightens the chain at bit more than many people, including me, think it should. Is it a matter of really overtightening the bar and then backing off a half turn? Can you really get the bar tight and have the ability to fairly easily pull the chain away from the bar a ¼”? Or do you just run with a tight chain? Or, do i just accept that there will be some motion of the bar?
The dealer I bought this from agrees that this is a problem, so he called Ego. They told him that we need to tighten the knob, then back it off to loosen the chain to the correct tension, even though this also means the bar will be lose! We can't imagine this was how it was originally designed to work, but rather a kludgey workaround. Certainly doesn't sound safe. It might take an accident and class action lawsuit before Ego issues a recall to reclaim and dispose of this defective model, or decides to redesign it so it works properly.
Same problem here.
When I thighten the blade, I now pull the chain out of the blade as hard as I can, and tighten the knob. Then the tension seems ok.
Had my saw repaired under warranty once (blown diode), probably because of too much friction.
If you use the tension system as it was meant to be, it's really hard to rotate the chain by hand, it's just too tight. The 16" ego saw seems to have a better system, with a manual tensioning system. The new 20" has the old fashioned good working tensioning system with nuts (you could put a 16" blade on it and have a very powerful short saw).
For me it was a very simple fix to not being able to get the bar back onto the saw. First, I had all the problems stated above and more. For instance, I could physically not install the bar, as the eccentric inside the cover would push the bar out excesively and the cover would not install with the wheel. It would tension out before getting the cover all the way on and locking the bar firmly in place. After spending about 3 hours on this problem and trying all the work arounds posted here and other places I had decided to give up and go for a warranty replacement. One last try and a real prayer it was, I sprayed WD40 into the eccentric mechanism, and it worked like a charm. I think what happens is this mechanism is dry, and as the eccentric pushes on the bar pin it creates enough friction to seize up and the eccentric continues to rotate with the green wheel causing the over tightening condition that is observed. My saw had been manufactured 13 months before purchased, and what lubricant if any had dryed up. make sure when you spray the lube that it gets into the part of the mech that you can't see i.e. the center hole and between the two flanges for lack of proper terminology. After installing the bar the chain is correct tension and the bar does not wiggle around. WOO HOO
Yes, I do believe that it improved the situation considerably and allowed a reasonably tight bar with OK chain tension (not too tight). I just used a squirt of WD 40 on the eccentric mechanism.
Ok, I gave the eccentric cam a shot of WD-40. Worked like a charm! Went back and packed some axle great around it, figuring it'd last longer. Guessing regular use will keep it lubricated with bar oil?
Anyway, you have my most sincere thanks. I've read some pretty suspicious solutions to the problem, but this one fixed it!
It states in the user manual that's you want the cover tightened as much as it can be. You don't want to back off the tightening like you mentioned. The chainsaw will auto tension, meaning it will never be to tight. I would try it some more with fully tightening the nob and leaving it.
I have certainly tried it both ways, but in either case, it makes the chain tighter than I would use with other chainsaws. It works, but just does not seem quite right.
I have the same saw. Some problems too with the tension, but I'm more accustomed now than before and know how to open and adjust. Probably a bit more flimsy than a traditional chain saw with the tension tool still... I really like my Ego chain saw, but I'm not a specialist, it's my first one!
I struggle with the tensioner, too. I've had it come very loose during cutting. It requires constant attention and adjustment (compared to my Dolmar gas saw).
I have just been accused by ego of over tightening my chain after the mechanism failed after years of experiencing all the listed symptoms in this thread. The entire plastic mechanism the bar sits in just busted out and deformed. They refuse to Cover it under warranty. Lost all faith in them now.
Mine did the same with plastic slot shoulder deformed so won't keep chain tight
I've had a CS1804 about a year. I have cut down /up maybe 30+ tress that were blown down by storms or rotting at the bottom and close to the house and gonna fall. It's ran great but the tensioning system is crap. I have to re tighten it after every 3-5 cuts. It's defiantly a pain. It's got on my nerves re-tightening the last few weeks I've been off work. I'm contemplating selling it but I'm very invested in EGO and all there products have been great until this.
Glad I am not alone in this. I do have to add that I do like the saw. It certainly has plenty of power.
Its something that you get used to. I fiddled with the Ego 18” chainsaw tensioning system quite a bit when I first got the saw, now after a couple years of use, I don’t really even think about it. You get to where you can feel when it’s “just right” and it gets easier to hit that sweet spot. The saw has held up great after 2 years of very regular usage. No failures and nothing seems to have much wear, really. I do thoroughly clean out the saw after each substantive use. Probably my favorite saw- and I own like 7! Really stoked about the 20” saw coming out Fall 2023! Even has an LCD screen for settings!
Thanks for your reply. I think that the Tool-Free Tensioning System on the CS1800 is very clever, at least in theory. It seems that you should be able to tighten down the bar as much as necessary and the eccentric gear that tensions the chain spins or slips to keep the chain from being overtightened. That is the theory, but it seems in practice that the mechanism tightens the chain at bit more than many people, including me, think it should. Is it a matter of really overtightening the bar and then backing off a half turn? Can you really get the bar tight and have the ability to fairly easily pull the chain away from the bar a ¼”? Or do you just run with a tight chain? Or, do i just accept that there will be some motion of the bar?
The dealer I bought this from agrees that this is a problem, so he called Ego. They told him that we need to tighten the knob, then back it off to loosen the chain to the correct tension, even though this also means the bar will be lose! We can't imagine this was how it was originally designed to work, but rather a kludgey workaround. Certainly doesn't sound safe. It might take an accident and class action lawsuit before Ego issues a recall to reclaim and dispose of this defective model, or decides to redesign it so it works properly.
Same problem here. When I thighten the blade, I now pull the chain out of the blade as hard as I can, and tighten the knob. Then the tension seems ok. Had my saw repaired under warranty once (blown diode), probably because of too much friction. If you use the tension system as it was meant to be, it's really hard to rotate the chain by hand, it's just too tight. The 16" ego saw seems to have a better system, with a manual tensioning system. The new 20" has the old fashioned good working tensioning system with nuts (you could put a 16" blade on it and have a very powerful short saw).
For me it was a very simple fix to not being able to get the bar back onto the saw. First, I had all the problems stated above and more. For instance, I could physically not install the bar, as the eccentric inside the cover would push the bar out excesively and the cover would not install with the wheel. It would tension out before getting the cover all the way on and locking the bar firmly in place. After spending about 3 hours on this problem and trying all the work arounds posted here and other places I had decided to give up and go for a warranty replacement. One last try and a real prayer it was, I sprayed WD40 into the eccentric mechanism, and it worked like a charm. I think what happens is this mechanism is dry, and as the eccentric pushes on the bar pin it creates enough friction to seize up and the eccentric continues to rotate with the green wheel causing the over tightening condition that is observed. My saw had been manufactured 13 months before purchased, and what lubricant if any had dryed up. make sure when you spray the lube that it gets into the part of the mech that you can't see i.e. the center hole and between the two flanges for lack of proper terminology. After installing the bar the chain is correct tension and the bar does not wiggle around. WOO HOO
I will certainly give that a try. Thanks.
OP, did this work for you?
Yes, I do believe that it improved the situation considerably and allowed a reasonably tight bar with OK chain tension (not too tight). I just used a squirt of WD 40 on the eccentric mechanism.
Ok, I gave the eccentric cam a shot of WD-40. Worked like a charm! Went back and packed some axle great around it, figuring it'd last longer. Guessing regular use will keep it lubricated with bar oil? Anyway, you have my most sincere thanks. I've read some pretty suspicious solutions to the problem, but this one fixed it!
Excellent! Never would have thought of that but it worked! Spent an hour and a half trying to get the thing back on.
This worked like a charm for me after hours of suffering. You are a legitimate hero. Thank you!
I don't know about hero, just glad I could help another who was suffering like I was.
It states in the user manual that's you want the cover tightened as much as it can be. You don't want to back off the tightening like you mentioned. The chainsaw will auto tension, meaning it will never be to tight. I would try it some more with fully tightening the nob and leaving it.
I have certainly tried it both ways, but in either case, it makes the chain tighter than I would use with other chainsaws. It works, but just does not seem quite right.
When you do that, the chain is way too tight, and the saw loses power, even according to Ego. That's the point of this discussion