Super EZ/Mini sprocket sizing

[tangobravo]

Has anyone tried 6 tooth vs 7 tooth drive sprocket performance? Seems that the Homelite drive hubs were 7 tooth for the most part for these chainsaws, and I see a lot of 6 tooth replacements are available. I'm curious if the 6 tooth drives help that little engine avoid chain stalls and help the engine pulling that chain a bit easier.

[rowdy235]

I think a lot of it depends on what chain you’re running and what material you’re cutting. I think you’d get better performance in softwood with the 7 tooth and higher chain speed. For hardwood the 6 tooth may be a slight advantage, but the Super EZ is not a real high torque saw, designed to run at higher speed.

[tangobravo]

Thanks Rowdy for the input. I was thinking there might not be enough difference to spend the money changing it out. Seems you need to be a little more patient using an EZ, and keep the rpm up. I'm thinking the bucking spike is more ornamental/paint protective for these chainsaws. Easy to stall the chain out-especially cutting anything 6" or bigger diameter.

[sweepleader]

For the same chain speed, going from 7 to 6 teeth would allow engine speed to increase by 16%. This, like other "small" changes in chain saws, is an enormous change. It was immediately apparent to me with my XL-500 when I went from 7 to 8 teeth. The XL-500 has an excess of power when running the original 16" bar and what seemed like a good idea in increasing the chain speed proved very true.

My guess is an EZ would cut faster with a 6 tooth because the engine power would be better matched to the chain load that way, like rowdy says. I think there would be less bogging down and an easier time getting the power to the wood.

My guess is also that Homelite used 7 teeth as a standard to avoid a bunch of different sprockets and inventory/fitment problems when the wrong sprocket was installed with a given bar chain combination.

[tangobravo]

I'm thinking that little engine just isn't going to come alive with a 16% gear reduction. Really needs 20-30 more cc's!

[blythkd]

Sounds like you're looking for a 410!

Seriously though, good discussion but a Super EZ in good condition that runs as it should, I always thought was pretty well matched to a 7 tooth drive. 16" bar is all they need and if you find yourself burying the that bar clear to tip in logs all the time, then you probably need to drag out a bigger saw. 6 tooth drive might be ok if you're stuck to using that saw and want to cut large logs routinely. If you use it only up to 6 or 8" cuts, the faster chain speed should be a good thing.

Have you ran the compression? Super EZs are pretty prone to overheating and cooking the piston and rings.

I've seen Super EZs that you could actually use the spike to keep them fed fast enough. Not that you couldn't stop them but they would lug very well. But they're all getting pretty "mature" by now so many of them could be in fair to poor condition by now.

[tangobravo]

Well, I'm happy with the Super Mini. It fills a nitch for me, with an XL-101 and SXL-925 to take care of the other jobs. Hope to use it as a 4WD adventure saw and around the homestead for branch work. Got spoiled a long time ago with that SXL-925 power!!

[edju1958]

I have several SEZs & I don't remember any of them ever having the chain stall out.I cut hardwoods & rarely cut any softwoods.I most always NEVER bury the entire bar,I feel that those saws were only meant to be used as limbing saws.If they were meant for bigger cutting jobs they would've been supplied with longer bars.I have heard of guys putting 20 in.bars on the SEZ,but that's just plain foolish IMO.Every saw has it's capabilities.