# Good Price for a Stihl 390



## Kenster (Feb 21, 2010)

Would the low $400s be a good price for a brand new 390 with 16 inch bar and professionally modified muffler?  What should be the max price?  I have to make a quick decision.


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## Mmaul (Feb 21, 2010)

Supposed to be broken in before a muffler mod is done.  But $400 for a new 390 sounds good to me.


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## K2Orion (Feb 21, 2010)

I gave $420 for a 390 with a new piston and a 20"bar last fall on ebay.


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## Kenster (Feb 22, 2010)

MMaul said:
			
		

> Supposed to be broken in before a muffler mod is done.  But $400 for a new 390 sounds good to me.



It was run just enough to do the muffler mod and then to retune it.


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## Kenster (Feb 22, 2010)

golfandwoodnut said:
			
		

> Excellent, I think I paid the Stihl List price (close to $500) with no muffler mod.  The dealer threw in a few extras like the case and oil supply.  How can you get one that cheap?  Usually Stihl dealers will not discount around here. Also what advantage is the muffler mod?  I see Stihl now has 391s.



It was on eBay.  The listing even had a video of him starting and running the saw.   

I just bought it.  I did not bid until the last few seconds.  The last bid was for $440.01.  I punched in $453.37 with five seconds to go and won the saw for $445.01.
Still a pretty fair deal, I think.  With the muffler mod and the 16 inch bar it ought to tear through some wood just fine.


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## southbound (Feb 22, 2010)

Post a link to ebay please..............

The 16" bar on a 390 will get old may even  want to run a 8 or 9 tooth sprocket to get more out of the short chain...

Anyway I like my 290 been a great saw not had all the trouble I keep hearing about.. Some day it will get a 390 top end.. I can't wait I tells ya....


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## Kenster (Feb 22, 2010)

Here's a link to the Ebay listing.

Southbound, I'm not a pro with chain saws.  Can you explain the comment:

<<The 16” bar on a 390 will get old    may even want to run a 8 or 9 tooth sprocket to get more out of the short chain…

The 16 inch bar is plenty for about 99% of my felling and bucking.  I just assumed that the shorter bar would really allow the 390 to roar.  What would the change in sprockets do?

Thanks.


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## southbound (Feb 22, 2010)

It's hard for me to put in words. I leave that up to the smart guys but here ya go...

The 390 has a lot of lower end power, It takes more to bog one down.. A taller gear will allow you to take advantage of this and cut at faster speeds with a short chain...

I hope I got that out right... Most folks running 066 with a 20" bar go for a 9 tooth gear gives it a little more speed...

O and I see no link....


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## Kenster (Feb 22, 2010)

Ooops.  Link... here you go...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300396989772&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123


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## southbound (Feb 22, 2010)

Great that worked!!

Saw looks sweet sounds like mine too lol...............

You can do a muffler mod at any time it's just if it is new it will void your warranty....

When you get it take off the deflector cover on the front of the muffler and make sure he opened it up.... 

Good luck and post more pic's when you get it!


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## smokinj (Feb 22, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

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yes that should be a very fast set up! Just went to the stihl site theres no 390 it went to 391. at 14.1 ponds


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## Kenster (Feb 22, 2010)

> yes that should be a very fast set up! Just went to the stihl site theres no 390 it went to 391. at 14.1 ponds



I went to several sites, including the Stihl site, and could not find a 390 but in reading various message boards and product reviews I kept seeing $529 pretty often for a current  price.   One review should MRSP of $895!! which I knew couldn't be right.   I'm happy with what I paid.


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## smokinj (Feb 22, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

> > yes that should be a very fast set up! Just went to the stihl site theres no 390 it went to 391. at 14.1 ponds
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The 390 with that set up sounds like a saw builder, most would throw a 25in. on it just to make it look more aggressive. I would think anyone would be happy with 390 and muff mod.


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## thewoodlands (Feb 22, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

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Looks like it has a crack in it. If its not clear on my picture look on ebay the 4th picture down under the video.

Zap


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## smokinj (Feb 22, 2010)

zapny said:
			
		

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looks good sounds good that case may have been split and rebuilt I dont know from the pics. By the sounds of it if its rebuild for what ever reason they done a good job.


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## southbound (Feb 22, 2010)

zapny said:
			
		

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My 290has the same mark...Looks like a casting line or something....


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## thewoodlands (Feb 22, 2010)

southbound said:
			
		

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I have the 310 & 390, will take a picture this evening then post. Both saws have been good for me.

Zap


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## Medman (Feb 25, 2010)

I just saw this thread.  

I have a 390 with a 20 inch bar, most of the wood I am cutting is in the 12-18" range.  I recently got a load of red oak and hard maple that seems to bog the saw more than usual.  I am curious about the muffler mod - waht is involved and how easy is it to do?  Will I see an increase in power, especially with these big hardwoods?
It's taking me longer than usual to buck up this load.  Any advantage I could get would be great!

Thanks!


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

Medman said:
			
		

> I just saw this thread.
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> I have a 390 with a 20 inch bar, most of the wood I am cutting is in the 12-18" range. I recently got a load of red oak and hard maple that seems to bog the saw more than usual. I am curious about the muffler mod - waht is involved and how easy is it to do? Will I see an increase in power, especially with these big hardwoods?
> It's taking me longer than usual to buck up this load. Any advantage I could get would be great!
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with 12-18in. hardwood you can get that extra power by using a 16in. bar full chisel on that saw...and yes a muff. modd. would also give you another 10 percent power.


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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 Smokinjay how does a 16 inch bar give you more power than a 20 inch bar ?
The saw chain is still running the cutters over the wood at the same cuts per second , you just have a little gain in saw chain speed with a couple of less cutters with a 16 inch bar .
 Medman see if you are running a rim sprocket which you probably are . If you need more power to the chain check to see if you are running a 7 tooth sprocket or an 8 tooth . the 7 will give you a little more power for hard cutting woods  where as the 8 will be faster in softer cutting woods . 
 Yes muf mod will help  if  thats what you are into for kicks ,  your saw makes a bunch of power already .
 If all you are doing is bucking  I have my MS 360 modified running a 9 tooth rim sprocket with a .325 chain rakers are cut to  30 thousands  on a 16 inch bar . This thing will bury my MS 460 any day of the week even tho its about 2 HP less .
 But then the 460 is set up for knocken them down with a 7 toth and a 3/8 chain on a 25 inch bar . It all depends on your needs .
 I personally would not change to a 16 inch bar if you were regularly cutting in wood 16-18 , you will be hateing it .


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## Medman (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks webie, that was what I was thinking about the 16 inch bar - that's the reason I went to 20" in the first place.  I need to swing by the dealer today anyway to pick up some more oil, so I will ask about the sprockets.  The dealer here has a lot of professional loggers as customers, using up to 36" bars.  They probably know a thing or two about increasing the power from my saw.  I am using Sthil yellow chain now, and have had great luck keeping edges sharp.  Much better than my older Homelite with oregon chain.


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

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sprocket are just changing the gearing you do one thing and you lose on another the best all around sprocket is the 7 pin imo for work saw. If you bring that 360 with a 9 pin and work all day against my 460 its going to be a long day for you...16-18 in. wood is very small the 390 will rock and roll with a 16 in. set up without changing sprockets. Now the 360 and the 390 are pretty close saw why in the heck you running a 16in. on it? because it works 9 pin will be ok with that short of a bar but stick in some hard wood when the rpm drop and your going to slow down quick(try it with a 25 in. bar see what happens). Its all a give and take its best not to over think it.( pin set up would be a modd. 660 with a 28in. bar..A super modd. out 460 is marginal with a 8 pin cant see a 9 pin on a 360 work saw!


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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 Ah yes but you miss the part that this is only a .325 chain there is much less cutter surface , also the biggest bar you can get in a .325 is a 20 inch .
 I have lots of saws and all the 360 does is buck wood  and anything up too about 14 inches it will out run the 460 . I guess specs wize there is only about a 1.5 hp difference .
 I can honestly tell you the sprocket is a special order from stihl , if you can get one and borrow a 16" .325 bar and chain and try it .
 Oh its a bear to fit the bar and chain on it just barely clears the sprocket .


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

Oh one of these days that same 9 toth  .325 sprocket will fit the 460 its going to have to be a try and see what happens .


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

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my 361 runs 16 in bar cuts as fast as I can put in on the wood. You are the first I have ever heard that runs that set up '9 pin" and wouldn't recommend it to anyone . You would have to have a lot of saws making it so "one set up only " like that. I run 16 and 20in. on the 361 and the 460 with a 28 in. only...Got any videos of it running? 1.5 a lot of hp when running a bigger bar and that just stock #s what pin you running on the 460? Theres a reason why it speical order your not the first to try it but the first I have heard that like that  set up...even in time racing the nine pin just is not used till around 90cc 8pin at aournd 70cc when you have an extreme builder....Be great to see a 7pin video and the one of the 9 pin?


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

Well lets see I have 9 stihls   as you can see in my signature one ms 180 is in my camper and one I use for brushing , the  024 is almost a relic the old guy only comes out just to run it other than that it sits on the shelf but its always ready to run  , the easystart ms250 is the girlfriends saw after she couldnt get the ms260 pro going ???  my bucking saws are the 026 16"bar and the ms360 also with a 16 inch bar running .325 chains but the 360's chain is modified .  My knock down saws are the ms 260pro 16" .325 the Ms 361 20" 3/8 and the 460 25" 3/8 I will use the 361 and 460 if I have a few bigger rounds to buck up and the 260 pro gets used for brushing out .
 So yes I can afford to dedicate a saw for bucking set up like the 360 is .
 Sorry no videos but shall have to do that soon I can tell you the saw is a ball of fun to run .
 I am running a 7 tooth 3/8 on the 361 and a 7 on the 460 also I have an 8 tooth I could try on the 460 but since I only use the saw for knockin down the big stuff I think I am faaster abnd better off this way . I may truy the 8 tooth once with the 36" bar and skip tooth 
 I did want to say this also is Medman you may want to try a profesional round tooth chain , The square tooth are not the best in frozen hard wood .
 I mostly only run square tooth but I do have round tooth for ocasions when I am cutting dirty wood they seem to stay sharper longer .


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

> Well lets see I have 9 stihls   as you can see in my signature one ms 180 is in my camper and one I use for brushing , the  024 is almost a relic the old guy only comes out just to run it other than that it sits on the shelf but its always ready to run  , the easystart ms250 is the girlfriends saw after she couldnt get the ms260 pro going ???  my bucking saws are the 026 16"bar and the ms360 also with a 16 inch bar running .325 chains but the 360's chain is modified .  My knock down saws are the ms 260pro 16" .325 the Ms 361 20" 3/8 and the 460 25" 3/8 I will use the 361 and 460 if I have a few bigger rounds to buck up and the 260 pro gets used for brushing out .
> So yes I can afford to dedicate a saw for bucking set up like the 360 is .
> Sorry no videos but shall have to do that soon I can tell you the saw is a ball of fun to run .
> I am running a 7 tooth 3/8 on the 361 and a 7 on the 460 also I have an 8 tooth I could try on the 460 but since I only use the saw for knockin down the big stuff I think I am faaster abnd better off this way . I may truy the 8 tooth once with the 36" bar and skip tooth
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Wow about all I can say....If it works for you then it works for you!


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

Hey smokenjay how much you cuttin in a year ? I am ussually around the 20 full cord give or take.


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

> Hey smokenjay how much you cuttin in a year ? I am ussually around the 20 full cord give or take.



last 2 years has been well over 30+(20 that needs split now)...Now you running that 9 pin because thats the only way you can run the .325 chain on the 360?


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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 I would think you can probably get a 8 pin  . I think the options on the rim sprocket were a 7 or 8 3/8 or a 8 or 9 on the .325 .  I had to look at some old 036 maintenance catalogs is where I found it , At one time the option was there to run a .325 chain on I believe it was the old 031-2 and the 036 . I  had to call  2 stihl dealers to get it  , the first said the part number didn't exist when I gave it to him , the other dealer looked it up and said I can have it for you in 2 days . 
 Why it cuts so fast is it is so much less drag  because of the narrowness of the chain , plus with the amount of power for chain width size you can mod out the rakers  ( I just kept takeing them down till the saw started to slow on its own weight )  I tried the chain on the 260 and you cant even cut with it it just stops the saw or vibrates like crazy . I can tell you this it doesnt work very well for knocking down the saw pinches like crazy , It shouldnt,  but does , but bucking,  better not stand behind the saw or your going to get a bath in chips .
 Latest best investment for me was the timberwolf splitter . All I can say is wow on that thing . It made me about 4000 plus poorer but I can tell you its fast with auto forward reverse and the 4 and 6 way heads I am glad I am not catching  ( keeps the girl friends upper chest in shape )  . Me the gal and maybe another can do a full cord an hour on it , but the darn thing still won't pile my wood . 
 Webie


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

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Iam running a cord an hour on a troy built with 2 guys not stack just in a pile. You get a chance do a video of that 360 you have me wondering here! lol Best I can think is the 9 pin is the only one that will work on that set up and a length needs to be added to the chain? I do a lot of chain sharpening and set ups. My new work bench is going in this weekend should make things a lot easier..
and on the rakers if you can file them to round over and curving towards the cutter will not only make a fast chin but will help keep it smoother.


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

The chain is to agressive for the 260 plus you can only get a 8 pin on there do to the smaller clutch size  so the slower speed causes the vibration where as the 9 pin speed is so much faster . 
Most of what I cut is silver maple so I am sure that is makeing a bit of a difference I do get about 30% white ash and black ash . 
 I have been doing the rakers off of the grinder with a flat stone at a 10 degree slope angle  with the top peak at a undergrind of 30 thousands by a feeler gauge  ( I know pretty crude ), I wish I had a stone that could grind them rounded , But then after a few hours of cutting they are starting to round themselves .
  You can still use the standard length chain 67  driver chain for a .325 16 inch bar


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

> The chain is to agressive for the 260 plus you can only get a 8 pin on there do to the smaller clutch size so the slower speed causes the vibration where as the 9 pin speed is so much faster .
> Most of what I cut is silver maple so I am sure that is makeing a bit of a difference I do get about 30% white ash and black ash .
> I have been doing the rakers off of the grinder with a flat stone at a 10 degree slope angle with the top peak at a undergrind of 30 thousands by a feeler gauge ( I know pretty crude ), I wish I had a stone that could grind them rounded , But then after a few hours of cutting they are starting to round themselves .
> You can still use the standard length chain 67 driver chain for a .325 16 inch bar



here's a 59in. one root flare was 63in. silver maple we done in sept.a lot of what I get is silver maple 50+ in. there so big around here surprising thats theres not more knocking down housing in storms


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## webie (Feb 25, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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 Yep mine are a bit smaller but I push well into the 40 inch range . definatly why what we call its time for the judge and thats when the 460 comes out and its play time.
 Ours look about the same blackish inside looks like they want to start to rot , If you get them soon they are great wood , a year on the ground and they are junk .


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## Medman (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks for the input guys.  I have reached a compromise - an 18" bar and chain.  I already have the 7 tooth sprocket with the rim, so dealer recommended the 18 inch bar and chain.  It was special order, $50 for both pieces, from Sthil.  I have only used the saw once since changing, for two tanks of gas. It seems to have more power but is still a pain to handle being shorter.
The dealer said I could mod the muffler, but then I would likely be back to get a new piston - something they have seen in the past.  FWIW, my dealer was a great help - he also suggested round chain if I find the frozen wood is too hard.  I will keep at it here and see how it goes.  I would like to get 16 cords up before spring really sets in.


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## smokinj (Mar 3, 2010)

Medman said:
			
		

> Thanks for the input guys.  I have reached a compromise - an 18" bar and chain.  I already have the 7 tooth sprocket with the rim, so dealer recommended the 18 inch bar and chain.  It was special order, $50 for both pieces, from Sthil.  I have only used the saw once since changing, for two tanks of gas. It seems to have more power but is still a pain to handle being shorter.
> The dealer said I could mod the muffler, but then I would likely be back to get a new piston - something they have seen in the past.  FWIW, my dealer was a great help - he also suggested round chain if I find the frozen wood is too hard.  I will keep at it here and see how it goes.  I would like to get 16 cords up before spring really sets in.



16 real cords that going to be a hudge task.....


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## Medman (Mar 4, 2010)

Yep, you're not kidding!  I have been bucking logs for about a week here and there.  If I get a good weekend in, I will be through the first 8 full cords.  The next load of 8 cords is coming next week.  I want to get the splitting done hopefully by the end of March, and have the stacking done by the end of April.  I am doing all of this by myself, at least for now. 

I normally do just 8 cords at a time, but I am getting behind in supply.  I have been burning wood lately that is not fully dry and it's causing me no end of grief, so I want to get a couple of years of supply put up this year to have a cushion for the following years.

Last year I burned 8 full cords of maple (Sept to June) and this year I have already chewed through 5 full cords of crappy birch and some maple.  I am on track to burn 8 cords again.


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