Stihl 290 is whimpy!

[webby3650]

First your 290 sounded very cheap to purchase. Maybe it has be abused. I have a 290 with an 18". Mine has plenty of power. Power is relative, I don't know what your comparing it with!

Not really comparing it to anything, I just think the chain should not stop in the middle of a straight cut. I can't cut aggressively at all, I have to baby it through. The local saw shop that did the work said everything looked good. I had a Husky 350 before this and it would out cut this thing hands down.

webby, perhaps this is a big part of your problem! Chain saws, or any saw is not meant to "cut aggressively." Let the saw do the work and don't force it. Besides that, I agree that the 20" chain is too big for that saw.

We've been using the 290 for many years as have many others in this area and everyone here loves them, including me. I cut up to 34" with our saw and only use a 16" chain which does a fine job as long as the chain is sharp.

So, my suggestion is to get a 16" chain and learn to let the saw do what it is intended to do. All you want to do is guide the saw, not force it.

If I need to get a 16" bar I should have just kept my Husky. I am letting the saw do the work, this thing is weak and I don't know why. The clutch is not slppping, it has a new fuel line, filter and just had the carb rebuilt. I haven't had anything else checked yet. If this a bar size problem then I am very dissapointed, as I am cutting walnut, it did it but it didn't like the 20" stuff at all. :long:

 

[ikessky]

I run a 290 with a semi-chisel and have zero complaints. I've never "babied" the saw through the wood, but I've never put a lot of pressure on it either. I guess I found a happy medium right away.

 

[mayhem]

Something still wrong wiht the saw. Scored piston, fuel starved, poo tune on the carb, etc. Its not the inherent design of the saw or the chain length.

 

[MishMouse]

If it is a power issue, I heard of a muffler mod you can make to the 290 to give it more power.

Google "Stihl 290 muffler mod" to find details.

 

[webby3650]

If it is a power issue, I heard of a muffler mod you can make to the 290 to give it more power.

Google "Stihl 290 muffler mod" to find details.

I looked at some mods that can be done, Thanks. I took the deflector off of the muffler before I cut last time, it didn't seem to make a difference. I will try cutting some of the area out between the exhaust holes. I think the problem lies deeper within this beast, I don't want to spend any more money on this thing but I might have to take it into the shop. :-S Thanks for all the replies!

 

[smokinj]

If it is a power issue, I heard of a muffler mod you can make to the 290 to give it more power.

Google "Stihl 290 muffler mod" to find details.

I looked at some mods that can be done, Thanks. I took the deflector off of the muffler before I cut last time, it didn't seem to make a difference. I will try cutting some of the area out between the exhaust holes. I think the problem lies deeper within this beast, I don't want to spend any more money on this thing but I might have to take it into the shop. :-S Thanks for all the replies!

post a video of it cutting if you can that will show whats going on

 

[HittinSteel]

Webby, make sure before you start messing with a muffler mod you have the limiter caps out of the carb. After a mod they do need richened a little past where the limiter caps allow in my experience. If you want some tips on how to mod and get the tabs out send me a pm. I have done 2 029's and my 039 recently with outstanding results.

 

[johnsopi]

Sell it, cut your losses or keep it as a back up. Something wrong with it. You have take it to the shop. What else can you do without spending more cash.

 

[gzecc]

Wood Fox, Thats it pass it on to the another innocent person (if it does have a problem) "The way of the cross leads where?

 

[WoodMann]

I gotta chime in on this one; most defanitly sounds like a compression issue, either needs new rings, piston and cylinder honing. You've gone this far with it................

 

[North of 60]

Wood Fox, Thats it pass it on to the another innocent person (if it does have a problem) "The way of the cross leads where?

My exact thoughts Gzecc. Almost hypocritical. Ive always believed life should be treated like a two way street. Even though you may finish last sometimes, but the road has to start somewhere. Then you can sleep when you are led to home. No matter what your belief is.
N of 60

 

[ikessky]

Just cut an 18" white ash tonight. Buttery smooth and no complaints. Please update us if you actually find out what is wrong with your 290.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Wood Fox, Thats it pass it on to the another innocent person (if it does have a problem) "The way of the cross leads where?

My exact thoughts Gzecc. Almost hypocritical. Ive always believed life should be treated like a two way street. Even though you may finish last sometimes, but the road has to start somewhere. Then you can sleep when you are led to home. No matter what your belief is.
N of 60

Poster didn't say he would sell it without informing the new buyer of the problem...think some folks are jumping to conclusions.

 

[gzecc]

Ilikewood, that's exactly what my wife said. "I'm sure he would sell it at a reduced price and tell the person buying it, it did't work like it should".
I said, "do you think he would say it is whimpy"?

 

[southbound]

I did the MM on my MS290 about 3 weeks ago. I finally got a chance to run it last week. All I can say is I'm glad I did it. I know my saw is no 660 but I have no complaints....

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Ilikewood, that's exactly what my wife said. "I'm sure he would sell it at a reduced price and tell the person buying it, it did't work like it should".
I said, "do you think he would say it is whimpy"?

Cant speak for the poster......but was just giving them the benefit of the doubt. There are many tinkerers out there that might be able to fix up cheap if they have the right tools/know how.

Just my opinion...not trying to stir.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Wood Fox, Thats it pass it on to the another innocent person (if it does have a problem) "The way of the cross leads where?

My exact thoughts Gzecc. Almost hypocritical. Ive always believed life should be treated like a two way street. Even though you may finish last sometimes, but the road has to start somewhere. Then you can sleep when you are led to home. No matter what your belief is.
N of 60

It's called full disclosure. The ad would read, "For Sale: Stihl 290 - runs crappy - $100 (or whatever)"

 

[webby3650]

Unfortunately I can't justify selling it, I have too much invested in it. It seems to do fine on smaller stuff. Would it be possible that the problem is the wood I am cutting, it was suggested to me, all I have cut since I got it back is a large Walnut that is soaking wet, I mean it will splash me when I split it! Could this be clogging up the saw? I will find out this weekend, I plan to cut and split a cord + on Saturday. I will let you all know.

 

[webby3650]

And yes I would disclose that it is a "whimp" if I sold it. Thanks forgiving me the benefit of the doubt!

 

[southbound]

I got my hands on a downed hickory today...They had already cut and burnt in a brush pile a large amount of the tree...I only brought home 2 loads today gonna have trouble getting the rest out of the creek.. Any way I cut it into 18 inch lengths then had to quarter them so I could lift it into my truck..I have to say it was all 18 in diameter at the smallest point. I used my MS 290 with the MM and had no trouble at all. I am using a .325 on a 20 inch bar.. Well until I hit the dirt..I had worried that it would not handle it but in fact i had to hold it back.. Still it is not a pro grade saw but I am very happy with it....

Now time for me to ask a dumb ? What type of chain are you using... I only ask because a safety chain will make any saw a wimp...

 

[webby3650]

A "safety" chain is all we ever use here. If you ask about anything else around here they look at you like your hair is on fire! This type of chain is all I have to compare it to and it don't seem right but it does cut.

 

[southbound]

You need to try a non safety will make a world of difference.....You can grind down all the extra on the chain you have and make it a non....You will have to work on the drags as well....

 

[kevin j]

get a couple online from baileys and try some chisel and semichisel. cheap, and fast comparison.
but I still think something is wrong with the motor.

kcj

 

[webby3650]

I used the saw over the weekend, It did pretty well in Sugar Maple. It was suggested that the problem could simply be the very wet Walnut I was cutting before, it seems that this might be the case here. The Maple I was cutting was about 18" in Diam. and it did as well as I would expect. Has anyone else ever had this kind of trouble with cutting VERY wet wood?

 

[gzecc]

I recently cut fresh black walnut, it wasn't a problem. I have cut, almost petrified oak (after laying off the ground in the woods for 5+ yrs), that was hard.