Stihl 290

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Rope works fine, as does some torn red rag in a jiffy. I used it for several jobs on several types of saws, including Stihl, Echo, Husky and Olympik. Just make sure not to use too much rope and keep the piston near TDC so that not much torque is applied to the piston rod. You can bend a rod pretty easy levering the clutch threads the wrong way (like normal threads). See, it is easy to get buried even deeper in your brain fart with more brain farts to come!::P

If the bearing is that toasted that was some amount of heat and wear that you applied. Clean the plastic around the area and look closely for melted leaks in the oiler galley and look at the bearings/seals on the crankshaft. You may have smoked the crank seals as well, though it is less likely. I have salvaged a lot of clamshell engines from some saws with clutches that were smoked and had completely melted through the oil galley and melted all the plastic around the clutch area.

All 2-stroke saws are only a brain fart away from being straight gassed and scored, or run with the brake on and smoked. You have to be carful when to say, "Here hold my beer while I try something" with a chainsaw in your hand.

Well I will check for any more melted seals after work tomorrow! You got me really wondering now, if it wasn't so cold out in the garage I would be out there right now checking it all out. Hopefully get some parts ordered tomorrow night, if anything comes out of this it would be me learning a little more about the saw. I am already planning on taking the 028 apart and checking it out, I know my dad bought it around 1980 and he is terrible about maintenance! Could be interesting.
 
Well I will check for any more melted seals after work tomorrow! You got me really wondering now, if it wasn't so cold out in the garage I would be out there right now checking it all out. Hopefully get some parts ordered tomorrow night, if anything comes out of this it would be me learning a little more about the saw. I am already planning on taking the 028 apart and checking it out, I know my dad bought it around 1980 and he is terrible about maintenance! Could be interesting.

Just noticed the 192 TC in your sig. Thinking about getting the 192 c-e with the "normal" handle on it instead of the top handle. Planning on using it for limbing and the really small stuff. What do you think of the saw overall?

So, you have a dad like that too. Man, my dad is horrible about maintenance, as are my brothers. We kid him and one of my brothers that if the 1995 F150 survived him and my brother, it should be inducted into the truck hall of fame. Truly, it is a miracle that truck still runs 18 years later. Granted, the way it is kept on the road is rather amazing, but I guess that is just how my dad and brother are.
 
Just noticed the 192 TC in your sig. Thinking about getting the 192 c-e with the "normal" handle on it instead of the top handle. Planning on using it for limbing and the really small stuff. What do you think of the saw overall?

So, you have a dad like that too. Man, my dad is horrible about maintenance, as are my brothers. We kid him and one of my brothers that if the 1995 F150 survived him and my brother, it should be inducted into the truck hall of fame. Truly, it is a miracle that truck still runs 18 years later. Granted, the way it is kept on the road is rather amazing, but I guess that is just how my dad and brother are.

I really like my 192tc, I like to carry it when splitting to cut off those pesky limbs you missed while bucking. I originally bought it for fencing and almost sold because lack of use, but after getting this wood burner I am glad I kept it! It is real handy, I really like the one handed operation.
 
I really like my 192tc, I like to carry it when splitting to cut off those pesky limbs you missed while bucking. I originally bought it for fencing and almost sold because lack of use, but after getting this wood burner I am glad I kept it! It is real handy, I really like the one handed operation.

Wooooo there partner! One handed operation? I don't want to lecture you either because I know you know better, and also because I have a 191T, that in my younger foolish days would "one hand too". I admit that I did it on occasion myself years ago, but I do not now cause I know its really asking for trouble. Please, kick the habit before you become a statistic.

From one Mike to another!
 
Wooooo there partner! One handed operation? I don't want to lecture you either because I know you know better, and also because I have a 191T, that in my younger foolish days would "one hand too". I admit that I did it on occasion myself years ago, but I do not now cause I know its really asking for trouble. Please, kick the habit before you become a statistic.

From one Mike to another

Never really thought I was doing anything wrong with it. It has a 12" bar and really has never thought about kicking back, I guess the possibility is there. I thought the whole purpose of the top handle saw was for tree trimmers to be able to reach out one handed to cut a branch? Anyways it is a real handy saw though, kinda pricey but it has its niche!
 
Kinda messed up that reply.....
 
Mike, I agree with what stihlhead said, look closely at your crank seal. If it's toast your top end will soon look like your clutch.
The "shield" you pulled off should be the clutch drum itself. The "band" clamps on the drum NOT on the shoes.
Looking at the pic you posted, WOW, that did get hot didn't it.
Hope you get the rest of it apart and don't find any major issues with it.
 
Well I will check for any more melted seals after work tomorrow! You got me really wondering now, if it wasn't so cold out in the garage I would be out there right now checking it all out. Hopefully get some parts ordered tomorrow night, if anything comes out of this it would be me learning a little more about the saw. I am already planning on taking the 028 apart and checking it out, I know my dad bought it around 1980 and he is terrible about maintenance! Could be interesting.

Well, that is the bane about the orange handle plastic Stihl homeowner saws, they have plastic engine housings that can and do melt. Some melting of the case is OK, but more is not. I fixed one melted plastic case oil galley in a 250 with a straw and JB weld once, but I would not recommend doing that. I also fixed a broken fin on a 021 flywheel with super glue, and it is still working. I do not recommend that either, but it worked. The 028 is old school and more in line with a Stihl pro saw, in that it has a split metal engine lower case and thus is less prone to damage when doing things like smoking the clutch. They are built better, with better plastic (white) and they have more pro features. The top ends are easy to work on, but the oil pump and the areas where you are working on with the 029 are a different story.

With 2-stroke saws, use good gas and good premix oil and tune the carb right and you are 90% of the way to a long life with your saw. The #1 way to cook them is straight gassing them. I did manage to straight gas one of my 361s once, but I caught it right after I noticed the revs going up after refilling it with the gas, and lo... it was the lawn mower gas. I dumped the gas out and popped the spark plug and put in some premix oil and yanked on the starter rope a few times, and then filled it with mixed gas and re-started it. I pulled the muffler later and checked it, and there was no scoring. The pro saws will usually burn a full tank of straight gas or more before scoring badly, whereas the homeowner models will not.

The #2 way to score a saw is running it too lean and/or overheating them, and there are several ways to do that. Running them WOT all the time will overheat them, which is a common problem with chainsaw milling. Running them with the H screw set too lean will score them over time. Running them out of gas all the time will cause them to run lean at the end of the tank of gas. Also tuning them at a higher elevation and then running them at a lower elevation will cause them to run lean (I know people that have blown saw engines that way) . Similar issues come from tuning them with a long bar and then swapping to a shorter bar, which can cause them to over-rev at WOT. And of course if you open up the muffler, you need to richen up the saw, or you will smoke it in a hurry by running it super lean. The EPA has mandated that the carbs on all new saws be set with limiter tabs on them to prevent you from running them richer. As a result the new factory saws are usually set right at the point of running too lean. On any saw that I buy, I pull the limiters, cut the tabs and then reset the limiters back in place, and then tune them richer. The saws run better that way and are less prone to overheating and scoring. NOTE: if you remove a limiter tab and later have your saw worked on at a shop, they are required by law (EPA) to restore the saw to its original EPA condition, meaning they will replace a modified muffler with an original one, and/or replace any trimmed limiters with new limiter caps. They have to do that by law... just keep that in mind with any saw that you happen to modify. There is no law against you modifying the saw yourself though.

Then there is the running the saw with the brake set issue, which is about 3rd in the reasons that I see the homeowner saws being smoked. Those saws are commonly sold on Ebay, along with straight gassed saws. Crappy gas is a another common cause of engine failure. Low octane (old or bad) gas will cause flaring and uneven burning and uneven pressure on the piston, and that can cause scoring when the piston tilts a tad on the downstroke. Ethanol gas can cause problems, but usually only when it is exposed to water, and then the gas separates from the ethanol and water. Using pure gas, or E10 with a stabilizer (or premix oil with stabilizer in it) will help prevent that from happening. Using TCW marine premix oil will usually gunk up an air cooled 2-stroke engine, as will using cheap multi-use premix oil. Use a JASO certified premix oil, preferably FC or FD grade. Using too much oil can also gunk up the engine and cause more carbon to build up faster, but usually that is not an issue. I use about a 45:1 gas/oil mix ratio, as there is some evidence that slightly more oil will create a better ring seal, and thus more power in the saw.
 
Well I can't say I'm not worried about this oiler and seal, but time will tell. I am careful about the gas as I only mix a gallon at a time using the best grade gas I can get at the station (thinking 92). Well I don't have much in the saw, but I also planned on getting many years out of it. Fingers are crossed and I only have 40 bucks get it fixed up.
 
In your picture I see a good bit of melted case below the clutch.

Rope in the cylinder and turning the clutch clockwise will work fine for removing the clutch. Forty bucks is a tight budget considering you need the entire clutch/drum/bearing setup.

If anything beyond that is damaged, I'd be looking for a parts saw or a replcement. Might be worth the time to get your local dealer/saw repair shop to look at that case and say wether it is good to go or not.
 
Well just went it out and took off the clutch..........fried! So what is the next step here? Tips?
 
Guess I will just hold off on this repair, not sure if it is worth spending the money on all the parts. I think I will just wait on a parts saw to come up like said above. I will just learn from this mistake since I have very little money invested in this saw and move on. On a lighter note, do all new saws have plastic cases like this one?
 
Well, the new lower end/homeowner saws tend to have plastic engines cases and housings, at least on Husky and Stihl saws. The more expensive pro saws tend to have magnesium lower engine cases. At least you have a good engine? You could buy a scored engine 290/310/390 and swap in your engine. I did that kind of swapping on several of my 025/250s. Or you could unload it on Ebay 'as is' and someone else could use the parts, or you could tear it down and sell it on Ebay as parts.

The 290 parts will fit a 310 and 390, only the carb and engine is different.
 
Well maybe I will part it out and sell some other things I have laying around and look into a pro saw. I appreciate all you help Stilhead.
 
not sure if it is worth spending the money on all the parts. I think I will just wait on a parts saw to come up like said above.​

Generally not worth the $$ using new parts but there are plenty of nasty dirty old 029's, 039's, MS290/310/390's out there that would clean up good and take your engine no problem.
 
Wooooo there partner! One handed operation? I don't want to lecture you either because I know you know better, and also because I have a 191T, that in my younger foolish days would "one hand too". I admit that I did it on occasion myself years ago, but I do not now cause I know its really asking for trouble. Please, kick the habit before you become a statistic.

From one Mike to another!

We are all statistics. Just a matter of which column you fall under during the statistical anaylsis.
 
Michael, sorry to hear the saw is a complete mess and not worth fixing. That sucks, and it is a hard way to learn that lesson. Luckily though, it was a lesson where only property was damaged and not person. Look forward to your next thread about what saw you should buy next.
 
Wooooo there partner! One handed operation? I don't want to lecture you either because I know you know better, and also because I have a 191T, that in my younger foolish days would "one hand too".

I gave up trying to persuade people to not one-hand top handle saws. They really do not want to hear about it. I decided to sell my top handle saws a few years ago simply because if you have one, you will wind up one handing them, not matter what. Especially when climbing. So I no longer have a Stihl 020T or an Echo 3000cs I think it was. The 211 is my smallest saw, and it is a rear handle saw.
 
Or an impact gun will buzz it off without a piston stop. That's how I get them off.

I haven't worked on an 290 in a long time, but I think you need to take the spark plug out and insert a piston stop. Then put a socket on the nut holding the clutch on. It should be reverse thread so turn the nut CLOCKWISE. Then you can take the whole clutch off and access the sprocket and needle bearing.

* I'd await a confirmation from a stihl guy before doing the above.
 
Hey fellas, I have been lurking in the shadows for a few months reading since Sandy.... Anyways I want to revive this thread as I did the exact same thing, except I was finishing putting my chaps on instead of grabbing oil. Here in NJ we had an EF-0 touch down two weeks back and I fried my ms290. What I know I need: oiler hoses, clutch bearings, possible oiler (will check if it is spewing in the morning). here are the pics:
 
Sorry here is the pic

Also, I cannot get the chain brake to engage/disengage... Any thoughts on what to do... I fix as much of my own stuff as possible and have not taken a saw apart this far before....

EC
 

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The band moves free.... 1. When working properly does the brake band just squeeze and hold the sprocket? 2. Should I purchase a replacement?
They are cheap enough if there is any doubt. It's possible the drum took most of the wear and that should definitely be replaced if you have not already done so. Excellent opportunity to convert the saw to a rim sprocket setup with a kit from Stihl.
 
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