First Impression of New Stihl MS 290

[quads]

I cut up the first tree today with my new 290. It's not broken in yet, but so far I like it.

Compared to the old 026 I'm used to, if the 290 is heavier, I didn't really notice it. It's hard to tell the difference. It is bigger and a little bulkier, I did notice that somewhat, but don't think it will be a big deal for me. It didn't rev as high as the 026, so I think it cuts a little slower, but on the other hand, it seems to have more torque so that I don't need to keep the RPMs up like I did with the 026. I could stall the 026 easier if the RPMs dropped. The 290 seemed to keep pulling even when I worked/lugged the motor a bit hard. The 290 didn't seem quite as snappy/quick revving as the 026.

One thing I really liked about the 290; it stayed idling! No matter what way I turned/tipped the saw, it kept idling. I even tried setting it down and it stayed running!

 

[smokinj]

It needs broken in and it will respond better after 5-7 full tanks.

 

[quads]

It needs broken in and it will respond better after 5-7 full tanks.

Yep, I'm sure it will get snappier after awhile. Already runs better than 75-1/2% of my other saws! haha!

 

[ihookem]

Quads, I had an 026 that would not idle from day one. Even took it back twice. I almost took it back the third time but decided to see how he tuned it. I noticed L screw was 1/2 turn out. OI turned it out another 1/2 turn and runs so nice I can't believe it. Nice saw now, fast, quick reving, and cuts nice.

 

[Skier76]

Glad to hear it's working well quads! Are you running the stock green chain on there? When I bought my MS250 a few weeks ago, I had the guy put on a Stihl yellow chain. It cuts really really well with that chain.

 

[quads]

Quads, I had an 026 that would not idle from day one. Even took it back twice. I almost took it back the third time but decided to see how he tuned it. I noticed L screw was 1/2 turn out. OI turned it out another 1/2 turn and runs so nice I can't believe it. Nice saw now, fast, quick reving, and cuts nice.

Thanks! It's just wore out. Needs carb kit, piston rings, rubber mounts, crank seals; you name it, it needs replacing!

 

[quads]

Glad to hear it's working well quads! Are you running the stock green chain on there? When I bought my MS250 a few weeks ago, I had the guy put on a Stihl yellow chain. It cuts really really well with that chain.

No safety chain. My local Stihl dealer told me once years ago that he doesn't sell anything with the safety chain. Even the new saws in the display on the wall have the non-safety chain. All the times I have went in for a new chain, he has never asked what style of chain I want, so maybe he doesn't even sell the safety chain?

 

[Highbeam]

I alternate between the green stihl safety chain and the stihl non safety skip tooth chain on my one year old 290. Gotta tell you guys, the stihl safety chain isn't really that bad. I can barely notice. You dig in the dawgs and grab a bite of tree and the chips will fly with either chain as fast as the engine can make the power.

I'll take all the rejected safety chains you can give me.

 

[firefighterjake]

I alternate between the green stihl safety chain and the stihl non safety skip tooth chain on my one year old 290. Gotta tell you guys, the stihl safety chain isn't really that bad. I can barely notice. You dig in the dawgs and grab a bite of tree and the chips will fly with either chain as fast as the engine can make the power.

I'll take all the rejected safety chains you can give me.

I'm glad you wrote this Highbeam since I was beginning to think I was imaging things myself . . . went to my local dealer several months back and he gave me a free safety chain since folks are always telling him to keep the safety chains and put on more aggressive chains on the saws they sell. I resisted putting on the safety chain until I had gone through all of my other chains and since I didn't feel like sharpening them at the time I stuck on the safety chain . . . and honestly thought it cut pretty well . . . I expected this chain to be a dog . . . and it really cut pretty well . . . at which point I thought maybe I was just imagining that it was doing a good job.

 

[quads]

I alternate between the green stihl safety chain and the stihl non safety skip tooth chain on my one year old 290. Gotta tell you guys, the stihl safety chain isn't really that bad. I can barely notice. You dig in the dawgs and grab a bite of tree and the chips will fly with either chain as fast as the engine can make the power.

I'll take all the rejected safety chains you can give me.

I'm glad you wrote this Highbeam since I was beginning to think I was imaging things myself . . . went to my local dealer several months back and he gave me a free safety chain since folks are always telling him to keep the safety chains and put on more aggressive chains on the saws they sell. I resisted putting on the safety chain until I had gone through all of my other chains and since I didn't feel like sharpening them at the time I stuck on the safety chain . . . and honestly thought it cut pretty well . . . I expected this chain to be a dog . . . and it really cut pretty well . . . at which point I thought maybe I was just imagining that it was doing a good job.

That's good to know, as I have no personal experience with the safety chain. Have never used one, since my dealer has never sold me one. If I ever find one laying along the road somewhere, maybe I'll give it a try after all! ;-)

 

[Highbeam]

Geez, maybe I should ask my dealer if he has a pile of safety chains in the back somewhere. I would even buy them if they were cheaper.

 

[quads]

Geez, maybe I should ask my dealer if he has a pile of safety chains in the back somewhere. I would even buy them if they were cheaper.

My dealer might have a pile of safety chain if the new saws come with it on them. If he takes it off to put the other chain on, he must do something with the safety chain. Maybe next time I'll ask him about it.

 

[Yota1]

anything stihl is a great product. my neighbor had a 290, i ran it a few times, since he barley know what he was doing with a saw, and i thought it was an ok saw. a bit heavy and slightly under powered in my opinion, but for a fire wood saw it is great.

i thought about getting one for a bit, but decided i needed more saw.

 

[quads]

anything stihl is a great product. my neighbor had a 290, i ran it a few times, since he barley know what he was doing with a saw, and i thought it was an ok saw. a bit heavy and slightly under powered in my opinion, but for a fire wood saw it is great.

i thought about getting one for a bit, but decided i needed more saw.

My old 026's are supposed to be lighter than the 290, but I didn't notice any difference. My 026's also rev higher, so I think cut a little faster, but don't have the torque of the 290. Bear in mind, my 026's are worn out/barely run and the 290 isn't broken in yet/have so far only cut one tree up. So, the 026's at one time were stronger than they are now (only one of them even runs anymore), but the 290 should only get stronger as it breaks in. Either way, they are more than enough saw for me. I could make firewood with a hand-saw if I had to! Ha ha! I don't need much of a saw...

 

[smokinj]

I just dont know why everone thinks the 361 so hot been there done that (why stop at a 361/362) Bang for your buck is in the 290. Stihl #1 seller!

 

[burntime]

Jay I now have both. I cut with my 029, its heavy, I take breaks, but it has done well for me for over 10 years! I think the 361 is better but if your paying full boat price the 290 is a better buy by far!

 

[Jags]

Yeah Jay, I have a buddy with the 290. Nice saw, good value, but I will gar-own-tee he doesn't keep up to me in a cut. I have also ran quite a few hours behind that saw, again, it is a very capable saw, but the 361 takes it without breaking a sweat (as it should). The anti-vibe and hp to weight ratio is also a plus.

 

[smokinj]

Yeah Jay, I have a buddy with the 290. Nice saw, good value, but I will gar-own-tee he doesn't keep up to me in a cut. I have also ran quite a few hours behind that saw, again, it is a very capable saw, but the 361 takes it without breaking a sweat (as it should). The anti-vibe and hp to weight ratio is also a plus.

Yep put you could make the same agrument for WHY IN THE HECK DIDNT YOU GO WITH A 441/460 THATS WHERE THE REAL POWER IS! (back-up 880) lol if a saw works for you then it works...I do like the 290 and have work on my fil's great vaule for a tough saw.

 

[Jags]

Yeah Jay, I have a buddy with the 290. Nice saw, good value, but I will gar-own-tee he doesn't keep up to me in a cut. I have also ran quite a few hours behind that saw, again, it is a very capable saw, but the 361 takes it without breaking a sweat (as it should). The anti-vibe and hp to weight ratio is also a plus.

Yep put you could make the same agrument for WHY IN THE HECK DIDNT YOU GO WITH A 441/460 THATS WHERE THE REAL POWER IS! (back-up 880) lol if a saw works for you then it works...I do like the 290 and have work on my fil's great vaule for a tough saw.

Well...ya gotta stop somewhere. :cheese: and the 361 was the smallest saw that I thought could reasonably handle a 25" bar. And knowing the majority of the saws life was going to be spinning a chain on an 18", anything bigger than the 361 was like putting a 20hp engine on a 11 gpm pump. Way overkill. At least that was MY reasoning.

 

[smokinj]

Yeah Jay, I have a buddy with the 290. Nice saw, good value, but I will gar-own-tee he doesn't keep up to me in a cut. I have also ran quite a few hours behind that saw, again, it is a very capable saw, but the 361 takes it without breaking a sweat (as it should). The anti-vibe and hp to weight ratio is also a plus.

Yep put you could make the same agrument for WHY IN THE HECK DIDNT YOU GO WITH A 441/460 THATS WHERE THE REAL POWER IS! (back-up 880) lol if a saw works for you then it works...I do like the 290 and have work on my fil's great vaule for a tough saw.

Well...ya gotta stop somewhere. :cheese: and the 361 was the smallest saw that I thought could reasonably handle a 25" bar. And knowing the majority of the saws life was going to be spinning a chain on an 18", anything bigger than the 361 was like putting a 20hp engine on a 11 gpm pump. Way overkill. At least that was MY reasoning.

LOL quads cuts a lot of wood and he picks the 290. #1 saw sold...we can all justify are choices, but the people have spoken 290 #1 lol
Really when that saw is broken in it will out preform hes old saw's by a lot....hes back in BUSINESS!

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I have a 260, and Vic has a 290. These are first saws for both of us and have been reliable work horses. I don't think you'll be disappointed unless you start sawing some seriously big stuff.

 

[thewoodlands]

Yeah Jay, I have a buddy with the 290. Nice saw, good value, but I will gar-own-tee he doesn't keep up to me in a cut. I have also ran quite a few hours behind that saw, again, it is a very capable saw, but the 361 takes it without breaking a sweat (as it should). The anti-vibe and hp to weight ratio is also a plus.

Yep put you could make the same agrument for WHY IN THE HECK DIDNT YOU GO WITH A 441/460 THATS WHERE THE REAL POWER IS! (back-up 880) lol if a saw works for you then it works...I do like the 290 and have work on my fil's great vaule for a tough saw.

Well...ya gotta stop somewhere. :cheese: and the 361 was the smallest saw that I thought could reasonably handle a 25" bar. And knowing the majority of the saws life was going to be spinning a chain on an 18", anything bigger than the 361 was like putting a 20hp engine on a 11 gpm pump. Way overkill. At least that was MY reasoning.

LOL quads cuts a lot of wood and he picks the 290. #1 saw sold...we can all justify are choices, but the people have spoken 290 #1 lol
Really when that saw is broken in it will out preform hes old saw's by a lot....hes back in BUSINESS!

Smokin I wonder if quads was located near the 7 inches of rain they (Wisconsin) got nailed with.


zap

 

[burntime]

I was, I am on high ground but I be some of my neighbors used a canoe to get thier mail! Milwaukee had a guy fill up his new tahoe, pulled out and stopped at the light, and dropped 20 feet. The sewer had eroded and created a giant sink hole. It has been on the news. The good news is the gutters are clean!

 

[thewoodlands]

I was, I am on high ground but I be some of my neighbors used a canoe to get thier mail! Milwaukee had a guy fill up his new tahoe, pulled out and stopped at the light, and dropped 20 feet. The sewer had eroded and created a giant sink hole. It has been on the news. The good news is the gutters are clean!

I first heard it on the radio, mother nature does what she wants. We had rain a few years back that ended up taking out 3 - 4 bridges in our area, I took off that morning for a walleye/bass tournament came home what a wreck. Give me until next week and I'll find the pictures and post. Hope things dry out.

zap

 

[smokinj]

Yeah Jay, I have a buddy with the 290. Nice saw, good value, but I will gar-own-tee he doesn't keep up to me in a cut. I have also ran quite a few hours behind that saw, again, it is a very capable saw, but the 361 takes it without breaking a sweat (as it should). The anti-vibe and hp to weight ratio is also a plus.

Yep put you could make the same agrument for WHY IN THE HECK DIDNT YOU GO WITH A 441/460 THATS WHERE THE REAL POWER IS! (back-up 880) lol if a saw works for you then it works...I do like the 290 and have work on my fil's great vaule for a tough saw.

Well...ya gotta stop somewhere. :cheese: and the 361 was the smallest saw that I thought could reasonably handle a 25" bar. And knowing the majority of the saws life was going to be spinning a chain on an 18", anything bigger than the 361 was like putting a 20hp engine on a 11 gpm pump. Way overkill. At least that was MY reasoning.

LOL quads cuts a lot of wood and he picks the 290. #1 saw sold...we can all justify are choices, but the people have spoken 290 #1 lol
Really when that saw is broken in it will out preform hes old saw's by a lot....hes back in BUSINESS!

Smokin I wonder if quads was located near the 7 inches of rain they (Wisconsin) got nailed with.


zap

Midwest has been very wet this year and the trees are very full and heavy right now...Normally they will shed some leaves this time of year do to lack of water....This fall it could get ugly with storm damage.