Goodbye 6 Month Old Stihl MS290

[Highbeam]

6month old stihl for 50% of new price? You gave your friend a good deal I think.

I am afraid to run a nice 361 for fear that my 290 will start to feel slow. It already feels pretty heavy.

 

[quads]

6month old stihl for 50% of new price? You gave your friend a good deal I think.

I am afraid to run a nice 361 for fear that my 290 will start to feel slow. It already feels pretty heavy.

Yes, my friend thought it was a very good deal too!

Well, I don't know about a 361, but compared to my old worn out 026's, my antique Sachs, and my new MS260, the MS290 felt slow next to every one of them (but way lighter than the Sachs).

 

[HittinSteel]

Anyone know how the 260 pro does with a 20" bar? Cheers!

Maybe in pine or softwoods, but it is much happier with an 18" or better yet, a 16". Just my opinion, as there are plenty of people using a 20" bar on the 260. But that's 60cc or 70cc territory for me.

 

[thinkxingu]

In 2000 I bought an HP laptop because I was too cheap to buy the Sony I really wanted.
In 2003 I sold the HP because it was too big and bulky and bought a Dell because I was too cheap to buy the Sony I really wanted.
In 2006 I sold the Dell because it was too big and bulky and FINALLY bought the Sony I really wanted.

Ultimately, I spent much more money than if I'd just bought what I wanted--Buy once, Cry Once.

S

 

[HittinSteel]

In 2000 I bought an HP laptop because I was too cheap to buy the Sony I really wanted.
In 2003 I sold the HP because it was too big and bulky and bought a Dell because I was too cheap to buy the Sony I really wanted.
In 2006 I sold the Dell because it was too big and bulky and FINALLY bought the Sony I really wanted.

Ultimately, I spent much more money than if I'd just bought what I wanted--Buy once, Cry Once.

S

Good advice.....I learned the same from my Dad. He'd always try to get by on something less and end up spending way more money in the end. I buy quality to begin with and save the hassle.

 

[Kenster]

I love my 390. Muffler mod with 16 inch bar. Zings through my oak and hickory. I don't have anything to compare it with other than a little Craftsman I started out with but my 390 does right by me.

Don't take my post as a slam to the 390 - it is a righteous saw in its own way. The point I was trying to make is that there IS a distinct difference from a farm saw to a pro saw. And ya sure as heck pay for it too. Quads move from a farm saw, back to a pro saw is a pretty sound example of what I was trying to portray and why.

Lordy, Jags! I took no offense. Neither of us was saying the other was wrong. I was just saying the 390 is perfect for me. I don't do a lot of cutting compared to many of you, but what I cut is pretty good size and it's all oak and hickory. No way I could ever justify two or three extra C notes for a 361 or any other super pro saw. The 390 handles my needs just fine.

 

[CTYank]

Found out the other day that the MS260 is being phased out for a newer MS261 which runs much leaner etc. I'm not too sure I like the idea of the saw using less gas but producing the same amount of power, 10% less may be believable, but 50%? Just doesn't sound right to me. I want a saw identical to my old 026's because that's what I'm happy with.

No fear-factor appropriate there. Non-strato-scavenged 2-strokes have 33-70% of their fuel pass right out the exhaust depending on situation, largely because the exhaust port is open when the transfer(s) are. Waste of fuel/oil and significant pollution source- more than any fleet of current cars. (EPA is watching us.)

Stratified-scavenging obviates need for other emission controls (read "catalytic converter") and reduces fuel consumption. What's not to like about that? Most quoted fuel consumption savings I've seen average 33%. Not shabby.

 

[quads]

Found out the other day that the MS260 is being phased out for a newer MS261 which runs much leaner etc. I'm not too sure I like the idea of the saw using less gas but producing the same amount of power, 10% less may be believable, but 50%? Just doesn't sound right to me. I want a saw identical to my old 026's because that's what I'm happy with.

No fear-factor appropriate there. Non-strato-scavenged 2-strokes have 33-70% of their fuel pass right out the exhaust depending on situation, largely because the exhaust port is open when the transfer(s) are. Waste of fuel/oil and significant pollution source- more than any fleet of current cars. (EPA is watching us.)

Stratified-scavenging obviates need for other emission controls (read "catalytic converter") and reduces fuel consumption. What's not to like about that? Most quoted fuel consumption savings I've seen average 33%. Not shabby.

Stihl's web site says 50% less fuel used.

Anyway, I wanted one just like my old ones (only new) and that's what I got. I had seen a few posts wondering about the new carb designs and if they were running the engines a bit too lean to have them last as long as the old ones. And since I am never one to rush into buying a new design of anything if I don't have to, I thought I better buy the 'old' proven design right now while I still could.

I'm sure the new and improved MS261 will be an awesome saw, but I prefer to let others be the judge of that, especially after I just bought the MS290 and decided it wasn't the right saw for me. The old school 026's were just right. If I live that many more years to wear the new MS260 out, then maybe I will try an MS261....

 

[salecker]

Hi Quads
I have a 026 and a MS260.Inherited both of them,one was my Dad's,one was his freinds

They look the same,a few cosmetic differances.I did notice that on the MS it has a extra tube/vent from the carb that also opens into the air cleaner.Do you have any idea what that is?
Do you know what the differace is in the two saws?Age,pro/farmer?
Any prefferace between the two?I may give one to my brother,of course i want to give him the best one,wink wink
Thanks for the info
Thomas

 

[HittinSteel]

The old 026 was 3.5 HP and the 260 is 3.2......... this is only because the 260 has a choked up muffler for EPA reasons. The .3 HP is easy to regain with a drill and a retune.

 

[quads]

Well, the MS290 had a tube/vent thing that opened up into the air cleaner from the carb (I gather that it adjusts the diaphragm in the carb to compensate for a dirty air filter?), but there is nothing like that on the MS260 PRO that I have. It is nearly identical to my 026's, and it even feels the same.

 

[brages]

Well, the MS290 had a tube/vent thing that opened up into the air cleaner from the carb (I gather that it adjusts the diaphragm in the carb to compensate for a dirty air filter?), but there is nothing like that on the MS260 PRO that I have.

Look again, the late 026's and the 260's all have it; Stihl calls it Intellicarb.

 

[Highbeam]

Found out the other day that the MS260 is being phased out for a newer MS261 which runs much leaner etc. I'm not too sure I like the idea of the saw using less gas but producing the same amount of power, 10% less may be believable, but 50%? Just doesn't sound right to me. I want a saw identical to my old 026's because that's what I'm happy with.

No fear-factor appropriate there. Non-strato-scavenged 2-strokes have 33-70% of their fuel pass right out the exhaust depending on situation, largely because the exhaust port is open when the transfer(s) are. Waste of fuel/oil and significant pollution source- more than any fleet of current cars. (EPA is watching us.)

Stratified-scavenging obviates need for other emission controls (read "catalytic converter") and reduces fuel consumption. What's not to like about that? Most quoted fuel consumption savings I've seen average 33%. Not shabby.

Stihl's web site says 50% less fuel used.

Anyway, I wanted one just like my old ones (only new) and that's what I got. I had seen a few posts wondering about the new carb designs and if they were running the engines a bit too lean to have them last as long as the old ones. And since I am never one to rush into buying a new design of anything if I don't have to, I thought I better buy the 'old' proven design right now while I still could.

I'm sure the new and improved MS261 will be an awesome saw, but I prefer to let others be the judge of that, especially after I just bought the MS290 and decided it wasn't the right saw for me. The old school 026's were just right. If I live that many more years to wear the new MS260 out, then maybe I will try an MS261....

Ah the 50% vs. 33% paradigm. Say your old saw gets 3 mpg and the new design reduces that to 2. Now, you can say that the old saw uses 50% more fuel or that the new one uses 33% less. Depends on your marketing department's goal.

 

[smokinj]

Found out the other day that the MS260 is being phased out for a newer MS261 which runs much leaner etc. I'm not too sure I like the idea of the saw using less gas but producing the same amount of power, 10% less may be believable, but 50%? Just doesn't sound right to me. I want a saw identical to my old 026's because that's what I'm happy with.

No fear-factor appropriate there. Non-strato-scavenged 2-strokes have 33-70% of their fuel pass right out the exhaust depending on situation, largely because the exhaust port is open when the transfer(s) are. Waste of fuel/oil and significant pollution source- more than any fleet of current cars. (EPA is watching us.)

Stratified-scavenging obviates need for other emission controls (read "catalytic converter") and reduces fuel consumption. What's not to like about that? Most quoted fuel consumption savings I've seen average 33%. Not shabby.

Stihl's web site says 50% less fuel used.

Anyway, I wanted one just like my old ones (only new) and that's what I got. I had seen a few posts wondering about the new carb designs and if they were running the engines a bit too lean to have them last as long as the old ones. And since I am never one to rush into buying a new design of anything if I don't have to, I thought I better buy the 'old' proven design right now while I still could.

I'm sure the new and improved MS261 will be an awesome saw, but I prefer to let others be the judge of that, especially after I just bought the MS290 and decided it wasn't the right saw for me. The old school 026's were just right. If I live that many more years to wear the new MS260 out, then maybe I will try an MS261....

Ah the 50% vs. 33% paradigm. Say your old saw gets 3 mpg and the new design reduces that to 2. Now, you can say that the old saw uses 50% more fuel or that the new one uses 33% less. Depends on your marketing department's goal.

LOL Thats dead on.

 

[quads]

Ah the 50% vs. 33% paradigm. Say your old saw gets 3 mpg and the new design reduces that to 2. Now, you can say that the old saw uses 50% more fuel or that the new one uses 33% less. Depends on your marketing department's goal.

LOL Thats dead on.

HAHA! Yup!

 

[quads]

Well, the MS290 had a tube/vent thing that opened up into the air cleaner from the carb (I gather that it adjusts the diaphragm in the carb to compensate for a dirty air filter?), but there is nothing like that on the MS260 PRO that I have.

Look again, the late 026's and the 260's all have it; Stihl calls it Intellicarb.

I can look again, and I will even take a picture, but it's not the same setup as the MS290. Stihl's web site doesn't even list the MS261 as having an Intellicarb. The MS260 looks identical to the 026's I have and there are no extra tubes or anything running to the air filter.

 

[quads]

Look again, the late 026's and the 260's all have it; Stihl calls it Intellicarb.

Here is a picture of one of the 026's. I haven't actually had the air filter off of the MS260, but it could have a much smaller vent tube than the MS290. The one on the 290 was obvious, but I did not notice one on the 260 yet.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

In 2000 I bought an HP laptop because I was too cheap to buy the Sony I really wanted.
In 2003 I sold the HP because it was too big and bulky and bought a Dell because I was too cheap to buy the Sony I really wanted.
In 2006 I sold the Dell because it was too big and bulky and FINALLY bought the Sony I really wanted.

Ultimately, I spent much more money than if I'd just bought what I wanted--Buy once, Cry Once.

S

I am not sure I agree with you here. A 6 year newer computer in any model would have been much faster. That is just computers, you really can't compare them to chain saws. If you had a 2000 Sony, you would not be happy. Now a 2000 Stihl or Husky, you would be happy.

 

[5654684]

3/8 on a 290 and not satisfied? There is your answer.

 

[thinkxingu]

Golfandwoodnut,
Actually, two things: 1. I was most interested in size, and it was the size that brought the premium not the performance. 2. The differences between the Sonys in that time were not much--in fact, the size of the laptops between when I first wanted to buy and when I actually bought hadn't changed. The only things that changed were battery life and processor speed, which, for Office, the internet, and music, doesn't matter much. If I'd have just bought the right one in the first place, I'd be typing my response to you on it!

S

 

[quads]

Look again, the late 026's and the 260's all have it; Stihl calls it Intellicarb.

I stand corrected! You were right. I pulled the air filter off the 260 and there it is, a little pipe about 3/8".

 

[quads]

3/8 on a 290 and not satisfied? There is your answer.

Yes, I think it would have been a much better saw with .325 chain on it.

 

[rustynut]

Hey,
Currently running an older 026. Runs great but was thinking about an upgrade.
Sounds like epa has not helped the performance and maybe need to stay with about the same.
Does a great job for me. Running an 18 inch blade on it now. Sounds like that MS260pro is just
about identical and i'm wondering if the blades and chains are interchangable ?
Also have a couple of other Stihl products and love the fact that the fuel mix is the same for all.
Have they kept the mix the same on the MS260pro as well?
thanks
rn

 

[quads]

Hey,
Currently running an older 026. Runs great but was thinking about an upgrade.
Sounds like epa has not helped the performance and maybe need to stay with about the same.
Does a great job for me. Running an 18 inch blade on it now. Sounds like that MS260pro is just
about identical and i'm wondering if the blades and chains are interchangable ?
Also have a couple of other Stihl products and love the fact that the fuel mix is the same for all.
Have they kept the mix the same on the MS260pro as well?
thanks
rn

Yes, the bar and chain for my new 260 are the same as my older 026's. The fuel mix is also the same.

 

[Exmasonite]

Rusty-

I think that the stock sprocket/bar/chain for the 260 pro is the .325" but i know you can swap that out to 3/8" so bars/chains can be interchanged between other, larger saws.