MS290

[PICK]

IS THERE SOME KIND OF TRICK TO GETTING A MS290 TO START? I'M READY TO TRASH THIS SAW.

 

[LD1]

Typically FULL choke, no throttle, and pull til it fires. Once it fires, take choke off and pull again til it fires. Usually only a few pulls the first time, and 1-2 pulls after choke is off.

If that dont work, take the sparkplug out and see what it looks like. Could be time for a new one. Or you could have other issues all together.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

If you get them flooded that doesn't help either. If it has the single control for choke and run. Squeeze the trigger in push the choke/run knob all of the way down. Yank on the cord until it pops. Squeeze the trigger to release full choke. Pull the cord again.. Keep in mind this is on a saw that the air cleaner is good and reasonably fresh gas..
After a bit of yanking at times I get tired and pull off the air filter and put a LITTLE bit of gas down the carb hole and try again to prime it up.

 

[PICK]

NEW SPARK PLUG, NEW FUEL FILTER, AND CLEAN AIR FILTER. I'M THINKING THAT MAYBE I GOT A LEMON.

 

[Baby Grand]

When did it last run?
How old is the gas in the carb/lines/tank?
Was the fuel treated with Seafoam/Stabil/etc?

Both LD1 & Treemonkey have given good start procedure - especially about turning the choke down after it pops.
If I am wearing heearing protection I can't hear my 361 pop and the next pull with full choke floods it.
Once it floods, no amount of pulling will start it until I pull the plug and air it out.
I have learned to move one of the earpieces off an ear when starting so I can hear it pop - no more flooding problems.

 

[PICK]

LAST RUN 3 WEEKS AGO. FRESH FUEL 3 WEEKS AGO. FUEL TREATED WITH STABIL.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Sounds like it just may be flooding easy then. If thats the case then I put the saw on the ground and use my foot to hold the trigger wide open and yank on the rope to try and blow out excess fuel. Believe me I have had those times where I was not happy with the saw as well. If you have a scrench around unscrew the plug and see if it is pretty moist with fuel. Like Baby Grand said if they are flooded it can be a pain in the Carharts to get them started for a bit.

 

[xyz123]

How old is the saw could lead to next question? Could it have cracked fuel line or impulse line?

Also could pull the rev stops off carb with drywall screw and adjust L side or start fresh from lightly seated. The 290's I have seen from the factory have carbs set wrong most of the time ( very very ricjh on L and real lean on H). You wont even know it till you pull the rev limiter stops and re adjust carb from fresh start.

 

[dfkrug]

LAST RUN 3 WEEKS AGO. FRESH FUEL 3 WEEKS AGO. FUEL TREATED WITH STABIL.

I just sold an MS290 I refurbed, and I also had the identical earlier 029. Unfortunately, the MS290
has no compression release, no primer bulb, and full choke requires the throttle to be locked on.
I think your problem is the Stabil. I have found that it makes for hard starting.

As others have suggested, check the plug; I will bet it is wet. Dry it out, dump the Stabil-ized
fuel, and put some fresh 50:1 gas/oil in there.