Stihl MS290 vs. 029?

[bglz42]

Thanks Clemsonfor!
(BTW Sorry for hijacking this thread, it was not my intent...)

My problem starts right here: But to the SAW Pull your trigger and put it on CHOKE so that its at wide open on its own. Then pull the cord till you hear it fire.

It never fires, just floods. I follow that exact procedure. Never burps. Tried changing plug/new fuel numerous times/let it sit for a day. Nothing. It started fairly good the first week I bought it if I followed the exact procedure in the manual. Got steadily worse.
I always run it out of fuel, btw.

 

[B8FISH]

I thought (based on my dealers comments) the 290 is the new designator for the old 029. Mine is hard to start, but probably from old gas as I don't use it that often.

I think it went 029>>290>>291, they were selling the 290 after the 291 were announced until stock ran out. The 291 has been out for about 2 years at this point--I believe the advantages were less vibration, more efficient etc.

 

[KenB2920]

Really? I got a Stihl becasuse of how easy they start!! I cut a "shirt tail" of wood yesterday, as my grandmother would of said. I had not used the saw in a few months at least. I think 2-3 pulls on choke it burped, then half choke 2 more pulls and i was running.

This is EXACTLY how mine starts. The dealer was fantastic and explained this to me as well. He said it won't start in one pull and this is the process. I have MS270C and absolutely love it. I cut about 10 face cord last year with it and a handful of face cord the years before.

Depending on your use, unless youre a professional using it daily and have a serious preference. I think they are all pretty comparable, stihl / Husqvarna for equivalent models, I am referring to. The key point is a sharp chain.

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[KenB2920]

My one year old MS290 is going back the the dealer. Hardest starting saw I ever owned. It will be the last Stihl equipment I ever buy... same with my Stihl tiller...Doesn't start worth a darn. Sorry for the rant. Nothing pizzes me off like a non-starting two-stroke...

Jot trying to disrespect you in any way, I own 23 gas type engines. My stihl does start slightly different than all the others. It's not a problem, it just starts different. If it's truly a problem with the saw the dealer should take it back. If it's user error, have the dealer show you how to start it. I have no pride issues, when I bought the saw he asked me if I wanted to take 15 minutes and learn some things about it. I laughed and couldn't imagine what I would learn, but I was not in a rush and love free education. What a great 15 minutes, learned a trick or two and a thing or two. So I am not trying to say you don't know what your doing by any means, you could be a master and know it all. But I feel, if someone tries to teach me something I already know, no harm no foul. However if I learn something its worth it. Just my thoughts.

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[mikehaugen]

This thread got me wondering so I had to go try out my saws. These saws have been sitting since fall with fuel (with ethanol) for about 9 months.

015... 5 pulls with choke... nothing so I turned off the choke and 5 more pulls... nothing. Turned choke back on and 2pulls it fired up and I got the choke off before it died and it kept running. I have no idea how old this saw is because it was given to me by my father who was given it by someone else years ago.

Ms361... 4 pulls on choke and it burped. Put on half-choke and it fired up and I hit throttle to bring down the rpms. Bought this from a county forest preserve auction in pieces not knowing if it even ran. Put it together and have only replaced thr chain in the 3 years I have had it.

My km90 starts 1st pull everytime but it's only about 3 weeks old.

I use echo powerblend oil.

 

[bglz42]

No sweat Ken, I am never too old to learn!!
I bought my saw, (and my tillers/Gators/mowers/trimmers/blower/Echo saw) from my tractor dealer. They showed me how to start it cold. (I always have the service manager check me out on the machinery before I leave with it.) I have read the manual, and have started it successfully before, following the proper procedure. It was never a very easy saw to start compared to my Echo, but because I wanted a Stihl I endured it. Now I am concerned that in a pinch, (i.e. hurricane emergency) it won't start. I already had a situation in which a tree fell across my goat fence last week, I needed the big saw and it failed me. I had to cut it with my 14" Echo in 100 degree heat...

I am bringing it the dealer tonight, along with the Stihl tiller. Hopefully they can show me what I am doing wrong. I cannot live with a saw that won't start EVERY time. Thanks for all the suggestions! Jim in Texas

 

[KenB2920]

No sweat Ken, I am never too old to learn!!
I bought my saw, (and my tillers/Gators/mowers/trimmers/blower/Echo saw) from my tractor dealer. They showed me how to start it cold. (I always have the service manager check me out on the machinery before I leave with it.) I have read the manual, and have started it successfully before, following the proper procedure. It was never a very easy saw to start compared to my Echo, but because I wanted a Stihl I endured it. Now I am concerned that in a pinch, (i.e. hurricane emergency) it won't start. I already had a situation in which a tree fell across my goat fence last week, I needed the big saw and it failed me. I had to cut it with my 14" Echo in 100 degree heat...

I am bringing it the dealer tonight, along with the Stihl tiller. Hopefully they can show me what I am doing wrong. I cannot live with a saw that won't start EVERY time. Thanks for all the suggestions! Jim in Texas

Hey I agree. I expect when I purchase something,( especially of name brand and not a throwaway) that it will work as intended everytime. I hope the dealer figures it out or takes care of you. Let me know how it goes. I always like to hear how things go.

 

[Pilot]

OP here. I use only no ethanol gas. Mixed with Stihl oil. That's the way I always run my 2 cycle engines.

Full choke. Pull, pull, pull, no burp. After maybe a dozen pulls, the resistance diminishes, the pulling gets easier, and a few more pulls, I go to half choke, a few more pulls, it burps then starts. At times I have given up, checked the plug & it is dry.

Sounds like it doesn't get enough gas to start--but why not? Shops have checked it & found no reason for why it is so hard to start.

My Shindaiwa 357, full choke, pull 3 times, half choke, pull again & if fires right up. Same with my power pruner. It ain't the gas.

 

[clemsonfor]

Are your fuel lines all good, no splits in them? Clean fuel filter (can you blow through it?)?

Mine did funny things including hard to start just like that and crazy idle or no idle and i fould a split fuel line that would just barely leak, i mean barely. It was sucking air.