Saw won't stay running......Stihl MS290

[LongueCarabine]

Hi everyone, I have a Stihl MS290, it's maybe 5-6 years old and has not seen a lot of use.

Lately it's been giving me an issue that has me stumped. First off, I have cleaned the carb out completely and have adjusted the carb as well as I can, so a clean carb is not the issue, I think.

Like a typical 290, it will take a few pulls to start. It will run for about 5 minutes, and will cut well, but then it will start choking and die.

After that, it will crank up again but when I put a load in it, it sputters and dies. I have also cleaned out the fuel pickup with clean gas and compressed air.

Can anyone help?

LC

 

[jeff9366]

Chainsaws used infrequently should be stored with all fuel run out.

Did you dump the old fuel and replace with fresh fuel?

I would install a new spark plug next.

 

[LongueCarabine]

Fuel is fresh, spark plug was clean, I am pretty sure it was giving good spark. If it was bad, I don't think it would run with power at all.

 

[smstonypoint]

Carbon buildup on the exhaust port?

Steve

 

[/pine]

If that model saw has an impulse line it would be my first thought after the fuel line itself...

 

[LongueCarabine]

Carbon buildup on the exhaust port?

Steve

Tell me about this, please.

 

[KYErik]

When it starts to run rough, does pulling the choke out a little bit help it run better?

 

[LongueCarabine]

When it starts to run rough, does pulling the choke out a little bit help it run better?

I haven't tried that, guess I will have to and see what happens.

 

[rekees4300]

When it quits, open the fuel cap and close it. If it starts back up, it's the vent.

 

[KYErik]

I worked on a neighbor's 2 cycle weedeater once and the screws that held the two halves of the two halves of the crankcase had loosened up a little, so it would run OK with the choke on (it was sucking in air through the crack between the case halves and that would lean out the mixture). Once I tightened up the crank case bolts, it ran pretty well again.