STHIL MS290 CHAINSAW TIME FOR A TOP-END REBUILD?????

[2458n]

I am in south west Ohio. Three or four Stihl dealers with in 30 miles. Would not know where to find a Makita/Dolmar.

 

[94BULLITT]

Tear it down and see what the cylinder looks like. You may be able to clean the cylinder up and put a new piston in it. If the cylinder won't clean up I would look for a good used Stihl 039/ MS390 top end for it.

 

[94BULLITT]

This is one of the problems with Stihl. Even list prices are not generally published on the internet as the dealer
agreements forbid that, from what I am told. Some Stihl dealers cheat, and will give you an online quotation
anyway. If you walk into your local chainsaw store, and you see an MS361 or 362 on the shelf with a price
tag, you will prob see more like $900, with taxes. What you negotiate is up to you, and Stihl dealers often
negotiate. Some folks don't know that.

When I recommend buying a new saw to someone, I always suggest Husky or Makita because of more price
transparency. (And Makita/Dolmar prices can be as high as Stihl's.)

You can check Stihl prices online.

Looking at Stihl's comparison charts the major difference between the MS290 and MS261 is .2 bhp. They both run 16" to 20" bars.
Don't think the cost difference is worth it for cutting trees around the property.

You can't go by the published power. I have an 039, the old version of the MS390(the MS290's big brother) and my MS 261 would out cut it.

 

[TomSeller]

Straight or under oiled gas will ruin any grade of saw. I'm not sure the OP isn't learning to rebuild saws. He has a few other posts in another thread that would indicate this might be the case. With some experience and a source of abused saws, he could make a go of it.

I always thought someone at the local dump or transfer station could make some bucks with fixing some of the stuff that gets tossed. Trouble is so many them are public and all they allow now is to recycle the material. Back in the day, I would see attendants grab chainsaws and mowers out of the heap and toss them in their pickups.

 

[dfkrug]

I always thought someone at the local dump or transfer station could make some bucks with fixing some of the stuff that gets tossed. Trouble is so many them are public and all they allow now is to recycle the material. Back in the day, I would see attendants grab chainsaws and mowers out of the heap and toss them in their pickups.

Apparently, they still do set aside certain things dumped at our local recycling station (aka dump). Attendants get their
pick, but customers are not allowed to take anything out.

I was there last month dumping some tires and I saw a very nice 21-speed mountain bike with flat tires and no seat.
At first, the attendant refused to give it to me, but just before I left, she relented. Bikes are popular among the
attendants as they get sold at a local flea market. This one was very nice.

I used it at a local middle school as a project where I showed the kids how to change a tire and fix a flat.

Amazing what gets thrown away.....

 

[stuckmotor]

I wet to the SthilUSA chainsaw website and took the appropriate steps to reserve a MS291. Eventually, I came to something saying CHECK PRICE AND GET IT NOW. It's said the price would be $519.95. As best I an remember, I paid right around $400.00 for my MS 290 approximately 4 years back.

 

[dfkrug]

Also, being a pro saw, it can be rebuilt if need be much faster and more easily
than a clam-shell 290.

True, pro saws are easier to work on, generally. It is hard to imagine, but hard-core loggers have been known
to change pistons/jugs in the field.

I am in the midst of a few Husky refurbs, and I just had my first cylinder rejection. It is a FarmerTec Chinese
unit for a Husky 371, and it is a bit too rough for me. Others have been fine. This is a big-bore kit to
upgrade to 75cc, and I plan to modify the ports a bit, as well as increase compression. I should have the
new one from China in a week or so. For this saw, I can remove the cylinder in about 10min, mostly cuz
you do not have to remove the handle/tank assembly first.

On cheaper saws, the jug bolts are often accessed from the bottom, not the top.