stihl ms 250 ????

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tk67

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i`m a newbie to all this....just picked up a used stihl ms 250....just wondering if anyone could tell me if this has an adjustable oil pump....take bar off and you can see the oil comming out when running but the chain when all together only has oil on underside of chain and not alot of it.....and was also wondering if anyone knew where i could find parts diagram for this saw....thanks in advance....tom .....indiana
 
No adj. oil on this saw. Make sure the oiling holes on the bar are clear. Use something to clean the slot in the bar out (I use a butter knife, works great). Do you get some smoke when you cut? If so, definitely not good.
 
what does smoke mean while i`m cutting.....remember i`m a newbie and full of ?`s...lol....thanks
 
Well, do you see some white smoke coming from the the bar during your cut? What size wood are you cutting with that lil 250?
 
Do not let your bar and chain get hot to the point it starts to smoke. Keep the chain in clean wood as much as possible. Dirty wood, bumping the ground or ice will dull it quickly. Either learn how to sharpen or carry extra sharp chains with you. If your chain isn't throwing large chips get it sharp. Less friction on your bar = less heat.
Do make sure the hole in the bar that lines up with the oiler outlet is clean and run something down the bar groove to get all the crud out. I like an old hacksaw blade broke in half.
Use good bar and chain oil. I live in nortwestern IN and the best price on bar and chain oil has been Rural King. About $4 a gallon last time looked.
The 250 is a very nice homeowners saw, frequently used by professionals for the lighter work.
 
Hey tk...welcome to AS, it's a great site but can cause chainsaw addiction......:dizzy: ......Newbe here also...You might want to pick up some winter bar oil if you plan on cutting this weekend, with the cold snap and all. It's a little thinner but still retains a good viscosity,just my .02. My buddy has had the 250 for quite some time and loves it.
 
i didnt see any smoke.....if i see smoke this means blade is getting to hot?? i havent cut alot of wood with it yet... went out back and use it for about 20 minutes or so....and size it was some stuff about 12" to 14 "
 
Hey, welcome to the sight.
Yeah, you dont want to see smoke coming from the bar/chain in your cut. I have a 025 like yours and it cuts through 12" - 14" fairly fast. I run the 18" bar they offer for that saw with an RM chain. No problems at all!

Rule of thumb....if you're cutting 12" wood and it's taking a long time to get through it.....you A) have a dull chain. That will cause it to heat up which is not good for your bar, chain, clutch, seals, etc....will cause premature failure also when you keep cutting with a dull chain it heats it up so much that it hardens the cutters and the next time you go to sharpen it with a file it's a real PITA plus you might ruin a couple of files trying. Key is to keep a sharp chain. Or B) you hit something in the wood....such as a nail, barbed wire, cable or something. Keep cutting into that and your chain will be very hard if not impossible to sharpen back up.

Like people said, take your bar off and clean the grove out and the oil holes/passages. good luck,
 
i`m a newbie to all this....just picked up a used stihl ms 250....just wondering if anyone could tell me if this has an adjustable oil pump....take bar off and you can see the oil comming out when running but the chain when all together only has oil on underside of chain and not alot of it.....and was also wondering if anyone knew where i could find parts diagram for this saw....thanks in advance....tom .....indiana

You can find a user manual at Stihls web-site, there should be something about how to maintain the saw there + other useful info.
 
tk67, it's very likely that everything is working just as it should. Stihls Oilomatic system is designed to not require as much oil as the older saws did and so you don't really see the oil flying off the bar like you did in the old days. You say that the groove is getting oil and the bottom of the chain is wet, so it's doing what it should. The oilier is designed by Stihl to cover the range of bars that they recommend for the saw and will provide plenty of oil to get the job done. If you want to check for your own piece of mind just hold the tip of the saw a few inches from a freshly cut log (the white end) and hold the saw about 3/4 of full throttle, after about 10-15 seconds you will see a very slight line forming on the wood that’s the oil being thrown off so you know it's getting plenty.

Here's a link to your manual http://stihlusa.com/stihl_ownersmanuals/MS210230250_Manual.pdf

Here's some info on the chain oiling and sharpening.
http://www.stihllibrary.com/pdf/SharpAdvice110606.pdf

These should get you pointed in the right direction for now. Use the search and read some of the past post's here and it will keep you busy for hours.

Most important thing...... PPE, use it, nuff said.
If you don't know what PPE is let that be your first search.

Where are you in Indiana??? We have quite the Hoosier presence here on AS so chances are you might be able to hook up with a member who could help get you started. I’m in the south central part of the state so if there’s anything I can help with just let me know, I’m always looking for an excuse to run my saws.

Oh and just to help keep you out of trouble.... it's called a bar if you call it a blade some folks around here will ride ya pretty hard.
 
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You can find a user manual at Stihls web-site, there should be something about how to maintain the saw there + other useful info.

Ditto what he said!!!

If you are this new to it all it is definitely worth your while to get ahold of the users manual, sit down with a 'cuppa' or a cold one and read it. I'm sure a dealer would give you one too.
Pay attention to the recommended maintenance actions, take your saw apart and put it back together, get familiar with it.

Any more questions just come on back here! I run a 250 also and have the shop manual that I can send you on email if you want it.
 
That shop manual is priceless for the 210-250 line. Small little things all over the saw that need attention. Smoke is most likely due to a dull chain if the oiler is oiling. Unless you are using an 18 inch .325 bar and chain, then sometimes it will not have enough oil. Make sure that the pump is not caked up with sawdust, and that the oil line filter is not clogged up as well. The oil line filter can be gotten to from the oil cap, but it is easier from under the saw.

You can pull the oil pump, but it is a PITA. Have to remove the wrap to get to the pump elbow from below the saw. Remove the elbow, one side is to the oil line and the other is to the pump seated in the saw. The oil line and filter can be pulled out from under the saw and cleaned. I forget the size thread of the pump, but the pump is threaded on the bottom. Pay a lot of a Stihl specialty oil pump removal tool, or... screw a bolt into it and pull it out with a pair of vice grips levered over a flat screwdriver. There is a small hole in the pump to clean out, and while it is out give the pump a blast with compressed air, and the pump area a blast as well to remove any fine sawdust. The pump pushes pretty easy back into the hole, but the height is hard to get right from the bottom. For that, pull the sprocket and clutch, and set the oil pump gear head until it is centered on the oil pump drive gear. I did this on my 210 when it was not oiling, and it works fine now.
 
good advise...


If it's pumpign any oil, just tip out the tank, put some diesel in it and run (pump) some through wiyhout the bar and chain on. That will usually clear out the lines and pump.. usually.. Remember the oil tank has a pickup in it. If you can get hold of it from the outside with a hemostat, clean it.

Also... make sure the oil hole in the bar is clear.
 
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i didnt see any smoke.....if i see smoke this means blade is getting to hot?? i havent cut alot of wood with it yet... went out back and use it for about 20 minutes or so....and size it was some stuff about 12" to 14 "

Your lawn mower has a blade. Your chainsaw has a bar and chain. Thought mabe youd want to know.
 
Ditto what he said!!!

If you are this new to it all it is definitely worth your while to get ahold of the users manual, sit down with a 'cuppa' or a cold one and read it. I'm sure a dealer would give you one too.
Pay attention to the recommended maintenance actions, take your saw apart and put it back together, get familiar with it.

Any more questions just come on back here! I run a 250 also and have the shop manual that I can send you on email if you want it.

Hi,

I am new here too but used this site to help in my selection. I too choose the MS-250. Based on my reading here and a few other sites, it fits my needs and then some. I would also love to get a copy of the shop manual to go along with the saw.

I do want to thank you all for your posts as with my purchase of the saw was some chaps and hearing protection. I already had safety glasses. I also found myself a good local dealer with good reputation who did a very nice run through before letting me leave. More than you get at a Home Depot, which I do like "for it's intended purpose...."

I will also add since I see that many threads head this way....I use the Echo Power Blend at 50:1 since I also have an Echo Trimmer and blower that need FC rated oil or better:greenchainsaw:

Thanks again!
 
thanks everyone for the info....been real helpful......Fubar2 i`ll try to remember to keep my blade oooops lol i mean my bar and chain properly oiled and maintianed....thanks again for all the input
 
MS 250 Reinserting Oil Pump

Before removing the oil pump get the correct threaded bolt or machine screw a flat washer and a lock nut or a pair of nuts which fit the bolt or screw.

Next screw the nuts onto the bolt past what you think the depth of the base of the pump is. Place the washer on the bolt and push the bolt down and thread it into the pump.

Next thread the first nut down tight against the washer then tighten the second nut against the first locking them in place. This will set the correct depth when you drive the pump back in place . Leave the bolt in the pump while cleaning and inspecting it.

Line the slotted side of the pump with the square on the case just outside the pump's hole. Drive the pump back in with a few light taps with a hammer (hitting the bolt head) when it bottoms out remove the bolt and the pump is exactly the right depth.

Nosmo
 
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