Stihl ms250 guide bar and power upgrade

[david1988]

hello guys I have a ms250 stihl chainsaw with a factory 18 inch bar. It’s a good running saw but I would like to go to a bigger bar around 22”to 24”. I know that’s a big bar for a 3 hp saw but I not using a log splitter I’m just useing the saw and noodling the logs for firewood by laying them on there side and cutting long ways. I can’t find a bar that will work online anywhere. Can y’all help me? I’m a broke redneck so I’m gona stay away from the 150 dollar bars please. Also any tips for cheap or free upgrades I can do like muffler work or something for more power.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

16" bar runs and oils better. Cheaper generally. 3 wedges and good sledge and axe or maul. Even the high volume pumps got all they can do to oil n 18" on those saws in a long cut.

 

[Philbert]

STIHL MS 250 is a great saw when used within its capabilities. I like it with a 16" bar.

That saw uses a 'small mount' STIHL pattern bar, so anything over 18" will be hard to find.

Speaking of 'redneck upgrades ', just because you can weld a hitch on a Prius doesn't mean that you should tow a logging trailer with it. Same thing with an MS250.

You would do better with a 291/391 (or similar) as a second saw. Maybe a used one. Most guys on this site have multiple saws for different types of cutting, and for backup.

Welcome to A.S.

Philbert

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I went smaller on my MS250, 16" bar and even put a 3/8 LP on it. They cut great when you go smaller rather than larger and oil better also...

 

[Cope1024]

My 025 came with a 16" .325 bar and chain. I've been happy with it.

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

I'm pretty sure this is the wrong saw to be using an oversize bar. The clutch will overheat and melt everything around it including the drum bearing.

 

[HarleyT]

You won't find a big bar to fit it, so just use it as it is.

 

[Franny K]

Oregon mount 041 and 095 have the same size slot for the bar studs. You need create new oiler and adjuster holes, maybe modify the tail a bit.

I have a 20 inch hard nose bar like that and use the picco or 3/8 LP. Can get a 6 tooth spur or Stihl rim drive kit 7 tooth.

Heed the advice about clutch getting too hot. If the clutch is slipping should be a tell tale vibration.

 

[Schipp]

I love the 025/ms250’s! Take the spark arrestor and baffle off the muffler and it will be a noticeable power increase! Take off the carb H & L screw limiter caps so you can tune it better !

 

[david1988]

I love the 025/ms250’s! Take the spark arrestor and baffle off the muffler and it will be a noticeable power increase! Take off the carb H & L screw limiter caps so you can tune it better !

By taking off the caps is there much to gain? I don’t have a digital tack I can use to check the rpm so I’m afraid to tune it myself do to lack of experience, I don’t want to melt a piston or something. I already did the muffler mod and it seemed to gain quit a bit. I’m thinking I’m gona do my new MS362 I got yesterday as well but I think I need to break it in first. The clutch has slipped on the ms250 already I guess because iv used it and felt a weird vibration at times but thought it was the chain or something in the wood because when I let off it quit. Hope I haven’t hurt it. I’m new to all this so some things I’ll learn the hard way I suppose. Thanks for all y’all advise and input. Maybe y’all will help me save my saw from clutch abuse anyway

 

[Philbert]

If you did a muffler mod you should make sure that it gets re-tuned properly.

Philbert

 

[david1988]

If you did a muffler mod you should make sure that it gets re-tuned properly.

Philbert

I never removed the safety caps but I set the high adjust screw all the way counterclockwise and the low idle screw I raised until the chain moved and backed it off 1/1.5 turns and I just did the low idle by book as well. That’s effectively enough correct?

 

[homemade]

There usually not enough adjustment with the limiters on, after a muff mod. If you just removed the baffling and spark arrestor, you might be ok. There at a ton of videos online describing what to listen for when tuning a saw. It’s not as bad as it seams. Just error on the side of too rich if your worried.

 

[Schipp]

I never removed the safety caps but I set the high adjust screw all the way counterclockwise and the low idle screw I raised until the chain moved and backed it off 1/1.5 turns and I just did the low idle by book as well. That’s effectively enough correct?

There’s not really a “one setting” fits all!
In other words if you adjust your carb “just right” fer say 12” diameter cuts, then you move down the tree to 4” limbs, the “load “ or “less of a load” on the saw changes what your carb tries to draw! The heavier the load, (more teeth grabbin, pressing harder in the wood, etc) the more it will draw your carb “leaner”! (Because the screws are “set” and won’t allow more fuel to pass through, so air does instead)
It’s best to tune just a bit “rich” at “wot” so that as you start cuttin in the wood it leans itself into “tune”!
When’s it’s “rich” (H screw ccw), it will “miss” (or four stroke, some ppl call it), “lean” (H screw cw) it “smooths out” at “wot”!
Turn the H screw ccw till you hear the noticeable “miss”, then cw till you hear it smooth out! (lean)
Then turn it back to just inside rich! As you cut you should hear it lean out, miss, lean out, miss...if you add a little pressure on your saw it will lean out!
Thats right around your most efficient settin, between rpm’s and cooling! If you’re ”missin” your running cooler because of the oil in the fuel! Leaner is more air = higher rpm’s = hotter! (Notice as you run out of fuel your saw leans out and revs right before it dies!)
So really, as you are cuttin different diameters of wood, its best to keep a screwdriver in your pocket to make a quick 1/8 turn, (or whatever) rich or lean depending on what you need. (Or possibly just add or subtract your cuttin pressure on your saw as you move around the tree to “tune” it as you go.)
Does that make sense? Your chains sharpness/dullness effects how hard your saw has to pull as well! (As well as keeping all fuel lines, filters, new and clean) ((when you get to havin trouble tunin right, you most likely have an air leak or a clog)
There are some really good videos posted by ones on here that allows you to here the saw “missing” (4 stroking) at “wot” (wide open throttle) and leaning out just right as they go into the wood! Bsnelling a member here has several videos on it! Do yourself a favor and study those till you understand what “tuning in the wood means”!
So...long story longer, take the limiter caps off so you can “richen” (cool) your saw as you need! And prolong its lifespan!

 

[Schipp]

I MM’d my 025 and ms250 and liked it!

 

[Colt Marlington]

Cut shorter pieces and get one of those fancy Fiskars X27's.

But I shouldn't be one to talk, as I got a rumored to be too long 20" bar and chain on my Echo CS490 that I use for stumping, and occasionally it's actually quite handy to have the longer bar.

EDIT!!: WAIT A MINUTE.....YOU GOT A NEW MS362??!!

What's all this nonsense about a long bar on a 250 for?

Congrats!!

 

[david1988]

Cut shorter pieces and get one of those fancy Fiskars X27's.

But I shouldn't be one to talk, as I got a rumored to be too long 20" bar and chain on my Echo CS490 that I use for stumping, and occasionally it's actually quite handy to have the longer bar.

EDIT!!: WAIT A MINUTE.....YOU GOT A NEW MS362??!!

What's all this nonsense about a long bar on a 250 for?

Congrats!!

Lol yes I got a ms362 and love it. No long bar for the 250 now. I’m sticking to the 18 and I like the combo a bunch. I’m running a 20 and 25 on the ms362 and think I’m gona get a 18 for it as well to do some quick noodling with it and not lack power. I think I’m gona take the 52 inch bar off my pollen now and maybe go to a 12 or 16. Took me years but know I know why it always lacked power

 

[david1988]

There’s not really a “one setting” fits all!
In other words if you adjust your carb “just right” fer say 12” diameter cuts, then you move down the tree to 4” limbs, the “load “ or “less of a load” on the saw changes what your carb tries to draw! The heavier the load, (more teeth grabbin, pressing harder in the wood, etc) the more it will draw your carb “leaner”! (Because the screws are “set” and won’t allow more fuel to pass through, so air does instead)
It’s best to tune just a bit “rich” at “wot” so that as you start cuttin in the wood it leans itself into “tune”!
When’s it’s “rich” (H screw ccw), it will “miss” (or four stroke, some ppl call it), “lean” (H screw cw) it “smooths out” at “wot”!
Turn the H screw ccw till you hear the noticeable “miss”, then cw till you hear it smooth out! (lean)
Then turn it back to just inside rich! As you cut you should hear it lean out, miss, lean out, miss...if you add a little pressure on your saw it will lean out!
Thats right around your most efficient settin, between rpm’s and cooling! If you’re ”missin” your running cooler because of the oil in the fuel! Leaner is more air = higher rpm’s = hotter! (Notice as you run out of fuel your saw leans out and revs right before it dies!)
So really, as you are cuttin different diameters of wood, its best to keep a screwdriver in your pocket to make a quick 1/8 turn, (or whatever) rich or lean depending on what you need. (Or possibly just add or subtract your cuttin pressure on your saw as you move around the tree to “tune” it as you go.)
Does that make sense? Your chains sharpness/dullness effects how hard your saw has to pull as well! (As well as keeping all fuel lines, filters, new and clean) ((when you get to havin trouble tunin right, you most likely have an air leak or a clog)
There are some really good videos posted by ones on here that allows you to here the saw “missing” (4 stroking) at “wot” (wide open throttle) and leaning out just right as they go into the wood! Bsnelling a member here has several videos on it! Do yourself a favor and study those till you understand what “tuning in the wood means”!
So...long story longer, take the limiter caps off so you can “richen” (cool) your saw as you need! And prolong its lifespan!

Mr schipp thanks for all your info. You have helped me a great amount. Iv whatched and learned a lot in a few weeks and I believe I’m now a saw addict. I will be needing more trees to cut soon lol. Again thanks for the advice from you and everyone els.

 

[Schipp]

Mr schipp thanks for all your info. You have helped me a great amount. Iv whatched and learned a lot in a few weeks and I believe I’m now a saw addict. I will be needing more trees to cut soon lol. Again thanks for the advice from you and everyone els.

You’re very welcome David! Glad I could help! I’ve learned (still learnin) a lot on here!
Just pay attention to your saw as your using it and learn to understand what’s going on with it as far as fuel and air!
Feels soo good when it’s runnin just right with a sharp chain and the big chips’er’a flyin!!
I’ve finally started really “gettin it”, as far as that aspect of the saw! Stuff deeper than that I’m still learning about!
Have a good’un!! (And be careful!)