Just ruined my new 290 - got a question for y'all.

[fuelk2]

So, after a lot of saving and debate, I finally was able to get a new MS290. After trying it out for a little while a week ago, I was ready to start to work at my house last weekend.

Wanting to take care of my saw, I let it warm up and left the brake on as Stihl suggests for safety reasons. I guess I was excited or just careless and didn't get it bumped off fast idle. Before I knew it, there was smoke boiling out. So now the dealer tells me that the brake and clutch are ruined and that the heat got to the crank case as well.

I know what I did was stupid and I should have to pay to get the saw fixed. The question I have for y'all is would you expect that much damage to be done in a matter of a minute or two. I'm being told it'll be $200 to get it running and it'll never have a working brake. I was a little surprised that the saw would basically be wrecked by what was definitely a boneheaded but pretty simple mistake. Thoughts?

 

[mdavlee]

That sounds a little fishy about the never having a working brake. I might take that to a different dealer and see what they say.

 

[Plan-b]

Take the cover off and post a picture.

 

[LowVolt]

That sounds a little fishy about the never having a working brake. I might take that to a different dealer and see what they say.

Agreed! Can you post up some pictures of the bar and chain cover off so we can see the damage?

 

[50blues]

Check on craigslist and ebay for a saw with a burnt up motor. You can find a nice one for around $100 or so. Swap the parts around yourself and save a lot of money. While you are at it make sure the carb. has a high side adjustment screw and do a muffler mod. You will be happy with the outcome.

Do a search on here for 029 disassembly and muffler mod. You will find everything you need to know.

 

[old-cat]

I don't buy that ruined line. Does the engine still run right? That clutch can take an awful lot of abuse and still work just fine. If the seals in your engine aren't toast, I think you're good to go.

 

[sunfish]

For $200 in repair cost you should get a working brake! No reason they can't fix that also.

But yes, that was a bone head thing to do.

 

[SawTroll]

So, after a lot of saving and debate, I finally was able to get a new MS290. After trying it out for a little while a week ago, I was ready to start to work at my house last weekend.

Wanting to take care of my saw, I let it warm up and left the brake on as Stihl suggests for safety reasons. I guess I was excited or just careless and didn't get it bumped off fast idle. Before I knew it, there was smoke boiling out. So now the dealer tells me that the brake and clutch are ruined and that the heat got to the crank case as well.

I know what I did was stupid and I should have to pay to get the saw fixed. The question I have for y'all is would you expect that much damage to be done in a matter of a minute or two. I'm being told it'll be $200 to get it running and it'll never have a working brake. I was a little surprised that the saw would basically be wrecked by what was definitely a boneheaded but pretty simple mistake. Thoughts?

Are you sure it was just a minute or two?

..and that story about never having a working brake surely smells fishy...

 

[indiansprings]

It is not really that uncommon, last month three saws come in toasted due to the chain brake, a 028 WB, a Husky 141 and a Stihl 250, both the Husky and 250 got so hot it melted holes in the case. Pictures would help. The clutch literally exploded on the 141, so hot it damaged the case.

 

[fuelk2]

Take the cover off and post a picture.

It's still at the dealership, but hopefully I'll have time to pick it up in a day or two and can do that. Also, I'm a Georgia football fan, so Saturday was a crappy day for me. Ha.

 

[spacemule]

question I have for y'all is would you expect that much damage to be done in a matter of a minute or two.

That's the equivalent of getting in your car, holding the breaks, putting it in gear, and revving at 1/2 to 2/3 throttle. How long do you think that would take to damage something?

 

[fuelk2]

Are you sure it was just a minute or two?

..and that story about never having a working brake surely smells fishy...

I wasn't timing it, but it was long enough for me to walk to grab my chaps, buckle them up, and turn back around. Couldn't have been all that long. No way in the world it was longer than 4, maybe 5 minutes, but I really think it was closer to a minute or two.

It's like I told the dealer, lying about what I did isn't going to make me feel any less stupid.

 

[fuelk2]

That's the equivalent of getting in your car, holding the breaks, putting it in gear, and revving at 1/2 to 2/3 throttle. How long do you think that would take to damage something?

Yeah, I get that. Like I say, I know I damaged it and need to pay for it. I just wouldn't expect the car to be totaled in your example.

 

[stihl023/5]

Call me stupid but I never trip the brake!:msp_confused:

 

[spacemule]

Yeah, I get that. Like I say, I know I damaged it and need to pay for it. I just wouldn't expect the car to be totaled in your example.

You'd be surprised. There have been pictures posted here in the past of saws run with the brake on. If it was ran long enough to make your brake inoperable, it was run long enough to do a *lot* of damage. First of all, the clutch, when slipping, generates tremendous heat above idle. Secondly, there is plastic right behind, in front of, and all around the clutch. With that much heat being generated, it has to go somewhere. When plastic is exposed to heat, it melts. Frankly though, even metal cased saws would be severely damaged if run long enough to make the chain brake not work.

 

[SawTroll]

The damage done doesn't really surprice on a plastic cased saw, but the dealers statement that it never will have a working brake makes me worry about his level of knowledge. In my book, that should be the easiest fix involved here?

 

[fuelk2]

You'd be surprised. There have been pictures posted here in the past of saws run with the brake on. If it was ran long enough to make your brake inoperable, it was run long enough to do a *lot* of damage. First of all, the clutch, when slipping, generates tremendous heat above idle. Secondly, there is plastic right behind, in front of, and all around the clutch. With that much heat being generated, it has to go somewhere. When plastic is exposed to heat, it melts. Frankly though, even metal cased saws would be severely damaged if run long enough to make the chain brake not work.

Alright, sounds like I have my answer. Fortunately, I think Stihl and my dealer pity the stupid and are trying to help me out since I JUST bought the saw and have spent a good bit on equipment this year.

 

[SawTroll]

Call me stupid but I never trip the brake!:msp_confused:

I put it on under certain conditions, like starting in thick brush or with a long bar resting on a log or similar, and also on a larger saw I have never started before. However, releasing it is first thing after the saw starting and hitting the throttle....

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I put it on under certain conditions, like starting in thick brush or with a long bar resting on a log or similar, and also on a larger saw I have never started before. However, releasing it is first thing after the saw starting and hitting the throttle....

Since when do you ever run long bars?

You can get the clutch hot enough to smoke in just a few seconds. I can't imagine what that saw looks like if it was ran for even a full minutes at fast idle with the brake on. I'd say that baby is melted good.

 

[SawTroll]

Alright, sounds like I have my answer. Fortunately, I think Stihl and my dealer pity the stupid and are trying to help me out since I JUST bought the saw and have spent a good bit on equipment this year.

Hopefully they do just that - and there is the remote possibility that you actually tripped the throttle, but the clutch bearing failed....