MS290 - Lack of Power

[morningwood]

I have had a Stihl MS290 for about 4 years now. Use it mostly for cutting around 2 cords of firewood a year. I would say there might be 100 hours on the saw, but that might be a stretch. Saw has ran fine until recently. The saw seems to not have any power when I cut into a log.

I have done the following:

• Chain Sharpened
• New Bar - Old bar was looking rough
• New Spark Plug - gapped correctly
• New Gas / Oil Mixture - 93 octane gas
• Air Filter Cleaned

I took it to a dealer close by and they said it was not oiling and that was reason it would not cut. They said the oiler was plugged. The chain is definitely getting lots of oil now. I do notice when I cut there is alot of "smoke" coming from the sprocket area. That is area is also full of what looks to be grease made up of oil and saw dust.

Was thinking possibly the gas filter inside the saw could be plugged but I looked at it and it looks fine.

Anybody have any thoughts ?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[showrguy]

check yer spark screen in the muffler, could be clogged

 

[morningwood]

I pulled the muffler off and it was not plugged. Cleaned the little bit if soot that was built up on the screen. I put another chain on the saw also and it did not make a difference.

Would a bad tank of gas possibly cause this problem ?? I am going to try the same mix in my Stihl weedeater tomorrow and will see I have the same problem.

Any other thoughts.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[spacemule]

If there's smoke coming from the nose sprocket area, your tip is burned up. Try replacing the tip or the bar.

 

[Saw Dr.]

I pulled the muffler off and it was not plugged. Cleaned the little bit if soot that was built up on the screen. I put another chain on the saw also and it did not make a difference.

Would a bad tank of gas possibly cause this problem ?? I am going to try the same mix in my Stihl weedeater tomorrow and will see I have the same problem.

Any other thoughts.

Thanks,

Scott

When you pulled the muffler, did you have a look at the piston?

 

[Kenskip1]

You did not mention what type of chain you are using. If it is a "Safety" chain then this could be the answer.What are your rakers set at?If it is a safety chain then this could be your problem. I used a friends ms290 and this thing is an animal! Ken

 

[morningwood]

spacemule - the smoke is actually coming from the drive sprocket. The bar is brand new.

b200 - I looked at the piston and it looked good. It had a little bit of "stuff" on the top. From what I could see of the walls they did not look to be scored and they actually had a light film of oil on them.

kenskip1 - I am using the Stihl green / safety chain.

I thought about that same thing. I changed chains and it did the same thing. However I have the Stihl shop in town sharpens my chains. So if he is not reducing the rakers on one I am sure he is not reducing them on the other. The rakers look to be at factory height. They have never been touched. I read in the Stihl book about getting a gauge and filing them down to the bottom of the gauge.

Can you just file them down to the line that is ethced on the raker ?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[dre8982559]

No power...

Now don't throw a scrench at me but...

Does your chain roll freely when the saw is off? The smoke from the drive tells me the brake is on or something is keeping the drive from turning, therefore smoke.

My $.02 without seeing the saw....

 

[Kenskip1]

The smoke he is referring to is nothing but the oil mist being thrown off the bar. Nothing to worry about.If you have to bear down to get the saw to cut then I would do something with the rakers. The safety chain is also slowing you down. Sort of like trying to light damp charcoal.Get a Stihl "Yellow" chain and you will never look back.Ken

 

[cjrenegade82]

I would look at the clutch and chain brake.

I would not take the rakers down that low unless the tooth is sharpened all the way back to the line on its side.Buy a gauge and use that but most are not accurate do to angle changes but will get you close. That wouldnt be your problem because it takes more power to pull a chain with low rakers.
Make sure your bar is getting oil since this is the problem they said it was having. Hold the tip close to somthing and see if it throws oil on it. The wrong bar can keep oil for the chain so check it at the pump next.

If your dealer gave you the saw back with out fixing the problem you might want a new dealer.

 

[locustslayer]

A had a friend that had a stihl 025 that done the same thing, smoked from the clutch area, had no power, turned out to be the sprocket bearing.

 

[Gab250]

a few things to check:

are the oil holes in the bar free from debris? Cleaned out the bar rails?

What size bar and chain are you running? The smaller the bar and chain, the more power you'll have. I wouldnt go over 20" on an MS290

Are you running good quality fuel or some cheaper stuff?

Is the spark you get from the spark plug a nice, fat, blue spark? or does it look weak? If it looks weak I'd be looking closely at the coil/magneto/ignition lead.

Gab

 

[outdoortype]

When you say the saw loses power: Does it bog down or drop significant rpm when you go to cut into a log?
If the engine bogs then I would closely examine the fuel line between the tank and the carburetor. You turn the saw on its side and look for drips. Its not unusual for the 290 to need a fuel line after 4 years.

If it's an issue with the chain and or raker height the saw would scream and just not cut when you cut into a log.

When you said it was smoking from the sprocket area I assume you mean drive sprocket under the clutch cover. Pull the clutch cover off and make sure the brake isn't engaged or jammed up. While you're at it, pull the clutch drum and check for wear or debris in there too.

 

[morningwood]

dre8982559 - The chain rolls freely around the bar and drive after it is tightened. I bought a new bar thinking that might of been the issue since the bar was getting mushroomed on the top. I filled it down numberous time but it seemed to be getting worse over time.

cjrenegade82 - I ran the saw at pull speed yesterday and there was oil getting on the log I had the saw pointed at. I also took the bar / chain off and there is plenty of oil coming out of the oiling hole now. I didn't think about the clutch. Is there a quick way to check if is a clutch issue ??

Gab250 - The fuel I got it from a highly traveled Pilot station. The only reason I think it might be bad is that my check engine light in my car came on the next day after fueling up. But it just might of been a fluke. I went off the next morning. The bar / chain is clean. I am running a 18" bar w/ .325 chain. I have not checked the spark. I put the old plug in yesterday and it did not make a difference. I will check the spark today.

outdoortype - The saw will start into the log fine. Then when I get about a full bar's width into the log it just stops. It seems like the saw cannot keep the RPM's once the full bar is into the log. When I took the air cleaner off yesterday to change the plug I did notice alot of gas smell. Not sure if that is normal since it was just ran. I greased the bearing on the clutch drum a few weeks ago. I will double check the drum and fuel line and post back.

Would it help to have the wife take a video of me running the saw ???

Thanks for all of the help,

Scott

 

[Fish]

Can you give us a close pic of the sprocket and bottom of the chain, as
well as the cutters?

 

[SkipD]

A month or so, I had a problem with my 361 that sounds quite similar. It started easily and was quite responsive. It would cut small stuff well, but when I'd get into a large log it would bog down and the engine would quit.

I disassembled the carburetor and found a small piece of what looked like blue plastic in the carb. It was about 1/4 inch long and only about 1/32 inch in diameter, tapered and pointed at the ends. I actually found it stuck in the jet orifice. It was loose, though. Apparently it would move around and when there was no load on the saw it would clear itself from the jet. Under a constant load, though, it got dragged into the jet and plugged it partially. That would cause the saw to run lean and quit. After I removed the offending item from the carb, the saw has run just fine since.

I don't use my saws often, but have put them to good use over the last couple of months. The saw had been idle for a year or so. I generally run the carbs dry when putting the saws away for an expected long time. I am thinking that it may be possible that the blue "plastic" piece was actually oil that separated from the gas and coagulated into a solid piece. Either that, or the piece of (??) was in the carb from when it was built. The fuel filter was still in 100% perfect shape so it wasn't just foreign material in the gas tank.

 

[morningwood]

Took the carb off and did not see anything blocking either of the butterflies or impeding on there movement. I also took off the square metal piece on the top and did not see anything that should not be there. When I took the carb off I got squirted by some gas. So I do not think there is a fuel tank - carb issue. Also ran the same mixture in my Stihl weedeater with no probs. I think that rules out bad gas.

Took the cover off that covers the clutch and it was full of this black grease looking stuff. Cleaned that out and still no power when really pushing down on the saw.

Here are some pics of the clutch area and saw after running it for a little bit:

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2431.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2431.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2435.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2435.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2437.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2437.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2438.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2438.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Sorry for the fuzzy pics.

Scott

 

[Fish]

Look at the fuel line going from the carb and into the top of the tank,
when going into a log you could flexing the fuel line and really opening up those cracks that are likely there, if it is the original fuel line.

Also try to put up a pic of the chain laying on the bench, not too close,
it probably has some issues as well.

 

[showrguy]

and still no power when really pushing down on the saw.

this makes me think you may have chain issues, you should'nt have to really push down on the saw at all !!!!

 

[morningwood]

I checked the line from the fuel tank to the carb. Their are some cracks, but their is not gas leaking out of them. In the past I have always had issues with the saw just dying if I was using it on its side. Not sure if maybe that issue is what is causing my issues now.

I ran the saw some more and noticed when I put the saw in the wood initially it goes through it like butter. Once I get the full bar in the log in throws up. The bar and clutch were also hot to the touch after only maybe 2 - 3 minutes of cutting.

Please see pics below. Last pic of the sawdust made from the chain pictured.

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2449.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2449.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2450.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2450.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2452.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2452.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2458.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2458.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2459.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2459.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2460.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2460.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2465.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2465.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/?action=view&current=IMG_2443.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/sloeffle/IMG_2443.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Thanks,

Scott