A couple years ago a friend dropped off 3 20" bars from his 039. He gave the power head to someone else, who didn't want the burnt up bars. Tips were purple from running dull chains, oil set on low, etc. I saved the one good bar and put it on my 290, changed the sprocket to 3/8, opened up the exhaust a little. Bugger just runs way over it's pay grade. A while back the 290 started acting up. It would be revving great, cutting like mad, and die for a split second, like some one flipped the switch on and off real fast. Instantly it would be back at wide WOT. My wife bought me an MS 251 for our anniversary, so I've been using it for my 18" and under wood. A big storm blew down 20 or so of my 24"-30" White Oaks, so I've been using the old 290 more. It got to the point it was "cutting off" a couple times an hour. I took it in to my shop and he pulled the cover off, took one finger and poked the plug wire, it was loose. The air filter kept the wire pushed down on the plug enough it couldn't come all the way off, but occasionally loose contact. Well, that was a cheap fix. I threw that bar away and was going to buy a new one. Then got to thinking, I have a brand new 25" bar for the 660 I never use, with a brand new chain. I'm going to stick it on the 290 and see how it does. If I just cut the normal stuff I use the 290 for, and don't lean on it, which I never do because my chains are always sharp, I don't see where the saw knows the difference? I'll let you know how it does. No, I'm not trying the 36" next week.
I had a friend identical to yours. Had to do a double take. She was always around me when I had food. Miss that critter.
. They will be here tomorrow morning, saying 7 with wind in the teens, it's currently a toasty 13 with wind in the teens 
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