tec498
ArboristSite Operative
I tried out my new ms290 this weekend and I think it's a pretty nice saw for the money. I've been helping my parents clear some property for awhile and I've been using a Husqvarna 440e for the smaller stuff and I also have a Poulan 3400 that runs well but is extremely heavy. The 290 seems to be able to handle everything I want to cut now and it seems like a good all around saw. Now the questions :smile-big:
When I bought it the guy at the dealer said it can run a 20" B/C but he said Stihl doesn't recommend keeping it on there all the time. I got the 18" because he said that. I find it has plenty of power to cut with the 18" so I don't see why the 20" would be much worse. I can't find anywhere where Stihl says a 20" B/C can't be kept on the saw. On their website it just says recommended bar length is 16-20". Am I missing something?
When I was at there he was trying to sell me on an ms311. He said that one can pull a 3/8 chain on a 20" bar and the 3/8" chain will cut much faster than the .325 on the ms290. Is the ms311 really that much better than the ms290?
Has anyone here run an ms290 and an ms311 so I can get a good objective comparison?
Also, when I was starting the saw cold it would fire up and then immediately die. It took me about 7-8 tries to get it fired up when I was starting cold. And I did switch that little rubber boot and flip the air dam like recommended in the manual to prevent carb icing.
Thanks guys
When I bought it the guy at the dealer said it can run a 20" B/C but he said Stihl doesn't recommend keeping it on there all the time. I got the 18" because he said that. I find it has plenty of power to cut with the 18" so I don't see why the 20" would be much worse. I can't find anywhere where Stihl says a 20" B/C can't be kept on the saw. On their website it just says recommended bar length is 16-20". Am I missing something?
When I was at there he was trying to sell me on an ms311. He said that one can pull a 3/8 chain on a 20" bar and the 3/8" chain will cut much faster than the .325 on the ms290. Is the ms311 really that much better than the ms290?
Has anyone here run an ms290 and an ms311 so I can get a good objective comparison?
Also, when I was starting the saw cold it would fire up and then immediately die. It took me about 7-8 tries to get it fired up when I was starting cold. And I did switch that little rubber boot and flip the air dam like recommended in the manual to prevent carb icing.
Thanks guys