# Bought an MS 250



## n9emz (Mar 26, 2009)

Month ago, tornado went through my area and a gust of wind 86-ed another tree. My son snarfed my MS 290, figured I've seen the last of it and it was a bit much for what I need, and my Stihl dealer is pretty accomodating...."Try it and if you don't like it, we'll take it in exchange for something you do like." I wanted an MS 270 but that shelf slot's always empty, so I grabbed a 250....I liked it. Now I love it. I don't do firewood and only have to deal with the occasional downed tree.


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## sloth9669 (Mar 26, 2009)

good deal looks good. nothing better then giving a saw a good workout.


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## stihl sawing (Mar 26, 2009)

Yep, their lightweight and cut fairly well. But don't pickup a 460 first and use it a while, then the 250 seems really slow.lol


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## n9emz (Mar 27, 2009)

stihl sawing said:


> Yep, their lightweight and cut fairly well. But don't pickup a 460 first and use it a while, then the 250 seems really slow.lol



Nah....I used your technique but I had to pour bar oil on the muffler to get smoke. Reminds me....muffler mod. 

But, what's a little time when you're having fun....I don't have to do this for a living. Wood goes to the 93 year old couple next door who looked out tough for me and the wife back in the day.


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## stihl sawing (Mar 27, 2009)

n9emz said:


> Nah....I used your technique but I had to pour bar oil on the muffler to get smoke. Reminds me....muffler mod.
> 
> But, what's a little time when you're having fun....I don't have to do this for a living. Wood goes to the 93 year old couple next door who looked out tough for me and the wife back in the day.


LOL, That guy in the video is not gonna get a lot done. What size bar and what chain did you get with it. Mine has an 18 inch bar and a .325 pitch and 063 gauge. I think it's RSC3 chain. It throws some nice chips.


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## n9emz (Mar 27, 2009)

Looks pretty doing it, though. Off the shelf it had 16" RSC3 .063 x .325, but I did the cutting with 18" RSC .063 x .325 (same as on my MS 290). I just let it eat like it wanted to and it did itself proud....I was covered with crap afterwards.

My only concern was about oiling....it seemed a little stingy, but it used a tank for each fuel-up and produced a nice film after running it 10-15 seconds after the last cut.

Starting it was strange....expected it to "hit" on full choke and flooded it. Me and the dealer don't talk....I just grab what I want and pay for it. I'd imagine there'll be some cussin' from people not familiar with these "environmentally friendly" machines if they're not warned beforehand.

For occasional/casual use, I suspect this 250 is about all I need around here.


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## stihl sawing (Mar 27, 2009)

Yep, they are a little finicky on flooding. I flooded mine a few times before i learned to restart it. It doesn't restart like my other stihls, don't know why but it don't. Don't have any trouble starting it cold just on restarts after it had sit a while.


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## Nosmo (Mar 28, 2009)

*Leaking Oil*

I have a MS250C and have used it to cut my own firewood for almost 6 years. The only problem I've had with it - is the lealking of chain oil when not using the saw. At this time I store the saw on its side to prevent this leakage of oil.

Nosmo


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## n9emz (Mar 28, 2009)

Nosmo said:


> I have a MS250C and have used it to cut my own firewood for almost 6 years. The only problem I've had with it - is the lealking of chain oil when not using the saw. At this time I store the saw on its side to prevent this leakage of oil.
> 
> Nosmo



My first discovery after starting it when new to check it out. After first use, I just wiped the saw down, stuck it in the case, and man what a mess after I opened the case back up. Next time I used the saw, I popped the oil cap to fill the tank and discovered it was under pressure. Filled it, wiped it down and stuck it back in the case....leaked just a couple of drops.

Saw sits on a shop rag in the bottom of the case and no more mess.


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## wvlogger (Mar 28, 2009)

250 is a good saw slad you like it


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## TheLumberJack (Mar 29, 2009)

excellent choice

my dad has the same saw for the same use


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## Pthug (Apr 15, 2009)

*am I just totally stupid or what?*

I got a brand new MS 250 from my wife for christmas and I have used it once. I filled it with the right mix, read the directions front to back and had no trouble starting it. Now, I go to use it again from a cold start, and can't start it to save my life, or cut a tree. I pulled the throttle safety thingy and the throttle or trigger or whatever and put it on cold start and pulled and I can't even get it to turn over. So I took it to the dealer and of course he started it right away, said some fuel came out of the exhaust when it sputtered a bit, because it was flooded, but I hadn't tried it in a while, I can't believe it was still flooded. 

So now I guess I have flooded it again. I dried off the plug terminal and everything. I can't figure it out. What am I doing wrong. I feel like such a panzy. I can't even start my own chainsaw. 

HELP!!!


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## JONSEREDFAN6069 (Apr 15, 2009)

nice saw, does all the 250's have the orange handle? i like that look


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## stihl sawing (Apr 15, 2009)

Pthug said:


> I got a brand new MS 250 from my wife for christmas and I have used it once. I filled it with the right mix, read the directions front to back and had no trouble starting it. Now, I go to use it again from a cold start, and can't start it to save my life, or cut a tree. I pulled the throttle safety thingy and the throttle or trigger or whatever and put it on cold start and pulled and I can't even get it to turn over. So I took it to the dealer and of course he started it right away, said some fuel came out of the exhaust when it sputtered a bit, because it was flooded, but I hadn't tried it in a while, I can't believe it was still flooded.
> 
> So now I guess I have flooded it again. I dried off the plug terminal and everything. I can't figure it out. What am I doing wrong. I feel like such a panzy. I can't even start my own chainsaw.
> 
> HELP!!!


You may have to choke it again to start it, They are really easy to flood. When i flood mine i will start it like a cold start, choke on till it pops and then half choke till it starts and then throttle which will take it off half choke. After you have run it you should not prime the bulb again unless it sits a long time like overnight.


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## stihl sawing (Apr 15, 2009)

JONSEREDFAN6069 said:


> nice saw, does all the 250's have the orange handle? i like that look


Yes, that orange handle is on all their homeowner saws. The pro saws have the white one. Actually i just went to their site and the 270 and 280 have white handles all the rest have orange and the 170 and small saws have a black one.


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## n9emz (Apr 16, 2009)

stihl sawing said:


> You may have to choke it again to start it, They are really easy to flood. When i flood mine i will start it like a cold start, choke on till it pops and then half choke till it starts and then throttle which will take it off half choke. After you have run it you should not prime the bulb again unless it sits a long time like overnight.



Mine doesn't have a bulb primer.


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## Brushstomper (Apr 16, 2009)

Nice saw. The more you use it, the more you'll like it. With a sharp chain, mine performs great. I use it for cutting mesquite for firewood and fence line trimming. It's my mid sized saw. 018 on the small end - 460 for big stuff. My dealer says the 250 is their best selling saw.


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## Hagen70 (Apr 16, 2009)

MS250 does not have a prime bulb. The one complaint I had of my 250 was having numbness and tingling in my hand and fingers after using it any longer than 10 minutes. The antivibe on that saw is almost non-existant.


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## stihl sawing (Apr 16, 2009)

n9emz said:


> Mine doesn't have a bulb primer.





Hagen70 said:


> MS250 does not have a prime bulb. The one complaint I had of my 250 was having numbness and tingling in my hand and fingers after using it any longer than 10 minutes. The antivibe on that saw is almost non-existant.


Yep sorry about the mix up, got it confused with the other stihl equipment. The price of getting old.lol


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## Nosmo (Apr 17, 2009)

*Ms 250c*

I have a 2003 model MS 250C . The C models do not have the bar tightening bolts. It has the single adjustment which allows a person to adjust the chain tension without using tools.

And this one does have a primer bulb.

Nosmo


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## jgrove (Apr 18, 2009)

*ms250*

I have an ms250. Oiler did not work when new, smoked the chain, dealer did not replace. On and off for the first few tanks, same problem. Then when that problem stopped the flippy cap oil resivoir cap would fall off mid-cut, and fill the resivoir with shavings, nice. Dealer says it's common. I found wood shavings in the airbox past the filter last week, I meticulas(??) maintain my saws and have no problems like these. This thing I treat better than any of my saws I have ever used. $350 for 45cc, thats why, I figured it treat me well. I do like the way it runs, Today the chain jumped. I was cutting a pecker tree, 2-3" maple
growing in the bush, popped off thew side cover and the clutch drum fell out??
No jesus clip or the other part and were nowhere to be found, I searched.
I am not sure what the deal is here, this stihl sucks, /i do like the way it handles, but too many issues. Unfortunatley it was my first stihl. I have had many husqvarna's. I like cutting with them but They are weak. This time I went with stihl, theres a burned circle in the side cover from the clutch drum,
I have this thing running rich and never really had to scream it because I have nine other saws and each one has its job. This one was built on a friday
at three twenty nine pm. I am pissed, I can say that when I did use it, it was a great saw for all Twelve tanks. Just broken in and broken!!!!!!
I bought an echo cs400 the same day from the home depot, it was a peice of crap, but after it was broken in with a new chain, gutted muffler, and the limiter cap drywall screw trick, all I can say is, NICE, the ms250 has a touch more snot still but the echo is a better saw all day long, I like the stihl more 
but it lets me down and I cannot trust it.


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## jgrove (Apr 18, 2009)

*ms 250 limiter cap drywallscrew trick*

I can do it, the limiter cap has to be counterclockwise to be removed, the screw has to have its point shaved off to grab the limiter cap plastic correctley,
Screw it in clockwise until it feel snug, the look at the limiter tabs. I used a flashlight, turn the screw(with a screwdriver with some downforce) back counter clockwise to line up the TABS. Then use needlenose around the top of
the screw PRYING upwards, give it a yank, looking at the tab, if it lifts, use a small flat blade screwdriver to help pop it. I did it without wrecking them.
Some light, a few tools and patience is all it took. A muffler mod will not be effective without this. IT was my first, and this saw is FAR FAR better than
new. Juast a tug, and it SCREAMS. I have it set rich and it pulls and 18 nice, no bog whatsoever, cs400echo.


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## jgrove (Apr 20, 2009)

*ms250*

Another problem with the "new" ms250. Ran it today to clear some brush and the chain popped off for the first time after running for about thirty seconds.
Upon further inspection, removed the side cover and the clutch drum dropped out! Missing the clip and another part that is nowhere to be found. This saw runs awsome, but has been problematic and only see's light use, I run it once a month, I have many saws to play with, and they are all new, within' six months or better. this thing is just broke in and has been a major dissapointment. I
regret buying it, I beat the crap out of my echos and they never have not 1 problem, all my husqvarna's live in boxes in my basement (460=orange toilet, 385= Not sure what the hell went wrong after three tanks, I stare at it every morning in disbeleif) Also, the chain catch sheered right off, plastic molded as part of the side cover. I should have done more homework. It is my first stihl,
Not the last, but we'll see how this one turns out. It wasnt brush that popped the chain either to cause this, I started in a "5 maple that was growing through
the bushes. Theres a circle worn into the inside of the side cover from the drum.
I cannot wait to go to the dealer in the morning. All the other saws came from boxstores and have been flawless, all my dealer puchased saws
suck. Just my experience so far


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