# Stihl MS310 - max bar length?



## agarb (Dec 20, 2003)

I have a Stihl MS310.

I occasionally need to cut stuff that is a little on the large side for my 18" bar, so I looked thru an old Stihl catalog to see how long a bar I could put on it. Catalog said up to 24". 

Great! Off to the dealer I go. Dealer says, "Nope...20 inches is the maximum, as the saw not powerful enough for a 24" bar."

I go home and email Stihl. They say, "Yes, a 24 inch bar will fit but is not recommended due to kickback considerations."

Who do I believe? Stihl or my dealer?

Thanks,
amg


----------



## Lumberjack (Dec 20, 2003)

Well I run a 36" on my opened 044 to do big cuts. I would say get the 24" and go with it. If you haven't opened your can (muffler) then do that, and with the big bar, you may not notice the extra length.


Carl


----------



## Lumberjack (Dec 20, 2003)

Never ran a new 31 or 29. The way I see it is, it is easier to make one slower cut completely through than to walk the saw around to make the cut, IMO. 

Carl


----------



## gatkeper1 (Dec 20, 2003)

Check the Stihl web site 
They list up to 28" to fit the MS310
Stihl Bar Chart


----------



## Pacific (Dec 20, 2003)

I wouldn't go any larger than 24" if the Stihl dealer says run a 20" run it. I looked at the spec's of the 310 and it is only .5hp more than the MS260.


----------



## ricksvar (Dec 21, 2003)

Stay with the shorter bar lenghts(what Stihl recommends)on their mid range saws.You'll need more bar oil to lube a longer bar and these saws will tend to run hotter with longer bars,with the oilers maxed.JMO

Rick


----------



## buckwheat (Dec 21, 2003)

Not sure, but if you might have chain/pitch issues going over 20" with the 310. Be sure to check on that as you might have to swap out your sprocket, too.


----------



## Ryan Willock (Dec 21, 2003)

If you want to be technical and not practical then you must realize that the MS310 takes the same bar as the MS260-MS660, therefore if you really wanted to you could put a 42'' bar on it; however the saw won't like it at all. My point is what will fit and what are practical are two differant things. The things you need to be looking at are; how much cutting will I be doing in wood over 20''-24''? Is it hardwood or softwood??? If you have the need to cut a lot of that size wood then I would recomend that you look at getting a MS440 or a husky 372xp. To answer your question your MS310 WILL fit a 24'' bar but preformance will SUCK unless you are used to a poulan!!


----------



## powerequipman (Dec 21, 2003)

No, the 026/MS260 does NOT take the same bar as the MS310 and bigger models!!! The 026/MS260 takes a bar with a .325 tip sprocket. All the saws from MS310 on up take 3/8ths chain type bars until you get to the 088/MS880 which takes .404 chain!! I work at a Stihl dealership.


----------



## powerequipman (Dec 21, 2003)

Rockyj, I'm talking about the bars and chains the saws are sold with. If you , say, put a 3/8ths chain on an 026 or on an 029 you are just saddling those saws with too much chain to work properly.

I have no idea what your problem is but I did not tell any half truths.

I've been doing this saw work a while though I'm new to the forum. The only problem is that in this area (fl panhandle) we don't see many saws bigger than the 066 and not a lot of those.

Cheers

By the way I know that the bar mount is consistant from the 026/MS260 thru to the 066/MS660 but within that range you can create chain sprocket and bar tip sprocket and chain pitch mis-matches for your self if you are not carefull that every thing matches up. I have to fix problems like this every day for customers. And that's not counting chain gauge mismatches that occur.

Does that clarify my stand on this enough for you or do I have to write another book on this subject to prove to you that you're not the only one in the world with a little bit of background in this subject?

Personally I have no axe to grind with you (lol) but I don't appreciate being attacked when I'm just trying to help the original poster!


----------



## Ryan Willock (Dec 21, 2003)

Hey powerwhoever, in case you didn't know the MS260 generally has a rim sprocket that is quickly changed to 3/8ths if the owner so desires, really its not a hard consept. As for the bar fitting I would know as I have had an 026 an 029 and currently an ms191T, 036, MS460 and an 066G as well as a husky 346xp and 372xpgPP. But don's take my word or Brian's for it as we just make our living with the saws so what do we know??!

BTW, I never said it would be a good or bright combination to run a 24''b/c on a MS310..... I just said it would work


----------



## Lumberjack (Dec 21, 2003)

> _Originally posted by powerequipman _
> *Rockyj, I'm talking about the bars and chains the saws are sold with. If you , say, put a 3/8ths chain on an 026 or on an 029 you are just saddling those saws with too much chain to work properly. *



The MS200 comes with a micro 3/8, so I say it just depends. I aint no expert but the 24" bar is big for the powerhead. I run a 36" on a 044, but are working on an 066 right now. I fell/buck up trees at an ok rate for me. After opening the muffler I was ok+ with the speed, and personally I would rather run a 36" on the 044 instead of walking around with a 28".


Point: It all depends, for the little amount it would cost to try, I say do it. If you don't like it then you can A) deal with it or B) don't use it. Alot of people here like thier saws to cut swiftly, as do I. I don't see how a nonfrequent use would justify a new saw.

Get it, run it, learn to love it.


Carl


----------



## bwalker (Dec 21, 2003)

> say, put a 3/8ths chain on an 026 or on an 029 you are just saddling those saws with too much chain to work properly.


My 260 works fine setup with 3/8's. Put the proper carb on the 260 and it pulls 3/8, 18" bar all day long.


----------



## dozerdan (Dec 21, 2003)

Hey people, chill out. You never see the three of me losing my temper. Its just bars and chains.
I think I will try to be a moderator.
Ben
Glad to here that you got your 260 back, how is it working for you.
Later
Keystone Weird


----------



## Lumberjack (Dec 21, 2003)

> _Originally posted by dozerdan _
> *Hey people, chill out. You never see the three of me losing my temper. Its just bars and chains.*



My point exactly.


Carl


----------



## Tony Snyder (Dec 21, 2003)

Will a 24 inch bar fit on a 310? Yes. Is it a good idea? No.

I would suggest 18 inch or 20 inch, .325 pitch first choice, but it could pull 3/8ths.

You guys gotta quit taking those factory spec sheets for gospel, those ad people lie a lot.


----------



## agarb (Dec 21, 2003)

> _Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel _
> *Both are correct. Technically you can bolt a 24" bar on the saw but it would not be strong enough to cut well. And with the lower chain speed, your chances for kickback are increased. Your dealer was attempting to save you aggravation based on his experience and knowledge. He's probably done a little more of this than you have, I'd believe him.
> 
> Carl- He's running a 310, about the same as a 290. Not what you would call a strong saw. *



Thanks, Rocky, that makes sense.

Seems that the general consenus is that the 24" bar will fit, but that the saw may be underpowered. I think I'll go ahead and try it and be prepared for disappointment. A bigger saw isn't in the budget, but $75 for a bar and chain doesn't look bad. If I don't like it, I'll ebay the bar off and shorten the chain to fit my 18" bar. Plus, its only for occasional use.

I shouldn't have any sprocket/chain issues as I'm currently running 3/8" - 0.050" on my 18" bar.

Now for another question... somebody mentioned opening up the muffler. I went out and took it off the saw and was amazed at how big the inlet is in relationship to the outlet. Any tips or pictures on how best to open the thing up? If I decide to open it up, will the carb need adjusted?


----------



## Lumberjack (Dec 21, 2003)

I recently opened the muffler on my MS200, 250, and 044. 

I did mine with a drill on the 250. For me, I wanted a hole about the size of the depressed rectangle. After drilling I blew it out with compressd air. You will need to adjust your carb to allow for the increased airflow.


Here is the link to the 250.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12019

Ask if you got any questions.


Carl


----------



## rahtreelimbs (Dec 21, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Lumberjack _
> *I recently opened the muffler on my MS200, 250, and 044.
> 
> I did mine with a drill on the 250. For me, I wanted a hole about the size of the depressed rectangle. After drilling I blew it out with compressd air.
> ...





Don't forget to deburr the edges! You don't want one breaking off and finding it's way into the barrel.


----------



## Lumberjack (Dec 21, 2003)

Yea, I did mine with a chain file. When I feel like it I am going to take a flute cutter and smooth the hole up.


Carl


----------



## stihltech (Dec 21, 2003)

*bars*

The same bar will bolt on to the 260 thru 660 saws. The pitch is determuned by the sprocket on the saw and the bar nose. 3/8 chain can be put on any of them, .325 can also be put on any of them, if you can find the sprocket for the larger models.
310 ships with 3/8 chain and usually sells with a 20 inch bar here. Nocomplaints so far.
031 ran 20 inch bar and 3/8 chain. See no reason it should have any problem in hardwood. Just needs to be sharp, but isn't that the key?


----------



## turnkey4099 (Dec 24, 2003)

Just bought a 310 last fall. Oddly the dealer tried to push a 24" bar on me but I only wanted a 20". I haven't used the saw much yet (bought it after seasons wood was in) and so far I am not impressed. Doesn't seem to come up to speed and bogs easily. Break in problem? Carb? I would hate to see what it was like with a 24" bar.

Harry K


----------



## Ryan Willock (Dec 24, 2003)

Sounds like your carb may not be properly adjusted or you are running OLD fuel in it. Fuel goes bad after about two months or so.


----------



## ricksvar (Dec 24, 2003)

Harry,

If you have not already done so I suggest you max out your adjustable oiler on the 310.This should help reduce bog with a 20" bar.I think you made the right decision passing on the 24" bar your dealer tried to put on the saw.

Rick


----------



## turnkey4099 (Dec 26, 2003)

Yep, that is the first thing I do on every saw, bar oil is cheap. As for the carb, this is the first one I have had with the sealed carb screws. Is there any adjustment possible? To say that the manual that comes with it sucks is a gross understatement. Page after page of safety and do not do this etc. with only a few paragraphs in the whole thing about the controls.

Harry K


----------



## agarb (Dec 26, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ryan Willock _
> *Sounds like your carb may not be properly adjusted or you are running OLD fuel in it. Fuel goes bad after about two months or so. *



Even using a stabilizing product?


----------



## Ryan Willock (Dec 26, 2003)

Yep


----------



## stihltech (Dec 26, 2003)

*screws*

The screws are limited, not sealed. The dealer can properly adjust the carb by removing the caps. Have him check the inlet lever setting also, make all the difference.


----------



## Chop Drop & Split (Nov 10, 2018)

Ryan Willock said:


> If you want to be technical and not practical then you must realize that the MS310 takes the same bar as the MS260-MS660, therefore if you really wanted to you could put a 42'' bar on it; however the saw won't like it at all. My point is what will fit and what are practical are two differant things. The things you need to be looking at are; how much cutting will I be doing in wood over 20''-24''? Is it hardwood or softwood??? If you have the need to cut a lot of that size wood then I would recomend that you look at getting a MS440 or a husky 372xp. To answer your question your MS310 WILL fit a 24'' bar but preformance will SUCK unless you are used to a poulan!!



The MS310 was sold standard with a 20 inch ROLLOMATIC® E with a 3/8" .050 chain. The head provides more than enough power for that length bar. I run a stock head with a 25 inch ROLLOMATIC® ES with a 3/8" .050 chain. I could have run a 28 inch bar comfortably with little to no bog. If you go over 28 inches, open the muffler up and you should be fine.


----------



## BangBang77 (Nov 10, 2018)

And 15yrs later, we have the answer...


----------



## Chop Drop & Split (Nov 10, 2018)

BangBang77 said:


> And 15yrs later, we have the answer...


Thought we were on Oklahoma time....


----------



## dmb2613 (Nov 10, 2018)

15 year old post


----------



## Steven_Kinnison (Oct 28, 2020)

Tony Snyder said:


> Will a 24 inch bar fit on a 310? Yes. Is it a good idea? No.
> 
> I would suggest 18 inch or 20 inch, .325 pitch first choice, but it could pull 3/8ths.
> 
> You guys gotta quit taking those factory spec sheets for gospel, those ad people lie a lot.


An MS310 is 59cc so I don't see why ot wouldn't run a 24 inch bar. A Husqvarna 460 Rancher with only 1 more cc comes with a 24 inch bar so the 59cc Stihl should do fine I would think.


----------



## farmer steve (Oct 28, 2020)

BangBang77 said:


> And 15yrs later, we have the answer...





dmb2613 said:


> 15 year old post


UPDATE!!! 17 year old post.


----------



## toadman (Oct 28, 2020)

Holy thread revival batman...


----------



## alexmo (Nov 26, 2022)

powerequipman said:


> No, the 026/MS260 does NOT take the same bar as the MS310 and bigger models!!! The 026/MS260 takes a bar with a .325 tip sprocket. All the saws from MS310 on up take 3/8ths chain type bars until you get to the 088/MS880 which takes .404 chain!! I work at a Stihl dealership.


----------



## ElevatorGuy (Nov 26, 2022)

Almost 20 years old now, WTF.


----------



## a. palmer jr. (Nov 26, 2022)

I run a 3/8, 20" on my MS390 and it seems happy with it..


----------



## a. palmer jr. (Nov 26, 2022)

ElevatorGuy said:


> Almost 20 years old now, WTF.


It's still a valid subject to some newer viewers here..


----------



## JKendrick87 (Nov 30, 2022)

As someone who purchased a 310 in 2022 who is now addicted to chainsaws and is considering a cheap 026 I find this thread quite valuable.


----------



## turnkey4099 (Nov 30, 2022)

turnkey4099 said:


> Just bought a 310 last fall. Oddly the dealer tried to push a 24" bar on me but I only wanted a 20". I haven't used the saw much yet (bought it after seasons wood was in) and so far I am not impressed. Doesn't seem to come up to speed and bogs easily. Break in problem? Carb? I would hate to see what it was like with a 24" bar.
> 
> Harry K



How wrong I was. That saw ate acres of trees, rode hard, put away wet and the max dealer recommended bar was 24". I ran 24" in softwood trees where I had to cut from bot h sides and a lot of Black Locust up to 3' diameter. I rean it until i bought a MS362,...then a ms441. Still took it out occasionally. Last time I used it it had very low compression but once started was still eager. I gave it to a budy whose 024 died on him. He has it as shis main saw now even with the low compression.


----------



## a. palmer jr. (Nov 30, 2022)

turnkey4099 said:


> How wrong I was. That saw ate acres of trees, rode hard, put away wet and the max dealer recommended bar was 24". I ran 24" in softwood trees where I had to cut from bot h sides and a lot of Black Locust up to 3' diameter. I rean it until i bought a MS362,...then a ms441. Still took it out occasionally. Last time I used it it had very low compression but once started was still eager. I gave it to a budy whose 024 died on him. He has it as shis main saw now even with the low compression.


Lots of reasons for a saw having low compression, two of them are: having too long a bar for the saw and a dull chain


----------



## JKendrick87 (Nov 30, 2022)

a. palmer jr. said:


> Lots of reasons for a saw having low compression, two of them are: having too long a bar for the saw and a dull chain





turnkey4099 said:


> How wrong I was. That saw ate acres of trees, rode hard, put away wet and the max dealer recommended bar was 24". I ran 24" in softwood trees where I had to cut from bot h sides and a lot of Black Locust up to 3' diameter. I rean it until i bought a MS362,...then a ms441. Still took it out occasionally. Last time I used it it had very low compression but once started was still eager. I gave it to a budy whose 024 died on him. He has it as shis main saw now even with the low compression.


I’m running a 20 on mine and it’s an absolute monster. I bought an 18 just in case I wanted it to feel real snappy!


----------



## Captain Bruce (Nov 30, 2022)

This info. is completely incorrect. Both the 026/MS260, and the 1127-series saws (290/310/390) use the D025 mount, As to pitch, both machines accept either a 3/8" OR .325 sprocket drum. Everything is interchangeable. Any 260 is maxed out at a 20" set-up, as is the 290. The slightly larger 310 will run a 24" set-up, with a wide open oiler. ALL 3 models originally came out with a .325 pitch sprocket, and used an 18" set-up. An 18" on a 310 makes for a real fast saw.....


----------



## JKendrick87 (Dec 1, 2022)

Captain Bruce said:


> This info. is completely incorrect. Both the 026/MS260, and the 1127-series saws (290/310/390) use the D025 mount, As to pitch, both machines accept either a 3/8" OR .325 sprocket drum. Everything is interchangeable. Any 260 is maxed out at a 20" set-up, as is the 290. The slightly larger 310 will run a 24" set-up, with a wide open oiler. ALL 3 models originally came out with a .325 pitch sprocket, and used an 18" set-up. An 18" on a 310 makes for a real fast saw.....


So does the 310 have an adjustable oiler? And I’m running 3/8 pitch 72 yellow chain. She’s mean!


----------



## a. palmer jr. (Dec 1, 2022)

JKendrick87 said:


> So does the 310 have an adjustable oiler? And I’m running 3/8 pitch 72 yellow chain. She’s mean!


I never noticed any of the homeowner saws having an adjustable oiler but maybe that's something I missed..


----------



## Chevboy0167 (Dec 3, 2022)

NEW Genuine STIHL Oil Pump 029 039 MS290 MS310 MS311 MS390 MS391 11276403204 OEM | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW Genuine STIHL Oil Pump 029 039 MS290 MS310 MS311 MS390 MS391 11276403204 OEM at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


----------



## JKendrick87 (Dec 3, 2022)

Chevboy0167 said:


> NEW Genuine STIHL Oil Pump 029 039 MS290 MS310 MS311 MS390 MS391 11276403204 OEM | eBay
> 
> 
> Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW Genuine STIHL Oil Pump 029 039 MS290 MS310 MS311 MS390 MS391 11276403204 OEM at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
> ...


I take it that one is adjustable?


----------



## Chevboy0167 (Dec 3, 2022)

yes. Both my 290 and 310 are and as far as I know, those are the original pumps from Stihl.


----------



## a. palmer jr. (Dec 3, 2022)

JKendrick87 said:


> I take it that one is adjustable?


Judging from the extension toward the bottom of the pump I'd have to say it is. I think mine looks like that also. Shows you how much attention I pay to things! On the other hand, my 039 has been homemade by me out of spare parts I already had, so the pump might be or not be the stock one.


----------



## Captain Bruce (Dec 5, 2022)

JKendrick87 said:


> So does the 310 have an adjustable oiler? And I’m running 3/8 pitch 72 yellow chain. She’s mean!


All 3 of the 1227-series machines use the same adjustable oil pump.


----------

