290 problems!!!

[koda]

Hello all,

I am new to the site and I like what I see so far. OK here is my issue(one of many) I bought a Stihl 290 On Feb 26, 2007. Yesterday I lost the engine in it. I took it to the dealer where I purchased it and he told me that the piston, cylinder, and crank were gone. I asked how did this happen and he smelled the gas in the tank and said "bad gas". He went on to explain that it was old gas. Well I have been using this saw for the past month at least twice a week and using the fuel from the same can. I ran it for 10 minutes before it seized yesterday. After it seized, I grabbed my 026 pro and gassed it up with the same can and cut for approx. 30-45 minutes without a problem. Well I just can't believe that "old gas" caused me to ruin an engine in a basically brand new saw. I have sawed approx 20 cord of firewood with it in the past year so it has seen pretty light use. I keep it inside and I keep the gas inside in order to keep condensation down and water from leaking into the can. The fuel I was using is approximately 2 months old and the owners manuel warns against keeping fuel longer than 3 months. I also mix it just a tad rich because I am worried about losing a motor. I can deal with a fouled plug or black smoke if it happens but in any event I take every precaution to baby this saw as I wanted it to last 10+ years. So much for that. Well back to the story. The dealer told me that it was out of warranty and there was nothing they could do. I understand the warranty is a year but I feel that one month over warranty with this issue that the Company ought to come good for it or at least some of it. Well I went back to the dealer today and boxed it up and took it to another dealer that I am very familiar with and he said he will at least try to do something for me. Has anyone else had problems with engines in this model or ever had "bad gas" cause a probled to this magnitude? Any info would be a big help. I also told the dealer that if Stihl can come good for it then I would walk out with a new 361. The dealer I bought from screwed me on an earlier deal but I figured buying a new saw off of him then I couldn't go wrong. I guess the old saying is true. Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me!

This is a repost as I also posted under the Homeowners board.

 

[Fish]

I returned the thread "You be the judge" for you.

 

[Ray Bennett]

Bad gas will kill a saw really fast. Some folks here will not use gas after it has set for 2 or 3 weeks. I use the stihl mix with staybil in it and it has been ok for 2 months. I would not push any further than that.

 

[SawTroll]

What quality was that gas and mix oil?

Who was the last to adjust the carb on that saw, and was it with the same mix?

I don't like the MS290 because the extensive use of plastic, really bad power to weight ratio, etc, but they have a good reputation for holding up......

 

[windthrown]

Yah, I am surprised. I pass bad gas :fart: using the 290 all the time...

I have also used so-so gas in the 290 at times, and all kinds of premix oil and bar oil, and it runs and runs. All the local county saws are 290's, and they get regular gas and crappy premix in them with a variety of users and abusers, and they run like Energizer bunnies. Few fail, and under very extreme use.

I would return the saw to the dealer and say, BULL:censored:!!! Chances are that it was running too lean, or something else went haywire, like some carbon came off and got stuck in the rings, or a piece broke off. You would have to do a tear-down to determine that though. Once out of warantee, you are pretty much SOL though. I would not go back to that dealer for anything if that is the treatement he is giving you though.

Maybe Fish can sell you another engine for it?

 

[koda]

Guys thanks for the replies.

It was mixed with 89 octane and Stihl oil and I mix up 2.5 gallons at a time. I actually mix a bottle of Stihl oil with 2.45 gallons just to get a little richer mix. I had no idea that gas two months old would eat up a saw if this is the case. Like I said I ran a 028 super for years and the 026 pro and then traded an old beat up 026 for this new 290. I also have a stihl bush saw tha runs very well using the same gas habits mixture. If nothing else I will be adding stabil to my saw gas from now on. I still find it hard to believe that a saw can cook like this with two month old gas. I am not a mechanic just know enough to get myself in trouble. Fish thanks for bringing up the other thread. It was a good read except for the naked guy with the big tool.

 

[windthrown]

Gas that is only 2 months old will not eat up a saw like that, o/w all my saws would be toast in early fall every year after the summer burn season (we cannot cut here in fire season, so the gas sits for about two months every summer around here). I have used gas with stabil and premix in it that was 6 months old, no problemo. Now, was it ethanol mixed gas, or straight gasoline? Ethanol mixed (E10) can be more problematic. MTBE was a problem when I lived in CA too. Stank like hell that stuff did. Nasty.

But I don't think it was your gas. Unless you bought it from some mom and pop place that has old leaky gas tanks, and they do not sell much so it sits in their tanks in the ground for a month before you get it. I swear the 290 we have here has probably been run on 6 month old gas more than once. And the county 290 saws run all kinds of gas, old and new. And if you are mixing it heavy, like I do (I mix gas to oil at about 45:1) then the mix is not the issue either. Unless you are using old crankcase oil as premix?

Seems more likely something else was the problem. It is too easy to say 'old gas' and pass the buck.

 

[koda]

Fuel was perchased from a mom and pop but they get their tanks filled every three or four days so it was not bad gas from the dealer. Like i said it was Stihl Pre mix oil and mixed a little rich so that is why I am not convinced on the bad gas theory. However I am not a mechanic but the ones that I have talked to that don't have anything invested say they don't agree with the bad gas thoery either.

 

[West Texas]

I don't think it was the gas if it was a rich mixture and only a few months old. Sounds to me like something else bit the dust. I would take it apart and examine the piston, rings, and cylinder closely. A new top end for a 290 with crank and all is not that much. I've got a used one in my shop if Fish doesn't have a bargain for you.

 

[windthrown]

Well, you can always get at least $150 for it on Ebay as a parts saw. Just post that is it seized up. It will still get a lot of bids. Its a Stihl after all. Even run over or seized up they are worth good money. Keep the bar and chain, and put the Ebay money toward a 361... from *another* Stihl dealer.

Or get another engine and pop it into the saw, as the rest of the saw is probably still in good shape.

 

[koda]

Not that expensive! The dealer told me it was 500-550 to rebuild! I said no way. Then he said that he has a used 310 engine somewhere that he would out in for 150. I decided to see what the manufacturer will do with a dealer that I know is reputable.

 

[windthrown]

Not the dealer... it would cost more than the saw new to get one fixed these days. The idea is to get another engine from one of the AS boys here and fix it yourself. However, as you are seemingly not mechanically inclined, I would sell the seized saw on Ebay and move on to a 361. Or as you seem to be doing, going to another dealer and seeing what the factory will do for you.

Sux though... one dealer can ruin a lot of goodwill in a hurry.

 

[PES+]

Can you post some pics?

Pics of the cases and piston like fish did in the You ge the judge thread will help determine whats up

 

[Ray Bennett]

A late thought here, Do you shake your gas can before filling. I have used 2 month old gas with no problem myself. It may not break down in two months with the stabil stihl uses but it can seperate. Espically if there was e-85 in the gas. In that case you may have poured nearly straight gas or alcohol in your saw thinking you had a good rich oil mix.

 

[koda]

I shake it everytime. And the gas can too. Just for that reason.

 

[Ray Bennett]

I shake it everytime. And the gas can too. Just for that reason.

Ha, good one, In that case Im stumped. I say they owe ya a saw. If you post a pic of the Piston the guys can tell ya for sure what may have happened which may be good to know for future reference.

 

[outdoortype]

I agree with Windthrown & Ray Bennet

You should have asked your dealer why that same bad gas didn't destroy the 026 & your brush saw? Doesn't bad gas destroy an engine in like minutes? Yet you say your 026 ran for 45 minutes.

And if it was carbon flaking off due to rich mixture,/carb settings, wouldn't that have fouled the plug before it did major damage?

 

[Lakeside53]

It's not the 2 month old gas... take it back to your dealer and ask them to look at it and escalate to Stihl if required.

 

[koda]

You should have asked your dealer why that same bad gas didn't destroy the 026 & your brush saw? Doesn't bad gas destroy an engine in like minutes? Yet you say your 026 ran for 45 minutes.

And if it was carbon flaking off due to rich mixture,/carb settings, wouldn't that have fouled the plug before it did major damage?

I did ask the dealer just that and he replied that the older saws are a little more forgiving and the newer ones are built to more exact specifications.

 

[PES+]

Where in Maine are you koda?