Muffler Mods?

[buck futter]

Russ beat me to the punch, when I bought my 025 the choices were the 025,026 and 029. At the time the 026 was to much money for me, but the saw i wanted. I liked that the 029 had more power for close to the same money as the 025 but when I picked it up it felt very heavy, I don't mind the 025 being a homeowner saw by the time it quits it won't owe me anything. The plastic construction is fine with me, most importantly the power to weight is respectable. I just don't understand why stihl would make the 029/290 such a pig when the 025 is the same class saw but with much better power to weight? why couldn't they essentially make a 51-56cc version of the 025. well in walks the 270/280 series but they cost more.
Enough confusion I got a good deal on a 359 and it looks like I'm set for quite a while.

lucky

 

[Lakeside53]

From Jokers: There is a reason that most Stihl dealers won't let you demo homeowner saws like the 290. The secret would be out before the sale!

Huh? If think you are at the wrong end of the boat. We sell a "boat load" of 250s AND 290's. Nobody every complains about performance and in fact heap praise on both. I have several firewood cutters that use them night and day even though they know the saw is not a "pro" saw and not supposed to be used like one, but they are using them hard and when not abused they just keep running. The 290 is the MOST popular rental saw in this area, and the rental companies love them. I have NO problem in recommending either saw.

WRT Stihl dealers and "demo". Most resellers don't "demo" anything. They figure out what the customer wants, sell its, and then the customer can use the LEAST KNOWN but BEST part of buying a Stihl - the 7 days SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. Yes, if you don't like it, return it to your Stihl dealer within 7 days and you'll get your money back. You'll get an optional questionnaire from Stihl wanting to know why you didn't like it, a $5 rebate to be used against a new item, but...

 

[jokers]

Hey Lakeside,

I`m not knocking you or the ms250 and I know all about the boatload of ms290s sold. I also know a bunch of people who have bought them. I also know that the average guy buying an ms290 has no or a limited experience base with a modern saw to compare to so of course they heap praise on their new highly coveted Stihl .

Dollars to donuts says that any of your "pro" firewooders would never look at another 290 with anything but pity if they ran a good saw.

Big deal about the 7 day satisfaction guarantee, Husky doubles that. And I don`t believe that 9 out of 10 dealers figure out what a customer needs, they figure out what a customer will spend. I think that you would have to be naive to disagree, or maybe things really are different in Washington.

All Stihl dealers will keep on selling 290s if that`s what the customer will buy but an opinion based on a microcosmic snapshot of sales numbers would imply that the Poulan 2150 is a better saw than the 660. Is it?

Russ

 

[Lakeside53]

Don't worry about the "knocking me" part I never take it personally unless someone refers to me by name as and idiot, insults my mother, or whatever, and then it might well be true (not the mother part)

 

[xring]

I spent a day removing downed trees in louisiana a few weeks ago. I took a MS025 with me with an 18 inch bar ( Yea I know it works better with a 16 but I got a great deal on it & it had the bar) I use it to clear fence rows and cut a little fire wood ( don't need a lot of wood in SE Texas) When we got to some larger trees I borrowed a local's 029 It had a 20 inch bar. Even with the longer bar it seemed more powerful than the 025. There were lots of 361s there and a 440 and 460. I didn't run them but they didn't seem to be doing any more work than I was. My guess is if you run a saw all day like some of you do then the pro saws of all makes should be a better choice but if you have a small farm or cut some wood for your own use the 029/290 should do the job. There are pro cutters and non pros thats why thay make both kinds of saws. The fact that you don't need a 440 doesn't mean you should go out and buy a wild thing. My little 025 does my jobs fine as long as I don't flood it ( my fault) I even have a little Echo 3450 that works fine for what I use it for. The best people to talk to about quality of any product are the techs that work on them. Any input guys?

 

[Justin Garrison]

I have a 290 while it may be almost as heavy as my 046 and does cut alot slower it has been a good saw to me I bought it for like 60 bucks and it was my first saw and I was only 15 but it has been good to me. I could also attribute some of my muscle gain to it as well right! Have not used it since I got the 046.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Any input guys?

Yeah, good post xring.

Jeff

 

[jokers]

I have a 290 while it may be almost as heavy as my 046 and does cut alot slower it has been a good saw to me I bought it for like 60 bucks and it was my first saw and I was only 15 but it has been good to me. I could also attribute some of my muscle gain to it as well right! Have not used it since I got the 046.

Good post Justin. Accurate description of the 290, heavy and slow for it`s weight but you did good on the price.

Russ

 

[sam2506]

It floors me that some individuals just have to spout off at the mouth about particular models of saws being a piece of _ _ _ _. Many individuals spend their hard earned money on saws, to cut a few pickup loads of wood a year. IMO a Stihl 029 or MS290 is a very adequate saw for this job, for the price. I personally own one and it starts within three pulls and cuts every-time. I also own a Stihl MS260Pro and a Stihl MS460, and do see the added value in these saws. But as a occasional user I probably don't need that good of saws either. Many newbie's that are looking for a saw like the Stihl MS290 in a price range and a value they think is good enough for the occasional use, get turned off on a product that would work great for them; because some "joker" thinks his opinionated knowledge or lack of, is more important to force onto others, than helping good people who come to this site for helpful tips and answers. I do understand that there are many professionals on this site and a 029 is not built for these individuals or the job they do, but before you spout out your great wealth of dis-taste for the saw, consider the individual and how he will be using it.

 

[DanManofStihl]

I had the choice today of buyin a ms 361 it was $549.00 before taxes with a 20 in bar and I had the choice of a ms 290 with a 20in bar for $349.00 $200 dollars difference. I have run both the ms 290 more then the 361 I chose the 290 not because of the price differnce but because I didn't feel that the ms 361 was worth the extra money I alreay have a 036 pro its a good saw and I have a ms 440 another great saw. I can run the ms 290 a year pop it on ebay and only lose $50.00. I can't see spending the extra money for the pro features a decompression valve and a differnt case is not worth the extra money to me.

 

[Al Smith]

Well Sam,a lot of this is banter,nothing more nothing less.About any saw made will do the job,some better ,of course,than others.
I doubt the average home owner,trim the trees cut a bit of fire wood type would use a saw much in excess of 10 or so hours in an entire year.A sturdy built ms 440 or 460 would do a fine job but so would a Craftsman branded Poulan and for a lot less money.[oh the boys will throw rotten eggs at me for that one ] ha.
I say buy what you want,I do.

 

[rbtree]

Dan and Sam,

The problem with the 290 is that there are so many saws by other mfr's that blow it away. All are lighter, most have nearly the power or more, and most cost less. And, unlike the 290, they are all easy to work on. Fact of the matter is, the 029/290 is one of the least good saws made in the last 20 years.

Here's a partial list:

John Deere CS 56 (Efco 956)
Husky 353, 359, 55 Rancher, no longer available, I dont know about the 455
Dolmar 5100 or 540
Jonsy 2159
Solo 651
Shindaiwa 488

All of these saws are pro or pro quality, while the 290 is definitely not, and still cost less or within $100. Of course, if dealer support is an issue, then only Husky can come close....It is sad that the other brands have so little brand awareness and market share.

 

[jokers]

It floors me that some individuals just have to spout off at the mouth about particular models of saws being a piece of _ _ _ _........But as a occasional user I probably don't need that good of saws either. Many newbie's that are looking for a saw like the Stihl MS290 in a price range and a value they think is good enough for the occasional use, get turned off on a product that would work great for them; because some "joker" thinks his opinionated knowledge or lack of, is more important to force onto others, than helping good people who come to this site for helpful tips and answers.

Yeah Sam, well it floors me that some newbie hypocrite who posted this

Thanks for the information guys, I'm a newbie to this site, not to chainsaws, sorry for the confusion. I have had Stihl saws for quite some time, 018, 021, 029, but this is my first big saw.....thought a bigger saw would make the job easier. Thanks again for giving your knowledge to us young bucks.

a mere seven months ago in this threadSam`s arsenal and has this statement

Buy the best, you get what you pay for

in his profilehere feels that he has a leg to stand on to chastise me for offering an opinion that you don`t like. I call you a hypocrite because "buying the best you can" only applies in your world if we`re talking lawn mowers right?

Atleast many other former users of the 029/290 admit that the saw is a heavy and underpowered beast, I suppose that you haven`t realized that so how then do you rationalize owning an ms260 and an ms460?

Frankly Sam, your saw knowledge probably wouldn`t amount to a pimple on my arse yet you feel vindicated in giving me sh!t for trying to prevent anyone else from buying a boat anchor and you question what I know or what experience I have? You`re almost as pathetic as DMoS who claims to have an MS440 and an 066 yet he just posted that he bought another ms290.

Last time I checked, the pay here for giving knowledge or experience based advice to newbies such as your self really sucked. Don`t think for a minute that I`m going to come in and offer what I know and kiss your arse while I`m doing it, maybe you belong on the tool shed with all the other daisy chainers. If I ruffle your feathers because you made a bad choice, too bad. If I save someone else from making the same mistake that you made, then I`m happy and isn`t all this feel good freebie advice supposed to make us all happy and save some poor hard worker from wasting his money?

I`m not going to pimp some crap that I don`t believe in. I tried it once and I regret it to this day.

Russ

 

[rbtree]

I love it, jokers, how you don't mince words...if they don't like it, tough.

Sam, I see, you work at a JD dealership....golly gee, I wonder if they carry the excellent line of Efco saws, private labeled for JD??

 

[jokers]

I doubt the average home owner,trim the trees cut a bit of fire wood type would use a saw much in excess of 10 or so hours in an entire year.A sturdy built ms 440 or 460 would do a fine job but so would a Craftsman branded Poulan and for a lot less money.[oh the boys will throw rotten eggs at me for that one ] ha.
I say buy what you want,I do.

Al,

I agree. Both in buy whatever you want and also that cheap Poulans do cut well(for the money) until they fail and there is definitley a place in the market for a cheap, light, homeowner saw. If the homeowner wants to take a quantum step up in performance, ergonomics, and quality they have many good choices including the ms250 and Husky 345, 350, and 353 without even looking at the lesser represented brands like Dolmar, Efco, Solo, and Echo.

Russ

 

[Al Smith]

The problem with most lesser used saws is the fact they sit most of the year.The fuel gets funky,then they won't start.Stihls included.They end up at garage sales.My friend got a nice 028 for $20,I rebuilt the carb on my coffee break[true story],he's happy as a clam.
In light of last winters ice storm and the fact that many saws were sold including a whole bunch or ms200t s,they should hit the market in about 2 years.That is another option for getting a better grade saw for less money but then you either have to know how to repair them or pay for the service.
Most of the saws people have me work on is due to this lack of usage or improper storage,if you prefer to call it that.I've never work on a MS 290 but it's just a matter of time.

 

[Justin Garrison]

I have a 290 and it is a decent saw and it works and most people that would buy one would be happy with it, if you are on of those people than good for you, but when a husky 350 can be had from Baileys, a supporter of this site for $279.00. Which would any of you choose it weighs 10.6lbs powerhead only and will do the same job better. It is just a case of I paid arond $60 for my 290 because it had a cracked AF cover, cracked bar cover, and a cracked fuel tank. JB welded the tank has not leaked a drop since. Got a new AF cover after I got tired of the duct tape I had on it. And the bar cover is still cracked, but who cares it works. If you dont mind the weight and want a saw that under good care will last a long time if not used too frequntly than go for it. It's just theres better choices for your money.

 

[jokers]

If you dont mind the weight and want a saw that under good care will last a long time if not used too frequntly than go for it. It's just theres better choices for your money.

There you go! More honesty from an ms290 user!

Thank you Justin.

Russ