Stihl ms290, Does it call for a. 325 or a 3/8 chain and bar?

[etbrown4]

Ok, I'm not a pro so can you help me out?

Can you run either or is there something on the standard sprocket which tells you?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Ok, I'm not a pro so can you help me out?

Can you run either or is there something on the standard sprocket which tells you?

3/8

 

[etbrown4]

The Stihl manual for the 290 lists .325, 3/8 and 404, whatever 404 is?

Curious what comes standard on this saw.

Ive read on arborsite that if you switch chain pitch, you have to change sprockets. Really?

Is there a way to tell what pitch your sprocket is?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

The Stihl manual for the 290 lists .325, 3/8 and 404, whatever 404 is?

Curious what comes standard on this saw.

Ive read on arborsite that if you switch chain pitch, you have to change sprockets. Really?

Is there a way to tell what pitch your sprocket is?

Yes, all must be the same pitch…bar tip, sprocket and chain.
the sprocket will be labeled.

 

[JRM]

Originally mine came with .325. I changed the whole rig up to 3/8 so that I could use the bar/chain combo on other saws.

 

[irhunter]

The Stihl manual for the 290 lists .325, 3/8 and 404, whatever 404 is?

Curious what comes standard on this saw.

Ive read on arborsite that if you switch chain pitch, you have to change sprockets. Really?

Is there a way to tell what pitch your sprocket is?

Now might be a good time to post a pic of your drive sprocket.

As previous poster wrote: pitch will be stamped on the sprocket. Also, on the bar. Maybe a pic of the writing on the bar, too.

Roy

 

[northmanlogging]

both the bar, and sprocket/clutch drum will have the chain size stamped on them.
long answer though a 290 can run either, depending on bar and sprocket, both are easily changed. manual may say it can run .404 but I'd hazard a guess that the motor might have other opinions.

 

[ZeroJunk]

They normally come out of the box .325.

 

[etbrown4]

Spocket says
Sproc U. 1125/08, A 325, z8

Guessing thats 325 chain.
Stihl dealer says the std pitch for a ms 290 from the factory is 063 with 81 drag links on a 20" bar.

Question is, this saw has a Forrester bar on it with the following numbers:
s20 63 81 e11

Stihl dealer says 290s come new with 325, 63 pitch, and 81 drag links.

How can I tell the pitch of my Forrester bar?

It's a new to me saw, and though it cuts well, the chain will completely bind up after 10 min, so i think the bar might be wrong for the chain, or vice versa

 

[pioneerguy600]

Spocket says
Sproc U. 1125/08, A 325, z8

Guessing thats 325 chain.
Stihl dealer says the std pitch for a ms 290 from the factory is 063 with 81 drag links on a 20" bar.

Question is, this saw has a Forrester bar on it with the following numbers:
s20 63 81 e11

Stihl dealer says 290s come new with 325, 63 pitch, and 81 drag links.

How can I tell the pitch of my Forrester bar?

It's a new to me saw, and though it cuts well, the chain will completely bind up after 10 min, so i think the bar might be wrong for the chain, or vice versa

The numbers on the tail end of the bar will tell, found just forward of the bar stud slot, I see its a Forrester bar so one may need to deciper the code on there, s20 is likely 20 " bar, 63 likely the gauge of .063, 81 number of drive links that would equal .325 pitch as 81 would be too many dl for 3/8" chain, no idea what the e11 supposed to mean.

 

[irhunter]

Spocket says
Sproc U. 1125/08, A 325, z8

Guessing thats 325 chain.
Stihl dealer says the std pitch for a ms 290 from the factory is 063 with 81 drag links on a 20" bar.

Question is, this saw has a Forrester bar on it with the following numbers:
s20 63 81 e11

Stihl dealer says 290s come new with 325, 63 pitch, and 81 drag links.

How can I tell the pitch of my Forrester bar?

It's a new to me saw, and though it cuts well, the chain will completely bind up after 10 min, so i think the bar might be wrong for the chain, or vice versa

First. you are getting pitch and gauge mixed up.

A common Stihl gauge is .063". Probably that "63" on the bar means .063"

You can measure the thickness of the chain drivers and the gap between the bar rails...both will be about .063"...if that's what you got.

Measuring chain pitch is also simple. Determining what pitch a bar is seems harder. I bet that e11 on the bar indicates pitch...but, I sure don't know what that means.

Stinks that some AM bar makers don't just stamp the bar with easy to understand numbers.

Here is how to measure pitch and gauge:

https://www.madsens1.com/copy-of-how-to-buy-consumer-saw-chain-1
Madsen's has a bunch of useful intel on their site. You can, pretty much, trust them for accurate stuff.

Roy

 

[irhunter]

You can always ask the bar maker:

https://forestershop.com/contact-us/

 

[etbrown4]

Forrester contacted! Tks.
If the earlier poster is right, that 81 drag links means that it is. 325 then perhaps I have the answer, but we'll see what they say.

 

[irhunter]

It seems you are most of the way to finding you have the correct bar and chain.

Next time the chain binds up, turn the saw off, yank the bar off, and look for the problem when it is still hot. I imagine the issue is a bound-up bar tip sprocket. If that's the case...it is either worn out or is not getting enough oil.

Roy

 

[etbrown4]

Forrester says the bar is right. With 81 links the chain is right.

Poster, irHunter is very close to the answer. When I first pulled off the two nuts securing the bar, out came an unusual mass of wood chips which looked as if they were welded together in a hard, large mass. It seems that upon heating up this mass would bind the chain or sprocket, though there was plenty of bar oil.

Thanks for all the tips.

 

[Bubster]

The 029s 290s 291s all came with whatever b/c you wanted. A .325 would have been 81 links, while a 3/8 set up would be 72 links. Check the sprocket to be sure. I think in my own opinion the 291 is better suited for 3/8, but someone else is bound to chime in on that one.

 

[Sidecarflip]

404, whatever 404 is?

404 is Big Boy's chain and the only way your saw would pull that is with a real short bar...