Stihl MS291 Love/Hate

[@markyakubovsky3380]

Same here..On all my bars I take a small round file and grind off the point, then roll it around in that tiny ass restrictor plate of a bar to port it out a bit. Makes a huge difference on how much oil gets to the chain. Run smoother, cooler and last longer. Worm gear doesn't produce pressure- only volume, so if EPA loving engineers make the bars with tiny oil ports- don't much matter how much the oiler pump can flow- it's not gonna get through.

[@michaelwalsh6000]

How much bigger do you make that port? Which size drill bit/file?

[@rafo6577]

Same frustrations here. Great saw apart from the oiler. I wanted a 261 but on the day when I really needed a new saw, the dealer had sold out of 261's.

[@VenetianWorks]

I have had issues with both 271 and then I went and bought 291 since I couldn’t source worm gear and needed saw to now deal with same crap lack of oil on bar. I clean and use compress air to clean bar before each use.

[@lowellwhite8810]

Same issue with ms 271. My solution is 2 chains used alternately and to dunk them in winter bar oil. Sharpen, clean, dunk, hang to drip dry, otherwise use normally and it lubes through entire tank. Lather, rinse, repeat alternately. i'm doing mostly oak and maple. Fortunate i don't have to work in woods, would have to think of something. My 271 prefers stihl orange bottle bar oil to Echo. Haven't tried stihl silver bottle (not needed)

[@ivancummings1860]

I have both a 291 and a 261 C same problem with the 291. I did change the sprocket to a rim sprocket makes it run a lot better. Love my 261 it’s a little beast

[@michaelwalsh6000]

Good thought. How does the rim sprocket improve oil flow?

[@lonnieholbert8898]

Watch your crank bearings/motor oiling. I just rebuilt one roughly a year and a half old that the seals failed and took the bearings with them. Friend paid $565 for it and gave it to me locked up.

[@bungalobill7941]

Mix some vegetable oil with the chain oil. Thins it out and doesn't hurt the saw, just gets more oil to the chain. Experiment with the mix until you get it where you want it. Probably about a 3 to 1 mix.

[@98dodge360v8]

I do mix it with veggie oil. Hasnt helped much

[@joepadilla8802]

I have a stihl chainsaw ms 291 needs replaced spark plug engine too

[@deanmoore420]

If you run winter oil in there, it will oil a lot better

[@dcvariousvids8082]

The 391 has an even smaller oiling gallery. And not surprisingly, runs the chain dry.

[@kevinhemken748]

I think this problem needs to be recall by stihl , i also have a stilh saw with the same problem , actual took it to the stihl dealer and got no help with this problem , all i got was a smart ass women wouldn't even tell me if she new of a recall or not she just wanted me to bring them the saw so they could charge me to fix it maybe and this was a brand new saw , by the way have had chian saws for 40 years and new it wasn't oiling right , very disappointed in my new stihl saw with o help from my stihl dealer . Moving on to a husky period .

[@rixZR2]

I clean after every (job). Local Stihl dealer told me to do this after it caught fire and burned through most of my plastic. I use it for smaller projects and it’s served me well for 8 years. My 362 (28” bar skip tooth) is my go to as a land owner.

[@Radrydrec]

Don’t know if you have cleaned the track the chain rides in but I clean mine after every use. I use toothpicks and brake cleaner. Others use picks or whatever works. That debris will cause this issue.

[@98dodge360v8]

I keep it as spotless as i can.

[@mikedebear]

Hope you find a solution. My 291 has issues with oiling enough as well. I run winter mix year round to help with the flow but I'm still putting the hurt on my bar and chain. Had the chain hot enough to smoke last time I used it 🙄 I'll probably sell it next spring and be stepping up to a 462- nearly the same weight as the 291 but almost twice as much power. I'm really pushing this saw harder than I should be with a homeowner grade saw but there were no pro saws available on the entire west coast when I bought it last year.

[@jackmcminn2520]

I got a 261 with same problem got a 20" bar and the oiler turned all the way up the EPA is ruining chainsaws

[@98dodge360v8]

For added info. The oil pump was replaced, made no difference.

[@DaleWilliford-s7e]

I see your problem