Stihl MS500i vs MS390 on the woodpile

[@ralphfrench2924]

Love my old 039 , bought it 1995 , she’s still going strong. 👍🏼

[@chrisyohn7054]

I think I got mine in 1996

[@chrisyohn7054]

I just got my old 039 out last evening. Hadn’t been run for years, put a couple squirts of oil in spark plug hole and fresh fuel and got it running easily!

[@appoutfeed]

Good times! 👍

[@jeremyc9229]

Anything Stihl that has an “0” at the beginning, I find is superior to new saws. Except for my 261

[@aegan8329]

Yep those old 390s are rugged saws… yours sounds like it’s running real rich on the top end. I’ve got one , piped exhaust, tuned just right and she goes through anything like butter

[@appoutfeed]

So, I was out finally finishing up this year's wood pile today and trying to buck up the last of some wood that had dirt and rocks embedded in the bark from where they had been skidded out of the woods. After wrecking the 500i chain on all that multiple times, I decided to break out the 390 with its 20" bar because it was less to sharpen. Was cutting on a gnarly oak piece and had the bar buried. The powerhead was barely pulling the chain. I remembered your comment and stopped and went and got a screwdriver. About 3/4 of a turn later, the powerhead was running much stronger and pulled the chain with no problem. You've got a good ear! Thanks!

[@dannyduncan7407]

how much difference 044 an 500i in the cutting power

[@carlhaggard3792]

The old 390 do you have problems finding aftermarket parts I’m trying to get a bark box or a straight shot for it. I believe I seen one for it 391 I’m not sure if that’s the same saw or not.

[@appoutfeed]

My (limited) understanding is that the 391 superseded the 390 - so a lot of parts may interchange. I would think that a 391 muffler would be likely to fit a 390. That being said, neither of these are pro saws so aftermarket performance parts are probably going to be scarce. It's been quite some time so my memory is fuzzy, but I took a drill to the baffles inside the 390 muffler to open up the exhaust a bit. I guess it helped. It sure made it louder.

[@carlhaggard3792]

@@appoutfeed thanks for the info I appreciate it i’m really partial to the 390 mostly for sentimental reasons, but it is a really good saw nowhere near the 500 in performance, but it was a gift from my brother right before he passed so it has a special place anyways now I’m rambling. Thanks again happy holidays. Stay safe.

[@huguesprenat416]

elle marche pas trop la 390 j'en ai eu une marchais bien plus fort ' The 390 doesn't work too well. I had one that worked much harder.