Read also:
bellini 3 in 1 air fryer fisher and paykel washing machine drum clean what time does centrelink pay go in bendigo bank e-volt electric bike aldi bauhn noise cancelling headphones swisse pregnancy ultivite vs elevit do cheese and bacon balls contain bacon
Stihl MS 390 / MS 391 Farm Boss (page 2 of 3)
391 FarmBoss, MS 390Stihl - Excellent chainsaws
We bought two of these saws. Used both for cutting wood all day long. Sharpen one while the one one is cutting. Used a 20" blade for low down torque. Excellent saws. Had them for years now and never let us down. Yes they can be a bit temperamental, but what chainsaws don't? Far better than any other brand I've owed. Crushed oleo-mac it was that bad... Great saws, still have them. For those who don't know how to start them, push the fuel primer six times, then pull the choke and pull start until it wants to start. Then push it back in and pull start. It should start every time like this. Had these saws for many years now and very seldom had an issue if you follow this procedure given by dealer.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
wish I would have never bought it!
Really hard to start in any weather. Floods fast. Like Luke said, "shop shelf decoration". some tell you to pull it ounce on full choke, ounce on half choke, then switch to run, and it will start. Wrong! Others say, pull on full choke till fake start, then on half, at witch point it will start. then release the trigger back to idle. Wrong!
No wonder they discontinued it. Also went through an ignition coil before it had 50 hours on it.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Other Petrol Chainsaws
Stihl MS 170 / 171 MiniBoss
4.0(58)Husqvarna 395XP
4.5(14)Stihl MS 381
4.1(18)Shindaiwa 488 / 488P
4.4(7)Muffler keeps coming loose
The saw works great but the 2 bolts keep backing out on the muffler. I tried putting lock tight on the bolts but that didn't work either. I'm taking it back to the dealer to see what the problem is. I own 3 other Stihl saws have never had a problem. I think this is a design flaw my other saws have all thred bolts with nuts on the muffler this saw has bolts that go into a small hole in the muffler that are very hard to get to.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Find out how Stihl MS 390 / MS 391 Farm Boss compares to other Petrol Chainsaws
Know better, choose better.
Grrrrrr
Crap chainsaw wouldn't start dealer said wrong fuel mix I said you told me 50/1 . Other 2 chainsaws still going on same fuel mix . They can fix it for $800 wow only used it 6 times .be careful when buying Stihl chainsaws and whatever they say don't use 50/1 mix asking for trouble
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
LukeVashon
15 minute saw
Bought MS391. Dealer prepped and started. Oil in, proper dealer sourced ethanol free premix. Saw blew hole in piston within 15 minutes of normal operation (not under excessive load). Dealer dismantled and consulted with regional Stihl warranty representative. 6 weeks later I call to relate story. I am told I pushed it too hard, i.e., my fault. Unbelievable! I have used an MS170 with same fuel, on same logs with same method ripping 600 lineal feet t/- with no problem and still running strong. This big new saw did not last 4 feet. Stihl wants me ...Read more
to pay for the labor of repair. Out $629.00, six weeks of down time and anticipating using a saw I have no confidence in after paying extra labor cost I should not owe. Poor business practice. Way to loose customers. Shelf decoration for shop, but not a chainsaw that cuts wood.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Lemon
I brought a 391 for general wood cutting. It was used 6 times with each time being less then .45mins max.
Blew a hole in the piston. Stihl blamed the fuel, all saws were run off the same fuel that day.
Dealer would not warrant the saw was less then 9 month old or would head office on dealers recommendation.
Had an independent replace piston, same thing happened fuel tested and all good. Looks like when warm it developed an air leak.
I have a lot of stihl products including a mini boss which has done a lot of work and has never fail.
Would...Read more
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
RonGeelong
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
bought a391 stilh
i just bought a391 second hand from Gumtree, 2 months old . have used these before,great saw i need a bit more grunt than my 311 to cut red gum. cutting another load of redgum on Sunday. Will see how it performs against my 311 in performance ... like i say look after them, they will last along time.
May 8th 2017 Update: chainsaw
l just came back from ballarat with a trail of red gum.l used my 391 stihl, it performed like a dream. Going back Friday for another load, people who have trouble with the saw STOP complaining about them, l ha...Read more
ve 2 saws now,311,@391, both working perfect,if you have trouble, take it back and ask them how to start them, the whey they do it, l have no trouble with my dealers in geelong, they are very helpful giving advice, no harm in asking them, clean your saws after each use, they wont let you down. RonSimilar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Chain bar does not stay in place, chains by Stihl do not last. Worst problems I have ever had
Stihl has two bolts that take two nuts supposed to hold the bar in place to enable holding the chain taught on the bar. The system does not work. I can cut just a small amount of brush, or a tree and the chain loosens and until I figured out the cause of this spanking new chain saw, the chain came off the bar several times. I feel cheated by the Manufacturer for building such a poor product.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
- 391 FarmBoss
- Verified purchase
Bad gas - my...
Bought my first Stihl saw today, an MS391 with a 25" bar. The dealer sold me 3 additional chains and synthetic oil for the fuel mix, put chain oil and gas in it, and I was on my merry way.
On the way home I bought a new gas can, topped my truck up with ethanol free regular and filled the new can after having poured one container of oil in it.
At home I started it up following the handbook, and decided to "practice" on some walnut (got a big oak to work on!). After half a tank, it was tired and bogged down on 4" stuff, and after 3/4 tank it st...Read more
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Find out how Stihl MS 390 / MS 391 Farm Boss compares to other Petrol Chainsaws
Know better, choose better.
Awesome saw
This is my first chainsaw and have owned it now for 5 years.
Only problem has happened recently when the clutch drum E-clip broke without me knowing and hence the retainer clips on the clutch have broken as well. Easy to fix myself with getting the parts from the local Stihl shop.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Great saw compared to others I owned.
I use my 391 about once a year. I bought it because I was tired of performing three hours of work on my old saw just to use it for 30 minutes. The 391 with 25" chain is great...a bit hard to start though.... Has hurt my arm a few times especially when it kicks.....ouch. One problem I have had performance wise is saw dust... Keep the blade sharp, it does not like dust...i have had the clutch lock up three times because of dust...a quick cleaning puts it back in operation... But that heart sinking feeling when it won't start killed me.... Yup feels like a locked up piston but it's just saw dust in the clutch area.... Clean it up and press on....sharpen that chain to reduce dust.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
TonyAdelaide
- 5 reviews
- 3 likes
This is Stihl at their best.
The MS391 (and the Husky 365 Special) - best saw/s I've ever owned and I've owned a lot as its my livelihood. I got mine secondhand for $350 from a pawnbroker and I didn't realize at the time what a steal I was getting. It had been reduced from $500. I tested it out on the pavement and could tell it wasn't oiling. I wondered should I take a gamble, it might just be blocked holes on the bar. Luckily I made the decision to buy it anyway. It wasn't the bar sadly. After losing several hours figuring out how to find the oil pump, and knowing that it...Read more
may actually be blocked oil filter, crack in oil line or worn out worm gear instead, a quick phone call to Stihl and a quote of $145 for an oil pump prompted a search on a little known site called ebay and a $35 pump and $15 worm gear arrived 3 weeks later from HK. Once the parts were replaced it oiled beautifully for 2 more years up until recently when the Stihl shop correctly diagnosed that the crankshaft is worn out. It had a hard life as an aborist's saw prior to my eucalyptus work. So now the clutch drum rotates clumsily and doesn't pick up the worm gear which drives the cog on the oil pump. So no oil feed any longer :( So I'm using it by dipping the tip of the bar in a drum of used sump oil every time I release the throttle, keeping it lubricated. Very messy! Meanwhile I um and er about spending $1350 on a new one or trying an echo instead. As for RICCEY above, I would be very skeptical of a workshop telling you you've stuffed your piston unless you yourself can verify the saw has completely seized up when you pull the cord, especially if they also sell new chainsaws. I had 2 workshops look at my MS391 and they were correct in saying that the crankshaft is worn out and its such a big, expensive job, it's not worth fixing ($392 for crankshaft alone) but they both said the piston and cylinder were shot. The thing still has compression as good as a new saw and it fires/pops on choke first pull and starts second pull with choke off. I would hold YOUR saw 4 feet off the ground by the pull cord alone and see if it holds up or quickly falls to the ground. Mine still holds up = great compression. It still requires Schwarzenegger to start it! But if YOUR cord pulls the flywheel over really easy the piston may be on its way out, but it will still cut wood effortlessly compared to most new saws on the market. I found this saw is really powerful. I was surprised to see it was only 64cc, 3.3KW, it feels more an over 70cc saw to me. As for what you've said about your fuel mixture... I've been told by a chainsaw mechanic any saw, including this one can run safely at 50:1 no matter what brand 2 stroke oil used. I've always struggled with this issue as if you go stingy on the oil, you could end up paying so much more in the long run on a new saw if it does seize up. My dad has always had distrust of manufacturer's recommendations and will only use 25:1, so I did too for many years, but eventually wanted to reduce the amount of smoke I was inhaling and money spent on oil so now I meet the half way point between Stihl's recommendation of 50:1 with Stihl 2-stroke oil and dad's belief of 25:1 being the safe limit. I use 150ml oil per 5 litres of petrol (37.5:1 technically) and this works well for me. If you take your muffler off and pull the cord to move the piston up inside the cylinder, look for heavy 'scoring' on the piston (scratches). Mine has plenty of scoring but it's not the end of the saw's life if it still has good compression as stated above. Also, if you really clean the air filter out every tank load of fuel I would think your cylinder would be in excellent condition. I know of people who don't ever clean the air filter cos they didn't know you had to!! I probably clean air filters every 4 or 5 tank loads of fuel. The good thing about these saws is they have 2 parts to the air filter which is sort of like having 2 in a row. A Stihl shop told me you only need to clean it once every 6 months, but I think this is bad advice unless you only use the saw a few times a year. Blow it out with an air compressor and/or wipe with a brush and petrol. My saw also went through a phase where it just decided it wouldn't start. I did the usual stuff like replace spark plug, check spark, clean air filter and blow out crud around carby but it didn't make a difference. I gave it to a 'backyard' mechanic and I don't know what he did to it but it hasn't given me much grief since. I love cutting with the grain with this saw (ie. what you'd normally use a splitter for) with a newly sharpened chain. It cuts like a knife through butter and so quickly, causing less fatigue. I never got the chance to try a 24"/25" bar sadly but it always cut well with a 20" bar. I went through several bars, the best being the genuine Stihl bar it came with, but I didn't want to spend $160 on an over-priced bar, so the second best bar it ran was a hard-nose American steel bar off ebay. I've found hard-nosed bars are much better, as they last longer/ don't wear as quickly as sprocket nose bars. I was told the maximum size bar to run would be a 32" on this saw but not for long periods! Apart from oil pump, worm gear, clutch drum, sprockets, chains and bars, I've only ever had the ignition module pack it in on this saw which was about $35 to replace after-market.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
RobertBallarat, Victoria
- 8 reviews
Excellent saw, always starts, cuts through everything. Worth the money.
Have owned my Stihl MS 391 Farm Boss now for about 5 years, and it still runs as good as the day i brought it. I would suggest that my saw gets more use than the average residential user, as our only heating here in a cold area is our wood heater. I do get the saw serviced regularly at the Stihl dealership, and I look after it very well between services. This saw has never let me down, from felling 40 + metre high gums, to prepping firewood, this is definetly my go to saw in my shed. I do also have a smaller Stihl saw that i use for the lighter...Read more
jobs, and it always pays to have a second saw, so you can cut the first one out if you get it jammed! This saw has been brilliant for the last 5 years, and i can not see any sign of it not lasting another 5 years and hopefully more.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Stihl ms391 review and starting tips, January 2015
I just got the ms391. It is a great saw. It starts quite easily if you do it properly, and it really does go through the wood in a hurry. I cut down and processed a fair sized, dead, seasoned elm, which is pretty hard wood. It was a pleasure to see how fast the big trunk was reduced to fireplace length pieces. Stihl highly recommends using the green chains, but my 391 came with the yellow chain. It worked fine for me and cut very fast.
Regarding hard starting on Stihl chainsaws- you can probably read this same info in other place...Read more
s, but anyway I hope this helps… 1. use gasoline is fresh and has the proper oil mix. 2. don't pull the start rope too many times with full choke. Once flooded it is a problem. Just pull the starter with full choke until you hear the little "pop" sound, then switch to the fast idle setting for the next pull. 3. When finished working, make sure to run the saw until "dry" ( all the fuel in the carb and line is used up). Do NOT store the saw for a long time with fuel mix in the carb and lines. That just about makes it impossible to start if you wait a long time before trying. 4. My Stihl dealer says that ethanol gasoline(10%) is fine as long as it is fresh and you don't store the saw without running it dry first. I have found this to be be valid information.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Good
Would give it five stars if it wasn't so difficult to start when cold. It even drives a 25 inch bar which is handy for large trees. I can't remember when I bought it but it must be at least five years ago. I don't envisage needing another saw for a long time. It is very robust and forgiving.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Find out how Stihl MS 390 / MS 391 Farm Boss compares to other Petrol Chainsaws
Know better, choose better.
RicceyKalangadoo
Great saw but!!
I purchased a Stihl 391 farm boss two yrs ago.It had done all I asked it to do cutting mostly red gum, dry and green and it worked well.Started always first/second pull with decompression button down.Always sharpened chain and cleaned filter after use.Then one day it just stopped and would'nt start,I replaced spark plug after it cooled down and it started right away (haha) fixed it,for about 10 minutes then it stopped and that was it.I got it checked out and was told the it was stuffed,the piston had ceased up due to,wrong fuel mixture?,wrong t...Read more
ype of 2stroke oil?Now I thought I had looked after the 391, always measured the correct ratio oil to fuel,kept filter clean etc.I was devastated.It does appear that it can run too lean when filter is dirty and running hot.So I'm hoping to replace it with a 381 and find out where I went wrong.The 391 is a quality saw if looked after,perhaps I was ignorant in looking after it.? Expensive exercise I know. Easy start cut wood effortlessly,weight was about right. used plenty of fuelSimilar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
CROCO29AU
- 8 reviews
- 3 likes
The legend lives on
I had my farm boss 390 for 6 years now and its been a good performer, I have used it to cut yellow box and other hardwoods and it performs well, I find it has plenty of power for the toughest timbers.
The farm boss resonably easy to hold on to for a large saw and isnt too heavy, which is a plus when using it all day, I havent had anything go wrong with it in 6 years, only the chain sharpened, which is a must if you want top performance out of your saw.
Stihl after sales is another great thing that I like you can get service for them just a...Read more
bout anywhere, thers a stihl dealership in every town. Now heres my gripe this would have to be one of the hardest thing to start out of all my small engines on the farm,my fathers old 40 yearold +chainsaw is easier to start than my farm boss is, you push the decompression button in and set the choke lever in the right position and it seems to kick back and just about rips your arm off and then you got too push the decompression button back in and do the process over again and then its a lottery if it will flood or not, so please stihl make the next model easy to start, I have got the knack to a point, but its still a lottery if it will start good for me without flooding. In general the farm boss has been a good saw.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
DenisepWA, 6330
- 4 reviews
- 3 likes
Hard working,
We have had the stihl chainsaw for around 4 years and use it alot in the winter for our wood fires. Can't really fault it. It hasn't missed a beat and like every other chainsaw needs a good clean and sharpen after every use. I would definitely stick to Stihl for garden products and we now have 3.
Reliable
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Excellent
My neighbor bought one after trying mine. I'd buy one again if / when the need arises. The unit has some weigh to it, so be careful. When you've cut though the thick log, the downward pressure combined with the weight, means you need to be ready to avoid the blade swinging down towards your feet.
Starts well if you follow the instructions. Good long bar. So far, so good.
De-comp is great but can occasionally lockup and jar your shoulder.
Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
J12345
- 3 reviews
Good
I have had this chainsaw for about 7 years. It gets lots of work on the weekend & I have cut some real "rubbishy", dirty, white ant ridden wood & it has taken the odd accidental journey into the soil.I have replaced consumables eg chains, sprockets etc. My only concerns would be the occasional compression lockup(?) when starting and having to replace the nylon pawl (presumably as a result of the compession lockup or perhaps just wear?)on a number of occasions. Although I do not have a lot of experience with other saws, if I had to buy another r...Read more
eplacement, I would not hesitate to buy another ms 390 which I now believe have a decompression valve. Reliable hard working chainsaw which has been subject to some abuse Occasional compression lockup (I think) when starting which just about dislocates my shoulderSimilar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Questions & Answers
JNichiasked
Is the 390 a better saw than 391 to buy second hand.can I run a 24 in chain on it?
2 answers
I would not recommend these saws to anyone, have a look at all the reviews, and by just this site.
The comparison in experiences between the 390 compared to the 391(model to replace the 390) is like compairing cheese and chalk.
The 390 is a workhorse but the 391 is a dud !
Seek out a trusty 390 and do a rebuild (after market parts, not genuine) yourself. It is a great way to learn about your saw and make it your 'best mate'. Shop around for the parts and check the reviews on the parts and finish quality. Be prepared to do some cleaning up with a 'dremmel' to port and polish and give a good clean up.
If the bore is overly smooth (mirror finish) run some honing stones with plenty of oil to refinish the bore.
Recommend considering the pop top (raised top) piston.
Increase the fuel 1/4 turn as your new mate will be working harder and this will help to minimise overheating. Google 'super tuning' for chainsaws
Take the time and enjoy the journey.
Paul Martinoasked
what price for Stihl Chainsaw Model MS391 FARMBOSS with 16" bar
2 answers
Do not waste your money on a MS391,
Only recommend a MS390, be patient and shop around. They do not often come up for sale but are worth the wait.
Thanks for your advice Peter but I purchased one some months ago.
Kind regards,
Paul Martino
Paul Martinoasked
price for unit with 16" Bar
1 answer
The MS390 works well with a 20inch bar and full chisel tooth chain. The full chisel will bite better but you need to keep a good firm control. Price around $600-750 depending on condition.
Other Petrol Chainsaws
Stihl MS 170 / 171 MiniBoss
4.0(58)Husqvarna 395XP
4.5(14)Stihl MS 381
4.1(18)Shindaiwa 488 / 488P
4.4(7)Echo CS-352ES
5.0(1)Husqvarna 390 XP
5.0(1)Shindaiwa 452s
5.0(2)Efco 162
5.0(1)Makita DCS231T
4.5(4)Baumr-AG SX45 MK II
4.0(1)Stihl MS 181
3.6(7)Husqvarna 445 E-Series
3.6(5)ieatwords.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ieatwords.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.