My Son-in-Law just bought me a Stihl 250 chainsaw. Mighty nice, huh? I know to use the Stihl engine oil for warranty purposes. Would you use their synthetic oil for break in? Do you follow any certain procedures at first? I'm only using non-ethanol gasoline..
How to break in a Stihl Chainsaw
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
Most saws now, even the pro saws have limited caps. I set mine a tad rich. Nothing special that I do for break-in other than chain adjustment and carb adjustment.
I let them warm up a bit, and I try to never run out of gas( lean run it).
I run 40:1.
I let them warm up a bit, and I try to never run out of gas( lean run it).
I run 40:1.
What does the owners manual recommend?
The 250 is a great homeowner saw. I have a MS261 and a 460 and don't remember any special break in besides letting them warm up and going to town. I rebuilt my '78 Mcculloch 555 (24" bar) and did the same, just a nice warm up and started cutting. That applies to any of my box store saws I have too.
Good luck with the saw!
Good luck with the saw!
What a wonderful gift. Wow!
I would run it a tad on a oily side for a first 2 tanks... Like on 3% or 4% mix...
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Break-in method number 3: chain saw stuff!
Run what oil is recommended in the manual, as well as the ratio.
I recently cared about this, then just chain-sawed stuff and realized that I use my saw so infrequently that it will likely last forever no matter what I do to it!
Run what oil is recommended in the manual, as well as the ratio.
I recently cared about this, then just chain-sawed stuff and realized that I use my saw so infrequently that it will likely last forever no matter what I do to it!
Do you mean regular engine oil like 5W30? Don't do that. Use a premium 2-cycle oil labeled as JASO FD.
I like to mix the gas 32:1 for the first tank or two with a new piece of equipment, just because.
Have four pieces of Stihl equipment that get Stihl oil at 50/1. Other 2 cycle get 40/1 Yama lube semi syn. Break in consists of no full throttle for first two tanks.
ripcord, Stihl has two 2-cycle oils, orange bottle mineral and silver bottle synthetic.
Gebo, ask your dealer. Mine has never recommended one over the other for break in. I started using the synthetic for everything (keep one product) when they recommended it for our new backpack blower that has the "4-mix" hybrid engine (4 stroke/2 stroke).
My addition to the great advise above by others. It's not good to run a saw wide open throttle while not under load (cutting).
That 250 has an interesting history. It is an older design homeowner model that some pros fell in love with for an inexpensive trim saw. They came out with the 251 replacement several years ago but have kept the 250 in production because so many love it (simple and reliable). At least that's what my dealer told me.
Don't mean to preach (LOL), but lots of weekend warriors (and pros) are injured during chainsaw work. Read the manual and have a knowledgeable person go over the key safety points.
Gebo, ask your dealer. Mine has never recommended one over the other for break in. I started using the synthetic for everything (keep one product) when they recommended it for our new backpack blower that has the "4-mix" hybrid engine (4 stroke/2 stroke).
My addition to the great advise above by others. It's not good to run a saw wide open throttle while not under load (cutting).
That 250 has an interesting history. It is an older design homeowner model that some pros fell in love with for an inexpensive trim saw. They came out with the 251 replacement several years ago but have kept the 250 in production because so many love it (simple and reliable). At least that's what my dealer told me.
Don't mean to preach (LOL), but lots of weekend warriors (and pros) are injured during chainsaw work. Read the manual and have a knowledgeable person go over the key safety points.
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I got a new Stihl as well. Didn't do anything special. Just set it all up, started it, and cut up a huge oak tree. Runs and cuts great. Nice big flakes of wood. Been using what I use in all my equipment for the past 15yrs or so. AMSOIL's Saber at 100:1. No issues at all.
Not being dismissive or rude - but why on earth, would you run a 2-stroke engine on 100:1 mix? Even the EPA mandated manufacturers ratios are nothing of the sort. What does one 'gain' from 100:1 compared to even 50:1?
Just making sure, doitmyself. 
You can use the synthetic for break in without any issues what so ever. The main benefit is that synthetics smoke a lot less, produce a lot less carbon and tend to keep the saw running cooler.
You can use the synthetic for break in without any issues what so ever. The main benefit is that synthetics smoke a lot less, produce a lot less carbon and tend to keep the saw running cooler.
Yes, yes, yes! I've got an uncle who literally cut his own throat with a limbing saw back in the day before life flights were a thing. He barely survived the jeep ride back to town and got to wear a neck beard for the rest of his life. At a minimum, read the manual. Watch a few YouTube videos from authoritative sources. Keep your head. Logging is THE most dangerous job.
I bought a Stihl 271 Farm Boss in the spring. The dealer sold me the Stihl synthetic 2 stroke oil at the time. They recommended E0 fuel so I use Top Tier 91 E0. In reading the manual it says something to the affect of avoiding prolonged full throttle runs during the first few tanks. I've mixed my fuel at 40:1 and I'm on my 3rd tank. I think I will settle in around 45:1 in the end. I have yet to hold this bad boy at WOT, I just don't need to, it eats wood!
Like someone else said for how little I use this saw it will last the rest of my life...
Just my $0.02
I have an old Stihl 025 that I bought new back in the 90's and is the grandfather to your MS250. It has been a beast, and I have always just let it fast idle for a minute or two at half choke (the new ones may be different) and then just let her rip.
After a quarter century of normal homeowner use it still runs fine with the original carb. I always use non ethanol gas and use Stihl oil in the 2.5 gallon mix size with 2 gallons of gas, so a little bit richer on oil than recommended.
I recently had to replace the oil and fuel lines due to leakage from old age. I also replaced the spark plug, air filter, chain and just a general good cleaning and tuning. Ready for autumn.
After a quarter century of normal homeowner use it still runs fine with the original carb. I always use non ethanol gas and use Stihl oil in the 2.5 gallon mix size with 2 gallons of gas, so a little bit richer on oil than recommended.
I recently had to replace the oil and fuel lines due to leakage from old age. I also replaced the spark plug, air filter, chain and just a general good cleaning and tuning. Ready for autumn.
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